THE ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST

Our Eternal High Priest

As High Priest, Christ is the advocate, intercessor, and mediator between us and God. There are not many roads to God. Jesus is the one and only, singular way to the everlasting Father.

1. There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. (1 Tim. 2:5)
2. He entered into heaven, into the presence of God for us. (Heb. 9:24)
3. He makes intercession for us. (Rom. 8:34)
4. He always lives to make intercession for us. (Heb. 7:25)

As descendants of Adam, we are born separated from God… born sinners, shaped in iniquity. Jesus is our Redeemer that came to deliver us of this deadly problem. He bridged the gap that existed between mankind and God. He always lives to make intercession for us, and is in the presence of the everlasting Father at this very moment, sticking up for us. With Christ on our side, advocating for us, how can we lose? Out of love, He put everything on the line for us exposing Himself to severe torment so that we could be set free. So then, is there anything else He wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us?

Romans 8:32 (NKJV) 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?

Matthew 7:11 (NKJV) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

FLOURISH LIKE A PALM TREE

Psalm 92:12-14 (NKJV) The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing,

Palm trees are known for their long life span. To flourish like palm trees means to stand tall and to live long. The cedars of Lebanon grew to 120 feet in height. Their roots grow very deep. They were solid, strong, and immovable. When a strong storm blows through it can lay the palm tree down. But when the storm has passed, it will stand up straight again.

God wants to teach us to become rooted and grounded in Him, so those who place their faith firmly in Him can stand up straight with strength and vitality. The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. 🌴

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

THE PAIN OF CHILDBIRTH

I’m doing a study in the book of Genesis and came to the part where God told Eve that because of her disobedience, she would birth her children in great pain, caused by the contractions of the uterus muscles and the pressure on the cervix. This has been every mother’s dilemma since Adam and Eve’s disobedience. Childbirth is painful!

During the first stage of labor, the mother’s cervix thins and dilates until its opening is wide enough to allow the baby to exit. Then, during the active stage of labor, the mother pushes until the baby moves through the birth canal and is born.

Genesis 3:16 (NKJV) To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."

Thankfully, Scripture says that for God sooooo loved the world that He gave us Christ Jesus to reverse the curse mankind has endured ever since Adam and Eve was dispelled from the Garden of Eden for their disobedience.

As I read over Gen. 3:16, I remembered a testimony I heard a long time ago.

TRUE STORY… my ex-husband had a relative that went into labor and was getting ready to give birth to her firstborn child. None of the pain that a woman would normally endure came upon her. Her water broke, and she went into labor. She arrived at the emergency room on her cell phone calling loved ones to alert them that she was getting ready to have her baby. As the baby was coming out, she was still on the phone telling them what was happening as it happened. I wanted to hear her story for myself, so my ex-husband hooked up a phone conversation and she told me everything that happened. She had her baby like we were supposed to have babies before Adam and Eve’s disobedience… completely pain free, laughing and carrying on as the baby made its way into the world.

God has awesome plans for a better world. Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you and I will come again and take you back with Me so we can be there together forever.” Jesus tasted death for everyone, and redeemed us from the curse that Adam and Eve brought upon the world.

He let us see through that mother’s testimony, of how it was supposed to be, and secure our hope in how it will be when Jesus comes and takes us back to heaven with Him.

Come Jesus, come.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:20)

Revelation 22:3 (NKJV) And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

DELIVERED THROUGH OPEN CONFESSION

A friend of mine sent me a video called “How I Became a Decluttering Expert.” It’s Dana White’s story of how this capability was awakened in her. I loved her story. God helped her figure out how her brain works, and from there how to conquer the clutter problem she had struggled with her entire life.

I see my husband in her explanations. Organization comes naturally for me, it’s how I function even when I’m not trying. But my husband has no organizational skills whatsoever. Even when I set up space to organize and store his clutter, it never resolves the sloppiness, it actually expands it. She said that’s because of how the brain works. She noticed that where most organized people started, was where she might end up even when she attempted to declutter, and it was always temporary. Traditional organizing advice never made sense to her. She confessed that she was a slob. I totally see that in my husband. The tactics that come natural for me are foreign to him because of how his brain works.

Another thing she said that caught my attention was that starting her slob comes clean blog set her on a path of total honesty. She didn’t try to cover up anything, she openly confessed it all.

Jesus said to the apostle Paul that His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. From that, Paul got a revelation that he would rather celebrate his weaknesses so he could experience the mighty power of Christ more deeply. Dana White overcame her lifelong struggle by openly confessing them. Helping others to declutter became part of her calling.

I’m going to follow her teachings, and see if we can overcome this clutter problem in our home.

Here's that video:

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

LET GO AND TRUST GOD

About 3 years ago, I had been watching some disturbing news, and was praying fervently about it over a few weeks, but the situation kept getting progressively worse. As I laid in bed one night… couldn’t sleep, I heard a storm coming. There was thunder way off in the far distance. It kept getting louder and louder, coming closer and closer. When the storm got over our house, the thunder was so loud, it made the windows rattle. It was louder than I have ever heard thunder before. The funny thing was, the louder it got, the calmer I felt. Finally I said, “Well… God is angry now, so I don’t have to be angry anymore.” I turned over, closed my eyes, and fell into a deep sleep despite the loud thunder outside.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Let go and trust God.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

PSALM 91 ~ PERSONALIZED

I edited Psalm 91, by making the pronouns more of the first person… changing the “you” statements to “I” to make it personalized like a confession. Here goes:

The one who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover me with His feathers, and under His wings I will take refuge; His truth shall be my shield and buckler. I shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand; but it shall not come near me. Only with my eyes shall I look, and see the reward of the wicked. Because I’ve made the LORD Most High my refuge, and my dwelling place, no evil shall befall me, nor shall any plague come near my dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over me, to keep me in all my ways. In their hands they shall bear me up, lest I dash my foot against a stone. I shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent I shall trample underfoot.”

The Lord says of the faithful, “Because they have set their love upon Me, therefore I will deliver them; I will set them on high, because they have known My name. They shall call upon Me, and I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble; I will deliver them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them My salvation.”

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

INAUGURATION DAY PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we submit this prayer to You for this next Whitehouse cabinet and for this nation. We pray that You will cause the President to submit to Your leadership on behalf of our country — and let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray for Your compassion, to remember the law-abiding and hard-working citizens of this country, knowing that many of us are faithful Christians.

Please don’t allow anyone serving in the Whitehouse nor in Congress to destroy our democracy. Cause them to serve the common welfare of all citizens, not any other far left or right-wing extremists. Let them use their authority to benefit the citizens of this country.

We pray You will give us God fearing politicians that have our country’s best interest at heart. Grant them the wisdom to advise the President in the best course of action he should take.

It is written in Your word, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”

Father, let Your sovereignty stand and reign supreme over our country… You be the guide for the direction of this country, and may Your sovereignty rule in every way. Please don’t let democracy be destroyed. We pray for balanced judgment that upholds the Constitution of the United States.

May we never lose sight of the fact that our hope is in You, Lord. One day, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that You are Lord. You’re our only hope, and into Your faithful hands we commit our future as a nation, and as Your people. Let Your good and perfect will be done for the citizens of the United States of America. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.🙏

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

RECOVER YOUR FIRST LOVE

Jesus said to the church of Ephesus that they had left their first love. They had somehow lost their zeal for the Lord. Sometimes the cares of this world, disappointments, life’s pressures, and attractions can lure our attention away from Him. Distractions and conflicts can rob us of time to dive deeper into the word of God and grow from it.

Jesus said to the believers in the Ephesus church, that they were to remember when God first awakened their souls, and where they had lost that connection with the Lord, and return to Him. Re-ignite that fresh fire and walk in His love and anointing once again.

The prodigal son’s father watched and waited patiently for his son to come home. Our heavenly Father’s love is constant, patient, and welcoming. When the prodigal son was still a great way off, his father saw him and had great compassion for him. He ran down the road to meet him and fell on his neck and hugged and kissed his beloved son. He threw a welcome home party and they celebrated the homecoming.

Luke 10:27 (NKJV) You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.

Don’t let that flame go out!

Don’t let your love grow cold.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

COUNT IT ALL JOY

I’ve always hated that “count it all joy” Scripture, because who can be broken and joyful at the same time?

James 1:2 (NKJV) My brethren,
count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

The Lord saw my struggle and changed me. Long story short, my perspective has changed for why the Lord permits and orchestrates various trials. RESILIENCE! He’s building resilience! He’s downloading what’s needed to sustain us in what He’s calling us to do ultimately. You can’t use an app, unless you first download the app and configure the settings. Soldiers never go to battle until they have first gone through the basic training of Boot Camp.

“Count it all joy” means to develop a perspective that weighs why God might be permitting the trial in the first place. Try looking at it from His perspective. It doesn’t mean He expects us to go skipping down the road while we’re suffering.

Jesus endured the cross. It was no skipping down the road experience. As they led Him up to Golgotha, a Cyrenian named Simon had to help Jesus bear His cross. Jesus wasn’t skipping down the road, but Scripture says that for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2). He endured as He held tight to the outcome of His suffering.

There’s a line out of the movie Shawshank Redemption where Red says, “Andy Dufresne… crawled through a river of dung and came out clean on the other side.” Count it all joy.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

SIR CROWS A LOT

Sir Crows A Lot

Our neighbors that live across the alley behind us has a rooster whom I call, Sir Crows A Lot. He doesn’t just give the early morning cock-a-doodle-doo, he goes at it all day long.  Just now, I was in the kitchen preparing to boil an egg for breakfast. Ironically, I heard the rooster but at the same time I seem to pay him no mind at all. It was like I heard him, but I didn’t hear him. All of a sudden it dawned on me that the Lord has delivered me from being irritated by Sir Crows A Lot. Even though he’s still there, I was paying him no mind at all.

I wished I had learned this 40 years ago when I was letting crows-a-lot co-workers get on my very last nerve. Paying them no mind would’ve gotten me through a lot of tough days.

Ephesians 3:20 (Amplified Bible) Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super-abundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest thoughts, desires, prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us.

Colossians 3:15 (NKJV) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

"What rooster?" 🐓

"What irritating co-worker?" 😖

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

DRAW NEAR TO GOD

I used to have a Rottweiler named Freddie. He loved playing Fetch Football. Whenever I neglected playing with him, he would pace back and forth in front of the sliding glass door with his football in his mouth. He needed me, and I could not resist. I always went out and gave him the attention he craved for… and a hunk of cheese afterward.

James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Trust me, He can’t resist either. Show Him you need Him, and He will surely come.

Luke 11:13 (NKJV) “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Pastor Dharius Morshun Daniels

I kept seeing this video of a preacher scrolling through my feed saying, “Rent’s due!!!” I thought he was asking us to send him an offering because the rent was due. After seeing this for several days, the light bulb finally went on. He’s in the gym working out because he is trying to be a good steward of the temple of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul said in 1Cor. 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”

Scripture said that we are not our own, but bought with a price. If you’re renting a building that’s owned by someone else, you should try not to violate the standards, but be a good steward and custodian of the property. As keepers of our temples, let’s make sure we’re not letting it deteriorate and wear down. Take good care of your body. Jesus showed His love for us by enduring the crucifixion and paying a heavy price to redeem us.

It is required in stewards, that one be found faithful. (1Cor. 4:2)

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

FAITH IS NOT WISHING BUT KNOWING

I spent years offended with God because my prayers were not being answered, until I finally got the revelation that my faith was questionable. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” So if you don’t think God will answer your prayer, it won’t get answered. If you’re praying for deliverance, but your faith is unsure you'll be delivered, deliverance won't come. Believe it before you see it and it will come to pass. Jesus said, "Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

If you're praying for healing, start confessing that you're healed even if the symptoms are still there. If doubt makes a call, hit decline.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove

THAT WOMAN IN THE MIRROR

I must confess that I did not vote for president-elect Donald Trump, and I have had many negative thoughts and conversations about him. The morning after New Year’s, I was standing in the bathroom getting cleaned up when Michael Jackson’s song fell into my spirit, as I stared at myself in the mirror.

Man In The Mirror (Lyrics):

I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could’ve been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself, then make a change

The apostle Paul told Timothy to pray, and make intercessions for all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life (1Tim. 2:1-2). Talking negatively about him behind his back was not God’s will and He got me straight on that. But what I need to do, is hit the decline button when negative thoughts pop up, then whisper a prayer for the power of God to control those functioning in government. Forgive me Lord!

Proverbs 21:1 (NKJV) The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

To God be the glory.

Dee Richardson, Voice of the Dove