Sunday, December 03, 2017

BE STRONG ! ! !

I like this Scripture because it forces me to recognize that everything in life will not be easy. 
Sometimes I have to just do it even though it gets hard.

If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?
Jer. 12:5 (NKJV)


A few years back, I was teaching Sunday School (a combined men and women's class). Some of the brothers made it their weekly duty to challenge me. They called me out on any small infraction they could find. Anytime they were in class, they made it their business to weary me. So after a year of dealing with it, I resigned my post as Sunday School teacher and sat down. But that was wearisome too, because teaching is my calling and to sit down on it is like fire shut up in my bones.

The entire class consisted of about 20 students of all ages. These are the footmen.

I know that God has called me to a greater audience at some point in the future. If I cannot contend with 20 footmen giving me a hard time, I will certainly be trampled by the greater audience. These are the horses.

I hate that I stepped down from teaching. Aside from those brothers, it was doing the others a lot of good. I should have turned my focus on them, and them only.

Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
Prov. 4:25-26 (NKJV)

In 1996, a man of God came to me, who did not know me and said that God told him I was going to help a lot of people. I need to keep my focus on them from now on... and if it gets hard, I will just have to do it hard.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matt. 16:24 (NKJV)


Sunday, November 05, 2017

Faith Lesson One

Lord, Increase My Faith

I have been struggling with my faith lately so I asked the Lord to help me understand what's wrong.

While I was listening to a preacher teach on the woman with the issue of blood, I asked the Lord what did she do differently that caused her faith to manifest. Out of that, is coming a series of messages. This is Lesson One.

First of all, we have to develop and strengthen a faith mindset. Jesus used a mustard seed as an example of faith.

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you." Luke 17:5-6

Now, the mustard seed is smaller than all other seeds on the earth, but when it is planted in the ground and grown up, it becomes bigger than all other herbal plants with the shoots and branches so large that birds can build nests in it and have shade.

Some seeds will fall by the wayside, some will fall on rocks and some will fall among thorns. Those seeds will not yield a crop. But the seeds that fall on good ground will yield a harvest of thirty, or sixty, or even one hundred times as much as was sown. The seeds that fall on good ground are those, who heard the word with a noble and good heart, kept it, and with patience, yield a good crop. How ever much the crop yields, it started with a seed in good ground, then was nurtured and increased to maturation.

Many Christians (including myself) has shouted at mulberry trees (in the spiritual sense) and thought we were using faith to move mountains, but nothing happened. That is probably because our faith is still in the mustard seed phase of life. If we allow the Holy Spirit to make our hearts ready to receive the seed by breaking up the fallow ground (Jer. 4:3), that makes it more suitable for planting.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom. 10:17)

So, here's the process as I understand it.

The Holy Spirit prepares our heart for the seed, which is the word of God. He has to give us ears to hear the word, or else it will do us no good. He removes stones and thorns and weeds and turns over the soil so that it will be suitable for planting. A lot of us have a hard time getting past this stage because it is painful and we don't want to deal with the hard stuff. Therefore the word is choked out and unprofitable.

Once the Holy Spirit has finally prepared us to receive the word of God, we can now hear it and understand what we've heard. Faith is now on the rise.

The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14)

The word is written on our hearts like files stored on a computer, that can be retrieved by the Holy Spirit as they are needed. He is our teacher and brings all things to our remembrance. He knows what truths we have grasped, and what we still need to learn.

The seed (or the word) grows up in our hearts and is nurtured by the Holy Spirit. He is the Husbandman that works the garden. It grows and grows like that little mustard seed and then when it is fully matured, we know how to say to the mulberry tree, "Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea," and it will obey us. There will be no doubt that what we say will happen. The mustard seed has become a big tree, and the fruit of it is our faith, all grown up. According to your faith, let it be to you (Matt. 9:29).

The woman with the issue of blood had been sick for twelve years. She had suffered many things from various physicians, but they were not able to help her. Instead, she only got worse. I think her faith was strong because of all she had gone through. She had gotten progressively fed up over the long period of time, and her faith had had enough time to mature. Matthew's account of the story says she said within herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well" (Matt. 9:21).

I believe she kept saying this over and over to herself as she pressed through the crowd on her way to Jesus. I believe when we reach our ultimate fed up stage, we enter another dimension where all fear and doubt is gone, and nothing remains but faith. Her faith made her whole, and the entire disease was wiped out instantly. Jesus did not even know she was there. She did not ask Him to heal her. He did not pray over her or lay hands on her. Her faith connected with His healing virtue and she was made whole as she had said.

I don't know about you but I am tired of the status quo, and ready to move past the hard stuff so I can be free like this woman. Let's yield to the Holy Spirit so our faith can grow.

Monday, September 25, 2017

Don't Listen To Glum

Back in the day, there was a cartoon called Gulliver's Travels and one of the characters was called Glum. He was very negative and walked around all the time with his hands in his pockets spewing out negativity:

"It'll never work."
"We'll never make it."
"It's hopeless."
"I told you it'll never work."
"We're doomed."

Most of the time, Glum's travel mates just ignored his gloom and doom message, and always came out of the situation successfully. Our life's journey will experience many Glums along the way. These are people who let life beat them. They are cynical about life and they will try to make you believe that it's not worth trying.

Don't listen to Glum. Ignore Glum!!!

Feed your faith and starve your doubts, and never, never, never let anyone including yourself, cause you believe that it is not worth trying over and over.

It will work.
You can make it.
It is not hopeless.
We are not doomed.

Jesus said, "I got you."

God will make a way when there seems to be no way. Our part is to believe and keep on believing... even until the day when Jesus comes back to collect the church, He will find us still believing and ignoring Glum's message.


To God be the glory.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

Sunday, September 24, 2017

It's Already Done?

The phrase "It's already done!" has become extremely popular in Christian and secular circles. But every time I hear it or see it, I get angry, because I am believing for stuff that I cannot see. I have a passion for things that are not coming to pass. In my simple mind, it is not already done. Don’t try to convince me that it is already done if I cannot see it, touch it, taste it, hear it, or smell it.

But yesterday I received an explanation that is very convincing. If you know that you will not give up until it’s done, then it’s already done. You’ve already won if there is nothing that can get you to quit or give up.

I am always amazed at how people who live on the coast, can experience hurricanes and tropical storms destroy their homes and yet they continue to return and rebuild again and again. I would probably need to move more inland after the first one. But they are convinced that this is where they want to live and hurricanes cannot deter that conviction… so they continue to rebuild.

If we have that kind of tenacity regarding what we are believing for then when life happens, we won’t be easily deterred from our end goal, even though we have many distractions... or may have to rebuild a few times.

Jesus stated in Luke 14, “Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it — lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?” We have to become single-minded that we are going to finish. It is already done because I won’t give up until it is done.

The enemy won’t lay out a red carpet and let you pass him by with your dignity intact. He will fight to keep your dreams from coming to pass. But if you know that you will not give up until it’s done then it’s as good as done.

It's already done?  Yes! Finito!

I heard someone say that the grave yard holds many dreams, and that’s because people gave up and did not finish because it got hard… because it wasn’t working out like they thought… or they ran out of resources and felt they had no choice. The Bible says that nothing is too hard for God.

The children of Israel thought they were done for. The enemy was about to overtake them. Moses stretched forth his rod and the Red Sea parted, the wind blew the ground dry and they all got safely through to the other side. When the enemy tried to follow them using God’s provision for them, the enemy was destroyed.

Whatever it is that you’re dealing with, I want you to see your flag planted, even though you're still climbing.

See yourself victorious, even if the situation seems hopeless. It’s not hopeless. It’s possible.


The enemy cannot beat God at His own game. All He needs to do is give you one idea, that will be your rod stretching forth. Your Red Sea parting. It ain’t over till it’s over and it ain’t over yet. In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

It’s already done. We have already won.

Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” And if He be for us, who can be against us?

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Christian Virtues & The Ungodly

I was like, "Lord, how long will they continue to prosper and I continue to Struggle (with a capital S)? I am here with clean hands doing the right thing and they get away with every evil and ungodly thing and are doing it with ease. I don't get it."

So, day by day I got angrier and angrier, feeling more and more unappreciated and insignificant. One day I heard a song, Take Me To The King. I stepped boldly into the throne room of God and unleashed a torrent of anger until I was completely emptied out.

Then, during early morning devotion I came across Psalm 73 (game changer). It described my thoughts and answered my questions at the same time. The ungodly will have an end. Though they prosper now, in the end it will not go well for them, unless of course, they turn their hearts to the Lord before its too late.


Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be mowed down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb.
Psalm 37:1-2


Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.
Psalm 37:7-9

Saturday, September 02, 2017

America Refocuses



A man named Todd Starnes, whose political views I do not share, wrote the following article. I heard it read over the radio while I was on my way to work the other morning. It made me weep. There has been so much racial unrest going on lately. Even the KKK has reared its ugly head once again to public protests. Everybody is protesting something or other. In the midst of all the uncivilized racial noise, Hurricane Harvey rolls over the southern gulf coast and reminds America that we are better than we have been living. Hurricane Harvey was a Category 4 hurricane with winds up to 130 miles per hour. Some areas received as much as 40 inches of rain. Flooding was wide spread and damages was catastrophic, claiming 45 lives in his wake.

At the end of Jesus' sermon on the mount, He said,

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”


America is still standing!

Here is Todd Starnes' article that I heard over the radio.
Sometimes it takes something catastrophic to bring Americans back together - to remind us we don't have to be divided by our politics or the color of our skin. As we learned in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the flood waters did not discriminate. The dirty brown deluge submerged beautiful mansions on tree-lined avenues as well as rundown houses in the inner city.

The wealthy shared rescue boats with those on welfare. But in the face of great suffering - black and white and brown Texans pulled each other from the waters. There was the black law enforcement officer trudging through murky water saving two white children and the white fisherman lifting an elderly black woman into his fishing boat. One of my readers sent me a Facebook video posted by Jim McIngvale, the owner of Gallery Furniture in Houston. Mr. McIngvale told locals if they needed a place to spend the night – just come on down to his furniture store. “We have lots of beds, we have lots of food, lots of water and you can even bring your pets,” he said.

Louisiana's Cajun Navy, an all-volunteer armada, showed up in shallow water outboards and air boats – more than 150 strong. “Hang on, Houston – the Cajun Navy is on the way,” spokesperson Katie Pechon told me. “This is not a government operation – we are all volunteer citizens. Southern Baptists arrived to feed the hungry armed with giant cast iron skillets – filling bellies with meals – home-cooked with a dash of tender love and care. And deputies in Liberty County even helped lead a cattle drive - down Highway 90 - making sure the livestock had safe refuge.

Those are the stories and the images and the sounds that we should remember from Hurricane Harvey. Those are the moments that demonstrate the true heartbeat of the home of the brave. Yes - it's true the great storm washed away homes and belongings - but there was one thing the floodwaters could not destroy -- the spirit of this great nation.



Wednesday, July 05, 2017

At Home In My Shell

CAN I COME OUT NOW?
I live in a tortoise shell and most of the time, I'm okay with it because I know who I am and have a keen sense of self-awareness. I don't think life in a tortoise shell makes me looney, it just makes me who I am. I am an introvert, and I protect it like its precious gold because I think writers are cut from that mold. We are most alive when left alone.

The problem is when I venture out of my shell, I often find that I wished I hadn't. My engagement with others often proves unfortunate and I wished that I had just stayed at home. Where does this come from, I'm wondering? Do people roll their eyes in the back of their heads when they see me coming? If so, why is that? What is it about my personality that causes them to say, "Oh Lord, is she coming to the party?"

When I look inward, I see a person that is compassionate and fun to be around. I'm not annoying. I don't say everything that comes to my mind. I speak words that uplift and not tear down, and so I fail to get why engagement with humans is hard for me. Maybe I try too hard and people can sense that I'm trying too hard to engage... or not engage if the conversation is going somewhere I am not comfortable with. I don't know.

What I do know is that each time I venture out of my tortoise shell and I encounter yet another unfortunate human interaction, it makes me want to stay in my shell more and more. I am not comfortable with that either. Someone coined a phrase that people who need people are the luckiest people in the world. But you cannot prove that by me, because if I am truly honest with myself, people just get on my last nerve at times.

I am trying to figure out if its just my personality that is a turn off to others or if I am trying to engage with the wrong type of people for my personality type, and its repelling like two magnets bouncing off one another and won't attach.

Whatever the case may be, the Bible says to cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. So that's what I will do.

The apostle James said, "If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who will respond liberally and will not be offended by our inquiry."

The apostle Paul said to think on things that are of good report. So I will dwell on the things that make me a truly wonderful person and pray my disappointments in mankind won't turn me completely away from people interaction.

I will bloom where I'm planted and allow the good Shepherd to take care of the rest. In Him I live and move and have my being. In Him I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. My heavenly Father says, "This is My beloved daughter in whom I am very well pleased." That is good enough for me.

Good night.

Friday, June 30, 2017

Keep On Keeping On

I work in a tall building downtown on the 44th floor, and in the lunchroom where I eat, they have floor to ceiling windows. The other day I was sitting by the window and I looked straight down and a certain foreboding fear came over me, as though death was close upon me and the only thing standing between me and a painful demise, was a thin glass pane.

The next day it happened again, and again after that. Suddenly, I looked up into the sky and I imagined I could fly. I saw myself soaring up into the heights of heaven, higher than the building I was sitting in. The fear of death disappeared and I felt the fearful foreboding leave me. I became like a woman of power. Yesterday, as I sat at that same table, I saw myself flying and soaring over the traffic below without any fear or trepidation of evil demise.


"Fly like an eagle into the future, I want to fly like an eagle, let the Spirit carry me. I want to fly."  (Song lyrics by the artist, Seal)

I think, sometimes the things that hold us back don't come upon us like a flood. It creeps in unnoticed like a snail. One defeating thought after another, and eventually we are convinced we can't do anything, and we are stuck.

I've been praying about a situation for several months now. I mean... persistent, all day, everyday, non-stop bombarding of the throne room kind of prayer. I was about to get the idea that it was pointless to continue. With every passing day, defeating thoughts have been creeping in that I am wasting my time, or that for some reason God must have an ought against me and that's why my prayers are on ignore.

Jesus, Himself, told a parable about a friend that came to his friend's home at midnight asking for food because another friend of his arrived at his home unexpectedly, and he had nothing to feed him. The friend in the house told him to go away, the door was shut and he and his family were all in bed. He did not want to be bothered. But the friend at the door continued to knock, and was persistent in his tenacity. He would not go away. He would not allow discouraging thoughts to convince him to give up. Jesus said at the end of the parable, "Though he would not rise and give him food out of friendship, he would open the door because of the friend's shameless persistence." So, I will not allow negative thoughts to defeat me, or cause me to walk away from my blessing, or cause me to think my Heavenly Father has shut His door on me, and don't want to be bothered.

I am reminded of David’s defeat over the giant Goliath and Samson’s defeat of a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey. They did not win, thinking they would lose. They did not win, with a fearful foreboding lurking over their shoulders. The apostle Paul said we cast down foreboding thoughts and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Thump that devil off your shoulder, trying to convince you the cause is hopeless, and I'll do the same. The Lord hears our faintest cry, and He'll answer by and by.

David spoke to the Lord the words of this song,
"For by You I can run against a troop; by my God I can leap over a wall. God is my strength and my power, and He makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places."
“Where the mind goes, the man will follow. It’s impossible to have a positive life and at the same time, have a negative mindset.” (Quote by Bible teacher, Joyce Meyer)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Phil. 2:5

I'm going to keep on praying, and keep on keeping on, until my change comes.


To God be the glory.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Couldn't Triumph Over Me

I was at my wit’s end. I had just all I could stand to take of foolishness. Walking to my car, I was talking out loud to the Lord who had been strangely silent for quite some time. Seemingly, watching me suffer attack and doing nothing about it. I started my car and pulled out of the parking lot, still talking aloud to the Lord. I asked Him, “When are You going to get angry with the devil, because I am good and furious right now?” Early the next morning before sunrise, there came a storm with loud, scary, booming thunder. I said to myself, “Wow, it sounds like God is mad about something.”

Later that same day, I was reading my Bible and happened to run across the following passage, while looking for another verse of Scripture.

But in my distress (my outrage) I cried out to the Lord; yes, I cried to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary; my cry reached His ears. Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the heavens shook; they quaked because of His anger. Smoke poured from His nostrils; fierce flames leaped from His mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from Him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath His feet. Mounted on a mighty angelic being, He flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded Himself in darkness, veiling His approach with dense rain clouds. A great brightness shone around Him, and burning coals blazed forth. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot arrows and scattered His enemies; His lightning flashed, and they were confused. Then at the command of the Lord, at the blast of His breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. He reached down from heaven and rescued me; He drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me. The Lord rewarded me for doing right; He restored me because of my innocence. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. I have followed all His regulations; I have never abandoned His decrees. I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence. To the faithful You show Yourself faithful; to those with integrity You show integrity. To the pure You show Yourself pure, but to the crooked You show Yourself shrewd. You rescue the humble, but Your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them. O Lord, You are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness. In Your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection. (2 Sam. 22:7-31 NLT)

This was a song of praise by David, who had been delivered from King Saul, who was always on the hunt to kill David. The Lord rescued David from King Saul, who ended up killing himself with his own sword. Also, the Israelites had come up against the Philistine giants once again, but God gave David and his warriors strength to kill them, again.

The author of Psalm 94 sounded as though he felt like I did, that day in my car. He said, "Lord, how long will You let the enemy triumph and gloat about it?" The Lord's response was to suggest that the psalmist (and me) were foolish in our summation that the Lord is not deeply moved by the actions of the wicked, who killed and afflicted the poor and helpless. It would be senseless to believe the God who made ears, cannot Himself also hear or understand the vain thoughts of mankind.

I wished I knew the answer to why the Lord sometimes does not come as quickly as we would like. I definitely believe that He can, and His word proves that He certainly does deliver, but His timing is to reason why. Nevertheless, He is our refuge at all times, whether we go through it, or whether we see our prayers answered directly. Through it all, He teaches us knowledge and instructs us in how to have faith in Him.

The apostle James encouraged us to let patience have its perfect work, that we may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. This is how we profit from our trials and tribulations, allowing them to do their work in us. If God allows us to go through and endure the trial, He is doing something in us that cannot be gained otherwise. To whom much is given, much is also required.

Jesus Himself acknowledged in the second chapter of Revelation, that He is aware of our abhorrence to evil and that we cannot bear those who are evil. But to the overcomer, He has promised we will eat from the Tree of Life for eternity, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. As for the evil doer, they will be cast into the lake of fire burning with brimstone, to be tormented for eternity. That fate is a somber thought, even for the person the devil is using to afflict us.

The Lord wants to teach us to rest our faith squarely on His faithfulness and know that He loves us, even before we loved Him. This is a particularly difficult concept for me because I hate feeling ignored (with a passion), and that's what the waiting strategy is all about. After we have prayed and done the will of God, we have need of patience. God said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." I am thankful to know the Lord is always looking out for me. For sure, He does not appreciate anybody nor anything messing with His children.

“By this I know that You, O Lord, are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.” Hezekiah Walker sings a song that says, “I can’t help but give You glory, when I think about my story. And I know You favored me because my enemies did try, but couldn’t triumph over me, yes they did try, but couldn’t triumph over me.”


The haters, the roadblocks, needless delays, the traps they set were unsuccessful, because no weapon formed against me shall prosper. Who can be against me when God is on my side? Surely, He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler, and from the perilous pestilence. Because the Lord is my refuge and my dwelling place, no evil can befall me, nor shall any plague come near my dwelling.


When plagues passed through Egypt, the children of Israel, in the land of Goshen, were untouched because they had the blood upon the doorposts of their homes. The Egyptians suffered, but the Israelites were safe. The blood of Jesus covers me, and I am saved by His power.

Now, thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Cor. 2:14 NKJV)

I feel secure. The enemy could not nor cannot triumph over me. My God is willing and able to keep that which I have committed to Him, till the day Christ Jesus comes to take me home to glory.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

God Cares


A few years ago, I read a book called Rainbow’s End by Irene Hannon. It arrived at my house during a time when I was confused, and asking the why-God-why question. Sometimes we feel like we are following God’s plan only to find ourselves in confusion and mayhem, wondering how did this happen while I was following God's plan. We might think, this can't be the will of God.

The funny thing about this book arriving at my house was that I had not ordered it. They sent it to me as part of a promotion to sign up for a monthly subscription.

The story is about a man that had lost his wife and set out to drive across country in an effort to find healing for his broken heart. He had been on the road a long time and was still just as broken and empty as ever. His relationship with the Lord was fading into oblivion, because he didn't understand why God was against him. This is where I come in. I could totally relate to how Keith felt, because at the time I was dealing with my own heart ache. Keith ended up getting stuck on a tourist island when a sudden thunderstorm rose up and he wasn't able to catch the ferry off the island. All the hotels were full and as a last ditch effort, he was told about this widow woman that had a cottage he could stay in overnight, but things just go from bad to worse.

It's hard to imagine that a God who loves us so much and has the power to do the impossible, can seem so far away when we need Him. Yet and still, He is the God of the impossible and He works in mysterious ways. Keith had lost faith in God, but he found it again at Rainbow's End. This story had a very big impact on my life. I bought a copy of it for my mother and my sister, praying that it would bring healing to them as well.

After the thunderstorm, comes the rainbow, and it is a sign of the everlasting covenant that God made with living, breathing creatures on the earth that He would not destroy it again by flood. It is a sign of His goodness toward mankind, even though we don't deserve it.

God knows what He's doing. Though to us at times, He appears so far away, and our prayers seemingly go on ignored. The truth is, He is a very present help in trouble. He knows how to heal the severely broken and the feeble. He is an on time God and He can be trusted to bear us up when we are torn down. Charles Spurgeon said, "We cannot always trace God's hand, but we can always trust God's heart."




He loves me and He loves you too. The Bible is full of men and women that trusted God and was delivered from all their afflictions. They were not put to shame by circumstances that God did not deliver them out of, for our God knows how to deliver and He is never late.

Ps. 34:18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Ps. 147: 3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Don't give up on God because He won't give up on you. Give Him your brokenness. Take hold of the horns of the alter and don't let go. Don't let the enemy, nor your circumstances deceive you into doubting that God is not concerned about everything little thing that concerns you.

Luke 12:7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Thank You Lord for reminding me of Your ways of doing things... and that sometimes it does not line up with my way of thinking. I love You my everlasting Father, and my Prince of Peace.

To God be the glory.
Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Upper Hand

When I was in the 10th grade in high school, I enrolled in a beginner’s typing class. I struggled and struggled to keep up with the class. When the teacher gave us timed typing tests, I always fell way behind the class and did not seem to be improving. When the teacher saw I was a hopeless cause, she recommended that I see my counselor to transfer out of her class, to another elective. I believe the good Lord’s hand was upon me, I ended up making it through high school having taken multiple typing classes, even though that teacher tried to discourage me from the get-go.

Coincidentally, I ended up choosing the secretarial profession, and when I graduated from high school, I went to secretarial school where I took more typing classes. To be honest, my typing speed never improved that much, even as a secretary. Today, I still only type about 50 words per minute. However, I managed to put in a good 25 years as an Administrative Assistant. I believe the good Lord’s hand was upon me all the while. Anyways, I’ve gotten very good at hitting the Backspace key and proofreading my work.

In addition to the secretarial career, I also managed to pick up a love for writing somewhere along the way, which also requires a sufficient amount of typing. ☺ Writing is my new passion, of late. I hope to be successful at publishing many literary pieces someday. I believe the good Lord’s hand is still on me to accomplish it.

This morning I was reminded about my 10th grade typing teacher, who tried to put an end to my destiny before it ever got started. But she could not.

Even though I would apply for secretarial jobs and not be able to meet their typing speed requirements, it did not hinder me from landing good paying jobs (without passing typing tests). The good Lord’s hand was upon me to accomplish it.

The race is not given to swiftest, nor the battle won by the strongest, nor bread to the wisest, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill – but it is for those whose hand the good Lord is upon. We have the Upper Hand (the hand of the good Lord), and His mercies are great… tremendous… and all encompassing.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us spreads the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Cor. 2:14)

Put your hand in the hand of the Man who stilled the water
Put your hand in the hand of the Man who calmed the sea
Take a look at yourself and you will look at others differently
Put your hand in the hand of the Man from Galilee.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Jealousy and the Fatal Marriage

For the woman’s jealous husband will be furious, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation, nor be satisfied with a payoff of any size.
Proverbs 6:34-35 (NLT)


TORN ASUNDER BY JEALOUSY

Who is able to stand before jealousy?
The Dictionary defines jealous as feeling or showing suspicion of someone's unfaithfulness in a relationship. I define it as a malicious distrust of a partner that centers on one's own self. The person reacting to jealousy is in part, acting in selfishness because it is mostly suspicion (not real) and in most cases not based on true facts. A lot of times, the person reacting to the jealousy is simply insecure in himself, and covering up his insecurities by accusing his spouse of wild-eyed suspicions. He creates scenarios that are simply not there and misinterprets situations that are truly innocent.

Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
Matt. 6:22-23 (NLT)

Unfaithfulness in marriage is a terribly hurtful thing. In no way do I make light of it. If a person is suspicious of his partner, that must be a tragic thing to experience, believing that the one you love would be involved in an affair.

The spirit of jealousy is a stronghold that has the victim on lock down. They are unable to see that their suspicions are unfounded, because their eye is unhealthy. They further victimize their partner and will not accept the truth, no matter how desperately it is explained to them. They believe what they believe, no matter what.

Personally, I believe it is a form of Schizophrenia, which is defined as:
a type of long-term mental disorder involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to faulty perceptions, inappropriate actions and feelings; a withdrawal from reality into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation.
The person operating under a spirit of jealousy, and continues to accuse the innocent partner of unfaithful behavior, is in fact delusional (not operating in reality).

According to Leviticus 20:10, if a man's wife had an affair and got caught, both she and the adulterer was put to death. That's how serious a crime adultery is, it warranted capital punishment.

In the 5th chapter of Numbers, Moses addresses this issue by creating a law to deal with the jealous husband and his suspicions of an unfaithful wife. If the wife had an affair and the husband was suspicious but had no proof, the spirit of jealousy would come upon him and he was supposed to take his wife with a grain offering (a jealousy offering to bring her hidden sin to remembrance) to the priest to be tested under the law of jealousies.

The priest had her sit in a chair in the Holy Place of the tabernacle. The priest would take dirt from the tabernacle floor and mix it with holy water to make it bitter water. Then the priest would remove her head scarf and put the jealousy offering in her hands. He held the bitter water, and brought the charge before her, saying that if she had not had an affair then she would be free from the curse of the bitter water. But if she did have an affair and slept around, the Lord would make her a curse and an oath among her people by making her right thigh rot and fall away and the bitter water in her belly would cause it to swell up.

If she was found innocent, she would conceive seed, and be free from the curse. The jealous husband would be ashamed of himself by humiliating his wife publicly. I suppose if this became a regular occurrence, the Lord would deal with the priest in how to appropriately deal with this erring husband... or the Lord Himself would deal with him.

Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount that if one has lusted after another person in his or her heart, they have committed adultery already, even if they did not have physical intercourse. So, if we are caught up in sin or tempted to sin, we should take every precaution to escape from it.

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on.
Prov. 4:14-15

When Joseph was faced with his boss Potiphar's wife, he broke away from her grip and ran from her when she was trying to lure him to sleep with her.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1 Cor. 10:13

The partner experiencing the jealousy and suspicion of infidelity, should love his partner enough, to conduct the confrontation in love. He is not acting in love when he is victimizing his wife by wrongfully interrogating her to satisfy his continual suspicions. He is making it all about himself... excessively concerned about his own welfare without any regard for her feelings.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Gal. 6:2

There's another story told in the Bible about a couple named Hosea and Gomer. She was a prostitute and she continued her harlotry even after they were married. Hosea loved Gomer. He would go and find her standing on her street corners and carry her back home. He never stopped loving Gomer even while she openly cheated on him. Again, I am not condoning infidelity, but merely illustrating what true love really is. Love is not selfish, nor is it tormenting.

Love is patient and kind. LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever!
1 Cor. 13:4-8 (NLT)

A healthy marriage is built on love for one another, and the joy of marriage deepens as both partners nurture one other. On the other hand, the marriage is torn apart as one or both antagonizes the other, leading down the road to impending destruction. It is sad, but true. Even if they don't divorce, the marriage will remain troubled. One or both partners will be unhappy.

Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.
Eph. 5:24-26

The healthy thing to do when the enemy drops a negative thought about your partner into your mind, would be to say, "My spouse would not do that. I do not receive it." If these suspicions continue to linger, pray sincerely about it. Let the Lord lead you in how to wisely confront the issue. Use godly wisdom to build the relationship up, and be very careful who you confide in regarding your suspicions.

I once knew a man that was dealing with the spirit of jealousy. He went to his pastor to confide in him and the pastor said to him, "Well brother, you know your wife." This response only solidified the husband's misguided suspicions and the victimization of his innocent wife increased from that point. I am curious as to why the pastor's first response was not to lead the brother in prayer over his marriage.

There is a way out of this mess, without busting up the marriage... Divine Intervention!

