"That's the way the money goes ... POPE goes the Weasel!"

Pope Francis of Rome

Hey, I ain't hating on the Pope, so don't get your panties in a wad! But I'm sure glad that I can now turn my television on without getting a blow by blow description of his trip to America last week!

I suppose all the hype is to be expected with more than 69 million registered Catholics in America (22% of the U.S. Population) and many more who vied just get a glimpse of him. (These stats are two years old so, the numbers may be slightly different.)

It just struck me odd as a non-Catholic just how inspiring this visit was for those who are!  I read of people weeping, standing in lines for hours, altering their life drastically; bringing their children, traveling miles just to be in close proximity of His Eminence.

Truly, it looked like something out of the Gospels, when Jesus came to town!  Only, let's get this straight...The Pope ain't Jesus!  And he wasn't healing (at least not physically) diseases and infirmities.  Folks gathered around, kissing his hand, bowing before him and feeling oh so privileged to just be near him as if this was their main purpose for living.  

 Powerful and revered as the pope is and no matter the traditional teaching of Catholicism;  He is no more God's representative on earth than we are!  I just don't get it! But then, maybe this trip has a higher calling! I'm sure God has some unrevealed purpose.

In all fairness, I do have to say that this Pontiff comes off quite different from former popes.  First of all he seems more vibrant and healthy.  Remember Pope John Paul, II's bullet proof ride?  He was so frail that I wasn't sure if the glass covering was meant to protect him from outsiders or to catch him should he hit a bump in the road and fall out of the vehicle!

He also seems to be more in touch with the real world and it's social issues. Not hiding behind his papacy but actually addressing the hard stuff like sexual abuse, abortion and same sex marriages.  Got to give it to him, he's sticking to his spiritual guns and does have a certain charm about him!

Still, I'm jealous of the attention he got by the masses!  Would they treat my Jesus the same way?  God the Father is the only Holy Father I recognize (Abba Father,  Mark 14:36).  I bow before no one but  God, (Daniel 3) for even the apostles rejected this kind of treatment. (Acts 14:15) But God deserves every praise!

 I believe that Jesus, would have barely gotten His feet on American soil before being profiled as a Terrorist! You do know that in human flesh, He would present as an olive skinned, bearded middle eastern man, dressed in ethnic garb!  How many photos of men like this have you seen flashing across your T.V. screen since 9/11?

People hung onto every word the Pope spoke and he did have wonderful things to say!  But did he really say anything different that what Bible preachers and teachers have been saying?  His key themes were: We need to love each other more, attend to the needs of the poor; humble yourself before the Lord, judge no one and work toward peace and harmony!  I don't know about you but I get that every week, in Sunday school and morning service!

Having said all this, I ask you to do as I'm going to do.  Search the scriptures more thoroughly regarding End Time events.  Revisit a study of the book of Revelation and pray to God for discernment.  What did this trip really mean for America and the world? My heart tells me THAT GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING...AND THE POPE'S VISIT IS ONLY A PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS!

UNTIL NEXT TIME!...

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A Woman For All Seasons

I Thess. 5:17 Pray continually!
(image, picturespider.com)

Excuse me while I get my shout on!  I'm just so full of joy this morning.  After six weeks of a liberating bible study at my church and a couple days bonding with some sacred sisters at a retreat, all I can say is GOD IS SHO NUFF GOOD!

I'm no stranger to prayer mind you, but I can't tell you what the ministry of prayer has done for me over these past weeks!  The sheer number of opportunities increased at least ten-fold.  With all the violence, sickness, health scares visited upon my community, friends and family, it seems every hour or so somebody was calling me to pray for or with them!

Couple that with the nation wide release of that phenomenal movie, War Room, and another, Captive, being released this week...if you've missed the message that God is calling us to pray...then something's wrong with your God Meter!  

Like you, I'm well aware of those rare breed of women, called Prayer Warriors.  I grew up with them!  Generally, they were the older women of the church.  Real strict looking, starched and severe in their white dresses.

They had eyes that looked like they could see sin in your life ten miles away! And if you even whispered you needed prayer for anything, they would gather around you, lay hands on your body, toss their heads back and wail to the Lord on your behalf! 

Now I have to tell you, I didn't understand much of what was going on then, but Lord, I sure appreciate it now!  Those women had spiritual discernment!  They knew when you, or your family, or your job, or your city was in trouble and they entered into intercessory prayer instantly.  We need to do the same thing!

God has broken that stereotypical image of a Prayer Warrior today! We don't have to be scared of the term any more! Don't have to worry that we don't fit the mold, can't meet the standard of those women of old. He's not just calling older women to seek the Lord in prayer, He's calling women of all ages to hold up the banner! He wants us to be a Woman for All Seasons!  What Seasons am I talking about? Here's only a sampling!

• A Season of  Lies - Satan, with the help of some very influential people are telling the world that Biblical Truth doesn't matter.  You can be, live, talk, and malign Christians for the beliefs and it's perfectly okay in the name of Tolerance! (1 Tim. 4:1-3)

• A Season of Hedonism (pleasure seeking) - The sexual abuse of our children by people in trusted authoritative positions (teachers, ministers, child care workers) is sickening! There's no facet of our society it has not touched. (Ephesians 4:19)

• A Season of Greed - Over consumption of everything is evident in our world today.  America is especially guilty because we have more access to excess than a lot of nations.  But who is paying the cost? Those who can afford it least.  We have super-sized ourselves into obesity, national debt, chemical dependencies of all kinds, and have become technological gluttons, with each new gadget draining our financial resources. It's as if we have forgotten Who owns it all! (Psalms 24:1)

Here's my challenge to you:  Go Right Now to your Prayer Closets, Your Prayer lines,  Your Prayer Meetings, Your Prayer Partners, near and Far...

BE A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS....BECOME A WOMAN OF PRAYER!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

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JOURNEY TO SISTERHOOD: If You Say It, Do it!

"For the upright will inhabit the land,

 those with integrity will remain in it."

(Prov. 2:21)

A woman of the Word is also a woman of her word! There's nothing more harmful to a person's reputation than to be known as one who does not keep her word.

We make promises so frivolously.  Even before some of them come out of our mouths, we know we don't intend to keep them.    The fact that we take so little time to even consider what we're saying is proof enough.

Some make promises out of guilt.  Sister Friend went with you to a certain place and now you feel obligated to return the favor.  When the date comes around, you find a convenient excuse therefore reneging on your promise!

Some make promises to try to fit in.  People Pleasers, always find themselves over engaged and pressured into events and tasks that they don't have the slightest interest in. They constantly find themselves weighing in the balances--Do I go or risk not being asked again and left out for the next big thing?

Once there was no need for contracts, IOUs, promissory notes and the likes because a a woman's word was her bond!  Not any more.  Verbal agreements are now being videotaped and audio-taped for  business purposes. Too many trusts have been broken by people who you thought you could depend on.  Or at least could count on to give you a straight answer.

Let me tell you one Person who doesn't think integrity is passé, out-of-style, or simply blasé -- God! Check this out:  

• “This is what the Lord has commanded. If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. (Numbers 30:1-2)

•  You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth. (Deut. 23:23)

• “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. (Matthew 5:33-37

• But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: (I John 2:5)

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the message is the same.  Good human relationships are based on honesty and integrity.  Think before you speak.  Keep your commitments few and your integrity always intact.  If by chance you cannot keep your word, make sure you own it, and/or reach out to the one depending on you, with a sincere apology and an act of good will.  Perhaps offer your time or service for another occasion. 

Knowing integrity's importance to horizontal relationships, how much more do you think it influences our fellowship with the Lord?  W.O.W your Lord and your friends!  Be a Woman of Your Word!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

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