HEALING THE POISON OF DISAPPOINTMENTS

Life’s circumstances can cut into the heart so deeply that it forever changes and redefines who we are and how we think. We were expecting God to do something one way, but He did it another, or perhaps He didn’t do anything at all. We were bitten with the poison of bitter disappointment. In some cases, bitten more than once. The answer seems so unclear that it’s like trying to catch the wind and turn it into something visible, but the chase continues until it just wears you out. I’ve been there and done that.

The secret to letting go is to have an honest conversation with God about it. Give Him one more chance to make it right. The Lord is ready to inject the antidote for this poison, to heal the brokenhearted and bind up those wounds. Let God’s presence fall on you, not to answer the “Why God why” question, but to help you see that good can and will come to you, and through you, as a result. Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through His Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

Karen Clark Sheard sings a song called Secret Place. Find your secret place to be in the presence of God and let Him fall softly upon you. Have that honest conversation with Him, then sit quietly in His presence.

There is a place

The secret place

A place where I can go.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

OUR PRAYERS MATTER (8)

The 10^th chapter of Daniel tells the story of Daniel praying to God but not getting an answer even though he prayed earnestly and fervently. He ate no pleasant food, no meat and no wine, and mourned 3 full weeks. Then finally on the 21^st day an angel shows up with the answer to Daniel’s prayer. He said that Daniel’s prayer was heard on the 1^st day he prayed but the devil blocked his way, till Michael the warrior angel came and helped him break through.

In a recent blogpost (1/29/23), I said that I don’t like to give the devil my undivided attention… going through everyday engaged in spiritual warfare. I have better things to do concerning the kingdom of God than fight with the devil. He’s a distraction. But when he is in the way, we have to get him out of the way. Even Jesus told the devil, “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Luke 4:8 NKJV)

Do you need to get the devil out of your way? Armor up with this prayer.

Get behind me, Satan! It is written in the word of God (which is the sword of the Spirit), that the Lord of hosts will rebuke the devourer for my sake so you will not destroy the fruit of my ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for me in this season. The Lord rebuke you! Take your hands off my things.

Heavenly Father, I pray that You will give Your angels charge over us, to keep us, and protect us from the hand of the enemy. Father, You are my dwelling place. No evil will conquer me because You are my shelter. Under Your wings I am protected and safe.

Father, I pray that You will open for me the windows of heaven and pour out such blessings that there is not enough room to receive it all. You are my provider, my healer, my protector, my counselor, my guide, my teacher, my redeemer, and my friend… my all in all. I pray for breakthrough today. I pray You will defeat the enemy attacking me. Bind the work of Satan right now. Whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven. Whatever we loose on earth is loosed in heaven, and the God of peace will crush Satan under our feet. For we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named. He has put all things under His feet and gave Him (the Son of God and the Son of Man) to be head over all things to the church. We labor abundantly by Your grace knowing that our labor is not in vain.

Enable me to remain steadfast, immovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord. Search me O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me. Forgive me of all I’ve done, and said, and thought that was not pleasing in Your sight and lead me in the way everlasting. Thank You for loving me and keeping me by Your power, through my faith in You to be my keeper. These and all blessings we ask and pray in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus. Amen.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

ME AND MY FAT BELLY (2)

Almost seven years ago, I published a blogpost called Me And My FAT Belly. I confessed my issues with my long-time struggle of living with a fat belly. The picture in this post clearly shows my obesity. Since then, I’ve lost 60 pounds and I look and feel a lot better. However, the fat belly is still an issue, and I continue to struggle with embarrassment to this day. I’m constantly looking on the internet for solutions to hide it, or get rid of it.

The other day I felt God addressing my struggle as “vanity”. I remembered a Scripture in Ecclesiastes that says, “Vanity of vanity, all is vanity.” My Bible app gave other synonyms for vanity which is absurdity, frustration, futility, and nonsense. God may be telling me that I’m being vain by agonizing over my fat belly.

All our human achievements will one day fade away, so we must pursue higher values with eternal rewards. Life apart from God is hollow (a vanity of vanities). The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Cor 4:18). Eternal thoughts should be our focus.

The apostle Peter said that we should be more concerned about the beauty that comes from within, than we are of our outward beauty. The beauty that comes from within does not fade away (1 Peter 3:3-4). Now, this certainly does not mean that I shouldn’t add diet and exercise into my regimen, but I should change my perspective for why I’m doing it.

If I gained the flat stomach that I so desperately want, how would this benefit my inner person? Is how I look in my clothes going to bring me life fulfillment?  The apostle Paul said, “Now abide faith, hope, and love… these three; but the greatest of these is love. Now there is the fulfillment. Loving myself as Christ loves me, then spreading that love to others.

King David’s best friend was Jonathan. When Jonathan died, David wanted to bless Jonathan’s son and summoned him to the palace. His name was Mephibosheth. He said to the king, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” Mephibosheth had a dead dog image of himself. That is not how God sees us. When I look in the mirror, I should not see an overweight woman with a fat belly, I need to see someone that Jesus loves looking back at me.

In the Old Testament, the Levites were given the responsibility to oversee the temple. It was their duty to help the sons of Aaron in the service of the house of the LORD, the courtyards, the chambers, the purifying of all the holy vessels, and many other responsibilities in the temple (1 Chron 23:28). That should be our duty… to perform the service of the Levites over the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is the body. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in us… dwelling in our temple. We should see after the temple to honor the Holy Spirit, but certainly not for vanity’s sake.

Here is the link to Me and My FAT Belly (1).
https://richardsonblogger.blogspot.com/2016/05/me-and-my-fat-belly_30.html

God is changing my perspective for how I see and love the person I see looking back at me in the mirror. When I look at myself in the mirror, I need to see someone that Jesus loves looking back at me. When I learn to see her as Christ sees her, the struggle with my FAT belly will be no more. No more vanity, no more dead dog image, and no more struggling.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

COUNT IT ALL JOY 😢 REALLY?

Counting It All Joy

I have struggled with the passage in James that says to count it all joy for a long time, because I don’t know how to be broken and joyful at the same time.

James 1:2-3 (KJV) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

James 1:2-3 (NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

The believer can expect various trials and divers temptations on this Christian journey. They are the trying of our faith that produces patience. They work to complete us so we lack nothing.

"Count it all joy means to develop a new and improved attitude that considers trials from God’s perspective.” I saw that on the gotquestions.org website.

The enemies of God still hate God, so neither do they care for His saints. We can expect that trials are a part of the Christian experience. Sometimes God will open a door for the enemy to attack the believer as He did in Peter’s denial (Luke 22:31-34, 54-62). At the end of the trial Peter wept bitterly. This is not a tear rolling sweetly down his face. This is that ugly cry where he uses a whole box of tissues. But from God’s perspective, as a leader in the church Peter was now ready to encourage the saints in their struggles.

James is not suggesting that we pursue trials like a courtship, but merely acknowledging that we will surely “fall” into various trials or divers temptations. God does not expect us to pretend that trials are enjoyable because they are difficult and painful.

Romans 12:15 (NKJV) Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

God does not expect us to walk around with a fake smile on our faces when we’re breaking on the inside. But God does permit trials for a reason. A while back I did a blogpost about going through a trial and others were with me on the journey enduring their trials. At the end of the road, they walked on up to higher ground, but I went back through the trial again. God elevated them because they got what they needed from the trial but I did not so I went back through it again.

Here's the link to that blogpost: https://richardsonblogger.blogspot.com/2021/01/another-go-around-on-potters-wheel.html

Life’s experiences can make you or break you. When the prodigal son came to himself wallowing in the hog pen, he became a changed man (Luke 15:17), and took on a servant’s heart. The prodigal’s brother felt that their father owed him something for being such a great son. The experience definitely changed the prodigal, but the brother still had issues.

So… my struggle with James is not as intense as before. And I would say that counting it all joy is just an opportunity to say:

“Heavenly Father, thank You for what You’re doing in me as a result of this trying of my faith. If it is possible Father God, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will but let Your will be done. Increase my faith and endurance. Let the Prince of Peace fill my soul so that I don’t fall apart under its weight, for Your grace is sufficient, and Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. Rebuke the enemy on every hand, for the weapons of our warfare are mighty in You Father, for the pulling down of strongholds, and setting captives free. I ask You for wisdom and revelation so that I will see from Your perspective what You are accomplishing in these trials. Faithful Father, please let me feel Your presence on a regular basis and be strengthened by it. Keep reminding me of Your love and faithfulness so I will not become discouraged in these trying times. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray. Amen.”

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

OFFENDED WITH GOD

"not to harm you"

I have been guilty of being offended with God because He didn’t answer my prayers in the way that I thought He should. He didn’t come when I thought He should have and I was deeply offended at the way things worked out. But God, in Hs love and compassion, drew me back to Him and showered me with His love. He turned my situations around. He renewed my faith and resurrected my confidence in Him.

I am reminded of the death of Lazarus of Bethany in John 11:1-44. His sisters, Mary and Martha, had sent a message to Jesus but He delayed in coming and Lazarus died. Four days later, Jesus finally showed up. Both Mary and Martha said, “Lord, if You had been here our brother wouldn’t have died.” (John 11:21, 32) Their prayers were not answered, and they thought it was too late. Jesus had the stone removed from Lazarus’ tomb and called for him to come out and he got up and walked out.

Jesus resurrected their brother, and their prayers were answered, just not in the way they had expected. Don’t give up on God, He’s a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). There is no situation that God cannot fix, no damage He cannot restore, and no brokenness (absolutely nothing) that cannot be healed.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIrV) I know the plans I have for you," announces the LORD. "I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.

Matthew 11:6 NKJV Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

Psalm 147:3 (NKJV) He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Link to my blogpost called The Break Up:

https://richardsonblogger.blogspot.com/2021/11/the-break-up.html

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

THE OFFERING OF OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS (2)

I wanted to re-share this blogpost that I published last April. I had totally forgotten about it but stumbled across it this morning. It actually came up in Sunday School this past Sunday. We were discussing the spiritual gifts that operated in the Corinthian Church (1Cor. 12:14-31), and I was reminded of the time when I decided to stop agonizing over my blog’s statistics, and just focus on the gift God has given me to write. Even the mustard seed came up in the lesson and I had also mentioned it in the blogpost. Wow! Here we are ten months later, and I can see the difference it has made on me spiritually. To culminate all of this in that Sunday School lesson is mind blowing to me. God works in mysterious ways.

Romans 11:33 (NKJV) Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Lord, I offer up to You my works as a living sacrifice. I pray it is holy and acceptable to You. And the gifts You have bestowed upon me, I will pay it forward to others.

Here's the link: https://richardsonblogger.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-offering-of-our-spiritual-gifts.html

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove