Category: Christian Living

The Passionate Call of Intimacy

The one thing I boast in The LORD for, and in my journey, is that I hold HIM in highest regard!

The one thing I boast in The LORD for, and in my journey, is that I hold HIM in highest regard!

Have I been perfect?  No, it was a process of growth in discipleship.

However, I have sought to follow The LORD all the days of my life and to behold His beauty and His amazing love and how absolutely majestic He is.

In my childlike ignorance, it is hard to fathom how God, The Creator of the universe and everything else in it!  Just imagine The LORD wanting to be intimately involved and have a personal relationship with me!

Have you ever laid down in the grass in the summer when it is dark and looked up at the stars?  Wow, when you see that majesty of creation, it amazes me sometimes to the point where I cannot even talk.

Being a humble childlike soul is the highest rank in God’s order of things.

The LORD’s Church is not a competition or corporation where people politically vie for positions to step up on others’ heads to get to the top.

The Church is not political, it is a gathering of the people of God who serve Him and obey Jesus Christ.

It is a life of discipleship and service learning to lay everything down like pride, selfishness, ego, religion, jealousy, envy, hatred, malice and traditions are only a few, and He wants the fruits of His Spirit to be active within and without all of dealings with man.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking, and envying one another.”  Galatians 5:16-26

Service to God is not a religious practice, nor service to His People for Kingdom ‘brownie points’.

Being a Servant and Offering Service is not rank and order according to the row of pews or chairs or who has the most money, materialism or the nicest car, clothes and has the most popular vote to name a few.

For some see service as this, they do menial tasks to be seen and heard.  But behind the scenes they curse their neighbor, and they are insanely jealous of them!

But God sees it all! God vindicates the righteous, as we turn evil for good.

God is looking for the motives of the heart and soul!

When the prophet Ezekiel was able to see behind the walls of the temple, he saw the idolatry, strife, contention, jealousy, division, and envy (Read Ezekiel).

God is revealing what is hidden from the walls of the motive of people’s hearts.

Religion works for their own benefit to seek out who’s who, and those in authority to puff up and work flattery.  A flattering mouth works ruin!

We are no different from the disciples that thought they were going to be elevated to a place of honor and pride.

Service to God and His People, is first you and your prayer life.

We must develop like a child in our Christian trek through life.  Communication (Prayer) is foundational in discipleship.  Why aren’t we Praying?

Prayer is foundational in our walk with Christ and in front and behind of others too.  What we do behind the scenes is what God judges.

We can hide from people but there is nowhere to hide from God.  God sees our motive and fruit.

Learning to become discerning takes a lot of time to develop.  I AM convinced that much of what people say is discernment is actually suspicion and accusation.  We must learn how to die to our wicked flesh and learn humility and respect.

After Salvation, Prayer is the number one requirement for walking with The LORD in The Spirit.

The LORD’s Desire is to educate us in simplicity in knowing Him.  In His Presence, Prayer Time and The Word, is where He instructs us in the way we should go.

We speak of intimacy as a bride is with her groom, but Jesus always parallels a Spiritual Truth to a natural way to understand.

There is nothing in this world to offer that satisfies my soul and life like my Jesus can!  I long for Him, I desire Him, and I am lovesick over Him, and I cannot get enough.

Does this sound strange to you?  Beloved, there are places in God that so satisfy you and where you cannot get enough, and it makes you want to come back for more and more!

There are places deep in prayer where you get lost in The Spirit and in The Word of God and you lose all track of time.  I love it!

Beloved reader, there is such a depth of Passionate Love and Fulfillment that once you tap into this type of relationship and fellowship with The LORD, it will radically change you and you will never be the same again!

This type of relational prayer is no longer a discipline, but a joy unspeakable and full of Glory!

Praying without ceasing is not impossible, it becomes simply walking beside Him, because you have learned how to walk in The Spirit with Jesus through everything, everyone, and everywhere you go.

Also, you have developed a constant awareness of His presence in you, with you and you talk to him as you go about your day and night.

You come to realize in truth that you are the betrothed Bride of Christ and a wise virgin who keeps oil in her lamp.

She is wise because of Jesus, and she does not pour out her oil to everyone because she knows the time has come and she is excited because she heard the call!

She also guards her oil and keeps her wick trimmed. (Matthew 25:1-13, 1 Peter 1:8)

If we say we know Jesus and do not obey, pray, or communicate with The LORD what is that?

Prayerlessness shows carelessness — and it also shows evidence that there is religion and not Relationship.

It is a sure way of knowing a person’s life and the Revelation can be quite shocking when revealed.

A living Relationship has Communication, and we can learn a lot about a person by how they speak in front of you and behind your back.

Words are powerful and that is why we must prepare daily in prayer to have our armor on, our robe of righteousness, Sword of The Spirit!

There will be evidence of whether we are saved or not.  The just shall live by Faith — and Faith without works is dead.

Having a relationship with Jesus is more real to me than any other relationship!  I have a living, walking, talking, breathing, eating, sleeping, and everything I do is in The Spirit!

No one satisfies my entire life — except my Jesus!

For example, imagine the most intimate, loving, fulfilling marriage that is so kindred.  A marriage like that makes both one and even if you are away from each other physically you know what is happening.

Having a wonderful fulfilling marriage in this life is a gift, but it is only a shadow of what is available with your relationship and fellowship with the Creator of the Universe!

Oh beloved, oh how he loves you and desires for you to come close and sit at his feet and silence your mind and activity and be still and know HIM.

Everything and I mean everything that is fulfilling in Jesus and in Ministry comes from this place of intimacy and prayer with Jesus.

In our Passion and Intimacy with our Master and LORD, that place of fellowship impregnates us with vision.

Everything in The Kingdom of God is brought forth from intimate Prayer — just as Zion travailed and brought forth her children.  When we find that hidden Secret Place, we tap into a well spring of life!

“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.”   Isaiah 66:8 NKJV

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey

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The Martyr Complex in The Church

A “Martyr Complex” is a destructive pattern of behavior within The Church, when a person habitually seeks ways gain attention or favor from the leader.

A “Martyr Complex” is a destructive pattern of behavior within The Church.

It happens when a person habitually seeks out ways to press themselves to the point of gaining attention or favor from the leader.

They see their labor as a way to feel “good” about themselves.  Often to the detriment of all their other relationships.

In many, they all bring up their childhood memories.  They have tried to measure up to be valuable to God, and Satan tries his best to keep them feeling rejected, and with self-pity, and their pride will not let them ask for help.

Often, these are like the woman who wanted the crumbs from the master’s table. (Matthew 15:27)

God has a special place for the widows and the orphans.  Yet they struggle in knowing how much they are loved by God.

Deep down they do not feel loved as the selfless kind of love.  They see themselves as unlovable.

Self-esteem has a lot of weight on those who suffer from a Martyr Complex.  The worse we feel about ourselves, the more we cover up.

Being a self-imposed martyr also removes the need to take responsibility for our lives, by blaming others for the failure and disappointments in their lives.

When we or others have signs of low self-esteem, it is hard receiving love or affection and often we have a poor body image, judgmentalism, moodiness, etc.

Maybe they were abused as a child emotionally, mentally, physically, and continue to react to authority figures in a negative way.

In some loveless relationships, it could be abusive, and they totally disregard their own health by staying in the relationship.

They refuse to accept responsibility for the decisions and choices that have caused them pain or suffering.

Often, they are out to make themselves righteous or make themselves out to be the one who is always the caregiver.

They blame the other person for the oppression and bondage.  They are always seeking to plead their innocence and to reassure themselves.

Often when a Martyr Complex is spotted, and their coping mechanisms are revealed, they always have to share the information that something is wrong, so that the blame is put on another.

They look for the person they want to inform; usually it’s leadership or someone that has authority so that they will not see their motive, but most times they want to impress so they will push their agenda of mistreatment or suffering.

What I have witnessed is that they are cynical, paranoid, and suspicious.  The obsession of their mind is what is right.

This person will emotionally manipulate situations to gain control.  These types of people will do anything to make themselves out to be the one that suffers.

A person who does things for the approval of man will become cynical in their hearts and attitudes.

Martyrs never take the initiative to solve problems, they love being known for all the efforts they do and seek recognition and attention for the drama they create.

A person could have a relationship that causes emotional damage, but they will not do what needs to be done for their own health.

They want control and will manipulate to get their own way. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as idolatry.

Jezebel in The Bible was a good example of behavior.  Jezebel, a follower of Baal, promises to kill the prophet Elijah, who flees when hearing her plan.

She also manipulated many powerful men around her in a story about land ownership, leading to the death of several men.

In the past, I have often asked if they have ever dabbled in the occult and played with tarot cards, Ouija board, or read or been involved in any type of negative or false spiritual event.

These things can open a person up to demonic influence. (Study 1 & 2 Kings)

“And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.””   Matthew 15:27

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey

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Pressing, Process, and Promise

Grieving is something we all must face.  There can be grieving for many things.  Not limited to, maybe a death in the family, a relationship, or a failed job…

“Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless, Samuel mourned for Saul, and The LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.”   1 Samuel 15:34-35 NKJV

“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.”   2 Samuel 16:1 NKJV

Grieving is something we all must face. 

There can be grieving for many things.  Not limited to, maybe a death in the family, a relationship, or a failed job, or grief over a wayward child, grief over our nation, or like our text read that Samuel grieved over Saul when God rejected him as King.

When the children of Israel were in the desert they would only move when the glory cloud moved.  It is important to know that when God moves on, we too must move with him.

There are various lengths of time for grief with each person.  However, when God says it is time to stop grieving, then we must abide by His leading and move forward to push through the pain into the promise.

“Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible, dwelling presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory and brilliance of The LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained on it, and the glory and brilliance of The LORD filled the tabernacle. In all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey on until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of The LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.”   Exodus 40:34-38 AMP

When God moves you into a new location spiritually or physically, regardless of how far, wide, or deep it may be, the pressure to push through can be described like the travail or a birthing process into a new place.

When God takes us through an open Door, there is a process that prepares you to walk through that Door.

Everything that is seen on earth has a beginning in the Spirit realm.  Once God spoke it, it happened in His season. It takes blind faith, trust, and walking it out as if it has already happened.

God works from the inside out.  Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

If you are in a new environment and feel like you are walking blind and feeling out the new realm you are in, realize God would have never led you there until you were prepared for that place.

But for certain, you know something has happened and it is new!

You cannot see or hold a child until the process of months with travail and pain comes with breakthrough.  But before it manifests into the natural world the process can be very difficult.

However, once you have moved on and pressed through the process, then comes a breakthrough, and you will see the promise. (John 16:21-23, Romans 8:22)

Spiritual travail is burdensome and has intensity by the Holy Spirit to bring to pass through prayer and spiritual warfare not only what happens with people but the results can produce a promise, an oath, or prophetic insight with the Holy Spirit Illumination that is needed to be revealed in a person, church, place, or thing.

Many things are birthed in the kingdom of God, even wars are won when spiritual warfare is waged. (2 Chronicles 20:1-30)

Our walk with Christ is often used as a life lesson or like an open book that is seen and read of all men.  There is nothing wasted, even what we perceive to be the worst experiences that we would rather not use.

However, when it is used for helping others in the body of Christ, we are supposed to be dead to the deeds of the flesh and this world and alive unto God.  We die daily.  We put to death the deeds of the flesh so the Spirit man will rise!

We must remember we are only passing through this life and these bodies are mere shells that contain what is precious and valuable to God.  The outer man is wasting away but our inner man is renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)

Our flesh is not our friend.  Did you know that you live with an adversary every day and every moment?

Our flesh is an adversary that we must be aware of daily!

Our fight with our flesh and the enemy is a daily event.  The flesh and Satan seek to gain the preeminence.

Incorporating fasting and prayer together with the study of God’s Word, is a powerful way to take authority over our flesh and the devil’s tactics and onslaughts.  Living a fasted lifestyle of self-control has many benefits.

So, remember we must not dawdle when God’s glory cloud moves.  We must press through the grief, sorrow, and all the onslaughts of darkness.

Why?  Because there are forces at work that are always seeking ways to keep us down and out of range of our chief Shepherd.

May your prayer be as mine; LORD, please keep me in the center of your will and keep me centered in your heart.

When we see someone that we love going through grief, sorrow, and sickness that has kept them down a long time, we must pray and ask The LORD to intervene.

Don’t be surprised, God may choose you to be an intercessory prayer warrior or even physically intervene in some way.

We are all part of the same body of Christ and when one suffers, we all suffer.  When you go to Church, start looking around you.  If you see people missing, be that person who steps up to the line and salutes to Jesus and becomes radical and militant!

This is not a time to be idle, lazy, self-centered!

Begin to pray and fast for them or others, so that they do not fall through the cracks. It is not the pastor’s job to do all of the shepherding, we all have a purpose within the body of Christ.

Find your fit and stay there!

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey

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Provoking the Heart Issues

Joseph was blessed by God, and a seeker of God and experienced Prophetic Dreams.

Joseph was blessed by God, and a seeker of God and experienced Prophetic Dreams.

In innocence he thought everyone would be happy with his experiences, but instead of liking his dreams, his brothers were provoked to jealousy!

You would think his family would encourage him, but instead his brothers hated him with pure hatred.  His father gave him a coat of many colors, and further revealed his dreams and it provoked his brothers to jealousy and caused a ruckus in his family like a hornet’s nest!

His brother’s hatred of him stirred up such offense that manifested in Jealousy, Envy, Division, Hatred, Malice, and had it not been for the oldest brother, they would have murdered him.

“Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”   Song of Salomon 8:6 KJV

The devil stirred up trouble in Josephs life to such a degree, the brothers wanted to kill him!  But the oldest brother instead of killing him he wanted to sell him to the Egyptians as a slave.

All throughout Josephs pathway, everything made him look like a troublemaker.  He was even accused of rape when he was innocent, and he stood with God and leaned hard on God to endure, and he stayed pure to God.

Joseph suffered a very long time being incarcerated for things he never did, and I know he must have had depression and was deeply wounded in his heart.

Yet he continued to remain true to God, and in every environment, he was in God excelled in him even in prison.

When the dreams came to pass, and he was advanced and promoted next to Pharaoh.  He could have held anger and rage against his brothers, but he loved God and knew this that was meant for evil would turn around for his good.

Yet when he revealed himself and told them not to be angry for selling him into slavery, because God sent him ahead of you to preserve a remnant on earth and save lives by a great deliverance.

Even though it was human sin, God determined to redeem all the suffering by turning it around for good.  (Study Genesis 45)

Do you realize you may be provoked to jealousy?

Do you know that God provoked Israel to get to the heart of the matter?

God allows things to provoke a response in us, so that the things in our heart will be made manifest that is not godly, so that we will repent and turn away from that sin.

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey

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