SIFTED LIKE WHEAT

The battle I have just stood in the midst of was one of TREMENDOUS force. The enemy decided to shoot his arrows all at once with few spaces between their air speed. His first blow was to my mind and my emotions after my body expelled my child. I was hit by a wave of emotions and a feeling of being overwhelmed and off track. I felt the force of the arrow as it hit and it entered my body.

It spread the venom on the tip into every part of my life and my body ...YET....I kept calling on the Lord because I knew he was the only one that could come and get me out of harm's way and remove the toxic posion in me. I was dazed and confused...riding an emotional, spiritual and mental 'lifecoaster'. The next arrow came with the name of a stranger attached to it. The posion went straight to my job...the arrows rained down in my work air upon me like a sky full of blackness. It was mind spinning...YET GOD.....I reached out to him and asked him if he saw what they were doing against me and saying about me. I asked him even though I knew the answer.

I asked him because I wanted to tell 'MY FATHER' on the demons trying to work destruction in my life. A stranger allowed the enemy to use him as a weapon against me but what he did not know and may still not realize is that the arrow he released for my destruction will re direct it's route and come back to him because it will perform what it was sent out to do but it will perform in the life of the person who sent it out. It will do it because it was sent with a 'distinct intention' and it must perform what it was sent to do...but it can not do it in the life of a child of God. The weapon formed but it can not and will not prosper in the life of a child of God so it must land somewhere in the mud and spread it's poison.

The mud is located in the origin of where the arrow was released. That location is full of the spirit of vengeance and strife and it is soft for poison to grow so it will go back to that place and it will grow whether he recognizes it now or later as the 'fruit of his hand' The enemy used him for my bad BUT GOD used him to be edified in my life even greater. Though ungoldy actions were put in motion, they could not perform in my life because angels were dispatched in my life. A standard was lifted up around me emotionally, spiritually and mentally by my Lord Jesus Christ. He let me stand on my foundation of Faith that grew stronger as the arrows came down all around me.

He covered me with a roof top of Hope that was his blood. Nothing could remove me from the covering of his blood. It has power and it kept me in spite of the arrows falling. They could not successfully penetrate me because God lifted up a standard all around me. His angels came by his command and ministered to my mind, body and soul. When I stood in 'that place' in the presence of God, I called out his name and I laid it all out on that floor of my faith in that place of sanctuary.

I called to the Holy Spirit who was there all the time. I let him know that I believed the Lord Jesus when he told me in his word that he would not leave us alone, that he would send me a comforter, the Holy Spirit. I spoke to the Holy Spirit in that place and told him I needed him to do what God sent him to do. BE MY COMFORTER. I came to the Lord Jesus Christ as he told me , in SPIRIT AND in TRUTH and when I did that in 'that place' , the Lord begin to show me how he was moving and what was REALLY happening in my life in front of the enemies standing outside shooting the arrows for my destruction.

He opened the doors of my sanctuary and I looked out and saw with my spiritual eyes, that he was moving things in place for me for his EDIFICATION to show himself as the MIGHTY GOD he is in my life. He came in like a soft wind and then he swept through and stopped the arrows and bound the tongues and feet of those who carried them . He lifted me when they least expected it and completely removed me out of the way of the poisonous arrows. He gave me the desire of my heart and left the mouths of the snakes wide open and in awe !!

I give him glory and TESTIFY OF HIS GOODNESS ! HE IS THE LORD ALMIGHTY AND WORTHY TO BE PRAISED ! THANK YOU JESUS !

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Is Your Community Service God's Service ?

Today I want to ask a simple question to my fellow Greek organizational members. Is your community service God's service ? You may think this is a strange question but it really isn't. Take time think about this the next time you prepare to put on your Greek letters and walk out the door to promote your organization.

We all should be using our organizations as another way to be about the business of Jesus. The only three letters that really make a difference in our lives and the lives of others, is G.O.D. those three letters represent the ultimate in love. The next time we put on our shirts, jackets, hats , visors etc...we need to take a moment and pray. Ask God to allow us to walk out into the community and show his light in us first and foremost. A Greek Letter Organization should be just another vehicle we as men and women of God can use to bless other people less fortunate than us or those fortunate as we are.

We always say we want to make a difference in the community and we want them to know that our organizations are contributing to this wonderful cause. We need to be careful that we are not promoting the organization more than God's plan. We need to be promoting the love of Jesus in front of the people we serve. The should see him before they see the Greek letters on our shirts. We must ask God to humble us in our organizations. Let us go out first for him and then as members of an organization.

It should not be said so much that an organization did something but that God 'used that organization' to be a blessing and make a difference. We are God's Property first before we are Sorors and Frats, at least we are suppose to be. Some of us will work endlessly for our Greek letter organizations way into the night but will not go to a prayer shut in for eight or twelve hours. We will get up early and come out in large numbers to show our support and sisterhood in the community but will not join our prayer group at church before 10:00am on a Saturday to pray together for the very communities we say we care for.

Edify and promote the work of Jesus in the community , not the work of the Greek letter organization. The spirit of Sisterly Love is wonderful , but the Holy Spirit of God is even greater. While we are walking around on the streets of different communities let us leave a mark of the love of Jesus Christ for mankind and not the mark of an organization being present. They need to see Jesus in all we do. Let us use the organization to band together and promote the work of Jesus in the lives of the people . I would love that someone knew first and foremost that I was a woman of God before the knew I was a member of a Greek letter organization.

There are times when the very women we sit next to in church on Sunday will take on a spirit of vanity and pride on Monday. A vain and prideful spirit is not of God and if it is not of him it is of the enemy . Sickness, poverty, homelessness and death, they do not care about what Greek letter organization you are a member of . They have no respect of person. When it comes , it comes and it can turn your whole life around.

The very person you stuck your nose up in the air at will be the one that holds the blessing in their hands and you may miss it because of your pride or you may be blessed to be humbled and have your eyes open and see that you are no better than anyone else because of the color of your organization or the history. God is first among all men and upon the earth. We must be mindful of this at all times. Do not let anything that does not show the love of Jesus at all times come into your life. It is easy to make something an Idol and that is not of God.

Let us not be consumed by three letters that have no power !! We are all filthy rags in the sight of God....but for the blood of Jesus that covers a multitude of sins we would have been destroyed a long time ago. Let us give honor to God when we enter into his house at all times. Let the people see Jesus when we enter his gates NOT our Greek letter jackets and our bible book cover !! Why would you want your three letters to be seen on the Word of God before the Word of God is seen. Jesus is the superstar in that book no one else and nothing else ! The only three letters people need to think about when they look at your bible should be G.O.D.

Let them see us come together as sisters and praise the Lord together. I mean really praise him not sit on the pew and look stiff and cute with loud make up and big hats and our Greek letter stoles on ! Let them see us hold hands and run around the church together, let them see us at the altar together for prayer, let them see us dance in the aisle right out of our shoes, let them hear us give a shout of praise to the Lord instead of some sorority or fraternity call ! Take off your hats and your jackets and give God the praise !! Praise him for life , Praise him for the Holy Spirit , Praise him for his Grace and Mercy towards us all.

None of us are worthy . Just remember that the next time you want to speak down about another Greek letter organizational member and then go down in prayer. Regardless of why you spoke in an unkind and disrespectful manner you still did it and the words are heard by God. He sees your heart and mind. He knows the truth about you and your intentions. If your intentions are to promote your organization first and not God, he knows that and your actions in the community to me are vain. Remember to pray before you gather and go out. Use the Greek organization as a weapon against all the damage the enemy is trying to do in the lives of God's people.

Go forth together in the Spirit of Jesus first and I believe he will bless our efforts in the community to make a difference in the lives of men, women and children. Seek the Kingdom of God first and all his righteousness and the promotions and good words about your organization will come later. Let the intention be to do a work for the Lord not to get your organization in the newspaper. Put God first and he will bless our work . THANK GOD for his Word. Amen.

FORGIVENESS AND FRIENDSHIP

Today I want to address a special relationship, the relationship of the people we call friends. For me personally, it is a deep and loving commitment to each other. It comes with trust, love, understanding, support, disagreements and sacrifice. I have expectations of the people I allow in my life and my heart to be put in a special category called 'Friends'.

They are people in my life that I should feel comfortable with discussing any and all things because it is going to stay between us. It is someone who would make small sacrifices for me because they know I would make the same sacrifices for them. I expect no less than what I am pouring into the relationship to be available to me . I share my happy moments, sad moments, hurtful moments and call on them when I need prayer and encouragement. It goes unsaid as far as I am concerned that if someone or something has hurt or offended my friend no matter how long ago or how recent, I am there to try and protect her and heal her from it .

If it is someone who has hurt her in some way, I pray for her and show myself in actions, words and deeds as someone who cares about her. I can forgive the person who hurt her especially if it was unjust, but I do not think I could have a 'friendship' or ' close relationship' with that person if I care so much for my friend. That friend who is or should be on the same emotionally-bonded level as I am can count on me not to break the unspoken friendship rules of conduct . She can also count on me to tell her the truth if and when she is out of line.

If her actions cause me hurt and show me that she does not honor or value the relationship I thought was friendship, then my season with her is done. I will shake the dust of my time with her from my feet and move forward . As wounded as I would be I would have to remove my self from someone whose actions reflect that of someone who is an enemy. An enemy to me is someone who is out to hurt you. Someone who does not care about you and feels no love or commitment to you or the relationship .

When their actions effect your relationship in a manner that causes you to be uncomfortable in their presence and stand in total disbelief of what they have done, it is time to walk away because someone has wasted their time and were mislead in what they thought they had with this person during this season. The question then becomes, ' How do you forgive the offense of someone who was so deeply in your heart ? God truly has to heal you and wipe away your tears. The Holy Spirit has to speak to you and comfort you right at that moment when the arrow hits.

You should immediately remove yourself from their presence and go into prayer about your feelings. I have recently had someone whom I loved deeply for about 20 years do something that I think is tacky and completely against the code of friendship and my expectations of her as a friend. I confided in her so many times, I offered her shelter, I loved her, I prayed for her, I asked God to watch over her and her child even while she was in another place making a life for herself and her child. She was out of my sight but not out of my mind or my heart. She was like a daughter to me and a dear friend also.

The disbelief of her actions wounded me deeply. God brought her back into my life physically a few months before she did this and I just can not for the life of me figure out why she was allowed to come back into my life physically at this time just to hurt me so badly. The ad part is she has no clue. She does not understand why her actions are a slap in my face or why I think it is like spitting on a relationship we have had for some 20 years. I met her at a difficult time in my life and she was there for me. I loved her for that and thought that no matter how far or amount of time, she would always be my 'friend'.

Well, it is amazing how wrong we can be. Forgiveness is difficult enough, but when it has to be put into action because someone near and dear to your heart offended you it is even harder. You are all wrapped up in emotional disbelief and hurt so it is hard for the spirit of Forgiveness to come into your heart though you know it must in order for you to go forth and be blessed. A dear prophetess explain to me once what it means to really forgive and I thank her so much for that. God knows who to send in your life with his Word even when you can not find it in his Word yourself at that time.

The prophetess shared this with me, 'Forgiveness is an act of our will and has nothing to do with our feelings.' Some days we may not feel saved, but it does not mean we are not saved! The enemy wants to bring up the past, but if we forgive, then we put that thing under the blood of Jesus and leave it there. When the thoughts continue to come into our minds, we rebuke the thoughts by taking them captive as the Word has told us to and tell the enemy that it is covered under the blood of Jesus !

WHOM THE LORD SETS FREE IS FREE INDEED ! AMEN.

I Thank her so much for that much needed word. I still love the young lady that committed the offense because 20 years of loving someone and praying for them does not just go away. I am still healing from her actions and I am praying for her because she really is still lost and blind concerning her deeds and actions toward our relationship. God has allowed me to see though that it was not a friendship all these years so I release her and move forward with my life. I pray her eyes will be opened and the Holy Spirit will one day reveal the offense to her if she is open to hearing him. I wish her no harm.

I forgive her because I have to and because she really does not know. She is still maturing physically, mentally , emotionally and spiritually and I pray God keep her as she goes through becoming the Woman of God he truly wants her to be. The Lord forgave me when I was in error and when I was out of line and I wish the same for her. She will one day come full circle with all of her actions the good and the bad and will see the fruit of all of them.

If you have a real friend love her enough to pray for her daily. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

Jesus Christ's Once and For all SACRIFICE

Bible Study at the Christ Covenant Church International ( CCI) was a PRAISE FEST on last night. I just want to get that out right now. I am so happy that I now long to be at bible study. I hate to miss. I have a desire to go because I feel that I am being taught and having serious discussion. I love it. I encourage all Christians to find a good bible study group and jump in head first and grow !

Pastor Darryl Garrett and his lovely first lady, Rhonda Garrett are the shepherd and shepherdess of this flock. On last night he taught us from the Book Of Romans 5 it was about the basis or foundation of our salvation. When you sit back and really slow down and think about it what Jesus did was what no man on this earth would do for us . An innocent man suffered unjust treatment for the unjust that it was really meant for ! The torment was for us but God sent Jesus to step in front of it . OH WHAT A LOVE ! WHAT A LOVE OF GOD FOR HIS CHILDREN ! WHAT A LOVE FOR GOD BY HIS SON !

Jesus wanted to please God. He wanted to be obedient in his spirit even though his flesh was begging for him to walk away from this thing . It was not ready to take the punishment for sinful man BUT GOD...Jesus ask God to remove it from him but if it were his Will that it not be removed, give him what he needed spiritually to take the suffering that was about to come. The Spirit of Obedience was so great in him it overcame the flesh. God's wrath was upon us but Jesus laid down his life to bring us peace with God. He calmed the raging sea that was so justly about to over take us ! How can you not Thank him ? How can you not want to show your gratefulness for the ultimate act ?

Hebrews 10 explains more clearly the reason why Jesus had to come. There was no other way. The children of Israel sacrificed and sacrificed , but every time they sacrificed it brought that memory of that sin back again. It could not ever be removed out of sight or forgotten . The blood sacrifice of animals was not strong enough to cover it once and for all and cleanse us. The blood of animals was spilled in sacrifice time after time after time because it could not remove our sin once and for all ! When God got tired of us I personally think he was so frustrated with us he wanted to bring his Wrath down but yet, he loved us and wanted some way to get us back to him.

The blood of his son, SIN FREE was the only way this could be done. He brought salvation in a form we could relate to. He gave his son Jesus a body. He allowed him to come the way of human man so he could relate to our struggle here on earth. Hebrews 10:5 says, 'Wherefore he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.' Verse 9 says, ' Then said he, Lo, I come to do they will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. Jesus offered his body once and we were set free to be redeemed back unto God if that is where we wanted to be.

Unlike an earthly priest for the people, Jesus sacrificed his blood and his body once on the cross and that paid the price. It never has to be done again. Our sins are covered under the blood and forgiven if we ask him ! They are never to be remembered by our Savior. Blood has life within it. It is the ultimate life source so there was nothing else that could be shed but our lives and that life source is the blood. Jesus shed out life to cover the sins of this world and turn around and use the same blood shed to GIVE IT BACK as eternal life. SHOUT RIGHT NOW !!!!

For me, the easiest way to understand the love of God for us is to think about the relationship he is using right now as an example of our relationship with him. It is none other than the relationship of parents and their children. When our children are birthed from our wombs and come forth into this world there is an automatic love for them. The body of a woman has carried this life in side of her and nurtured it and allowed it to form within her. It comes forth from her and it is a part of her. We feel that this child belongs to us. This child is ours. We immediately love this child.

As the child/children grow in this world we try and provide all they need ,protection, love, food, shelter and compassion. We teach them right from wrong in hopes that all things will go well for them in their lives. When they mess up we are full of emotions such as, disappointment, disbelief,hurt, anger, shame...but most of all we still LOVE. There is nothing they can do that will take away that love ! We reach out for them when they are in trouble or headed for trouble to try and stop them from making the mistakes but sometimes we have to just stand helplessly and watch them do it anyway and that really hurts.

Yet, we love them still .There is nothing that a child can do to take away that natural love and affection between a parent and a child. The child may not even understand at the time why they can not do something or why they have to do something but we know and we try and be a help to them. We wonder how we can make their lives the best they can be. Well the love of God for us is the same way. He is our FATHER. We are his CHILDREN born from the breath within him which was and is the Holy Spirit. When we go out and act like he has not taught in his Word how to show we know better he is hurt and disappointed I am sure BUT JESUS ! When we act like he is not our Father he is not pleased..YET..he loves us. We are still his and no matter what we do he loves us.

We may not want to love our Heavenly Father or acknowledge him in our lives but he is our FATHER and he is our CREATOR and there is no lie or sinful act done by us that can change that truth. He wants us all to come back home and be with him so he can love on us and we can love on him. He was desperate I think , for a way to save us and get us back home where we could be safe in his arms under his protection. The answer he knew was probably a hard one but a parent will do even the hard things for their children so he sent his SON who was with him when he was creating our forms from the dust. No other sacrifice was pure enough.

Like any parent, HE DID WHAT HE HAD TO DO FOR HIS CHILDREN! OOH THE LOVE OF A PARENT FOR A CHILD ! GOD I THANK YOU FOR SENDING YOUR SON TO SHED HIS INNOCENT BLOOD FOR US. YOU LOVED US WHEN WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH SENSE TO LOVE OURSELVES AND CARE ABOUT OUR ETERNAL SOULS.

THE RESURRECTION IS MORE POWERFUL THAN EASTER

Tommorrow morning many Christians will gather themselves together . Some of them call themselves christians but have not entered into God's house to assemble themselves together since the last Resurrection Sunday. Many of them will spend money they should be putting in the tithe basket on a new suit, new shoes, hair, nails and chocolate. Chocolate bunnies, eggs and baskets full of goodies for their kids.

We as Christians must be careful not to give glory to the Easter traditions. God is a jealous God and will not share his glory. We will celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on tommorrow and nothing is share in that celebration. We must not give our children large baskets and new clothes as though it is required during this time of the year. We must remember that the best thing we can give them is Jesus. The knowledge of Jesus is the perfect gift. Before we take them shopping and before we buy them a bunny rabbitt or take pictures with the Easter Bunny, we need to sit them down and talk to them about the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the miracle of his rising from the dead and ascending into heaven to be sitted at the right hand of God almighty.

We should train them up so they have reverence and gratefulness in their hearts this season and all year. For them it is not Easter, it is RESURRECTION SUNDAY. Put the Word before them before you put a basket , new clothes or a bunny before them. Teach them it is about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and about him only. Take time out to read with them about the journey of Jesus. Talk to them about how important his sacrifice really was and still is. Explain to them what he gave up to come to earth as a man and give up his place in heaven to come to this earth and save us from our own selves. We were doomed and could not be made clean until the blood of Jesus.

Teach the children that during this season we celebrate the shedding of the blood of a lamb with no blemish, no mark just perfection. He put himself on the altar of sacrifice for us and allowed man to shed his blood so that we would not be lost. He took up a cross deservingly meant for us and he carried it so that we might have an advocate before God for us. A reedemer out of the mouth of hell if we have chosen Jesus instead of the enemy. Even out of the mouths of our ba bies should come praises for Jesus Christ and what he sacrificed. Easter is a term to me, that is used to distract some of us from the true meaning of this season.

When this season comes we should first and foremost have thoughts of thanksgiving not of what we are going to buy. We should be praying with our families and discussing the goodness of God and the obedience of Jesus. We should bow in awe at his spirit of obedience to do God's Will no matter what the cost to him personally for a brief moment for what God gave him in return for his obedience his beyond measure. This is a time to show our children that obedience is better than sacrifice. Now is the time we remind them that sometimes we must go thru because it is God's Will but if they will go through with him and the way he tells them according to his Word he is GUARANTEED to bring them out and reward them .

