Five Powerful Words

“Satan, the Lord rebuke you” are five powerful words that will put the brakes on the enemy.

The Lord God spoke through the prophet Isaiah saying, “Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, and I make the rivers a wilderness.” (Isa. 50:2) With a rebuke that powerful, Satan doesn’t have a chance. When young David came up against the giant Goliath he said, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” In the strength of the Lord, David killed Goliath with a sling and a stone.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Behold I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” We hold the keys of the kingdom, and whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven.

We are seated together with Christ in heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. All things are under Christ’s feet and we are seated with Him.

Now, there are times when the Lord will allow Satan to test us. Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil. But in the middle of Satan’s shenanigans, Jesus rebuked him saying, “Get behind Me Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Therefore submit to God.
Resist the devil
and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 NKJV

 Go in peace.

 Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

...all the time God is good

Job's three friends were convinced that he had offended God in some way and that's why all this stuff was happening to him. They kept telling him over and over to get right with God. But Job knew he had done nothing to warrant the hostility he was going through.

I was on my knees praying fervently about a situation, and I told the Lord that I had not sown this seed. The thing that was happening to me was not me reaping what I'd sown, because I absolutely had not sown that seed.

But if Job was not responsible for his tragedies, then who was?

Job 1:8 (NKJV) Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

Job 2:3 (NKJV) Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

God surrendered Job into the hands of Satan... twice, but each time, God called Job His servant and gave Job the highest accolades.

So if you're reaping what you have not sown, perhaps God has asked Satan, "Have you considered My servant (put your name here)?" God knows that you can stand the test, or He wouldn't have permitted it. Pray for strength and endurance, trusting God to accomplish His purpose, because He definitely has a reason for it.

God is good all the time,

And all the time God is still good.

Job prayed regularly for his kids all the time because he felt they were doing ungodly things behind closed doors. When the Lord ended Job's suffering, He gave Job twice as much as he had before, plus 10 more kids with better moral character than the ones that had been killed. God blessed Job’s latter days even more than his earlier life.

After this Job lived 140 more years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. Job died, old and full of days with the blessing of God upon his life.

Listen to this beautiful song by Jonathan McReynolds.

May your struggles keep you near the cross

May your troubles show that you need God

May your battles end the way they should

May your bad days prove that God is good

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

Cross Over To The Other Side

About 18 years ago, I woke up early one morning and I saw a vision of myself standing at a rickety old bridge that looked like it was on its very last leg. I heard the voice of the Lord say to me, "Cross over to the other side."

I thought that would not be a safe journey. Could this thing hold my weight? What if I fell through, would I have to fight an alligator or snakes? Could I scale the muddy walls and get back up to safety? I stood there with a desire to obey the voice of God, but also a fear that something could go wrong and it could end very badly if I did. The me that was laying in bed, told the other me standing at the foot of the bridge to go on across, but I would not. Fear stifled me, and whatever God had planned on the other side, I was too afraid to go after it.

God placed the best things in life on the other side of terror... on the other side of your maximum fear are all the best things in life. (Quote from Will Smith)

1 John 4:18 (NKJV)
He who fears
has not been made
perfect in love.

Eighteen years later, God has helped me grow up some. My love for Him has grown and therefore, my trust in Him is stronger. One day my trust in God will be so completely resolute that as soon as I hear His voice speak, I will take off running across that bridge knowing that God has my back whatever the consequences.

Joshua 1:9 (NKJV) Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

My Lemonheads Runneth Over

 

Lemonhead Candies are my absolute favorite sweet in the whole world. Since I was a little-bitty girl I have loved Lemonheads. I bought a case of them through Amazon so I could put them on the Snack Bar and always have some in the house. It’s been working out great!

Yesterday I found out that my husband’s grandkids will be coming by after school every day for a while. I instantly went into panic mode about my Lemonheads. Anyone that comes over on a regular basis knows we have the Snack Bar and keep it filled with goodies. But I worried about my Lemonheads for half a day and seriously considered removing them and putting them under lock and key till the afterschool visits are over.

