When GOD Says Wait

Waiting is hard. 

We wait for a lot of things in life. Jobs. A spouse. Children. Retirement. Peace. But when the thing we're waiting for is healing--for ourselves or for someone we love--the waiting can be excruciating.

This morning my Bible reading took me to Luke 13:10-17. Jesus is traveling from town to town, often teaching in the local synagogue. This time he's there on a Sabbath, the holy day of rest in Jewish custom. One did not do any work on the Sabbath and spent the day reflecting on God's goodness. 

On that particular Sabbath, a woman is in the crowd, listening to Jesus. We don't know her name. We don't know if she's married, single, or widowed. We don't know if she was with anyone or if she was alone. We don't know if she was a regular attender to synagogue or if she'd heard about Jesus and wanted to see him for herself. The latter is a possibility, considering her situation.

What is her situation?

The woman is crippled. Stooped over to the point that she hasn't stood up straight in over eighteen years! The Bible says it was caused by a spirit, and Jesus later says Satan himself had kept her bound in the affliction. I can only imagine the physical pain she's been in for all those long years. Her bones no doubt ached. Her muscles were atrophied. She couldn't sleep well. She stared at the ground whenever she walked. Then there was the emotional pain that comes with being different. Children probably made fun of her. Adults ignored her when they passed her on the streets. Words like "unclean" were whispered. She was someone to avoid. 

On the day Jesus comes to town, this woman, despite all she's been through, is in the synagogue. The very place she needed to be in order to meet Jesus face to face. Although there's much we don't know about this woman, Jesus knew everything about her! He'd heard her many prayers through the years. He knew when he walked into the synagogue that day that she would be there. 

Picture the scene in your mind: Jesus is at the center, a scroll of scripture in front of him, sharing the Good News about the Kingdom of GOD with the crowd. But in the middle of his teaching, Jesus pauses. He sees the bent woman in the women's section. He speaks to her and calls her over. He touches her with his hands. And in that moment, he heals her. 

"Woman, you are freed from your disability." And immediately she was made straight. (v. 12-13)

Everything the woman had been waiting for--for eighteen long years--became reality in a moment! Her rigid spine straightened. Her muscles grew strong. She stood in amazement...and then she glorified GOD! We don't know why she had to wait for eighteen years, but two thousand years later, her story is still being told. 

Are you waiting for something? 

Something you've been praying about for a long time? Are there times when you wonder if GOD even hears you or cares? The woman in our story probably felt the same things. Hopelessness is heavy. Fear is debilitating. Trust is hard, especially in the midst of pain. But the thing the woman didn't know that day was that eighteen years into all of the pain and heartache, she would come face to face with the Living GOD. He would see her, speak to her, touch her, and heal her. 

Jesus knew that woman, and he knows us, too. He has plans and purposes for us. Our job is to trust him while we're waiting. 

If you have a prayer need, I would be honored to pray with you. It will be kept confidential. Send me an email at: AuthorMichelleShocklee@gmail.com

In times when I've been waiting for GOD to see, speak, touch, and heal, I've found this song encouraging. I hope you do too!

Grace and peace, 

~Michelle

GOD has Already Prepared the Way

I positively LOVE this! My dear friend, author Paula Scott Bicknell, posted this meme yesterday, and when I read it, the truth of it hit me like a heavy rain shower, washing away all the doubt and fear that was building up inside me. See, I'd received two emails shortly before reading this meme. One held good news. The other, not so much. Neither are life-altering, but they're about something I've been praying about for several months. Something I really, really want to happen, yet have absolutely no control over.

Have you ever felt that? Fear and doubt about the future? I'm sure you have! Let me share six words of truth that will alleviate it.

GOD HAS ALREADY PREPARED THE WAY!

Here's a little example of that:

Two years ago we knew our job in Texas was coming to an end. We were looking for a new position, but nothing opened up before we found ourselves unemployed for eight weeks. But you know what?

GOD HAD ALREADY PREPARED THE WAY!

Walking at our boss's lake house in Kentucky, basking in
God's goodness to us. This is where He reminded me that He
prepared this place for me long before I arrived!

While we waited in Texas to see where God would take us, He was working here in Tennessee, clearing the way for us. It's amazing to look back and see how he arranged people and situations, almost like a giant chess board, throwing open the doors for us to live and work in the most wonderful place, for the most wonderful employers.

How do I know God worked out all the details? There is absolutely no way it could have simply been coincidence. The job we ended up getting--working as a couple on a large property--wasn't the job that was advertised. They originally were only looking to hire my husband. But we trusted God would provide a job for me too, and continued through the interview process. And you know what?

GOD HAD ALREADY PREPARED THE WAY!

The property owner wanted to meet me too since I'd be living on the property. After Skyping with them a couple times, they liked me so much they offered me a job!

YES, GOD HAD ALREADY PREPARED THE WAY!

I can look back through so many situations in my life and see that even when I thought things were at their worst, when I'd lost all hope, GOD HAD ALREADY PREPARED THE WAY!

My prayer is this truth will resonate with you today and bring you hope that you are never alone, you are never forgotten, and you are always loved by our Heavenly Father! This song by Casting Crowns speaks to this in such a beautiful way! Enjoy!

Blessings,

~Michelle

When You Can't See the Truth In Front of You

Have you ever been so "blind" you couldn't see what was right in front of you? Obviously I'm not talking about true physical blindness, but rather being so blind to the world around you, you can't see reality. I've been there. It's not a good place to be. Whether it's blindness about your marriage, your kids, your job, your health, your relationship with God. Whatever. It's not good to be blind. All kinds of bad things can happen while we suffer from blindness. A current example: Whitney Houston. She and the people around her turned a blind-eye to her problems. Her funeral is today. I imagine her friends, family and handlers are feeling a lot of guilt, pain and sadness because of blindness. Living in blindness is dangerous.

There is a story in Matthew 12 about some blind Pharisees. Oh, they could see perfectly well. In fact, they saw things with their eyes that made them blind to the Truth in front of them. In verse one we find Jesus and his disciples walking through a grainfield on the Sabbath. The disciples are hungry so they snap off a few heads of grain and eat them. No big deal, right? Wrong, at least to the Pharisees. "Look!" they said to Jesus. "Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." (v. 2) Instead of seeing the situation and who they were talking to, they chose to nit-pick about a few heads of grain. Instead of saying something like, "Why don't you and your disciples come to my house to eat" or "Let me buy some bread for your disciples" they chose to go negative.

Jesus and his disciples move on. So do the Pharisees. They all go to the synagogue. A man with a shriveled hand is there. Obviously these Pharisees have knowledge that Jesus can heal people because they try to trap him. "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" they ask Jesus. (v. 10)

Let's stop a moment and think about that. How incredibly selfish those men were! They didn't have one thought for the man with the shriveled hand. They'd probably seen him many times before, probably ignored him as they went about their "religious" busyness. Their greatest concern was keeping the Law. A man with a shriveled hand and his difficulties were of little importance.

Jesus, however, cares more about people than about laws. Does that mean it's fine to break the commandment, "Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy?" (Exodus 20:8) Of course not. But do you really think God would mind it if a man's hand was healed on His day?!

The part of this passage that absolutely blows my mind is Matthew 12:13:

"Then [Jesus] said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus."

Are you serious?! They watch a miracle happen right before their eyes and all they can think about is killing the man responsible?! Wow. I've known several people who were born with hand and arm deformities. I can only imagine how amazing it would be to see that hand restored right before my eyes! But the Pharisees didn't give a darn about the hand or the man. All they knew was Jesus had defied them. They were blind to what was right in front of them. Instead of rejoicing and praising God for what they had just witnessed, they went out and plotted a murder.

Blindness is dangerous, folks. I can't say that enough.

Are you blind to some truths that are staring you in the face? Today is a good day to look around you and really see things. Who knows what you might find. A restored marriage? Healthy relationships with your kids? A Savior?

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Philippines, Slovenia, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, Ukraine, Singapore, Malaysia

The Armor of God, Part Two

When Paul talks about the "full armor of God" in Ephesians 6:10-18, he is speaking as one who is familiar with armor. In those days there were Roman soldiers on every corner. I imagine some were often in full armor, ready to do battle against their enemies. They needed complete protection if they were to survive an attack.

We are no different than those Roman soldiers. Verse 13 says we need to be ready "when" the day of evil comes. It doesn't say "if" the day of evil comes! So, since we know we're going to face battles and attacks in this life--sometimes every single day!--we have to be ready and fully protected if we hope to have any chance at defeating our enemy.

Verse 14 begins the list of what is required:

1. The belt of truth buckled around your waist. If you go out without a belt, you might lose your drawers and become exposed!! YIKES! Don't want that to happen. Keeping ourselves securely wrapped in the Truth prevents us from being left exposed and therefore vulnerable to the lies of the enemy.

2. The breastplate of righteousness in place. A breastplate protected the heart and other vital organs! Without it, a sword could pierce you and instantly end your life. Believe me when I say our enemy wants our hearts!! Protect it!

3. Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. The King James version says, "your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace." Our feet take us everywhere we go. Shoes give us that readiness to go out and about in the world. But try walking around a whole day without your shoes. Rocks, broken glass, gum, oil, dirt, and all kinds of other stuff can hurt you, get you dirty, and make your feet sore. You need shoes, just like you need the readiness/preparation of the gospel of peace.

4. Take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. I have an interesting hand-written notation in my Bible about shields. Back in Paul's day, shields were often made of leather and wood. Before battle, a soldier would soak his shield in water in case the enemy used flaming arrows. The wet shield extinguished the fire. We absolutely need to be soaked in faith so we won't be burned by all of Satan's "flaming arrows." And the first part of this verse says "take up" the shield of faith. Your faith needs to be an action!

5. The helmet of salvation. This is a no-brainer. (Pun intended. Ha!) Your brain is protected by a helmet. Hubby has a motorcycle and we enjoy going out for rides. We always wear helmets. It would be foolish not to. And trying to do battle against the enemy of this world without the salvation that comes through believing in Jesus Christ is just as foolish. Without it, we are susceptible to all kinds of misguided and flat-out wrong ideas and beliefs.

6. The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The first five articles of armor protect us. This last one, however, is our weapon! We simply can't go into battle without a weapon, and we simply can't have a good grasp on that weapon if we aren't familiar with it! We have to know the Bible, which is the Word of God! We have to know what it says about the enemy! We have to know what it says about living a life that is ready for battle. We have to know what it says! Period!! Pick up your sword every single day, folks!

There isn't any way for the enemy to win if you're ready for battle!! And I don't know about you, but I positively LOVE it when I defeat him! Woohoo!

(Originally posted July 2009)

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Today's Prayer Shout-Out Countries are:
USA, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Germany

What Makes a REAL Hero

Heroes are hard to come by these days. I can't name a celebrity, sports figure or politician that I would consider a "hero." A hero is defined as: A person who is admired for courage or noble qualities. I think there are more everyday heroes that go unnoticed than there are heroes who make the cover of People or Time magazine. Our military, police officers and firemen are everyday heroes. So are people like the group of citizens who risked their lives to save an injured motorcyclist by pulling him out from under a burning car. They didn't know a camera was catching the whole thing on tape. They just knew a life was in danger and they sprang into action. They did what was right and good. That's heroism!

In Daniel 1-3 we meet four men who had everything. Looks, wealth, brains, royal pedigree. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were young men--boys, really--when they were kidnapped by the Babylonians. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted these young men to serve him, but first he needed to turn them into Babylonians. He tried to erase their Hebrew-ness---the thing that made them who they are at the very core of their being. He ordered them to study Babylonian literature and learn the language. They were to be trained for three years, eat from the king's own table, and after that they would enter the king's service. King Neb even had their names changed to Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

What makes these young men heroic in my eyes is their steadfast resolve to remain faithful to God no matter what. To remain the men God wanted them to be, not the impostors the king wanted them to become. It would have been easy to just blend in and not rock the boat. It would have been smart to simply appease the king, assuring themselves a comfortable life in their new home.

"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself..." (1:8) 

When they were offered choice foods from the king's table, it took courage not to eat it. Think of how rude and offensive that would be to the king! But it was Babylonian custom to give the first portion of food and drink as an offering to idols, as well as using animals that were considered unclean by Hebrews. Daniel asked the chief official over him and his three friends if they could just eat vegetables and drink water instead. And you know what happened? After ten days these four men were healthier than the others who'd eaten the tainted food. God honored their courage. (1:8-17)

When Daniel needed divine help in interpreting the king's weird dreams, he went to his friends and asked them to pray. (2:17) Their faith saved a lot of lives, because the king was planning to execute all his seers and wise men because they couldn't figure out the meaning of the dream. But God gave the answer to Daniel.

When King Nebuchadnezzar made a giant golden image, our four heroes refused to worship it as ordered. It wasn't because they wanted to be difficult or disobedient to the king, but because they knew there is only One who is worthy of being worshipped. The punishment for disobeying the order was death by fire. Read Daniel 3 for the whole amazing story, but in a nutshell God once again honored their courage to stand up for what is right and good in God's sight. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego were tossed into the fiery furnace yet came out without one hair singed. Even King Neb was impressed! (3:28)

After Darius the Mede took over the kingdom and institutes an ego-building decree---that no one could pray to anyone but him for thirty days (6:7)---Daniel finds himself thrown into the lions' den because he refused to stop praying to God. Three times a day he was spotted at the window of his house, kneeling in broad daylight, praying and giving thanks to the Lord. He didn't attempt to hide or pray in secret despite the inevitable punishment. God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the hungry lions (6:21) and protected his servant Daniel. Why? Because of courage.

The courage to do what is right.

It isn't always easy being a Christian these days. More and more we are ridiculed for our faith in Jesus Christ. More and more we are mocked, called names, belittled. But like Daniel, Hannaniah, Mishael and Azariah (I won't use their Babylonian names here), we have to remain steadfast in our resolve to be the people God has called us to be. To say, without apology, that we are followers of Jesus Christ. We aren't trying to be difficult or intolerant or any of the other things we are accused of being, but we hold firmly to the truth that is the Word of God. Jesus said in Mark 8:38: "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

I'm sure our heroes from the Book of Daniel didn't set out to be heroic in their faith and actions. They simply refused to disobey God. That's a powerful lesson for me. I don't know that I'll ever be a hero to anyone, but I know I'll do my best to be faithful to my God every day of my life. 

Because He is the ultimate Hero! 

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:

USA, Latvia, France, Romania, Israel, Canada, Germany, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Russia, Philippines, Singapore, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago

Jonah's Second Chance

Our pastor, Joe Champion of Celebration Church, has been preaching/teaching on Jonah the past few weeks. Awesome stuff!! He calls the series "Is Your Grateful Dead?" (Click the link, then "Media/Online Sermons" to watch them!) Jonah, like a lot of us, had issues with being grateful. And, like a lot of us, Jonah had to learn some life-lessons the hard way. Today I want to take a good look at Jonah's great adventure---from hearing from God to time spent inside a fish---and see if I (and you!) are more Jonah-ish than we care to admit.

The Book of Jonah isn't very long--just four short chapters--but we can learn a lot from Jonah. We can look at what he did--and what he didn't do!--and take away some pretty important life-lessons.

• #1: Jonah knew God in a personal way. God spoke to Jonah in the very first verse of the book. He asked Jonah to go to Nineveh and "preach against it, because its wickedness" had come up before God. Obviously Jonah knew God's word well enough that the Almighty himself had confidence in Jonah's abilities to turn an entire city to righteousness. But what was Jonah's response? He ran away! From God! Can you imagine? And because we read that Jonah ran away (v.3) we know he knew exactly Who spoke to him. He knew it was God. And yet he went in the opposite direction of where God wanted him to go. I think a lot of us can relate to Jonah's poor decision making. 
• #2: Jonah had to go through a storm. Have you ever had a "storm" come into your life? I have. It's not fun. It can be pretty scary too. Storms are unpredictable. They tear things apart. They destroy. God uses storms to get our attention sometimes. Pastor Joe said, "Storms serve God's purposes for our good." (Romans 8:28) As a storm survivor, I completely agree. If God hadn't sent the storm that caused the men on the boat to throw Jonah overboard, he would have gone on to Tarshish and totally missed the amazing thing God was planning for him in Nineveh. And not only did God use the storm to change Jonah's life, but the lives of the men on the boat too. (1:16)
• #3: Jonah prayed from inside the fish. Not only did God bring a storm into Jonah's life, but he also brought provision--in the form of a giant fish. (1:17) Like Pastor Joe said this past Sunday: "Our provision just might stink." Man, is that true sometimes!! But it is provision nonetheless. God needed Jonah to spend time in the belly of a stinky fish to think things over. To get the right perspective. To listen. You might feel like you're in the belly of a whale right now. Nothing is going right. Your marriage is in trouble. Your finances are in trouble. Your kids are in trouble. Whatever it might be, you find yourself just wishing God would command the fish to vomit you out and be done with it! (Nice image, huh?) My advice as one who once felt like I was inside the stinky fish (and sometimes still do): Keep praying!! Don't give up! God IS listening! He DOES have a plan!
• #4: Jonah got a second chance. Jonah 3:1 says: "Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time." How many chances does God give us? I think the number is infinite, to be perfectly honest. Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:16 that Jesus' patience is "unlimited." God loves us. He's our Father. But like a good Father, he has to discipline his children sometimes. Without discipline, children run wild and usually end up in trouble. Jonah was no different. He was running away to Tarshish instead of going where God told him to go. So God had to discipline him. And what was the result? 
• "Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh." (3:1) As someone who has "run away" from God at different times in my life, I know how good it feels to finally be obedient. To surrender to the will of God. But wouldn't it have been so much better if Jonah had just obeyed God in the first place? I think that is the lesson we all need to learn from Jonah! And look what happened because Jonah was obedient! A city of 120,000 people was saved! (4:11)

Are you a Jonah today? Have you heard a word from the LORD but ignored it or even ran away from it? Are you going through a storm? Are you ready to be obedient? God is there, every step of the way, waiting, watching, guiding if we'll let him. Pray! Listen! Obey!

One interesting thing to note about Jonah's story. It ends very abruptly. Chapter 4 tells us that Jonah got a little full of himself. God wasn't going to put up with it and puts an end to the story. Don't let that happen to your story!

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, Brazil, Russia, Australia, Israel, Bulgaria, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, France, Malaysia, Sweden, Italy, Georgia, Ukraine, Ghana

My Name's Michelle and I'm a Christian

In my last post I shared the basic beliefs of the Mormon religion and how they differ from Christianity. Today I'll share the same type of information in the same format about the Christian faith and tell you why I am a Christian.

First, a brief history. The Christian faith was founded by Jesus Christ around AD 30. Jesus, who fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 that foretold of "Immanuel" which means "God with us," is also called the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus is talking to his disciple Peter and says, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." At the age of 33, Jesus was crucified on a cross, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day. Eyewitness accounts of these events are recorded in the Bible's New Testament. If one believes these events to be true, accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then that person is a Christian. Although there are various Christian denominations, belief in several key elements is essential. They are:

GOD has always existed. He is not a created being. He does not have parents. He is the Creator of everything. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) God exists in three forms: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness..." (Genesis 1:26)

JESUS is God, Immanuel. His mother was Mary, a virgin, who "was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:18) Because Jesus is God, he created Lucifer (Satan) and all the other angels. Jesus did have earthly brothers and sisters through Mary and Joseph, but he is the only son of God. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Jesus' death on the cross is the complete atonement for our sins. "God presented him a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood." (Romans 3:25) We are saved by his blood, not by our works. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The BIBLE is the Word of God. Many books have been written on Christianity, but only the Bible is accepted as the Word of God.

