The Deception of Pride

 Today the Lord wants to address pride.  We've all been guilty of this at one time in our life, and even now at times.  It's not something that just goes away.  Pride requires submission.  It requires a daily check-in with God and with ourself.  But where does pride come from?

 Pride is an extension of fear.  Almost everything undesirable to the Lord usually stems from fear.  Fear is a lie from the enemy, and it tries to influence our connection to God and others.  So, what is pride exactly?  Pride is associated with elevating oneself above others, often in opposition to divine authority.  What causes this?  Yes, fear, but more than that-unresolved pain.

 Unresolved pain leads to being fearful.  That fear then leads one down a road where, rather than looking at the pain, they turn to behaviors that eliminate the possibility of that same pain to occur again.  I get it.  We desire to protect ourselves and our loved ones.  But think of the pain we throw on top of it by refusing to look at it.  Elevating oneself above the rest looks like refusing sound advice, relying on one's own understanding, and in turn leads one to open rebellion against God.  It leads to rebellion of God by the smaller stepping stones from the other behaviors before that final destination.

 Often times we think of pride as evil, and it is, yes, but what is evil?  Evil is anything contrary to God.  But that's not our point.  Pride is an affliction caused by other afflictions, as we've covered earlier.  We shouldn't be too elevated to see that pride is pain.  Pride is fear.  And pride is a false elevation lending false sight.  I encourage you to take a look inside your heart and ask the Lord to reveal the areas where you might be listening to the wrong voice-the voice of fear.  Jesus loves you.  I love you.  Shalom Shalom

The Lord's Wealth for the World's Lot

 Good morning y'all.  I pray you're having a wonderful start for the day.  Today the Lord put it on my heart to speak about leprosy.  Spiritual leprosy to be specific.  There are many forms of leprosy that can potentially manifest in one's spiritual walk.  First, what is leprosy?  Leprosy is typically described as a bacterial infection that affects the skin, nerves, and respiratory system.  I wanna hone in on the skin today for this comparison.  When leprosy forms on the skin, it can present itself in the form of lesions that are scaly in texture.  The Lord says in Acts 9:18, "Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight.  Then he got up and was baptized."

 Before God called Paul, Paul was known as Saul.  And before Saul's spiritual sight was birthed, Jesus appeared as a light from heaven, causing Saul to fall to the ground and close his eyes.  When he opened his eyes next, he was blind.  Before all of this Saul's heart was already blind to the Lord, causing him to persecute Jesus through persecuting Jesus' followers.

 So you see, Saul's heart was already hardened by God before Jesus took his sight.  The Lord first inflicts, then he heals.  The removal of his sight eventually lead to the removal of the scales on his eyes.  The scales on his eyes were like the scales that form on a leper's skin.  And if Jesus hadn't showed up, not only would Saul still be afflicted by leprosy, Saul would have continued to wonder the world blind to him, persecuting others in the process.

 What comes out of a persons mouth, comes from their heart.  His heart was first hardened, and then that hardness manifested from the spirit into physical affliction.  But the Lord is our physician.  Do you think this strange?  Do we suppose it is our own leading and not the Lord's?  Just like Pharoah, Saul's heart was also hardened by God.  The Lord can change your circumstances in an instant.  *Snap*  Just like that.  I can relate with Paul, as I, too, have experienced spiritual leprosy, and I have also experienced the Lord and His healing power.  Continue to stand in position.  Continue seeking after the Lord's heart.  Continue to pray.  Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil.  The Lord is with you.  Jesus loves you.  I love you.  Shalom Shalom

Abba Whispers to His Beloved

 Hi guys, good morning.  I pray you're having a beautiful start for the day.  No matter what you are going through or what you may be facing, just know that the Lord is with you.  The Lord is with you and you are His child.  There is no amount of hate or condemnation that can keep you separated from the love of Christ.  There is no amount of you falling short or making mistakes that will snatch you from His hand.

 The Lord took me to Romans 8:15 this morning.  He has been encouraging me through His word and through His children.  When one sits, another may stand and comfort.  And so I pass on the encouragement I have freely received-while I was sitting.

 In Romans 8:15 the Lord says, "For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, "Abba, Father."  See, even though we may slip back into familiar behaviors from time to time, or even though we may face circumstances we'd otherwise choose not to, the Lord has given you His Spirit, and His Spirit enables you to cry out to him.  Remember before we knew Jesus?  Yes, there were many tears.  But even now, though there be many tears still, the difference is who we're crying to.  The difference is you know now the Lord is with you.

 I pray the Lord gather you to His bosom and you are calmed by the steadfast beat of His heart.  Jesus loves you.  I love you.  Shalom Shalom