Witness Him Now
The LORD is doing such kind things this year. I want to record it. In January of this year, God said that I no longer have to say, "Judgment is coming." I no longer have to say, "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." Now He just wants me to declare His promises. We will see with our own eyes what God will do for His people.
But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the One who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to Me. You are honored, and I love you. "Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west. I will say to the north and south, 'Bring My sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth. Bring all who claim Me as their God, for I have made them for My glory. It was I who created them.'" Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. Gather the nations together! Assemble the peoples of the world! Which of their idols has ever foretold such things? Which can predict what will happen tomorrow? Where are the witnesses of such predictions? Who can verify that they spoke the truth? "But you are My witnesses, O Israel!" says the LORD. "You are My servant. You have been chosen to know Me, believe in Me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God - there never has been, and there never will be. I, yes I, am the LORD, and there is no other Savior. First I predicted your rescue, then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world. No foreign god has ever done this. You are My witnesses that I am the only God." says the LORD. "From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of My hand. No one can undo what I have done." (Isaiah 43:1-13) We are all about to see and hear and understand that there is a God in heaven who loves us. He is about to rescue His people. He is going to rescue us, then He is going to rescue our sons and our daughters - our grandchildren. We will see it happen. "But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear Him. His salvation extends to the children's children of those who are faithful to His covenant, of those who obey His commands." (Psalm 103:17-18) "Long ago You laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with Your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But You are always the same; You will live forever. The children of Your people will live in security. Their children's children will thrive in your presence." (Psalm 102:25-28) "How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying His commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted." (Psalm 112) "The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins," says the LORD. "And this is My covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children's children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!" (Isaiah 59:2021) Friends of mine, heaven and earth are shaking right now. Keep your eyes on the promises. Don't go by what you see or hear, but with righteousness make judgments. Fix your eyes on Jesus, guard your heart, and give thanks. God is up to something good, and we will see it!!! Terri
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This was posted on Facebook on. March 17th, my husband's birthday.
I want to keep a clear record of what God is doing right now. This is the year of the LORD's favor. In January we entered this new season in the spirit. Psalm 65:11, "You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance." This year will be a year of increase, bursting forth, rapid, rushing fruitfulness. (To hear these messages, tune in and listen to Pastor Jason Studdard at Heartland Church.). Everything he is preaching is bearing witness in my spirit. For me this year of bountiful harvest started in December just before Christmas of 2021. My heart connected with a prayer by Anne Hamilton. "Father, I long to be one with Jesus and with You. One in the unity of close and loving family, one in the unity of heart-knit friendship, one in the unity of a flourishing enterprise for the advancement of Your kingdom, one in the unity of betrothal, even—though I hesitate at this—one in the unity of Your suffering. All of the different onenesses, Lord, are what I seek in knowing, intimately covenantally knowing, You." Because I longed for these relationships in my own life - close, loving family, heart-knit friendship, a thriving ministry - I began to pray this prayer. God then did a miracle. He filled my every longing with Himself. Oh my goodness! Wow! Words cannot explain what happened inside of me. I no longer need any person to complete me. I don't need anything I do to complete me. God has completed me. He has filled me with all of His fullness. WOW! Now I am not needy. I am grateful for every person I come in contact with and every opportunity to share the gospel, but I am not constantly needing, longing for more.' Then in January, God told me that it is not about what I do. He doesn't care what I "DO." He wants me to sit at His feet. My whole life has been about doing. Sit? Is it possible? It is. Somehow, God has settled me. Settled me! I am now content with the closed door, sitting at His feet. My heart is full. So the first three months of 2022 have brought me increase. An increase in peace. I had peace before, but now it is so big and real that I can nearly touch it. An increase in joy. Oh my goodness! I cannot even explain. A fluttering excitement - not excitement exactly, it is something else, but close to excitement. An increase in thanksgiving. There is a river of thankfulness flowing through these veins. Abundant, overflowing, never-ending thankfulness. This is the Promise Land, a land flowing with milk and honey. It is amazing. And I get to live here. Oh my goodness! Thank you Jesus! For you, I want to say, "Don't miss this season." God is drawing near to His people. There is an open doorway into heaven right now for anyone to enter, and the Spirit is calling your name, "Come!" God is waiting with open arms for anyone who wants to enter. All we have to do is open our heart wide and let Him in. Let Him heal us. Let Him set us free. Let Him lead us into this Promised Land, a land He had prepared for us before the foundation of the world, a land of abundant joy and peace, a land of safety and security, a land filled with unfailing love and laughter. Blessings, my friends. May you, too, find this blessed place. Terri I wrote this on Facebook April 1, 2022
I woke up this morning with God whispering in my ear and speaking to my heart. I am amazed at the wonders of His Word. I have to tell you what He said. I think it might help you, too. Last night, after judging One Act Plays, I got in my car and had a message from a dear friend. I have not heard from this lady in 25 years. It was a simple message, "I am in a very dark place, and I need help. Spiritual help. I don't know who else to contact. If you have time, will you please call me." So I called her on my drive home. This dear friend was filled with self-hatred, anger, guilt, shame, worthlessness, suicide, darkness. She had been abused most of her adult life, and the trauma of that came out in every part of her body. Physically she was a wreck. Then she had lost dear friends. Tragic deaths. The sorrow and the pain of her life had smothered her till she couldn't breathe. She prayed every night for God to take her. He didn't do that. Instead, He came to rescue her. So I took her to Jesus. I had her face Jesus with her heart wide open. Naked. Without excuse. I had her confess each of these lies as a sin. I coached her to say, "I am guilty of allowing anger into my heart. Please forgive me." " I am guilty of hating myself and condemning myself. LORD, please forgive me." "I am guilty of feeling worthless. Forgive me." "I am guilty of holding onto the guilt and shame of the past. Please forgive me." Then the hardest of all was the pain and the sorrow of losing her friends. It had been choking her. So she prayed, "God, I am guilty of holding onto the pain and sorrow of the past. Please, LORD, I need for it to go away. I can't do this anymore. I need Your help." The LORD showed up and did some very kind things for my friend. But I know that the battle is not over. So in the forty-five minute drive, I tried to coach her into how to fight all the forces of hell and win. Face Jesus. Always keep your eyes on Him. Don't look at yourself. Don't look at others. Don't look at circumstances. Open your heart wide. Let Him into every part of who you are. Let the accuser point his finger at you, girl. If you did it, confess it as a sin. If you didn't do it, confess it as allowing a lie into your heart. Then I told her that according to God's word, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. FORGIVEN! Then I said, "The enemy knows how to press your buttons. If anger or self-hatred or any other spirit enters your heart again, face Jesus and say, 'I am guilty again. Please forgive me.'" And He will. Then I coached her to ask for the HOLY SPIRITS to come. Love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and gentleness and faithfulness and self-control. Light and truth. Mercy and grace. Wisdom and understanding. It is a battle. She said, "I know. I need to do better." I said, "Girl, if you think you can do this, you are already defeated. You can't. You have to let Jesus do it for you." Then I said this, "It has to come out of your mouth to come out of your heart." YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION. So I woke up this morning with this scripture in my mind. Confession is made unto salvation. What are we confessing? What are we believing? I do pretty good in some areas. I know and confess that all things work together for good. I know and confess that God has good plans for us, plans to prosper and not to harm, plans to give hope and a future. I know and confess that no weapon formed against me will prosper, and every tongue that rises against me will fall, for that is my vindication. But, I am also confessing that I have no memory and that I am getting old. But what does God say? He says that I have the mind of Christ. He also said that the Holy Spirit lives inside of me, and He will bring all things to my remembrance. He said that I can do all things through Christ. He also said that my leaves will stay green even into old age. He said that if I wait upon Him, He will renew my strength, and I will rise up with wings as eagles. I will run and not be weary. I will walk and not faint. CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION. What are we confessing? Sickness? Disease? Disaster? Hopelessness? I don't know. LORD, give us eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to understand what we are saying. Let our words line up with Your words so that our confessions will bring salvation. Only You can do what I am asking you to do. LORD, come. Save us. Deliver us. Heal us. I am asking this in Jesus' precious name. AMEN Love you guys! Terri THE WEALTH OF THE NATIONS WILL TURN TO ASHES
At the beginning of this year, God told me that I do not have to say "Judgment is coming" anymore. What He wants me to do is to declare His promises so that we can see and hear and understand what is happening. We will be His witnesses. What I found this morning is this promise. "Has not the LORD of Heaven's Armies promised that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes? They work so hard, but all in vain!" (Habakkuk 2:13) He then goes on to say in Habakkuk that He is going to judge those who: * trust in themselves * the arrogant * the greedy * the crooked * extortioners * murderers * thieves "What sorrow awaits you who build big houses with money gained dishonestly! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your family's nest beyond the reach of danger. But by the murders you committed, you have shamed your name and forfeited your lives. The very stones in the walls cry out against you, and the beams in the ceilings echo the complaint." All money is about to disappear. I know this to be true because it is written. What is wealth right now? The dollar? Bit coin? Property? God says that all of it will turn to ashes. I can see it all burning as I am writing this. "Has not the LORD of Heaven's Armies promised that the wealth of nations will turn to ashes? They all worked so hard, but all in vain! For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD." (Habakkuk 2:13-14) When we see this happen, we will see God's glory. We will understand that He does what He pleases. So what do we do? God tells us what to do in Matthew 6. "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:19-21) There are going to be many needs in the coming days. There are many needs right now. Help others. If someone is hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. If they are naked, cloth them. Whatever you do to the least of these people, you are doing for Jesus. In this way, we "lay up treasure" in heaven. Then Matthew goes on to say, "Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money." (Matthew 6:22-24) Back in 2009, God started to speak to me. When He showed me what was about to happen, I cried out, "LORD, how are we going to make it?" The very first scripture He gave me was Matthew 6:33, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." That scripture is connected with money. When I understood this, I turned my back on money. I didn't look at it. I didn't plan what to do with it. I didn't try to get it or hoard or spend. I still worked, but my eyes were not on money. If our eye is good (fixed on Jesus), our body is full of light. If our eye is bad (fixed on money), our body is full of darkness. And what if we think we are looking at Jesus, but we are really looking at money? How deep is that darkness! We cannot serve both God and money. So I turned my back on money. It is not mine. It is God's. Since I have done that, God has allowed me to enjoy what I have so much more. I don't have to have the biggest or the best. I just want to live and love and laugh, and I do. "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:25-34) The wealth of nations is about to disappear. It will happen. So what do we do? Fix our eyes on Jesus, guard our heart, and give thanks. God is always up to something good. He is going to take care of us. Trust Him. Don't worry! Rejoice. Again I say, "Rejoice!" This is all part of God's big, good plan to prosper and not to harm. It is part of God's plan to give hope and a future. This is a kingdom matter. We will serve God and not money. He will make sure this happens. Blessings my friends. Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done, and the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Terri THE WORLD IS ON FIRE.
No one has to tell us that the world is on fire. We can see it. We can feel it. There are things that are happening all around us that we cannot change. We cannot stop it. We cannot fix it. So what do we do? We let the fire do what the fire is intended to do - purify us. "Look! I am sending My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then the LORD you are seeking will suddenly come to His Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly is surely coming," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. (Malachi 3:1) The LORD is sending messages right now. Listen to what He is saying. Hear the Word of the LORD. Take it to heart. The Word of God is a sharp two-edged sword that is dividing the soul and the spirit, the joints and the marrow, the thoughts and intents of the heart. The Word cuts. It exposes. It lays bare everything we have done, everything we have thought, every motive of the heart. Let it. Stand before God naked. Let Him see it all. Don't hide anything. Then cry out, "God, help me. Forgive me. Heal me. Set me free." Then one by one confess your sins and turn your back on them. Don't ever look at them again. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Cling to Him. Let Him do for you what you cannot do for yourself. "But who will be able to endure it when He come? Who will be able to stand and face Him when He appears? For He will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD. Then once more the LORD will accept the offerings brought to Him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as He did in the past. At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against those who cheat employees of wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear Me," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. (Malachi 3:2-5) God is putting us all on trial. Let Him. Stand in the courtroom of heaven without excuse. Do not point the finger at anyone else to tell why you did what you did. Humble yourself and accept your guilt and confess your sin. Let God cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Lay it down. Let go. Then trust God to do what He says He is going to do. "This is what the LORD says: 'I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity. The wealth of the nations will flow to her. Her children will be nursed at her breasts, carried in her arms, and held on her lap. I will comfort you there in Jerusalem as a mother comforts her child." "When you see these things, your heart will rejoice. You will flourish like the grass! Everyone will see the LORD's hand of blessing on His servants - and His anger against His enemies. See, the LORD is coming with fire, and His swift chariots roar like a whirlwind. He will bring punishment with the fury of His anger and the flaming fire of His hot rebuke. The LORD will punish the world by fire and by His sword. He will judge the earth, and many will be killed by Him." (Isaiah 66:12-16) This fire that is consuming the earth right now will do one of two things, it will either purify us or it will punish us and kill us. The choice is ours how we respond to the circumstances. We cannot change what is happening in the world, but we can let those circumstances change us. "The sinners in Jerusalem shake with fear. Terror seizes the godless. 'Who can live with this devouring fire?' they cry. 'Who can survive this all consuming fire?' Those who are honest and fair, who refuse to profit by fraud, who stay far away from bribes, who refuse to listen to those who plot murder, who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong - these are the ones who will dwell on high. The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress. Food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance." (Isaiah 33:14-16) There are certain standards that we will all adhere to in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We will all be honest and fair. We will all refuse to profit by fraud. We will all shut our eyes to all enticement to do wrong. We will all treat others like we would want to be treated. If we are not doing that, repent. God is eager to forgive. The LORD of Heaven's Armies says, "The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed - roots, branches, and all. But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked (principalities and powers) as if they were dust under your feet, says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. (Malachi 4:1-3) So no matter what happens, face Jesus and open your heart wide. Give Him your worries. Give Him your fears. Say, "I am guilty of allowing worry and fear in my heart, will You please forgive me." Then tell Him what you need and thank Him for what He has done. At that point the peace that passes all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Then rejoice. Again I say, "Rejoice!" God is always up to something good, and if God is for you, who can be against you. Be blessed my friends. We are living in crazy, amazing times. We are about to see everything that was written come to pass. We will see it with our own eyes, and we will experience it. May we all be able to let go of what is holding us in bondage. Terri October 30, 2018
This is an old message, but it is good, especially in light of all that is about to happen. There has been A LOT on my mind the last couple of weeks. God's word is piercing my heart, and maybe for the first time - THE FEAR OF THE LORD is entering me. I know that God is God. He is holy. He is just. And I know that the same things that made Him angry in the past, makes Him angry now. I tremble because we are doing those same things. Sweet Jesus! But then I came to realize that even though we prostitute ourselves, even though we follow after other lovers, even though we go the wrong directions, God still loves us, and He will intervene on our behalf. We don't realize that all we have came from God, not our (job-talent-intelligence-money-looks-whatever you think prospered you). We may not like the intervention, but He is so kind and gracious to stop us from our madness. Listen to what God is going to do for His people who have been unfaithful to Him. In Hosea, God talks about us saying, "Their mother is a shameless prostitute and she became pregnant in a shameful way. She said, "I'll run after other lovers and sell myself to them for food and water, for clothing of wool and linen, and for olive oil and drinks." - What are we running after that we think supplies these things? - "For this reason I will fence her in with thorn bushes. I will block her path with a wall to make her lose her way. When she runs after her lovers, she won't be able to catch them. She will search for them but not find them. Then she will think, 'I might as well return to my husband, for I was better off with Him than I am now.' She (we) doesn't realize it was I who gave her everything she has - the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to Baal. "But now I will take back the ripened grain and new wine I generously provided each harvest season. I will take away the wool and linen clothing I gave her to cover her nakedness. I will strip her naked in public, while all her lovers look on. No one will be able to rescue her from my hands. I will put an end to her annual festivals, her new moon celebrations, and her Sabbath days - all her appointed festivals. I will destroy her grapevines and fig trees, things the claims her lovers age her. I will let them grow into tangled thickets, where only wild animals will eat the fruit. I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of Baal, when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about Me," says the LORD. BUT THEN I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to Me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt. When that day comes, " says the LORD, "you will call Me 'my husband' instead of 'my master.'" Hosea 2 Wow! God is going to take away every good thing He has ever given us so that we will come to a place where we want Him again. Then He is going to romance us there in the desert. The world will see us naked and destitute, but God will see His bride. Humble. Contrite. Beautiful. He loves us so much. It is passages like this one that give me such hope. God loves us - even when we are lusting after other lovers. Thank you, Jesus! Terri October 29, 2021
I have to record what I hear God saying in His word. Over and over again, God is giving me strong warnings for His people - the church. "What sorrow awaits rebellious, polluted Jerusalem, the city of violence and crime! No one can tell it anything; it refuses all correction. It does not trust in the LORD or draw near to its God. Its leaders are like roaring lions hunting for their victims. Its judges are like ravenous wolves at evening time, who by dawn have left no trace of their prey. Its prophets are arrogant liars seeking their own gain. Its priests defile the Temple by disobeying God's instructions." (Zephaniah 3:1-4) No one can tell us what to do. We refuse all correction. We do not trust God or draw near to Him. "But the LORD is still there in the city, (our heart) and He does no wrong. Day by day He hands down justice, and He does not fail. But the wicked know no shame." (Zephaniah 3:5) "I have wiped out many nations, devastating their fortress walls and towers. Their streets are now deserted; their cities lie in silent ruin. There are no survivors - none at all. I thought, 'Surely they will have reverence for Me now! Surely they will listen to My warnings. Then I won't need to strike again, destroying their homes.'" (Zephaniah 3:6-7) God has done things in the past to try to get our attention. Over and over He has sent hardship. He was hoping that we would listen to His warnings so that He would not have to strike again and destroy our homes. "But no, they get up early to continue their evil deeds. Therefore, be patient," says the LORD. "Soon I will stand and accuse these evil nations. For I have decided to gather the kingdoms of the earth and pour out My fiercest anger and fury on them. All the earth will be devoured by the fire of my jealousy." (Zephaniah 3:7-8) All the kingdoms of the earth are about to be gathered together and devoured by the fire of God's jealousy. It is at our doorstep, but His eyes are always on us, His church first. "From among all the families on the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I must punish you for all your sins. Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? Does a lion ever roar in a thicket without first finding a victim? Does a young lion growl in its den without first catching its prey? Does a bird ever get caught in a trap that has no bait? Does a trap spring shut when there's nothing to catch? When the ram's horn blows a warning, shouldn't the people be alarmed? Does disaster come to a city unless the LORD has planned it? Indeed, the Sovereign LORD never does anything until He reveals His plans to His servants the prophets." THE LION HAS ROARED - so who isn't frightened? The Sovereign LORD has spoken - so who can refuse to proclaim His message?" (Amos 3:2-8) So here is the warning. But there is something else happening, too. THEN "Then I will purify the speech of al people, so that everyone can worship the LORD together. My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia will come to present their offerings. On that day you will no longer need to be ashamed, for you will no longer be rebels against Me. I will remove all proud and arrogant people from among you. There will be no more haughtiness on My holy mountain. Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the LORD. The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will never tell lies or deceive one another. They will eat and sleep in safety, and no one will make them afraid." "Sing, O daughter Of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! For the LORD will remove His hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the LORD Himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster. On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, 'Cheer up, Zion! Don't be afraid! For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs." "I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more. And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away. I will give glory and fame to My former exiles, wherever they have been mocked and shamed. On that day I will gather you together and bring you home again. I will give you a good name, a name of distinction, among all the nations of the earth, as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes. I, the LORD, have spoken." (Zephaniah 3:9-20) Can you see God's plan? All pride and arrogance is going to be gone. Our troubles will be gone. The LORD Himself will live among us and sing over us and delight over us with gladness and calm all of our fears. He will rejoice over us with joyful songs. This is His plan. If only we would listen. If only we would receive correction. If only we would draw near to Him and trust Him. People, this is both a warning and a promise. Fix your eyes on Jesus, guard your heart, and give thanks. God is doing something good. Terri October 29, 2021
I am thinking thoughts that I have NEVER thought before, and I want to record what is happening. I think it started several years ago when God delivered me from judgment and delivered me into honor. (Go to my website for more on that.) Then a few months ago, God gave me 1 Timothy 21-4: "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." Since I have started doing what God says in these verses, my heart has changed. It has changed for our king, Joe Biden. It has changed for those who have done and are doing awful, awful things. I am now looking at all people through God's eyes. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. God loves us. He wants all of us to be saved and to know the truth. Who am I to pick the winners and the losers? We are all sinners. We all deserve death, but God in His mercy and His grace reaches His loving hand out to us all. It is then up to us to take that hand and let Him save us and set us free. So I am thinking and doing things I have never done before. WOW! Then yesterday I picked up a page off of the pickup floor that had fallen out of my Bible - my Bible is falling apart. It was a page out fo 1 Peter 2, and it said, "For the LORD's sake, submit to all human authority - whether to the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right. It is God's will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God's slaves, so don't use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love the brotherhood. Fear God, and respect the king." (1 Peter 2:13-17) Then I got to thinking about this and what it was actually saying. How do we become obedient to this word? And I thought of Braveheart. There was a king, and he had appointed officials. There was a law in the land that said that this officials had the right to take a new bride on her wedding night and sleep with her before her husband did. Now in my mind, I am trying to make this play out. Wicked king. Wicked officials. Wicked law. Yet, God is asking His people to submit to all human authority FOR THE LORD'S SAKE. OK. This goes against everything we have ever thought or done, even in the best of circumstances. Then I thought of the 1 Timothy 2 scripture. If we pray for, intercede for, help, and give thanks for all people - the murderers, the rapists, the people who do so many horrible, horrible things, we will live quiet, peaceable lives marked with godliness and dignity. It is all about the heart, not what happens to the body. So I went back to Braveheart and played it out in my mind. On the wedding day the law demanded something that neither the bride nor the groom wanted to do. But what if FOR THE LORD'S SAKE, they submitted to the authorities. What if they then prayed for, interceded for, helped, and gave thanks for this guy/these guys who did this? What if they were obedient to what the LORD was asking them to do, and they left the rest in the hands of God, who always judges fairly? Think about what is happening in the heart of the young bride and groom if they are obedient. Think about what happens in the heart of the young couple if they are not. Oh my goodness! In the natural none of this makes sense. What? Do we just roll over and let anyone do whatever they want to us? Do we not fight back? Do we not stand up for what is right? Then on top of all of that, God is asking us to respect them? Respect everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, respect the king. I am just talking here. I am thinking thoughts I have never thought before. Then it goes on to say, "You who are slaves (employees, wives, children - anyone who is under authority) must submit to your masters WITH ALL RESPECT. DO WHAT THEY TELL YOU - not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. (Can you hear what this is saying?) For God is pleased when, conscious of His will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. (Think of Braveheart.) Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. (Fighting back?) But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you." (1 Peter 2:18-20) Say What? "For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps. He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered. He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly." (1 Peter 2:21-23 I am thinking thoughts I have never thought before. Then my husband asked me, "What if they made you get the shot." This is bringing it home. If there is a choice: you can have a job if you get the shot; you can travel if you get the shot; you can buy or sell if you get the shot, I will say, "I don't want the shot." But if our government says, "Everyone will get the shot," I will line up and take it - I think. In my heart, I am seeking to become obedient to God's word - FOR THE LORD'S SAKE submit to all human authority. Oh my goodness! I am thinking things I have never thought before. Submission. What does that mean? We have put stipulations on what we will do and what we will not do. I don't think we know what submission means. I don't think we know what respect means. In the coming days, I think we are all going to have to make choices - hard choices, choices that will have serious consequences. The LORD is telling me in my heart, "I am giving you a different choice." He is telling me that He will keep our heart safe, if we will let Him. We have to become obedient to do what He is asking us to do, though. This is new word, and it is hard. May the LORD give us all eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to understand what He is saying. May He give us all wisdom and understanding about how the coming days are going to play out. "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:17-18) Blessings my friends. May the LORD hold us all close to His heart in the coming days and keep us safe. May He teach us all how to submit to authority and to respect it. Terri October 26, 2021
LESSONS I LEARNED IN 2021 I have to blog; I have a lot to say. About a year ago, God started speaking to me, and I have learned more in the past year than I have ever learned in my life. I want to record the lessons I learned because I don’t think I am the only one God is speaking these words to. Perhaps you, too, will have eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to understand what God is saying. LESSON ONE: YOU ADULTERERS, DON’T YOU KNOW THAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD MAKES YOU AN ENEMY OF GOD! Before last year’s election, God gave me an adulterous dream. In my dream I had casual sex with whomever. The whole business was very casual, unsatisfying and unfulfilling. On top of that, I had no remorse. That is just what I did. When I woke up, I asked God, “What was that?” And He took me to James 4:4-5: “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the Spirit He has placed within us should be faithful to Him.” WOW! I had read this passage my entire life, but it never had meaning like it did that day. If I want to be friends with the world - to fit in anywhere, I have just made God my enemy. Oh my goodness! At the time I just wanted one person that I could talk to. That day I turned my back on it all. I don’t have to be friends with anyone. If God wants me to have a friend, He will give me one. Because I became obedient to this word, the rest of God’s words have fallen into place. I could never do or say the things I have done and said the last year if I was concerned about what any person would think. The only one I want to please is God. I turned my eyes toward Him alone. That day I turned my back on trying to fit in anywhere. My eyes are no longer on people. LESSON TWO: IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN CIVILIAN AFFAIRS, YOU CAN NEVER PLEASE ME. The next week was the election - November 2020. My goodness! The words that were said on both sides of the isle during this time period should never have been said. Our world was set on fire - the fires of hell. Then the LORD showed me that He is the One who sets up kings and kingdoms, and He is the One who takes them down. You can watch my LIVE video on November 4th. My goodness. Then God said, “Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.” (2 Timothy 2:4). That day God told me that if I got involved in any of the politics, I would never be able to please Him. That day I turned my.back on my country. I didn’t look at it anymore. I still don’t. I quit fighting for it. My eyes turned to the Kingdom of Heaven only. My concern is only for what is happening in our hearts, my back is toward everything else. But because I turned my back on my country, I had to leave my church. My church is very political. We were going different directions, and I didn’t want to cause confusion. These are my peeps! This is where I belong! But I didn’t what to cause any disrespect or dishonor to my pastor, and I didn’t want to cause division or confusion. God had already told me that if I wanted to be friends with the world, I would make Him my enemy. And He said that if I got involved in civilian affairs, I could never please HimI I had to go. I am walking this road alone. LESSON THREE: I DIDN’T CALL YOU TO SAVE ANYONE. ALL I WANT FROM YOU IS TO SPEAK THE TRUTH AND LOVE PEOPLE. All my life I have been a doer. I have always wanted to help, to make a difference. When I walked out of the church, all of a sudden, I had nothing to do. No one needed me. Then on top of that, we bought a RV. Now, I know how short time is, and yet, we were heading out to do….what? Nothing? Hike. Bike. Canoe. Motorcycle. Camp. It was hard to give myself permission fo do nothing, but I could see nothing I could do. Then God spoke to my heart, “I never called you to save anyone. I just want you to speak the truth and love people.” Wow! When this sank in - and I don’t know that it has completely sunk in yet, this was liberating. I don’t have to do anything. It is not what I do, but who I am that He wants. He is preparing me for the good works that He has prepared in advance that I should walk in. I think in times past, I tried to make things happen in my own wisdom and strength. That doesn’t work. What a relief that God has released me from this burden. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus! It is not what we do, but who we are that matters. LESSON FOUR: CALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS THOUGH THEY ARE! When we were on our RV adventure, I had a friend who kept saying, “Your trip is prophetic. Pay attention.” What? I started to pay attention to the random places we chose to go. We spent two weeks in Dolores, Colorado. Dolores means “pain” and “sorrow.” There was also a river that ran through this town that was also named Dolores. This river ran for hundreds of miles through Indian land. My friend said, “Anoint the river with the oil of gladness.” So I started calling for God to heal the land, to heal sorrow, to heal pain, to send joy and gladness. I had never done anything like this before. Then we went through Bitter Springs, Zion, Mt. Carmel, Cathedral Wash, The Narrows, Wall Street, Angel’s Landing. In each place I stopped, took off my shoes, and began to call those things that are not as though they are. I started praying for things to be as God always intended - whole and healed, righteous, holy. Then when we got back from our trip, I spent some time with my grandchildren. I listened to their music. I heard their stories. Such sorrow. Such rejection and betrayal. I asked them, “Does your whole generation sing these sad songs?” They said, “Yes.” That night I started to pray for this generation. I started calling those things that are not as though they are - Holy. Filled with light. Filled with love. Righteous. Pure. Set apart. Free. Joy-filled. Oh send out Your Light and Your Truth. Let them lead them. Let them bring them to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. That night after I went to sleep, the LORD spoke over me. “This is the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation who will show forth My praises, for I have called them out of darkness into My marvelous light.” Oh my goodness. I have never seen as much darkness as I see now. This generation did not have a chance. They are the ones who grew up with a cell phone in their hands. Too much. Too soon. But God just said, “This is the chosen generation!” Then He told me that everyone living right now is the chosen generation. We have all been brought up in darkness, we just didn’t know it. But when God’s light and truth begin to permeate all of the darkness and lies, we will understand. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus. So now, my eyes are upon what God told me, not what I see. I am calling those things that are not as though they are. HOLY! LESSON FIVE: THERE ARE FIVE PRAYERS THAT I WILL ALWAYS ANSWER. Oh my goodness! It has been a while since I have prayed much. When I came to realize that God uses circumstances, all circumstances to turn our hearts back to Him, I stopped praying because I didn't want to pray in a way that was fighting the purposes of God. My prayers were very self-centered prayers at this time: “God, create in me a clean heart and an upright spirt.” “Teach me Your ways, and show me Your paths that I may walk in them.” “Take every one of my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. Tear down strongholds; cast out imaginations and every “high thing” that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” “May every thought that I think and every meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, God.” So I have been seeking a pure, perfect heart. Is it possible? I don’t know, but I am asking. God says that “The eyes of the LORD go to and fro over the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect before Him.” That’s what I wanted, a perfect heart. So I prayed. Then sometime this year - I can’t place the time period, the LORD told me, “I will answer these five prayers every time.” What??? “In fact, I am waiting for you to pray so that I can answer.” Wow!!! So the prayers are: Help me. Forgive me. Thank you. Forgive them. Send Your Spirit God knows that there is nothing that we will be able to do on our own from now on. It is not possible. Judgment is at our doorstep. The anxieties, fears, insecurities, frustrations, rage, anger, worry, and terror are too much. We will not be able to stop what is about to happen, and God doesn’t want us to. What He wants is to save our soul. Our heart is what He is after, so He is standing with arms wide open to hear us cry out, “Help me!” Then when we open our heart wide to Him so that He can come in, He reveals our sins and the lies we have believed our entire life. Once He shows us, we can come to Him with out excuse and say, “LORD, please forgive me.” And He does. One by one, we confess our sins, and according to God’s word, He forgives us our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Anxieties leave and peace enters. The work of righteousness is peace. We are then right with God. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus! The next prayer that God will always answer is “Thank you!” If we will thank God and praise Him, even when things get hard, He takes the burden from our shoulders, and He sends peace to guard our heart and mind in Christ Jesus. So even though the circumstances may or may not change, the heart will. He will take our burden, and He will teach us to trust Him. Then He says that He will always answer when we ask Him to forgive others and not hold their sins against them. This is the last prayer Jesus prayed before He died, and it was the last prayer Stephen prayed as they stoned him to death. “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” None of us know what we are doing. God, help us all. God’s name is Mercy, and He is pleased when we extend mercy to those who have wronged us. It also does something amazing in our heart when we pray this way for those who are doing us harm. We then are touching the heart of our Father who does not want any to perish, but wants all people to come to repentance. We are on their side. God is on their side, and we are too. Then we let it play out. Who knows. These people might repent. Then the fifth prayer that God will always answer is, “God, send Your Spirit.” “How much more will the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.” So I ask for His Spirit all the time. If I need more patience, I ask for patience. If I need wisdom, I ask for wisdom. I always ask for light and truth and mercy and grace. I ask for unfailing love. I ask for kindness that leads to repentance. I ask for patience and endurance. I ask for strength and courage. I ask for rest. I ask for joy and peace. I ask for what I need. I do not think that any of us will be able to do what we are being asked to do unless we do it in the Spirit’s strength. It is not possible. Love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and gentleness and faithfulness and self- control are fruits of the Spirit. There is no way we can get to these without God. These prayers will be key to making it in the coming days. LESSON SIX: PRAY FOR, INTERCEDE FOR, HELP, AND GIVE THANKS FOR ALL PEOPLE. Oh my goodness! This one was a game changer. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4) If we could get into the heart of our Father and know what He wants all the time, this would be it. This is His nature. It is His desire that none perish. He wants His children to feel the same way. Say what??? In this wicked world filled with violence and abuse, God wants us to care about people - even the people who are taking away everything we have ever worked for - even people who rape and pillage the land - even people who will choose to take our lives. ALL PEOPLE. To do this, we have to give up everything we have and leave it in the hands of our God who loves us. We have to lay down everything. Let it go. Stop fighting for things that are going to go away anyway. It is written: “Look! The LORD is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland.” (Isaiah 24) This will happen, and it won’t be because of the Democrats. It is because God is tired of all the sin. “We all have twisted God’s instructions, violated His laws, and broken His everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth. Its people must pay the price for their sin. They are destroyed by fire, and only a few are left alive.” (Isaiah 24:5-6). When we get it in our head that it is God who is doing all of this and not someone else, obedience to this word becomes easier. So how do we escape the coming destruction? Pray for, intercede for, help, and give thanks for all people. Give thanks for all people - even those who do us great harm. Ask God to help them. Really intercede for them, don’t just call down fire from heaven and ask God to remove them from office. God is the One who put our leaders in office. He did it. Now He wants us to pray for them - really pray for them. Pray blessings. Pray wisdom. Pray understanding. Pray mercy and grace. Pray light and truth. Pray unfailing love. Pray kindness. Pray goodness. Pray for God’s best gifts to be Joe Biden’s. But what I hear instead is in one voice our nation is chanting “F _ _ _ Joe Biden.” The heart of our country is wicked to its core, and we are unified in our wickedness. Sweet Jesus, help us all. The LORD sees that every inclination of man’s heart is upon evil continually. He is not pleased, but He has made a way of escape. Humble yourself, accept your guilt, and confess your sins. We have all sinned in what we have said in the last twelve years. We are so sorry, LORD. Then begin to do something we have never done before, pray blessings over those who don’t deserve it. Ask God to forgive them and to not hold their sins against them. This is mercy and this is grace. God’s nature is mercy and grace. We then join in His nature. Will He do it? I don’t know. It is not my business. What I do know is that if I pray this way, I will live a peaceful, quiet life marked by godliness and dignity. That’s pretty amazing. LESSON SEVEN: PLANT THE GOOD SEEDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND YOU WILL HARVEST A CROP OF LOVE. Oh my goodness! This scripture is going to the heart of all of us who want to fight for our country. I said, “Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.” “But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies - trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe. Now the terrors of war will rise among your people. All your fortifications will fall.” (Hosea 10:12-14) In Texas, we have big guns. Don’t mess with Texas! But according to this passage, we have eaten the fruit of lies if we trust in our guns to make our nation safe. If we do that, the terrors of war will rise among us and our fortifications will fall. We are cultivating wickedness and we will harvest a thriving crop of sins. OH MY GOODNESS! When I shared this passage with my husband, it pressed his buttons. He is a scrapper and a protector. He would lay down his life to take care of us. He said, “So what are we suppose to do, just lay down and die?” I could see fire in his eyes. I had just touched on something that he did not want to hear. I watched as he tried to reconcile what he was hearing. Finally, he said, “It is hard for me to separate the spiritual from the natural. What we are fighting now is spiritual.” Even though he said those words, this is a hard word for him. When the time comes, we will see how it plays out. Because of the things I am saying, I know that there will be a lot of opposition to me. It is written, “Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere. And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.” (Daniel 11:33-35). I told my husband that if something happens to me, he has to ask God to: Help him. Forgive him. Thank Him. Forgive them - really mean it Send Your Spirit The only way we are going to make it in the coming day is if we do it God’s way. He said, “Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 10:12) LESSON EIGHT: STOP DECEIVING YOURSELVES. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE WISE BY THIS WORLD’S STANDARDS, YOU NEED TO BECOME A FOOL TO BE TRULY WISE. The last couple of years I have watched over and over again as people are telling other people what they should do. It is especially true concerning the vaccine. Then I got hold of this passage: “Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.” And again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; He knows they are worthless.: So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. (1 Corinthians 3:18-21) Guys, we are not all that smart. I don’t know what I am suppose to do, let alone tell you what you are suppose to do - unless it comes to what God says. But we all think we have the answers. We all think we know what is going on. We don’t. What is happening is so much bigger than we are. Then it says, “Don’t boast about following a particular human leader.” There are a whole lot of people who are following Donald Trump right now. They place their hope in the fact that he will again regain office and all will be well. Donald Trump cannot save us, only Jesus can. If we are going to make it in the coming days, we need to get our eyes off of any human leader and fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. He is the One we should follow. If we are doing anything else, we will be trapped in the snare of our own cleverness. Follow Jesus. Do what He is asking you to do. Turn and go another way. LESSON NINE: TREAT OTHERS LIKE YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO TREAT YOU. This lesson did not come to me in 2021, it came in 2019, but it is huge. When we read Matthew 7:12-23 all together, this passage takes on a whole new meaning. “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets. You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. 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.’” God is talking to the church. He is saying that if we don't treat all people like we would want to be treated, we are just a vicious wolf in sheep’s clothing. We are a bad tree that produces bad fruit and will be chopped down and thrown in the fire. On judgment day we will try to tell God all fo the good things we have done for Him, and He will say, “Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.” To not treat others like we would want to be treated is to break every one of God’s laws. His law is love, and He is teaching us how to follow this law of love if we will let Him. LESSON TEN: I WILL WIPE HUMANITY FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH. For twelve years the LORD has been speaking to me that judgment is coming. I see it everywhere in the scriptures, but in August of this year, God revealed to me that His big, good plan is to destroy all of humanity. I never saw it before now. “I will sweep away everything from the reface of the earth,” says the LORD. “I will sweep away people and animals alike. I will sweep away the birds of the sky and the fish in the sea. I will reduce the wicked to heaps of rubble, and I will wipe humanity from the face of the earth,” says the LORD. “I will crush Judah and Jerusalem with My fist (that’s His people) and destroy every last trace of their Baal worship. I will put an end to all the idolatrous priests, so that even the memory of them will disappear… Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign LORD, for the awesome day of the LORD’s judgment is near. The LORD has prepared His people for a great slaughter and has chosen their executioners.” (Zephaniah 1:2-4, 7) So I can see from this passage that God’s eyes are on His people. He sees what we are doing is not pleasing God. We have idols in our heart. We are worshiping other gods. We are not seeking God, and we don’t ask for His guidance. So the LORD has prepared His people for a great slaughter and has chosen their executioners. If we don’t change soon, we will be caught up in this destruction. So if God’s big, good plan is to destroy humanity, what does He want from us? Love people. Pray for them. Intercede for them. Give thanks for them. When God started speaking to me twelve years ago, I said, “God, how are we going to make it?” He said, “Fix your eyes on Jesus, guard your heart, and give thanks. I am always up to something good.” So my back is turned on the world and all that is going on. I know what is about to happen. It is written. My face is toward Jesus, and I am rejoicing. God is preparing His bride. And before this is all through, we will be pure and spotless. We will be a HOLY sacrifice. LESSON ELEVEN: BUT GOD SHOWS HIS ANGER FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL SINFUL, WICKED PEOPLE WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH BY THEIR WICKEDNESS. I am trembling as I write this. I don’t want to say what I am about to say. A couple of weeks ago, my husband asked me to come back to church with him. I have not been to church in nearly a year. I knew that if I went back, it would have to be ok with our pastor. The things that I am saying are hard words, but I have to say what God is asking me to say. So I met with him, and I shared with him all that I have written in this blog - all that the LORD has been doing the last year. He could not hear anything that I said. He told me that I could stop saying what I am saying if I wanted to, but I was not submitting to authority and I was in rebellion. While he was saying this, all I could hear was “suppressing the truth” in my spirit. When I got home, I looked up “suppressing the truth,” and this is what God said. “But God shows His anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” (Romans 1:18). Never in a million years would I describe this man as sinful and wicked, but God did. God’s Word is Truth. It is Spirit and Life. It is able to