VISION OF THE TREE STUMP

Many years ago, the Lord showed me a vision… I was walking down a path and passed a tree stump and had a vague feeling that I had been there before, but I couldn’t remember so, I shrugged my shoulders and continued down the path, passing others, and seeing their faces. I came to the tree stump again and stopped… trying to remember where I had seen it before. I still couldn’t remember so I shrugged my shoulders again and continued down the path a second time. A third time, I came back to the tree stump and said, “Now, I know I’ve been here before.” At that precise moment, I looked to the right to see other people that had been on the path with me, going up to higher ground and I shrugged my shoulders again and continued back down the path a third time.

A mentor named Sharmaine once said to me, “There is a temperament, a character, a compassion, a long suffering and many other traits of God that have to be downloaded within you to sustain you in what God is calling you to do ultimately.”

This download is accomplished through testing and trials that the Father permits, or in some cases He orchestrates in order to prepare us for the purpose He has planned for us.

The reason the Lord sent me that vision, is because I was not learning the lessons He was trying to teach me. The tree stump represents the end of the trial, that I kept coming to and not getting the understanding that the trial should’ve taught me. So as others leveled up through the same trial, I would go back through it again.

June 27, 2024

During morning devotion, I came across this statement. “Whom God calls, He equips them with all they need for doing His will.” I wanted to be encouraged by this but my strength and my faith has dwindled in the long wait for my needs to be met.

I remembered the vision of the stump that the Lord had shown me a long time ago and I wrote down, “Around and around I go, passing this stump once again.” I prayed, “Lord, please give me understanding. Unless You help me I will continue to circle pass this stump repeatedly, again and again.

Later in the morning, I got down on my knees and prayed a sincere prayer to the Lord about my relationship with Him. I asked the Holy Spirit to make intercession for me. I prayed a long time till the Lord led me to go watch Karen Wheaton’s video that she uploaded last night. It was definitely a word from the Lord.

When I finished her video, I saw that Gregory Dickow had uploaded a video called, “A Prayer For Financial Breakthrough.” I watched that video as well and prayed along with him.

As soon as that was done another video was on the screen without a title. Out of curiosity, I clicked on it, and it was Lauren Daigle singing, “You’re Gonna Be Okay.”

I got back down on my knees after the song and I saw me walking down that path toward the stump, and going uphill to higher ground. This time, I didn’t pass the stump again, I elevated to higher ground. I wept, and gave glory to God. I’m going to be okay.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

THE MEANING OF TRUE FAITH

The Days of Noah

In the days of Noah when there was no law, the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth. Scripture says that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts were only evil continually. God sent a flood and wiped them out, and started over with Noah and his family.

The Days of Moses

Then through Moses, the Lord sent the Law to keep His people restrained from wickedness until Christ was fully revealed. Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy it but to fulfill it." For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

The Age of Christianity

The apostle Paul said in Romans 3 that now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For He made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

So those who have true faith in Christ have the fruit of the Spirit abiding in them and will never act as those that lived during Noah's time. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no Law (Gal. 5:22-23).

True faith in Christ frees us from a corrupt disposition and enables us to fulfill God’s desires for us. True faith in Christ as our Savior causes us to walk differently because He takes out our stony heart and replaces it with a heart of flesh. We can see the evidence of those who have true faith in Christ because they bear the fruit of His Spirit.

That's how we roll y’all -- in the Spirit.

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

CONFIDENCE IN UNANSWERED PRAYER

Ps. 16:11 In Your presence is fullness of joy.

I’ve had an overwhelming presence of God in the last 2-3 weeks. He has poured His love out upon me everyday! I’ve noticed that the more love I feel from God the less concerned I’ve become about my many unanswered prayers. It seems like my faith in God has increased, because if you know that someone loves you as much as I feel loved, then it stands to reason that their love spills out in every other area as well. And since I know that He loves me this much, I know He hears my prayers and will grant the petitions I’ve made to Him. Jesus said, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Over the last five years I’ve struggled to maintain strong faith and belief because my prayers just seem to bounce off the ceiling and never make it to the Throne of Grace. One prayer in particular, I’ve prayed every morning for the last seven years and have not yet been granted my petition.

But the truth is, God may seem silent, but for sure He has a plan. All I need to do now, is remind myself of how much He loves me and my indifference and unhappiness will melt away.

Luke 18:1 says that Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge to encourage us to continue in prayer and never lose hope.

There is nothing more powerful than the presence of Almighty God to lift the spirit, and get it soaring. King David wrote a psalm that says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy.” I used to think that meant when we get to heaven, but fullness of joy can happen right here and right now.

God is not a stranger to anything going on in our lives. His eyes are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. The Bible says that even the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisest person that ever lived. God’s weakness is a billion times stronger than Hercules.💪

I pray the Lord God will flood you with His magnificent presence, as He has for me, that you may be enlightened concerning His perfect will, and confident about His purpose. Go in peace.✌

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

STRUGGLING TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

Posted on Facebook

Three years ago today (6/19/21), I posted this prayer request, hoping to grow in the love thy neighbor commandment. I was struggling heavily with hatred in my heart toward people that got on my nerves. I have seen a lot of improvement, and have had some surprising turn of events.

One thing I've learned is loving thy neighbor does not mean putting up with ignorance. I had been keeping quiet and putting up with stuff that was just making me more and more irritated and bitter inside. I have realized that loving thy neighbor is treating them as I want to be treated. But if there is a conversation I need to have, I should stop holding back and have that conversation. Have it lovingly, then let God handle the rest. Period.

Even the way I pray for my neighbors has changed. Now when I pray for our nextdoor neighbor, I command strongholds be pulled down, and I sincerely pray for his salvation which will cause him to start behaving differently. I also pray for other neighbors who are effected by his behavior.

Love is unselfish, and is given away expecting nothing in return. The ability to love ignorant people comes only through the power of Holy Spirit. The more Christlike we become, the easier the love thy neighbor commandment can be carried out successfully.

We don't have to like people in order to love them. First Corinthians 13:4-7 reveals that love is a behavioral response, not always an emotional response, and love never fails.

Go in peace.❤💚💛💙💜

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

CONDUCT AND MATURITY IN CHRIST

I was teaching Sunday School a long time ago and I quoted the Amplified Bible version of Psalm 23:2. “He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.” I love the visual I get when I imagine being in that environment.

Someone in the class followed my statement with a snide remark: “So now, are we supposed to quote it that way too?”  The Holy Spirit had to hurry up and take control of my tongue because I was about to be very rude as I stood at the podium in house of God.

All these years later I still get a bit irritated when I recall that statement. I’ve rehearsed in my mind about a hundred ways I wished I could’ve responded.

Four days ago, someone who appeared to be picking a fight with me, made a snide remark in all caps to my comment on a Christian Facebook page. He was clearly provoking me. However, this time, my response was completely different than before. I wanted to love this fellow Christian into submission. I’ve spent a lot of these last four days praying for him and following his Facebook page to learn His temperament, which has made me intercess for him even more, and drop his name in my Prayer Box.

Thinking about the way I responded to these two incidents is a testimony to how God can mature His children. The Lord saved me 25 years ago, and I am by no means the same person I used to be. I still have a long way to go, so I’m looking for even greater maturity in Christ. I’m reminded of the passage in Hebrews that says:

Hebrews 12:5-6, 11 (NKJV) [5] You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; [6] For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives." [11] Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins."

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

KEEP HOPE ALIVE

When I was in the 10^th grade in high school, I took my first typing class and I SUCKED! Every time the teacher gave the class a speed test, I tested less than 20 words a minute. I sucked at typing! The teacher kept trying to encourage me to go see my counselor and get transferred to another class. In the middle of all that, the school district realized that I should have been bussed to another school at the beginning of the school year. Another high school had opened that year and all the other high school kids in our neighborhood was going to the new school, but they overlooked me.

So, when I got to the new school, I had Typing One on my schedule. I struggled a little bit, but not like before. I kept getting better and better. I eventually enrolled in the Vocational Office Education program and when I graduated I went to secretarial school. In January 1983, I graduated and became a Secretary. For 20 years of my life I used those typing skills that the first teacher tried to discourage me from learning. Today, I can type 60 words a minute.

I love to write! It’s like fire shut up in my bones. If I had not learned how to type, my love for writing would be terribly handicapped.

Don't quit. Keep hope alive. Resuscitate it. Put it on life support, but don't let it die.