The CHURCH are people who believe in Jesus Christ (see above). It is not a building, although we do call buildings where we meet "churches." There is no one denomination or group of people who can claim to be "the one true Church." (See John 3:16 again)

HEAVEN and DEATH. Through various scripture we understand that God the Father exists in heaven with Jesus sitting at his right hand. There are numerous descriptions of heaven throughout the Bible. All who believe in Jesus (as described above) as their Lord and Savior will go to heaven after our earthly bodies die. "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43) Those who do not believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior will not enter heaven (John 14:6) but will spend eternity in the lake of fire. "If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15) We will be like the angels according to Jesus in Matthew 22:30: "At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven."

I am a Christian because I believe all the above. I believe in a Creator God because there is simply no other explanation for why we exist. Humans are far, far too complex to have "evolved" from some glob of goo. Animals, insects, creepy crawlies. There are so many, many different species that there is no possible way they just happened. Go to the grocery store produce department and take a look at all the different kinds of fruits and vegetables and nuts and berries. Can you honestly, intelligently say they simply appeared on earth with no help from the hand of a living, thinking God?

I am a Christian because I believe that God loved me so much he willingly came to earth to take the burden of my sin onto his shoulders and be the Sacrifice needed to make my heart pure again. I am a Christian because I believe God has power over death and that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead. I believe the tomb was and is empty.

I am a Christian because I believe God promises life after death. Jesus said he was going to prepare a place for us and that we would be with him. (John 14: 1-4)

My name's Michelle and I am a Christian.

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, Russia, United Kingdom, South Korea, China, Australia, Ukraine, Germany, Uganda, Canada

I am NOT a Mormon

There is a lot of attention on the Mormon religion right now. Currently a Broadway play called The Book of Mormon is receiving wonderful reviews and enjoying sold-out crowds. But more importantly two Presidential candidates are members of the Mormon church: Mitt Romney, a front-runner, and Jon Huntsman. It would be a first in our country if a Mormon were elected to the White House. They liken it to when President Kennedy, a Catholic, was elected. (I beg to differ but no time to get into politics today.) To try to make this possible-historic-event happen, the LDS advertising machine has launched a major television campaign themselves. You'd have to be living under a rock (or possibly in a state that hasn't aired it yet) to miss the flood of commercials with the slogan "I'm a Mormon" which features everyday people of all races and ages. What they are trying to do, in my opinion, is combat the very negative view most people have of the Mormon religion and help us understand that Mormons are folks just like you and me.

But in talking with people lately and reading bits and pieces on the Internet, it is clear most people have no clue what the Mormons believe. One person said, "They're just another Christian denomination, right?" Wrong, wrong, wrong!

So I thought I'd tackle the subject here and tell you why I am NOT a Mormon.

First, a brief history. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830. According to Smith, an angel named Moroni (who is actually the dead son of a great prophet and military leader named Mormon who supposedly lived in America in AD 385) led Smith to a secret location where a set of "gold plates" were hidden. Moroni supposedly hid those plates 1500 years before Smith found them. On the plates were ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics that could only be translated by using these special stone-glasses. The Book of Mormon, which Mormons claim as the most important holy book of their religion, is supposed to be a translation of those plates, which the angel Moroni conveniently took back to heaven with him so no one can see them now.

Far-fetched, you say? Read on.

Here are some basic beliefs of the Mormon religion that completely differ from Christianity:

GOD was once a human on another earth. He progressed to being God over our earth. He is married and has a father and mother who are gods over another world. Humans are literally the children of God and can become gods too.

JESUS is the spirit-brother of Lucifer (Satan). Although he was conceived by the virgin Mary, it was God the man-father who actually came to Mary, not the Holy Spirit as the Bible says. Jesus is one of many gods and is our "elder brother." His death on the cross is only the beginning of our atonement for sin. It wasn't the complete, final payment spoken of in Ephesians 2. It's now up to us to follow-up with good works.

The BIBLE is accepted by Mormons, but they believe it is inferior to the Book of Mormon and two other books written by Joseph Smith. They claim the Bible has been corrupted over the years and cannot be relied on to tell us what God really says.

The CHURCH cannot be any church other than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the "one true church". All other denominations are false.

HEAVEN and DEATH take on new meaning in the LDS church. After death but before judgement, the wicked get a second chance to make it to heaven, which has three levels: 1) LDS members are highest; 2) good people who aren't LDS members; 3) the unrighteous. The fourth group consists of Lucifer, his angels, and the unrepentant "sons of perdition." They all go to hell.

Everything Mormons believe--at least the major points--contradict the Bible. Sandra Tanner, great-great granddaughter of Brigham Young, directs a ministry called Utah Lighthouse Ministry to help Mormons find salvation through Jesus Christ. If you have questions about the Mormon faith--what they believe and how it differs from Christianity--check out their web site. There are just too many differences to go into here on the blog.

The bottom line is this: Mormons are not Christians. It doesn't matter if the name of their religion has the words "Jesus Christ" in it. Their religion and beliefs are based on the ideas and imagination of Joseph Smith, an adulterous man called a "deliberate charlatan" who was attacked and killed by a mob in 1844.

I'll leave you with this:

"But there were false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up." 2 Peter 2:1-3

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This week's Prayer Shout-Out countries are:
USA, Poland, United Kingdom, India, Zambia, Italy, Russia, Ukraine

The Father of Lies

There are some things that simply cannot be ignored. One being the fact--the FACT!--that we have an enemy in this world. His name is Satan. The Devil. What you believe about him will put you in one of two categories:

1. Winning Warriors.
2. Vulnerable Victims.

I refuse to be a victim!


Jesus has known Satan from the very beginning of time. If you understand that Jesus is God and God is Jesus, then you also understand that Jesus created Satan. But God didn't create Satan for evil. Satan chose it. He was given the same freewill that you and I have. Satan willingly gave up his place in heaven because he was jealous and wanted all the glory that is given to God for himself. He took a bunch of misguided angels with him and now he's trying to take as many of us down as he possibly can.

Why?

To spite God. To outdo God. To say, "Haha, God, you lost that one!"

(See Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:11-19 for further reference)

How do we know Satan is for real?    


Well, first and foremost, Jesus himself spoke of Satan.

"I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Luke 10:18

When speaking to the Pharisees in John 8:42-47, Jesus said:

"Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."


Satan has been telling us lies since Adam and Eve lived in the Garden. What makes us think he isn't still telling us lies today?! It's arrogance on our part to believe we are somehow smarter and more enlightened these days to the point that we can't be deceived by Satan. That is utter foolishness! (Titus 3:3)


Job 1 and 2 gives us a chilling account of what Satan is up to every single day:

"One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the Lord, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." (1:6-7; also 2:1-2)


Paul says in Ephesians 6:12 to "Put on the armor of God so that you can take a stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."


Peter warned us in 1 Peter 5:8, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."


When we go up against Satan, he gets mad. Recently I've experienced some of his attempts to derail me from what I firmly believe God has called me to do. Next week I'll begin leading a ministry at church that I know Satan isn't happy about. I know he'll try to mess with me and my family because of it. But I cannot and will not let that stop me. Like the little saying I have posted on my blog's sidebar says, I want to "Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, the devil says, 'Oh crap! She's up!'"


So, what's it gonna be? Winning Warriors with Jesus and Truth on our side or Vulnerable Victims with Satan and his many, many lies.

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