Then… while brushing my teeth this morning, I prayed about my Lemonheads. Lord, it’s getting serious now. I felt like these kids are going to come in here and eat up all my Lemonheads. What shall I do? It didn’t feel right to remove them from the Snack Bar.

Suddenly, I was reminded that Jesus said, “Give and it will be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will it be put into your bosom. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to you (Luke 6:38).”

I said, “Oh I know! I’m going to share my Lemonheads and then the Lord will cause my Lemonheads bucket to run over. I can see it now.”

Eleven days ago I published a blogpost called My Perception of People. In the closing prayer I asked God to please instruct me in the proper way to deal with people. This incident with the Lemonheads was my Heavenly Father, showing me that one way to deal with people is to have a generous heart.

I’m looking forward to the afterschool visits so we can all sit around eating Lemonheads.

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

Awakening

I rarely ever thank God for waking me up in the morning. I see memes and other drawings on social media all the time, calling out for us to thank God for waking us up this morning. I usually scroll pass them without liking or commenting, because what if He didn’t wake me up this morning, what would the consequences be? I would be in heaven with my Lord Jesus, walking the street of gold and wearing my long white robe. "To die is gain," as the apostle Paul said.

But I heard a preacher say, “My faith is not looking to one day when I can get out of here, but to what God is going to do with me before I leave.” (Quote from Pastor Steven Furtick)

WOW! There's a revelation that got me to thinking about my attitude toward thanking God for waking me up in the morning. If He wakes me up, I have another opportunity to be used by Him... another opportunity to see others being used by Him that continues to bless me everyday.

Jesus said to the apostles on the day He ascended into heaven, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses for Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Every morning I wake up on this earth, is an opportunity to be a witness for Christ... the Voice of the Dove, speaking into the hearts of believers everywhere. To LIVE is Christ and to die is gain.

Isaiah 50:4 (NKJV) The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the learned.

Thank You Lord, for waking me up this morning, and yesterday morning, and tomorrow morning. This is the day You have made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

Lord, what do You require of me?

I asked... "Lord, what is it that You require of me?" And like the prophet Habukkuk I stood upon my watch to see what He would say (Hab. 2:2). But weeks passed without a response and I had totally forgotten about it. Then one day I opened an email and there was God's response...

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NKJV)

To do justly: to act equitably, to hurt no one by word or deed; to hurt no man's person, property, and character; pay what you owe, and do as you would desire to be done by

To love mercy: to be guided in conduct to others by loving kindness; to relieve the poor and indigent; to clothe the naked and feed the hungry and to delight in doing these acts of kindness

To walk humbly with your God: to live in humility and obedience in reverence to God as opposed to walking in pride; to be teachable and open to correction

Jesus taught that the weightier matters of the Mosiac Law are justice, mercy and faith. (Matt 23:23). In a nutshell, this describes the Lord's requirement that He shared with me. The first and second are man's duty to one another, and the third is man's duty to God.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8

The Last House Standing

Last House Standing After Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike… a cyclone that ripped the southern border of the United States in September 2008, effecting the Florida panhandle, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Southeast Texas. At it’s strongest, it sustained 145 mph winds and killed 195 people. The damages from Hurricane Ike totaled $38 billion. Remnants of Ike blew across the US and into Canada before it finally ended. It was an incredibly devasting Category 4 hurricane.

On September 13, 2008, Ike made landfall on the northeast end of Galveston Island, TX with sustained winds of 110 mph. Gilchrist TX is 27 miles from Galveston along the Bolivar Peninsula and suffered the worst part of Ike. It wiped out 200 homes including the fire station and the post office… except for the one yellow house left standing all by itself in the wake of the hurricane.

The couple that owned this house had lost a previous home three years earlier to Hurricane Rita. When they rebuilt, they built the structure so significantly sound that it was able to withstand Hurricane Ike’s destruction. Ike ravaged every structure in Gilchrist except this house. It was the last one standing.

Build On The Rock

As Jesus was winding up His sermon on the mount, He declared that whoever hears and heeds to His words is like a wise man that built his yellow house on the rock. The hurricane beat on that yellow house with 110 mph winds, but it did not collapse, because it was built on the rock.

Our Rock is Christ Jesus. No foe can defeat our God. If He is for us, no hurricane can destroy us. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is the Rock, except our God?

Finally, brothers and sisters, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Eph. 6:10

 Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

Our Prayers Matter (1)

Our prayers matter. You know how I know that? Because the apostle James said in the word, “The effective fervent prayers of the righteous avails much” (James 5:16). And the apostle John said, “If we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

 Our prayers do matter.

 So often I have felt that my prayers were just bouncing off the ceiling and returning to my own heart, because they would go so long unanswered. God’s prolonged silence can cause me to feel discouraged and defeated. Years have passed before I saw the answer to some of my prayers.

 Our Part in the Answer

 There have been times when the Lord answered my prayers, just to later see that thing reverse and come back. It can be confusing trying to align the word of God with our actual experiences, especially when our experiences are the exact opposite of the word of God. For example, the word of God says, “Ask and it shall be given” but you never receive it. How then does our faith increase with a memory filled with disappointments?

 Andrew Wommack told the story of a woman that came to him to pray for healing. She used a walker to get around. She was healed immediately and walked away holding the walker up in the air. This same lady came back a few days later using the walker again. The Lord revealed to Andrew Wommack that she had unforgiveness in her heart that was preventing her healing. She openly confessed the unforgiveness and named the person she was hating on. She asked for forgiveness and was immediately healed again, holding the walker up in the air as she walked away. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14-15).

 We had a sin debt that we could not pay but God forgave us. It would not be fair of Him to let us continue to hold others accountable for their trespasses toward us. We must forgive them in order to be forgiven, and see our prayers answered.

 In All Your Getting,

Get A Good Understanding

 The apostle Paul prayed for the Ephesians that their eyes would be opened and understanding enlightened as to the confident hope God has given to those He called to Himself. So when disappointments seem to mount up, that’s the time to draw closer to God and pray for wisdom and enlightenment (James 1:5).

 Paul also said, “I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believes Him.” This is power to perform any request that we submit to Him. He can just say, “Let there be” and poof it will manifest. So, if prayers are going unanswered, it is not because God is unable or unwilling to grant it. There’s some other reason like in the case of the woman with the walker.

 Why Pray?

 I asked myself, “Why does God need me to pray for things that He can already do without my prayers?” Then I was reminded that when God created mankind, He gave us dominion (rule and authority) over all the earth and everything in it (Gen. 1:26, 28). And… Jesus gave us the keys to the kingdom to bind and loose on earth. This is His authority granted us to overcome earthly issues. As we bind and loose on earth, it is bound and loosed in heaven (Matt. 16:19). We are laborers together with God… us on earth, and Him in heaven (1 Cor. 3:9). Together we accomplish great things.

 It matters when we pray… and when we don’t.

 These Are the Days of Elijah

 James 5:17-18 (NKJV) Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

 Elijah’s prayer affected a lot of people for a long time, and only his prayer could restore rain to the land for the production of fruit and vegetation. He was not superhuman. He was a man with human nature like you and me, but he was a man who prayed.

 It’s Open-Door Season

 Knock, and it will be opened to you, for to him who knocks it will be opened.

 Jesus told a parable about a friend that came to his friend at midnight and knocked on the door asking to borrow three loaves of bread. His friend told him it was not a good time because they were all in bed. But he kept on knocking and because of his persistence, the friend got up and gave him as many as he needed (Luke 11:5-8).

 Karen Wheaton said she prayed to God in this same persistent manner regarding her prodigal daughter. Her three loaves were deliverance, healing, and salvation for her daughter.

 One night at church, while Karen was in worship, the Lord showed her a vision. She was standing in front of a door when it opened a little and two arms reached from behind the door and handed her three loaves of bread. She said in a surprised voice, “Oh Lord, You’re giving me the bread?” When she said that, the door swung wide open and she walked in and looked up to see a storehouse full of bread as far as the eye could see… shelves and shelves so high that she couldn’t even see the top of it. Then Karen heard a soft voice ask her, “You only want three?”

 * * * * * * *

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-14 (NKJV)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:11-12 (NKJV)

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)

 

May the Lord bless you

And keep you;

May the Lord make His face

Shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

May the Lord lift up

His countenance upon you,

And give you perfect peace.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Click here to go to the Our Prayers Matter Series

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

My Perception of People -- Part 1

Frozen Jimmy Dean Sausage Skillets

One of my very favorite breakfast meals is Jimmy Dean Skillets. You can add a bunch of stuff to it and really do it up right. I would put the oil in the skillet and let it warm up, then put the frozen sausage mix into the hot oil. Every time the frozen food would hit that hot oil I would get scalded. But I endured it because I knew I was going to enjoy my favorite meal.

Some days I would let it thaw out, then cook it so I would not get scalded.

One day I was in a hurry and decided to put the frozen sausage and the oil in the pan at the same time. Low and behold, that is how it was supposed to be done all along. Guess what? No scalding!!

"PEOPLE. For a long time I could not stand them... a very long time. I did not like their color. I did not like their smell. I kept them at arms length, feeding them from a long-handled spoon. But after all this time it turns out I was just cooking them wrong!" A Quote from Someone's Facebook Post on the Introverts Over Fifty Page

Frozen Jimmy Dean was not my problem. I was just cooking it wrong.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly (Prov. 18:24).

Perception is defined as the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.

Father, please instruct me in the proper way to deal with people. Help me see them through the lens of Your eyes, and love them. Change my perception. You are the way, the truth, and the life. I look to You for victory in all my failures.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

My Prayer to Overcome Evil

I am struggling with loving my enemies. I know this is what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” But the ungodly and evil people vex my soul so badly that I just want them to die and get out of the way. The apostle Paul said, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

The psalmist David said in Psalm 139:19-22, “Oh that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.”

I must admit that I relate more to the psalmist David than to the apostle Paul. When I see people doing evil for sport, it makes me so angry. They do not sleep unless they have done evil, and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall. It seems insurmountable how the heart of any man can entertain such evil.

In that moment, I am not wanting to pray for these people or love them. It makes me teary-eyed that what Jesus taught us to do is the polar opposite of what I really want to do... rise up and beat the snot out of them.

My husband was watching a western this morning in which a cowboy came to a house where a young lady and her grandmother lived. He just up and decided to take over the house... take over the granddaughter and do as he pleased with her. Now, am I really supposed to pray for this person, and give him food and drink, and treat him kindly? Not!!! He will probably get kicked in the you-know-whats and dragged out of my house by his hair, and if he is still conscious, kicked some more till he is unconscious. Then I will call the police.

The apostle Paul said to overcome evil with good. Perhaps I should study what evil he is speaking of. I should also seek the Lord concerning my own hard heart, and for the darkness that is in me to become light.

I do know these evil people do not know what is causing them to stumble in this way. The prophet Ezekiel said, “As for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, the Lord will repay their deeds on their own heads.”

The psalmist David also said, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity, for they shall soon be mowed down like grass, and wither as the green herb.”

Heavenly Father, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Please do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. In your presence is fullness of joy and I delight in You with all my heart. Help me to be patient while I wait on You to fight the battles that need fighting. Renew and increase my strength when I am weary. Cause me to lift my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help for my help comes from You. Preserve us from evil and deliver us from the evil one. Let Your truth be my shield and buckler. Make me walk in the path of Your commandment to love my enemies, and not be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove