Growing and Living in Faith

None of us are islands to ourselves, and no matter how mature we become physically, emotionally, and spiritually, we all still struggle at times.

I woke up and remembered 40 yrs ago my baby girl Meggie was born, and she was so sleepy, but a joy to raise.

None of us are islands to ourselves, and no matter how mature we become physically, emotionally, and spiritually, we all still struggle at times.

I find a lot of people as they get older, are not as open to share things with others, often because of the stigma attached, and how it can be taken wrongly, or be used against us with the twisting of words, that affect others to make us feel so alone.

It is sad, yet we are not alone.  God knows the rest of the our story, and there are those who are observers on how things are happening.

We know people by their fruit of The Spirit, and we know them by their Character.

When we have close relationships we are not quick to judge… we are to take it before The LORD and not make hasty decisions.

After knowing someone for a while, you have tested and seen how The LORD uses them, and we are not hasty to miss the way!

When we feel like accusing, we need to be sure.  We know them by the consistency of their character and lives.

How can we rightly discern by one incident that comes?

Why are we so quick to hear?

I notice at times a wonderful relationship can get disqualified quickly when the other person is ready to check out and block over a little issue — but it becomes a royal battle.

What I believe, is that we should pull away and seek The LORD before we make majors decisions, especially godly decisions about people, those who are in our lives.

It is my Hope and Prayer that I always remain kind, truthful, generous, transparent, loyal to God and those whom I trust.

Being honest and true must come from the heart, because God knows all things, even the things of the heart that we don’t see about ourselves!

As we grow in Faith, that doesn’t mean we are always up in our Faith, and we see the external things instead of what is in the Spirit.

It is important that we understand the realms we are in, and be sure to always be spiritually minded AND earthly good.

If we sin, discredit, accuse, and outcast or cut off a sister or brother, this is a heinous crime to the great Body of Believers in Christ.

Why?  We want the natural realm to take preeminence.  Flesh and blood cannot inherit The Kingdom of God.

We read about Miracles, Signs of Wonders and Words, but then maybe a day later after killing the prophets of Baal — Elijah wanted to die!

Depression, fear and failure, discouragement — we can see what is happening.

God left these people in the Bible for our benefit, so that we can learn from them!

They were very human — just like we are — and these things happen in The Body, even  with the very mature.

We are to always be advancing and continuing to grow more and more — and to help other people to move forward in The LORD.

Elijah was fearful and running from Jezebel’s threatening words after such Signs and Wonders for Elijah became fearful when he heard about Jezebel and her words and threats to kill him.

The people said that “Jezebel is going to kill you!”  I try to look beyond that.  I try to look beyond the people and look beyond the person, into the spiritual motive and see how I would respond to that.

I hope I never get into a situation like that, but it does happen to people and seasoned believers.  It doesn’t matter how old or how anointed, we all have imperfect ways, lots of attitudes, words, and all that we allow in our lives.

Forgiveness is mandatory — for if we will not forgive, The LORD will not forgive us.

There are no options!  Either the person will be forgiven — or won’t be.  We must learn that, even if we have legal grounds, or did not do what they thought or its in the wrong spirit.

Something all we learn is to be accused and punished, even when we are innocent and right.  Thus, sometimes a very difficult situation.

But we cannot hold a grudge or unforgiveness!  Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath!

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth.  So let your words be few.”   Ecclesiastes 5:1-2.

Being quick to “Accuse” — isn’t a work of The Holy Spirit!  God sides with The Truth, based and founded on The Holy Bible.

I know I fail, but I try to be as real, respectful, and very transparent with people, because that’s protection.

If we are found in the pit on our way to our destiny in Egypt, we must remain the best in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

The devil uses whatever he can to stop, hinder, and ruin relationships.  The Body of Christ needs to learn how to love and be a family of believers — not those who hide thinking we know more!

I have nothing to hide, and The LORD still has me, and I’m still moving forward, but what the enemy wants is to keep me running from everyone and everything — and then once far enough away — I will burn out and sit down and I will get tired and depressed and say I’m no greater than my forefathers — so take me home!

There’s a lot of good reasons — but God wants us to see our own heart!

Personal Request

I want to ask if those who know me well, would pray for me.

I’m going through a lot right now, and I need Intercession.

I’m in need of true Spiritual Intercession from those who are Warriors in The Kingdom of God.

The LORD is King and He’s my God!

I ask prayerfully to please pray for me, in The Name of Jesus Christ,

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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The Depth of the Heart to Change — Part 2

God was speaking loud and clear when the prophet Samuel had waited and mourned, because the scripture says that Samuel mourned!

“Now The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”   1 Samuel 16:1.

“And when He had removed him, He raised up unto them David to be their king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, who shall fulfill all My will,”   Acts 13:22.

God was speaking loud and clear when the prophet Samuel had waited and mourned, because the scripture says that Samuel mourned for the King a very long time privately, even after his death!

For every son of Jesse and after all of them who stood before him, and Samuel said no, you have another!  (1 Samuel 16:7-13)

Samuel said, “I cannot sit until I see” the lad, and when he did, The LORD confirmed to him and took the horn of oil and anointed him in front of all his family.  From that day on the Spirit of The LORD came powerfully upon David.

For those who think that prophets have no feelings… I believe they feel everything many times over, than normal, and they suffer with what they see and do.

They literally — at times — stand in the gap in Intercession for those who cannot stand themselves.

The mature have the heart of The Master and are very empathic, but most times though, they must confront spiritual issues and events to bring clarity.

Their physical and spiritual stance isn’t pride, but humility, even when confrontation is needed.

They know The Heart of God — because they carry The Heart of God within, and The Holy Spirit is comforter wherever needed.

“And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul.”  1 Samuel 15:35.

Here we have an example of the physical side of the prophet Samuel, in that he mourned and was in anguish over Saul.

This is a time beloved, when you cannot sit!  Yes, you have to wait until God says, “Yes — this is the one!” in front of all of his family!  And from that moment The Spirit of The LORD came on him powerfully!

God knew the potential in this young man, a man after God’s own heart.

Only God can see what we can be and often we blow it off.  David who was approximately15 years old came in from the field and walked in front of all those brothers who would eventually discredit, accuse, who would be jealous of him — yet God chose him!

It was during the sacrifice inspired by God for the Prophet Samuel to go stealth, so that King Saul wouldn’t know what was happening.

Even though the anointing left King Saul, he didn’t know it and carried on as if nothing happened.  But things did change…

God has given orders for the Prophet Samuel, because he knew if Saul knew that Kingly anointing had been transferred, he could have killed David and Samuel if the time was openly set.

God answered Samuel’s concerns by going with a sacrifice, because God said to do it.

The Prophet Samuel — after The LORD’s rejection of King Saul — doesn’t miss the timing of The LORD.

He anoints a mere young man, (probably a teenager) who had been tucked away, trained alone, from everything and everyone with his father’s sheep.

David was trained and prepared keeping his father’s sheep.  His methods were different, but with the use of a simple sling and smooth stones from the brook, he conquered the bear and the lion while in the wilderness.  After all of Jesse’s sons that passed by, David was found as God’s choice alone.

David knew the concept of raising sheep and all that it entailed. (Psalm 25)

David learned obedience and service in being a Shepherd in caring for the livelihood of Jesse’s family.

David also learned offensive warfare in protecting the flock!

David’s time of training had only just begun!

When Samuel chose David, I bet his father and other sons thought Samuel was off his rocker — but in fact, it was the son who would be the one least likely to succeed, who God said would be King!

They may have thought surely the prophet missed it, but in fact he did not miss a thing.

Why is it so hard to wait?

Most of us receive words from God and we think it happens immediately.  All throughout history there were times and years of preparation for a maturity to come upon David before he could become King.

“:David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned a total of forty years.”   2 Samuel 5:4 (NASB)

God was making a statement to King Saul and to all of Israel because God was speaking that King Saul’s legacy would not remain because of his rebellion and stubbornness, and as he wanted to please the people more than God.

Saul wanted Samuel to stay with him and Samuel could not and King Saul grabbed Samuel’s priestly robe and ripped it…

“I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of The LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel.” As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore.  So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.…”   1 Samuel 15:26-28.

None of us are without formidable foes in life but God has given us promises that HE will never not never, let us go.

Even through unbearable odds we think we are ready.  Often God begins our lessons at our homes.

God will vindicate in every realm including siblings and family members and all those who despise, those jealous and hateful words they released against you! Yet they have no fear?

Not realizing the most important one who hears it all as they repeated all before God!

Oh, how they wished we would just go away and die!  For The LORD has looked their way with a mere glance and had they not been your siblings and family I would have destroyed them all at once and all that are of them.

Their ignorance, foolishness has kept them in tow due to their jealousy of what they don’t understand and cannot know or fathom.

I can just imagine what those brothers thought of him.  Like, “who does he think he is?”

“One day they will see and understand your prayers have been heard. 

I have invested My Power, yet why did they not fear “when you least expect it and with incredible odds”?

I will demonstrate My Favor on whom I choose!”

“But Samuel declared: “Does The LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of The LORD, He has rejected you as king.” Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have transgressed The LORD’s commandment and your instructions, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship The LORD.” “I will not return with you,” Samuel replied. “For you have rejected the word of The LORD, and He has rejected you as king over Israel. “As Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and it tore. So, Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. Moreover, the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind, for He is not a man, that He should change His mind.”   1 Samuel 15:22-29.

King Saul’s rebellious actions were not a one-time issue. He defied the will of God through open rebellion and stubbornness often.

His disobedience and prideful spiritual assumptions disregarded the commands of God.  The prophet Samuel came early in the day looking for the king.

To his astonishment, he was told that Saul had gone to Gilgal to “set up a monument for himself.” (1 Samuel 15:12)

It was an act of profound arrogance and pride.  In Saul’s mind, since the kingdom was ripped out of his hand, he said that Israel was no longer a nation set apart to worship, honor and exalt God in the earth.

“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to The LORD all that night. Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up a monument for himself and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.” When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May The LORD bless you. I have carried out The LORD’s instructions.,”   1 Samuel 15:11-13.

Study 1 Samuel 15!

King Saul was commanded to wait seven days and when he found his people disbursing, he assumed and performed the sacrifice himself that Samuel was to do, for he numbered the people and he was more interested in the people leaving him than to wait, trust, and obey God.

Even if they all left, will you still take care of one?

There were stages of life in Christ Jesus.  Why do we only want people to know the best of us and not what brought us out of a very hard lesson and into a blessing?

Christianity is not perfection!  Have you lost everyone and everything and all that is left is one to care for?
 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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The Depth Into the Heart of Change

When The LORD anoints a vessel, there’s a very serious process they go through before they will ever fulfill the Word of The LORD.

When The LORD anoints a vessel, there’s a very serious process they go through before they will ever fulfill the Word of The LORD.

There are Prophets today, however, of whom The Church has become so afraid, due to the false, these Churches won’t accept any of Prophets at all!

Prophets pay a heavy price of down time with The LORD in that place.

For instance, you may think that a Prophetic Word is ‘hard,’ giving no hope of redemption.

However, by the time that a godly Prophet gives the Word of The LORD, that Word has been made thoroughly clear and serious, because Prophets are held accountable for every word they speak.

Their faces must be set like flint, and do you think a prophet is nonstop giving words?  (Isaiah 50:7)

Before any Words of Wisdom, Words of Knowledge, Words of Discerning of Spirits, Words in Church or Fellowships, through pastors, teachers, evangelist, prophets and apostles from God, there is labor that goes into speaking, writing, and in saying something is from God.

We all — but especially leadership — are not to take things lightly.  We serve a Holy God!

What God is saying takes time to develop, and to be sure The Word is purely from The LORD — and not man.

Speaking for God is not for a title or any establishments or benefits, except the only benefit I yearn for is to know HIM intimately.

If you are seeking gifts, talents, or offices over God’s People, it needs to be said and taught that service to God will cost your whole life.

Service isn’t popular, and when we lay our lives down, it has the potential to wreck your whole life!

Following The LORD, by picking up our cross and following HIM, will cost your life!

“Then the word of The LORD came to Samuel, saying, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to The LORD all that night. Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel, and behold, he has set up “a monument for himself” and has turned and gone down to Gilgal.”   1 Samuel 15:10-12.

“Now The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” But The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to The LORD.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”  1 Samuel 16:1-3 NKJV.

The LORD told the prophet Samuel to take a horn of oil and go.  This is the same prophet that mourned over King Saul and God had to tell him enough!

Why?  Because The LORD had rejected Saul as King.  Yet the prophet went through a lot of emotional upheavals because of all he felt and then the prophet feared and was concerned that, “Saul will kill me!”

People read a lot into the Bible, and see the people as ‘elevated,’ and above all we feel here today!

Beloved, we will still feel the burden of the people, because they choose to go against God’s Will.

Samuel was very human, and went through all kinds of unstable emotions!  He felt all of it!

God spoke to Samuel, “go take a heifer to Bethlehem for sacrifice.”  And the people of the community of Bethlehem were concerned if Samuel came in peace!

Why?  Because the people knew it was a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!

Where is The Fear of The LORD today, to reverence Him and be Respectful and Holy, as HE is Holy?

There is a very serious time coming to the people of God, to Return and be Restored to the reverence and the Holiness of God!

“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.…”   1 Peter 1:16-17 BSB

Samuel was led to Jesse’s family and see all of Jesse’s sons.  Samuel was told that he would anoint the one whom God had chosen as King — yet it wasn’t about the looks of the son!

The choice of God, was about the heart of the one who was ‘after the heart of God.’  [after = aligned with]

The Bible gives us a spiritual view into the heart of Samuel, for it was emotionally and spiritually hard for the Prophet Samuel, as he mourned over King Saul.

The LORD told the Prophet Samuel to stop grieving over Saul, as it was God’s rejection over King Saul.

“Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?  Fill your horn with oil, and go; I AM sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite.  For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” ”   1 Samuel 16:1.

The heart of a true Prophet doesn’t wish anything bad on people, and weeps and mourns over the people.

When God reveals a difficult Word to the Prophet, a true Prophet must labor over the word, and must grieve over the words, and mourn over the people.

Part Two soon!

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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From the Red, to Walking Out the White Scroll

Words are everlasting, they are eternal, creative, and very important.  That is why there is so much Scripture that speaks of Words.

While in prayer today, I realized something; I saw an abundant number of words swirling about my head — and they were words that were not true — but at the time I believed them for a while!

I wasn’t getting it yet, because the reason those words were there, was because I allowed them to stay!

Words are everlasting, they are eternal, creative, and very important.  That is why there is so much Scripture that speaks of Words.

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us!  The Word has creative power when we are in alignment with The LORD.

Even when you pass over, the words you spoke continue to move forward in your family.

For example, there are those who hate me, and they believe things about me that happened twenty-four years or more ago — and are stuck — and cannot get past that.

I was enlightened today by several people whom I trust.

I repented for believing the lies that were spoken against me. (My “Door”!)  The Door represents what I allow into my life — an entrance, or exit.

While praying, I saw a person saying all sorts of words about people, and those words afterwards were swirling around them, and because there was never repentance and turning away from that sin and forgiving, the words were linked together like a long chain that they pulled behind them.

If we never repent of all sin, that sin will continue to follow and you….

I failed to remember how the words of man can be sappy sweet but laced with a curse.

I failed to remember that God so graciously had others pray and contact me with almost verbatim answers, who did not know the other friends!

However, since I was enlightened by several people I trust today, I did repent for believing those lying words.

Yes, we must repent for those lying words!

God doesn’t lie and he didn’t send them.

We can be our worst enemy and agree with demons!  We must know who we are and be at peace with ourselves.

You have got to know and believe who you are, or others will try to tell you their version of who you are!

It is so important who is in your inner circle.  There is either good or evil, the gray area does not apply anymore.  Let your yes be yes — and your no be no!

“But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No.  For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us — by me, Silvanus, and Timothy — was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.  For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”   2 Corinthians 1:18-20 KJV.

Whoever digs a pit for the righteous, himself shall fall into it. In the hour that we live in, we are going to begin to see the word quickly respond to the effect.  (Proverbs 26:27)

Vision:

While I was in prayer, I suddenly saw a person who had a long wagging tongue and it seemed animated.

This person was all over the place like drunk, but finally came to the door, cursing at God’s people at the door!  The person tried to open the door to get in while they were cursing!

At the door, I suddenly saw an arrow hit the person’s tongue, that was suddenly slammed into the door!

But wow, the door is old wood and has a half-crescent top.  When the tongue was shot with the arrow, I saw up close what seemed to be the same kind of wood as the arrow.

It was a message from God that he is not happy about those words.

I heard The LORD remind me of the day we live in — how people will be in love with themselves.

The person at the door I witnessed had a long red tongue, and it was attached to the door with the arrow, and I saw and heard all the words that were spoken from this person.

God revealed to me also that the words were written on their heart, but blasted out of their mouth on the door.  For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.  (Matthew 12:34)

There are words that go on and on and on for they are creative; good and evil!  That person’s tongue was stuck at that place, and it was why they never could go further in God.

A lot of people don’t understand that we can get stuck from an offense or grudge, by harboring those sins in our heart, and won’t repent from the sin and they ensnare us even if they originated from another person.

Satan only needs us to receive an offense or grudge in our heart.  He knows, instead of forgiving; they will keep adding more and more and the same tongue got longer, but it was never released from that arrow, for there was never any forgiveness and repentance.

Do you realize that the person never went any further, because of those words and became stuck and locked into a moment in history when you could not forgive or repent. In one offense we can ruin our lives and go no further?

Words are powerful and can be weapons, but the weapons can turn on them — for whoever speaks words against a child of God are judged by what they say, express.

And just as we had to learn from our parents not to touch the hot stove, we MUST realize how serious it is if we hurt a person, physically, soul and emotions.

Paul learned not to touch an anointed vessel of God. (Acts 9:1-6)

God created the earth with HIS Words. The Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue.  (Proverbs 18:21)

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.  And from such people turn away!”   2 Timothy 3:1-5 KJV

I saw one person who repented and their tongue, it was long, but The LORD redeemed him and when his tongue rolled out on what looked to be a Red Carpet, the tongue began going long distances with words that are not pleasing to God.

The LORD wanted the pure Word of The LORD written there.

Then I saw what the tongue turned into, and it rolled out and as far as the eye could see, was the White Scroll, as far as looking at the horizon, as far as the eye could see — but it went even beyond our lives.

The pure Word of The LORD!

I could see the words becoming flesh and I began to walk out the pure Word of The LORD.

Our words are not just idle sounds we make.

Our words are powerful, but it depends on what the words do.

As believers we want to follow The LORD and speak things that be not as though they are.

“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”  James 3:5-12 KJV.

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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