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

GOD'S APPROVAL IS ENOUGH

This morning, as I was listening to CeCe Winans sing the Goodness of God, I suddenly remembered the prophet Jeremiah’s frustration with his ministry. People mocked, criticized, complained, and ridiculed him every day. They were trying to find a way to take revenge on him because they did not like his fiery message.

In anger Jeremiah said, “I’m not preaching anymore! I will not mention the Lord, nor speak His name ever again.” But the word of God was stirring inside his heart so fervently, that it was like a flame of fire shut up in his bones. He couldn’t hold it back, he had to preach. That was the only way to relieve the tension. He had to do what God had called him to do.

That became Jeremiah’s final answer to the whole matter. With every breath, he was going to do the will of God, no matter how much they reviled him, God’s approval was enough.

Jeremiah 20:11 (NKJV) The LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.

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

TO BE BORN AGAIN

✝️ What does it mean to be born again? ✝️

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

There’s a mystery of the kingdom of God. Some will see and not perceive it, and some will hear and not understand it. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Holy Spirit says.

Our body is spiritually dead because Adam disobeyed God, but is alive again because of Christ’s resurrection. Adam brought death to all of us because we were born through his physical family line, but Christ has brought life to all who are born again through faith in Him. So then, the Holy Spirit is life in you, and also Christ in you.

Your body will die because of its sinful nature… all humans face the day when they will pass away. But those that accepted the Savior will inherit a glorified body when they leave this earth. Your spirit lives on, when the body passes away.

We are spiritually begotten (born again) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The Bible calls Him the firstfruit of those that pass away, because He was the first to rise in the glorified body, and those that die in the Lord will rise glorified just as He did.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

Just as Adam is the representative of our sinful humanity, Christ represents our restored spiritual being from death to life… from Adam to Jesus… from earthly to heavenly.

We were brought forth in iniquity (born to do wrong), and in sin my mother conceived me (a sinner before I left my mother’s womb). Psalm 51:5

Mankind abides in death (we're born that way) because we were separated from fellowship with God by Adam’s sin, and unable to restore that life giving fellowship. This is why Israel made offerings to God in the Old Testament, hoping to make atonement (amends) to repair the brokenness between them and God. Some sacrifices were mandatory, but some were completely voluntary and they brought them before God in an effort to restore that fellowship.

The sentence of death hangs over mankind because of our identity with Adam’s fall. Everyone born through the loins of Adam are born in sin and shaped in iniquity.

God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That’s why when Eve ate the forbidden fruit nothing happened, but it was when Adam ate of the forbidden fruit that both of their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked. When both their eyes were opened they became knowledgeable of evil, and thus began the foundation of the world. Prior to that they lived in innocence. They were naked and unashamed.

To truly appreciate the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, we must have some understanding of the Old Testament sacrifices. The nation of Israel continued making offerings to God again and again because they continued to sin over and over. But God provided a method by which man’s penalty can be paid, and fellowship with God restored. This method is the sacrificial offering of Christ Jesus the Messiah, the Lamb of God.

Israel’s symbolic sacrifices were a type and shadow of Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God.

Jesus was not born through Adam’s loins, but He was definitely a human being. He was conceived in His mother, the virgin Mary, by the Holy Spirit, and called the Son of God.

In the end, the positive effects of Christ’s saving work has conquered all the negative consequences of Adam’s tragic fall. God made Christ who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV) “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as (white as) wool.”

The Sinner’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your holy name. I come to you in humble prayer asking that You please forgive me, and wash me thoroughly of all my iniquities, and cleanse me of all my sins. I confess with my mouth and believe in my heart that Jesus is Your Son, the Lamb of God, and my Savior. I believe that He died on the Cross at Mount Calvary so that I can be forgiven and inherit eternal life in Your kingdom in heaven. Father, I believe You raised Christ Jesus from the dead and made me the righteousness of God in Him. I ask You to come into my life and be my personal Lord and Savior. I repent of all I have done, and said, and thought that was not pleasing in Your sight. I will worship You all the days of my life. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit that He will be with me all the days of my life. Since Jesus sacrificed Himself for me, I also commit my life to You as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable, which is my reasonable service to You. Thank You Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.🙏

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove