Acts 16:22, 35

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods.

When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.”

Like a tree barren of it’s bark in winter, were the backs of Paul and Silas as they were beaten with rods void of mercy.  As the status quo feared their prominent position of money making, temple shaking lifestyle, these two preachers lived without fear.

The scene takes place with a demonic spirit within the female slave, who predicted the future, earning a great deal of money for her owners.  As she continued to shadow Paul and his group, she pretended that she was a believer.  When Paul had enough of her antics, he spoke to the spirit within her, saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!”  Well, we all know that in that very moment the evil spirit left her.

Never mind the fact that she was probably relieved and truly exhausted from her long period of demon possession; but at that point, no one cared about her, but involved the authorities and said they broke the law.  After being severely beaten, they were thrown in prison, consistently under guard.

The preachers in this story, realized the importance of seasons and God’s faithfulness.  I can’t say if I would readily pray and sing, but when faced with chains on my body and positioned in a very dark cell, what else should a Child of God do?  Suddenly the sounds of songs changed into the move of the Almighty!

As the foundation of the jail was shaken, releasing them to freedom, the jailer wanted to know what it would take to get acquainted with such an awesome God!  The jailer was saved and his entire house.  When daylight appeared the magistrates gave an order to:  “Release those men.”  Were the skies blue, I don’t know?  Was it a cloudy day, well I don’t have an answer for that either?

But Paul and Silas release can be liken to a Blue Sky on hold, just behind a horrible winter season.  Stripped of protection is the barren tree with no leaves, weathering through wind burns and broken branches.  But these two preachers understood, that like this tree; their existence depended on the depths of their spiritual roots for survival and the faith to wait on a vision when seen through blue skies!

Edith

The subject phrase is simple enough, for you to know where I am going with the question.  True, this is America’s traditional time allocated for travel to see and hear the voice of loved ones.  But this season is a great time to over indulge with those meals that bring back memories of Grandma’s,  Mama’s and Auntie’s excellent recipes.

My question to you is:  Why wait?  Not why wait, to over indulge in eating; for as Americans most of us eat more than needed every day.  But why wait, in making the long overdue phone call, to that abstinent loved one, who you know will not call you.  Maybe we are the abstinent ones and have allowed the years to consume us with seasonal finger pointing, with the promise to make the call during the “Holiday Season.”

Why wait to be thankful?  I do understand that one who chooses to give thanks, despite life’s hiccups will be misunderstood by their peers and especially their family.  But when the God driven individual realizes his or her purpose via the word of God; in everything they will give thanks! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you!  The YOU in this context, is the believer.  Therefore, if you are not a believer this scripture can be quite confusing for you!

Now as a believer, in order to carry out what appears to be an unreasonable command, I must adhere to verse 17, which says “Pray without ceasing and verse 19 which says, Quench not the Spirit.  If I continue in prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to navigate those prayers, THEN when those uncomfortable things come my way, the practice of giving thanks won’t be so foreign.  Yes, the death of a loved one is painful.  The lost of a job; especially an unexpected lay off is not a great feeling.  A child who chose drugs over the seemingly drudgery of college studies, is nothing to leap for joy over!  But let’s be real, all of life isn’t a life lived as a perpetual vacation.

Let’s all take a moment, whether traveling to grandma’s house, or at home cooking for a large hungry crowd, put the brakes on to become a thankful individual every day; not just on THANKSGIVING or BLACK FRIDAY!

Enjoy your family!

Edith K.

It is apparent that these are the last days!

Sitting in a restaurant, were several families and couples nestled together, enjoying a Friday evening meal.  Some of the children who were getting a little boisterous, received an unwelcomed eye from an elderly man, sitting catty-corner from the family. A newly engaged couple came in to celebrate their engagement, with their extended family.  The bride to be had just completed nursing school and the groom chose a field of work in marketing. Near the rear window in a dimly lit area, where no one seemed to notice, were two dapperly dressed men, embracing and kissing romantically and unashamed.

As fate would have it, in this rather overcrowded eatery, was a couple with a newborn baby.  Mom and Dad were anxiously waiting to place their order, with what seemed to be a slim serving staff.  Not only were Mom and Dad hungry, but so was their infant; and as a child without the knowledge of shame would do, she began to scream,…a rather hunger scream.   Mom discreetly began to breastfeed her infant,  and the crying ceased.

The child’s crying ceased to the relief of the parents, but the cry and uproar from the customers seemed to resonate much louder than the previous cries of the hungry child.  Two women had the nerve to tell the Mother, to make her way to the lady’s room to breastfeed her child because they viewed her actions as abnormal in public.  When their plea to the mother, fell on deaf ears, some of the customers proceeded to ask the Manager to have the woman and her family removed from the restaurant.

Isaiah 50:2

Woe (judgment is coming) to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

I am not running for an elected office; therefore, I don’t need your vote nor your support for what is right or wrong.  The word of God stands firm and very clear about the views of an opinionated nation.  I know you’ve tried, per doctors’ orders to substitute artificial sweeteners for real sugar, but frankly, you couldn’t get on board with the unnatural, bitter taste.  Neither can God change His taste buds to accept a bitter, lukewarm creation.  God is also unwilling to be a passenger on the boat that you might be steering, into utter darkness!

As our world moves ever so close to the second coming of the Messiah, don’t be threatened by the populace. You might be referred to as a Christ Monger, an Overzealous Christian, or a person with No Love.  Even the facts of your past will remain current through the eyes of the many unbelievers that knew you when.  For it’s true, you once were a Whore Monger, a Thief and a Liar, a co-conspirator against the body of Christ, BUT God has renewed your mind and you are now recognized by the power of HIS WORD, which is very NORMAL!

Edith K. Conerly – Author, My Belief Is The Icing On The Cake

 

Job 29:21a, 24, 25b, 30:1

Unto me men gave ear, and waited. If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my countenance they cast not down.  I chose out their way, as one that comforteth.   But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

THE RISING AND SETTING OF THE SUN never changes, but man oh man, people will inevitably change in a millisecond. Job had it going on; postured in his lounge chair at the gate.  His eyes were as a Hawk’s for those without sight, and a provider for the fatherless.  Chief of all chieftains was he, who dealt out advice a slice at a time, which was eagerly digested by the town’s men and women.  But wait; do I sense the aroma of rotting flesh?  Where is the smile that remained the constant light, longed for by the nobles?

But Job, my brother; that was then and this is now!  Now that you look sad and smell bad, no one desires your presence.  The body once draped in linen, purchased at the finest marketplace outlet, is an offensive sackcloth. His skin, that once reflected a satin veneer is now akin to an elephants’ hide.  He hears the younger, stronger more astute body of critics marching towards him, flaunting their age.   At this point in his societal status, zero was seen a real number for him!

No one believed the acquisition of his wealth was gained dishonestly.  Job hadn’t robbed a liquor store or hijacked an armored car; he was a Godly man! This dog eat dog world has always existed, but I believe Job chose the Jehovah Jireh way of life!  For how could a wealthy person, being surrounded by gleaners remain at a constant level of morality?  How could you defend the innocent, deliver the falsely accused, liberate the miserably, joyless individual and keep your homies happy?

This guy was a pre-visual of a type of Christ!  When the poor and fatherless said, “We need bread”, Job stepped up with provisions from Heaven. For as the widows’ hopes were dashed at the absence of their spouses with the burdens of debts and shame; Job said, “God has blessed me and I can bless others”.   Jesus being our bread, sent down from glory was all of Job and more!  But we all know what happened when the bread was devoured, as the cross loomed in the distance. One by one, the majority disappeared.  But in the end Christ was victorious and so was Job!

Bentley’s are not Chevy’s but when proper mechanical maintenance is performed, both become reliable forms of transportation. When modifiers such as newer, better, faster, sleeker are drawn to our impulses, causing disruptive spending; buyer beware!  Even when it comes down to aging gracefully, our first impulse is to spend unnecessary funds on beauty treatments.

True friends will appreciate the spiritually consistent YOU, even when they can’t travel in your Bentley. Therefore, as believers, we must allow people to be people as WE follow Christ!

Thank you God for being the constant in my life.  Unfounded remarks will always exist in this fallen dwelling, but you O’ Lord are my encouragement in an unappreciative, dysfunctional world.  I believe and receive wisdom from your word.  In Jesus name! AMEN

 Have you forgiven their insensitive comments against you?

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Excerpts from the soon to be released book entitled:  MY BELIEF IS The Icing On The Cake, by Edith K. Conerly

Hebrews 12:11 says: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful! Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace, for those who have been TRAINED by it.
It’s that time again. It’s Summer and with the shift in the earth’s axis, we humans receive a banquet of bountiful fruit, found in the nearest market in our town. As a consumer, we get to enjoy the end result, the tasty produce gained from all the hard work, that most of us never participate in.
Now, who’s really up for soil preparation? The clearing of property; stone, trees and possible illegal dumping. Rows of crisp cleaned lines, which wind and rewind around rural America and around the world, wasn’t a wishful moment in time. Once the land lines up, then the planting of seed becomes another hurdle. Not necessarily in the sense of putting the seed in the ground, but more of what or who will pull the seed up before it has time to take root.
Here comes too much rain, which washes away some of our perspective harvests. If not the torrential rainfall, draught will place doubt in your mind as to the why of it all, when you corn is burned prior to harvest. Truly this is not the way to get popcorn! Now we can understand the process of planting, tending and reaping requires discipline and at times can be painful.
The question to you is: How do you expect a productive life filled to the brim and ever flowing in righteousness and peace, without a season or two in discipline. God forbid, if the farmer had no discipline, to even hold on and hold out when the forces of nature constrain or restricts his or her livelihood. I’d be really disappointed if I couldn’t eat a crisp apple or juicy strawberries.
The bottom line for me in this area is: it ain’t going to feel good when God instructions make me look stupid (in my own eyes). But if I accept and apply the training of His word in my life, then I will experience a life with a harvest of righteousness and peace to share with others. The soil is waiting for You! Can you find yourself in any of this?