set captives free. It is the only way to freedom. God’s word - His entire counsel is a word in season - every season. Two thousand years ago, Peter wrote, “The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continues to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 2:7-8). So to say that any person can not speak the Word of God is suppressing the truth. I always thought that this passage was talking about unbelievers, but it is not. Nearly every church I have ever attended has tried to keep me quiet. Sweet Jesus! I did not understand, but now I do. So what am I suppose to do? Pray. Love. Intercede. Give thanks. Before I left his office, my pastor said, “I have set my face like flint,” but I don’t believe that. I believe that God is able to break through that proud spirit. LORD, send your light and your truth to this man. Open his eyes that he can see and his ears that he can hear and his heart that he can understand what the Spirit is saying. Send mercy and grace. Send unfailing love. Send kindness that leads to repentance. Take his every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. Tear down strongholds. Cast out imaginations and every “high thing” that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Take out a heart of stone and put in a heart of flesh. Sprinkle him with clean water so that he can be clean. Tear down every idol and every stronghold. Pour Your Spirit into that man. Humble him under Your mighty hand so that You can lift him up. Be kind to him. I am asking these things in the mighty name of Jesus. AMEN So I am looking at where I am now. I have complete freedom to speak the truth and to love people. My husband gives me that freedom. He embraces truth. He recognizes and embraces truth. God was so good to me when he gave me that man. Not many people understand, but that man does. If he were against the Word of God, I would have to remain silent. I would do this in submission to God and to him because that would be the right thing to do. I also have freedom on Facebook. No one tries to stop what I am saying when I speak here. Facebook is my voice. Who would have ever thought it. LESSON TWELVE: PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU HEAR. THE CLOSER YOU LISTEN, THE MORE UNDERSTANDING YOU WILL BE GIVEN. The reason that I am writing this long blog today is because a few days ago I read this passage out of Mark 4:24-25. Then Jesus added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given - and you will receive even more. To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Wow! Then I started to recall all of the lessons that God has been teaching me this past year. It is amazing. I am listening, and God is adding more. The scary part of this passage is that if we don’t listen, what little understanding we do have will be taken away. We have to hear what God is saying right now. So it is my prayer that the same lessons that God taught me, He will teach you. These are all hard words. All of it calls for a “dying to self,” but the reward is so great! We cannot stop what is about to happen in this world, the only thing we can do is to “Come out from among them and be separate.” This is an individual choice. I can’t choose for you, and you can’t choose for me, but God will not take free will from us. He has laid it all out for us. “This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you much ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.” “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, your will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14, 19-20, 17) Listen! “Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? LISTEN TO ME, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.” “Come to Me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display My power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” Seek the LORD while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher that the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with My word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the LORD’s name; they will be an everlasting sign of His power and love.” (Isaiah 55) Blessings to you all. Terri October 23, 2021
What's on your mind, Terri? A lot. How do I voice it all? Yesterday, I posted something that was random. All night long I had interceded for our country. The phrase "F _ _ _ Joe Biden" was ringing in my ears. It wouldn't go away. It is the heart of our country, and it is wicked. But as I went to post something about that, my Bible opened to Jeremiah 25, a passage about the cup of the LORD's anger being taken to all the nations of the world. All are made to drink from this cup, staggering, crazed by the warfare God is sending. All will drink from this cup, get drunk, vomit, and fall to rise no more. But then the LORD goes on to say that it will start with the leaders of His people, the evil shepherds. I am shaking because we always think this is someone else, but it is not. It is us. For twelve years God has been having me say hard words, things that no one wants to hear. It is all scripture. Then a few days ago someone told me that I didn't have to say the things I am saying. He said I am refusing to submit to authority; and therefore, I am in rebellion. When I took all that was said that day to God, the words "Suppressing the Truth" kept coming to mind. I looked it up and read what the Bible said about this, and I trembled. "But God shows His anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness." (Romans 1:18) Oh my goodness. I would never in a million years use the words sinful and wicked to describe the person who spoke to me. Never. I always took this passage to be talking about unbelievers. I am trembling. We can point the finger at the media and cry, "Fake news" all day long, because we know that they are suppressing the truth, but what if we are doing the same thing in the church? If that is the truth, then we are wicked, sinful people who suppress the truth by our wickedness. Those are God's words, not mine. Truth is what God says. His words are always a word in season - every season. God does not change, and it is ONLY the Truth that will set us free. So I am praying without ceasing. I am praying for leaders and pastors, people who are in positions of authority in the body of Christ. Please, LORD, give us all eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to understand what You are saying. Turn our hearts like water toward You. Turn our eyes from the world and the things of the world. Turn our eyes from evil things. Let us see what we are doing. Let us see what we have done. Give us a repentant heart. Godly sorrow. Break our proud spirit. Humble us before You, O LORD, our God. Unless You save us, we can't be saved. Unless You heal us, we can't be healed. Forgive us, LORD. We are a sinful, wicked people, but we don't know what we are doing. Teach us Your ways. Show us Your paths. Break our proud, arrogant spirit before it is too late. Hear our cry! Heal our land! We are asking this in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Jeremiah went on to say in chapter 26: "This is what the LORD says: stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple of the LORD, and make an announcement to the people who have come there to worship from all over Judah. Give them My entire message; include every word. Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways. Then I will change My mind about the disaster I am ready to pour out on them because of their sins. Say to them, 'This is what the LORD says; If you will not listen to Me and obey My word I have given you, and if you will not listen to My servants the prophets - for I sent them again and again to warn you, but you would not listen to them - then I will destroy this Temple as I destroyed Shiloh, the place where the Tabernacle was located. And I will make Jerusalem an object of cursing in every nation on earth.'" (Jeremiah 26:2-6) Please, listen to what the LORD is saying. He is not playing. He will do everything He said He is going to do. The only way to stop the destruction that is about to happen is to turn now so we can live. Terri |
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