I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude. Col 2:7
A few years ago, I started a gratitude jar on New Year’s Day. It was similar to a gratitude journal. I had written one thing I was grateful for each day and penned my experience on a small piece of paper. Then, I dropped it in the jar.
Well, each day whether it was morning or night, I would add something to the jar I was grateful for. I didn’t exactly collect 365 pieces of paper by the end of the year but I did manage to fill up the jar at least three quarters of the way.
On New Year’s Eve, I dumped the jar and all the folded pieces of paper scattered across my bed. I began to read all the things that I did or went through the whole year. I had a flood of emotions of how faithful the Lord has been to me. I acknowledged the richness that life has to offer despite the challenges and difficulties. I even forgot some of the events and activities that took place such as the funny moments as well as the unexpected surprises. it gave me a fresh perspective on how to approach life and how to appreciate every moment given to us.
When you shift your perspective, it can transform your attitude. I’ve learned to appreciate the little things as much as the bigger things in my life. When you change your perspective on how you look at your life, you change your world. As the saying goes, “Gratitude is all about your attitude.”
I’m sure we all have something to be grateful for as we finish off the last quarter of this year. Hold onto your faith and keep trusting the Lord for whatever you need in this season. He is faithful.
For your stubborn hearts and contrite mind, you will be rewarded for your wickedness and evil. For the Lord is great and mighty to be praised upon the land. He will not look back or turn back his hand. It is upon you with fear and trembling. You shall run but find no escape.
For you trusted in chariots. You trusted in gold and silver that does not save flesh nor spirit. The wood will be burned to nothing. Ashes shall be upon the land. Billows of smoke.
Cry to your gods. Cry out and let them save you. For the sword is upon the land, thus says the Lord.
Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.
And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and pestilence, and I will deliver them to trouble among all kingdoms of the earth – to be a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all nations where I have driven them.
Because they have not heeded my words, says the Lord, which I sent to them by my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the Lord. Jer 29:17-19
You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation. Ezk 22:24
Sept 10 2021
Again, the word came to me saying, Son of man, speak to the children of the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman.
If when he sees the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heard the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
He heard the sound of the trumpet,, and took not warning his blood shall be upon him, but he that takes warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, if thou do not speak to warn the wicked from his way that wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will i require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered his soul.
Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live.
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked: but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezk 33:1-6 and 33:8-11
Many people feel their voice doesn’t matter. We have an obligation, responsibility and right to speak up when we experience or witness injustice, abuse or mistreatment in our homes, workplace, community or in the world. For far too long, people are silenced, shamed or bullied because of their opinions or beliefs. We should value other’s opinions whether we agree or not. You should, however, use wisdom and discernment to analyze and dissect data or any information you receive.
There’s always something to learn from someone’s point of view or perspective so you should not be so quick to shut them down.
An ignorant man does not take instruction from wise counsel. Prov 12:15
Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a ditch. Matt 15:14
When you are silenced, your power is stripped away from you. You can no longer communicate or express your thoughts and feelings, exchange information or learn from others. The enemy understands the power of your voice because the Lord spoke the world into existence. [Gen 1]
Your words activate life or death. Whether written or verbal, there is weight in your words. You can transform a person by speaking negatively or positively. Be mindful of the words you speak to yourself and with others.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a foundation send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. James 3:10-12
We must also protect and secure our history, culture and identity as an individual, society and nation. We must ensure that our history isn’t stripped away whether it be good or bad. For whence a man does not understand his past, he no longer has the ability or knowledge to understand the present. He will not have the ability to understand the foundation or know his origin. He will not have the ability to glean from the lessons learned.
Dummying down or blinding the eyes of a society is dangerous and decreases the diligence, strength and power of a nation. We can’t afford to be silenced. We need to stand in unity for the common good over the tyranny and suppression that has taken over the culture. We can no longer afford to sit idle as a defenseless bystander. We are equip and more than capable to defeat the giants that continue to mock and taunt the foundation of our democracy and values.
May our eyes be open to the truth and may we have the wisdom to discern, question and analyze what we hear. Lastly, may our hands be used to plow the land, rebuild the foundation and repair the damage in harmony for the restoration of America.
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Related Scriptures:
1 Kings 18:21
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Matt 16:1-4
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
1 Peter 1:20-21
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Matt 23:25-28
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
I Peter 5:8
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Dan 2:21-22
And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
1 Peter 1:2-4
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1 Peter 1:20-21
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
Dan 7:25-27
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Matt 24:12-14
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Writing with Purpose 