What is the origin of Easter ? The origin of Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz. Somehow, Semiramis convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn. Since people had been looking for the promised savior since the beginning of mankind (see Genesis 3:15), they were persuaded by Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived. Before long, in addition to worshipping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshipped Semiramis herself as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called Ishtar, Ashtur and yes, Easter.
Contemporary traditions such as the Easter Bunny and the Easter egg can also be traced back to the practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature, rabbits have long been associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar. Ancient Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg that fell into the Euphrates River from heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar or Semiramis) was "hatched." However, Easter did not always symbolize Christ's resurrection from the dead and the meaning of Easter was quite different than what Christians celebrate today. The feast day of Easter was originally a pagan celebration of renewal and rebirth. Celebrated in the early spring, it honored the pagan Saxon goddess Eastre. When the early missionaries converted the Saxons to Christianity, the holiday, since it fell around the same time as the traditional memorial of Christ's resurrection from the dead, was merged with the pagan celebration, and became know as Easter. The meaning of Easter was also changed to reflect its new Christian orientation.

My personal preference is to use the term'Resurrection Sunday' instead of 'Easter' because of the pagan origins. As we tend to do in the world, we get things mixed up and try and fix them so that they 'feel' right to us or others do not recognize the foundation from which it comes. Easter is not a term originating to acknowledge the victory of Jesus Christ over death and the grave, it was originated to give honor to a non living god . Born from the ignorance and evilness of a people. As we grow spiritually and learn of our God we begin to see things differently and think differently.

Some may argue and say the basket and bunny is for the kids. It is a time for them to have fun and enjoy the compliments of others about their dress, their suit, their hat etc..but kids do not need that to have a good time on Resurrection Sunday. They just need the training up of the way that they should go and when this season comes around they will still be happy and joyful and smiling because they know the importance of the VICTORY that Jesus has over death and the grave. We will have taught them about what he did and why we celebrate and the will rejoice with us , for out of the mouth of babes should come PERFECTED PRAISE.

Make it more about God and not about a bunny and a basket. They are idols. They can not speak, they can not move, they can not hear your prayers why give them any recognition. Keep your children and yourselves focused on the real reason for the season...the VICTORY OF JESUS OVER THE GRAVE ! HE HAS RISEN WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HANDS JUST AS HE SAID HE WOULD. He is ALIVE. He is our REDEEMER and he is our ADVOCATE.

CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT JESUS LOVES YOU. God gave his only begotten son that we might live. AMEN.

My Personal Review of ' THE SHACK'

A few months ago I was visiting my sis-in-law in Meridian. I noticed a very interesting book cover. It was a picture of a weathered shack with snow on the ground and falling lightly from the sky. The title of the book was 'THE SHACK'. The title itself caught my attention. What type of story can you tell about a shack ? I turned the book over and read the description of this work of fiction. It was both shocking and intriguing. I could not get it out of my mind, and since she was not completed reading it herself I was determined to find it my self and read the entire literary work.

Well just as God does, he made it possible for me to purchase my own copy at a sale price !! I wanted to share with my fellow bloggers what I took away with me when I finished this book and turned the last and final page. Reading this book made me think how much easier it would be for us humans to truly understand our relationship with the Lord if we would just step back from our own as parents. Step back and look at the pattern here on earth concerning the Father, Mother and Child. God has given us a 'visual' to better understand his relationship with him.

Two people come together, and form a living creation. This creation comes out in our image. It looks like us and because it is a part of us we love it immediately. We want to protect our child and provide it with all the things necessary on this earth to be safe and well taken care of. We do whatever we need to protect them from things that will hurt them and cause harm. We teach them what we think are life skills necessary to make it here on earth and be successful. We go forth everyday to make sure they have a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs and food on the table. We feel that we are responsible for their existence and it is our duty to do these things.

We teach them right from wrong and we pray that they listen to us and do not go down the wrong path. If they do, we are hurt to the core but we still love them and this is why it hurt so much because we love them. Even if they have done something that is considered terrible we will still stand by their side because we love him/her. We let them know we are there even when no one else is. We are the parents and nothing can change that. Nothing can separate that love. If they walk away from us and stray into dangerous waters and dark pathways, our hearts are torn and broken but we keep watching for them to come back.

Some of us have raised them up on the Word. We have taught them the scriptures, explain the scriptures and tried our very best to live them before our children. We question how they could have gotten off on the wrong path after we told them the truth. We showed them by example and helped them to get an understanding of the Truth yet, they have gotten off track. In just a second, thru one small opening the enemy has come in and grabbed a whole of them. BUT we as christian parents will not give up and leave them to go thru the fire alone. We will stand in the gap on their behalf by going before the Throne of Grace on their behalf, we will deny our flesh if necessary to bring them back and lead them in the right direction.

Our love is so strong we will make whatever sacrifice necessary to save them from their own self destruction. We constantly tell them that we love them to reassure them, as though just these words alone might make them turn around but they don't. We do not really have to tell them we love them over and over again , they know we love them but knowing that will not cause them to want to desire to come out of the pit they have allowed the enemy to put them in . Our children will go head first into unrighteousness with the full knowledge of our love just because they want the sensation of the flesh that comes with SIN. It takes a hard wind to come into their lives and turn them around from the path of destruction and we as parents have to watch and wait.

We have to remind ourselves of our relationship with God and who he is to be able to take them to him in faith that he will do it because of his love, grace and mercy for us. ' The Shack', brings this relationship into full view for me. It reminds us that God loves us no matter what. We are his children and the last thing he wants is for us to be lost. He has already made the ultimate sacrifice of his own Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for us to return unto him. Nothing can

separate us from the love he has for us. When we fall down or walk away from him I am sure it hurts him. He has given us his Word in the flesh and also documented by his apostles yet we still go forth down a path of unrighteousness no matter what it is, even if it is UNFORGIVENESS. Things happen in our lives and we will walk away from God instead of running to him or hiding in him for protection from the ill winds blowing in our lives. But thru all of this where is he ? He is still there. He is there as the Father, The Son and the Holy Ghost. He is there waiting to operate in our lives in whatever capacity we need him to bring us to a successful outcome.

He can be for us whatever we need to make it just as parents try to meet all the needs of their children. Why do we do this despite what they may do ? Because we love them and God stays with us because he loves us. He is our CREATOR and we are his created. He formed us in his image and from the moment we began to form in the womb he loved us. He wanted even then I believe to give all he has for us. He was probably so excited and looking forward to giving us the abundance of all the earth. Hoping for us to learn of his ways and take the path that would bring us prosperity. After all, he gave us the instructions all we have to do is read. He put it right there in our hands. Just do what he says what is so hard about that ?

As you find out in 'The Shack' it is easier said than done. We read the instructions but somewhere on this journey of life things get in the way and we forget to put the Word in our hearts and use it for all situations in our lives. We forget that all unrighteousness is sin and the end result is death. Circumstances in life caused by our wrong decisions or lack of wisdom can scar us for life from little children to adults and these scars can go deep. The wounds can be to the soul and they can change us into something difficult for man to recognize as 'children of God'. The world will label us as monsters because of our actions caused by some deep hurt either physical, emotional or psychological. This cut or wound gives the enemy just enough room to come in and fester within our very souls.

This unwelcome spirit will change our very physical appearance. It will cause us to have mental battles in our mind in which we lose every time . When we lose these battles we change the lives of everyone in our path. The killer in this story was not recognized as a child of God in the beginning. When you read about what he has done you think how awful it is, how bad he is and how sick he is. It is even scary to imagine someone like him in your head for fear that he might actually manifest as crazy as it seems. You think of how much your heart would break if it were your child kidnapped and murdered. You think of the punishment that is so rightfully gained by his actions. You think of the devil and his demons working in this man to make him do such a thing and you may even find yourself thinking he is pure evil ! I know i did.

This book reminds you that ALL unrighteousness is sin no matter what it is. Murder is no less unrighteous in the eyesight of God as is lying, deceit, lack of faith and unforgiveness. It is all unacceptable to Christ and shows lack of our ability to give our problems to him and stand on his Word. If we stood on it we would not be murders of men physically or with our tongues, we would not be liars, cheaters, or people of deceitful spirits. Despite all of this , we are still his children though we are off track. He stands and waits, watching and longing for us to come back.

'The Shack' reminds us that 'daddy loves us' no matter what and we can go back to him no matter the shape we are in and he will wrap his arms around us and accept our sincere repentance. He loves us. He will clean us up and rejoice that we have returned to him. He will be in our lives, who we need him to be. He can relate to us as a Father if that is what we need, He can be like a brother and rescuer if that is what we need, He can be our comforter in any situation if we need that.

However we need him to be he CAN. He will also be our disciplinarian because he chastises those whom he loves. He will allow us to go through the cycle of 'consequences of our actions' when we violate spiritual and earthly laws but even in that he stands waiting. He will show us ourselves so that we can clean up first before looking upon what we consider 'dirt' on someone else. 'The Shack' reminds us that God loves us from the uttermost to guttermost. It made me think of how important it is to forgive so that God will forgive us. It reminded me that he wants to redeem all of mankind not just some. He wants us to be truthful with him no matter what our emotions are. We need to bring them to his altar and talk to him.

He will come down and talk back to you. He will be the confident, the warmth and the safety we need. He will also be the healer that we need. God's desire in this work was not only to bring the father back into a relationship with him where he trusted him and was able to allow God to heal him , but he also wanted the Murderer to come back to him because only God knew what was really wrong inside of him. God could see it and he wanted to fix it but he wanted him to come back to him on his own. This book reminds me that we are given 'FREEWILL' God is not going to force himself into our lives. He allows us to choose and he will wait for us to choose him. His desire is not for us to be lost no matter what we have done but some of us will.

'The Shack' shows you that we make the decision of where we want to spend eternity. We decide if we will release toxins from our lives that block us from a true and full relationship with Christ and eternal life or will we continue on a path of self destruction that will end in our souls eternal damnation. Being Christ-like does include that every so hard trait of the spirit of forgiveness and operating in it. We can not fully get the break through we are looking for until we forgive. When we ask God for the desire of our heart we must ask with a pure heart if we want it to be granted.

The main character in 'The Shack' had to do the second hardest thing to going forth with his life without his daughter, he had to truly forgive this man and put him back in the hands of a living God to redeem even him. I thought back to one of the most difficult attacks by the enemy in my life, and remembered how hard it was for me to forgive. I remembered the hurt and the pain and the many nights I cried in complete devastation and disbelief of the betrayal. Just like the character in this book , I just could not see how I could forgive this person , because to forgive them allowed them to me, to walk away free without consequences for the hurt they did to me.

I had to remind myself first of all, how many times I disappointed God and hurt him by my actions that were less than loving. I had to remind my self that God will not forgive me if I can not give the same grace and mercy to someone else by forgiving them. I had to forgive the person /persons involved in order to let God heal me and for me to be pleasing in his sight. God has some things in store for me but could not get them to me because this toxic was in my way. It was blinding my spiritual vision, clogging up my spiritual ears and creating a wall over my heart that would prevent the Word of God from being planted within me and taking root.

Just like the main character, I had to ask God to help me do this thing. The Lord had to remind me of his Will so that I would do it his way. We can relate to God if we will just work on a relationship with him. We must leave the offender in the hands of God and let him deal with them. He can redeem even them. Once we do this, as the author shows us in 'The Shack' then God will begin to move in our lives and answer prayers. He will reveal things to us we may have never found , seen or heard just as he did when he took the main character to the burial ground of his daughter.

In order for God to move so mightily in his life he had to be made whole and that includes deliverance from unforgiveness. When he did this, God answered his prayer and gave him his daughter burial ground and the man who killed her. In God's time all things are revealed. 'The Shack ' is a wonderful reminder of God's love and his availability to us in our lives.

GO AND GET THIS BOOK. IT WILL DO A WORK WITHIN YOUR SOUL ! FORGIVE AND GO FORTH INTO WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU. IT IS WONDERFUL BEYOND DESCRIPTION.

Dedicated to my Dad, Mr. Ulysses Kelly, who showed me how easy it is to forgive and how important. I love him for that gift among so many other things.