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
2 Cor. 4-6 (NKJV)

I once saw a movie called War Room (directed by Alex Kendrick). It's about a couple that was experiencing serious marital problems. The wife was given advice by a wise old woman, to do her fighting in prayer. Don't fight with your spouse. Fight on your knees. The wife then emptied out her closet and turned it into a room of warfare over her troubled marriage. God worked miracles in their home and completely transformed their marriage. I know He is able to do anything, according to our faith. He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly, over and above, all that we dare to ask Him in fervent prayer, according to the Holy Spirit's power that is at work in us.

I often hear Pastor Joel Osteen say, "We are victors and not victims." The enemy will try to victimize us, but God has the last say. When Satan tried to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus said, "Away with you Satan." The devil left Him and angels came and ministered to Him. We don't have to put up with the devil. Get armored up and stand your ground. Go to war with the enemy knowing that he is already a defeated foe, and greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world. The time is now to defeat this enemy and remove him from your home.

The spirit of jealousy is a stronghold, but strongholds can be pulled down and the enemy defeated, and you are the one to do it, my friend.

Who is able to stand before jealousy? You are!! With the power of the Holy Spirit, you will completely stamp it out.

Sunday, May 07, 2017

Secret Place Writing Studio

I have a dream today. It is a dream of my very own writing studio. I have been praying and preparing for this place non-stop for the past few months. I looked at Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have A Dream speech this morning and I am more determined than ever to see this dream come to pass.

I have the dream of a writing studio. There, I will sit at my computer and let the Holy Spirit speak through me to encourage and edify the body of Christ. The decor of my studio will be inspiring and incite creativity. The presence of the Lord will be strong. I will be like the servant in Jesus' parable that took his five talents and used them to gain five more besides. At the end of the parable Jesus said, "To everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance."

I know that God has heard my prayers concerning my desire for the writing studio, and I believe that He is bringing it to pass behind the scenes. I am just believing that the Lord will open the door and make a way for me to move in.


The Lord said to me, "I will do that for you."
 A sample peek.

Proverbs 24:3-4 (NKJV) Through wisdom my studio is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the room is filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

Psalm 37:3-5 (NKJV) Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

Mark 11:24 (NKJV) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

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❤ I love You Daddy. ❤
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If you believe in the power of prayer,
please say a prayer for me. Thanks.

Friday, April 14, 2017

Worth Fighting For

Michael the Warrior Angel by Isthar
Every once in a while, I'll post a song on here, that I didn't write, but it was a song that touched my heart in some kind of way. Here's another.

The Lord believes we are worth fighting for. That was the reason He sent Christ Jesus to save us. And, He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not, with Him, also freely give us all things?



WORTH FIGHTING FOR LYRICS

Performed by Brian Courtney Wilson

You met me deep in my despair
To show me You would never leave me there
You claimed because I was made for so much more
I am Your child
And I'm worth fighting for

Though heavy, with the weight of my mistakes
You carried me and refused
To let me sink under the pressure
You meant for me to soar
I am Your child
And I'm worth fighting for

Chorus
Eyes haven't seen
Ears haven't heard
All You have planned for me
And nothing can separate me from Your love
When there's so much more still worth fighting for

Now I'm moving by faith and not by sight
Towards victory by the power of Your might
You're straightening out my path
And opening every door
I am Your child
And I'm worth fighting for

Eyes haven't seen
Ears haven't heard
All You have planned for me
And nothing can separate me from Your love
When there's so much more still worth fighting for

That's why I'm pressing
Towards the mark
Cause the calling on my life
Is worth fighting for

And I'll keep my mind
Stayed on You Jesus
Because the peace it brings
Is worth fighting for

And I'll be faithful
To my spouse and children
Because my family
Is worth fighting for

No, this world
Is not my home
But Your kingdom here
Is worth fighting for

I've got a mansion
Over in glory
And my new home
Is worth fighting for

Till I see it I'll shout Hallelujah
Hallelujah!
Cause my praise is worth fighting for
Life with You is worth fighting for

Eyes haven't seen
Ears haven't heard
There is so much more still worth fighting for

If you believe that you're worth fighting for
Shout to the Lord
There is so much more still worth fighting for

Here's the song.
The Lord says you "are" worth it!

“Let not your heart be troubled;

you believe in God,
believe also in Me, Christ Jesus."
(John 14:1).