The Day Satan Was Kicked Out

Introduction to The Gap Theory

Between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2, something catastrophic happened. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The next verse says, “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

The images of chaos, disaster, darkness and devastation says something occurred between verses 1 and 2 that is not recorded there. What happened in the gap of Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 that caused the earth to become without form, and void of inhabitants?

As a result of God’s fierce anger, Satan got kicked out of heaven, that’s what happened. He hit earth at the speed of lightning, and with such force, that it became without form and void.

God Saw That It Was Good

During creation week described in Genesis 1:3 through 1:31, everything God created, He saw that it was good. God did not move forward in the creation process till He confirmed what He had just completed was good.

The first thing God did in this re-formation process was to establish light in the physical darkness, because He is light, and it represents His presence. He called out light and saw that it was good. He divided the already existing waters of earth from the clouds. He separated already existing seas and dry land and saw that it was good. He made grass and vegetation and saw that it was good. He made the sun, moon and the stars and saw that it was good. He made all the sea creatures, and every living thing that moves, and the birds, and saw that it was good. He made all animal life, both walking and creeping and saw that it was good. Then God looked at everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good (Genesis 1:31).

God did not create the heavens and the earth and then leave it in a state of chaos… empty and dark. Everything God created, He saw that it was good. It is written by the prophet Isaiah that earth was created to be inhabited, not to be formless and empty.

For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:18)

The Original Creation in The Beginning

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2)

The heavens and the earth were perfect in the beginning, until it somehow became without form and void.

I believe there was an original creation that took place in the beginning, and also a reformation of creation after something happened that put it in a state of chaos. Both times, I believe that God used six days to complete the task of making and re-making heaven and earth.

Matter is not eternal. Without any pre-existing material God brought the earth and all matter into existence.

All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made. (John 1:3)

Before time began, the Word (who is the pre-incarnate Christ Jesus) was already in existence. He is eternal. He is a part of God. He was in the bosom of the Father. He was involved in the creationary process. He became flesh and blood through the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary.

In a conversation that God had with Job from the land of Uz, He gives a meticulous account of the earth’s creation to include the angels singing and rejoicing at its wonderful splendor. They did not shout for joy over something that was without form and void. When God laid the foundations of earth, He took careful measurements placing it in perfect alignment in the solar system. There was nothing left to chance, He used wisdom to create everything.

“Job, where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7)

You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. (Heb. 1:10)

He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and stretched out the heaven by His understanding. (Jer. 51:15)

The original creation in Genesis 1:1 was a place where dinosaurs lived. What ever fossils scientists have found that date back millions of years, I believe, did exist on earth prior to the devastation.

Lucifer in The Beginning

Prior to Satan’s fall, his name was Lucifer which means Day Star - Son of the Morning. He was one of God’s three archangels. He was in a place called Eden, the garden of God but this was not the same Garden of Eden that was the home of Adam and Eve. This place existed many, many millions of years before Adam and Eve… maybe even before time began. God created Lucifer, and of course, He saw that it was good. Everything was created by God, including the devil. Lucifer was perfect at his creation, and beautiful in appearance, probably the most beautiful angel God ever created. The prophet Ezekiel describes how majestic he was, using the king of Tyrus as a backdrop.

Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.’” (Ezekiel 28:12-15)

Lucifer’s Downfall

Lucifer became filled with pride because of his beauty. Lucifer said he would exalt his throne above the stars of God. I’m sure that means all the other angels. Angels are often referred to as stars. In God’s fierce anger (Jer. 4:26), Satan was cast out of heaven and his beauty was destroyed. The eternal Word, (Jesus pre-incarnate) said He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. He was no longer Lucifer (son of the morning), but he was now Satan (the adversary). He no longer held any authority in God’s angelic kingdom. Satan along with a third of the heavenly beings are now adversaries who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom they may devour.

And He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. (Luke 10:18)

Jesus (the Word pre-incarnate) saw Satan’s forceful eviction from heaven (the seat of authority). This doesn’t mean that Satan had no further access to heaven, for other Scriptures clearly indicate that Satan maintained this access even after his fall (Job 1:6, 2:1). However, Ezekiel 28:18 indicates that Satan was absolutely and completely cast out of God’s heavenly government and his place of authority.

You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your trading; therefore I brought fire from your midst; it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. (Ezek. 28:18)

The Triumph Over Evil

When the 70 appointed disciples returned from ministry, they enthusiastically told that the demons were subject to them in Jesus’s name. But Jesus was not surprised nor impressed. He remembers the demise of Satan’s authority and power. He gives this authority over the enemy to His disciples to trample on him and rise above any means which the enemy would use to hurt them.

Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:19)

No weapons formed against us shall prosper. The enemy has been disarmed and rendered powerless under the mighty name of Jesus.

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (the cross). (Colossians 2:15)

So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” (Revelation 12:9-12)

Bibliography

Holy Bible, The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version.  Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 1997, 2011, 2012.  Scripture from any Thomas Nelson Bible translation may be quoted in any form up to 500 verses or less without written permission.

The King James Version Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc. 1994.

It Coulda Been Me

Early Saturday morning I went online to check the results of the lottery ticket my husband bought us. Before I was able to get to the website, I got to thinking about a time when I was broke and being evicted from my apartment.

I had found a women's shelter that would take me in. They told me to be there first thing the next morning. They only had one bed left and they promised it to me.

When I arrived they had given my bed to someone else. I was very upset and didn't know what to do.

The lady in the front office suggested I speak with her colleague who might be able to help. He met with me but was clearly annoyed by the intrusion first thing in the morning without an appointment. He made no effort to cover up his frustration.

I prayed!

Against his own will, this young man went to great lengths to get me the assistance I needed. I got two months of paid rent to avoid the eviction and six months of food stamps. This gave me time to get on my feet and move on.

As I sat in our living room recalling the experience, I remembered a song written by Walter Hawkins that our choir used to sing many, many years ago.

Wanna hear it? Here it goes...

Tragedies are common place

All kinds of diseases, people are slipping away

Economy's down, people can't get enough pay

But as for me, all I can say is

Thank You Lord for all You've done for me.

Folks without homes, living out in the streets

And the drug habits some say, they just can't beat

Muggers and robbers, no place seems to be safe

But You've been my protection every step of the way

And I want to say

Thank You Lord for all You've done for me.

It could've been me

Outdoors

No food

No clothes

Or left alone

Without one friend

Or just another number

With a tragic end

But You didn't see fit to let none of these things be

And everyday by Your power

You keep on keeping me

And I want to say

Thank You Lord for all You've done for me.

I wanna thank You for Your for love

Thank You for Your power

Thank You for protection

Every hour

I want to thank You for mercy

Wanna thank You for so much grace

Thank You for holding me

Thank You for loving me

Thank You for keeping me

Thank You for leading me

Thank You for guiding me

Thank You for protecting me

Where would I go?

No place to sleep

But You made a way for me

I want to say thank You

I could have been lost

In my sin

But You quickened my heart

And You brought me in.

Thank You for picking me up

Thank You for turning me around

Thank You for placing my feet

On solid ground.

I want to say thank you

Early in the morning

Brand new mercies I see

Thank you Lord for all You've done for me.

As I sang the song in my head, tears flooded my face. It could 've been me on the street, but God is faithful and didn't see fit to let it be.

As we struggle through this pandemic, tragedies are definitely commonplace. Somehow in the midst of it all, I remembered this testimony of God's faithfulness to me.

As a way to pay it forward, I sometimes volunteer to feed the homeless at The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center aka The Stewpot.

Well, we didn't hit the lottery this time, but I thank You Lord for all You've done for me. Amen.

Let's Sing

I woke up this morning singing...

Father, Father, Father we praise You!
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus we love You!
Holy Spirit, yes! We adore You!
Yes we do!

Then the first devotional I read was about singing and how music helps us through hard times. The closing prayer was...

Father, I thank You that Your mercies are new every morning and Your faithfulness is great. Empower me to sing the song of Your great love—even when I must sing it through my tears.

My ending to this prayer is...

Father, help me remember Your character is love and that You still love me even when my life is in turmoil. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. Amen.

Blessed Assurance - Jesus Is Mine

Jesus was greatly misunderstood as He ministered to the people. He told the people that you must eat My flesh and drink My blood and at the last day I'll raise you up. They did not know He was speaking in a spiritual sense. They thought He was speaking of cannibalism, and He did not make the correction.

Many of His disciples turned and walked away and did not follow Him anymore. Jesus asked the 12 disciples, "Do you also want to go away? Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." This did not mitigate their confusion but they knew in their hearts that they did not want to walk away. Jesus spoke figuratively and it confused even His closest disciples. But they did not walk away from Him.

Apostle John wrote, much later, that they went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have no doubt continued with us. When false believers walked away they revealed that they did not belong to the Christian community. They were never true believers in the first place.

Jesus said to His disciples, "You did not choose Me, but I chose and appointed you." He also prayed over  the twelve saying, "Those whom You gave Me I have kept, and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled." So even though the disciples were very confused at times, they were being spiritually kept and could not turn their backs on the Lord.

I also experienced this when I up and decided to break up with the Lord because we could not see eye to eye. I got down on my knees to pray my good-bye prayer, and when I had said all I wanted to say, I got up to walk away and collapsed back down on my knees in a heap of wailing as never before seen. I could not do it, in the same way that Jesus's disciples were being kept, I couldn't walk away from Eternal Life.

As Christians, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. This impartation is called anointing. It joins us to the Anointed One and we share in His anointing.

There are those falsely professing Christ that don't share in His anointing. Of these people in the last day Jesus will say to them, "I never knew you. Depart from Me."

But of those who ate of His flesh and drank of His blood, they will have everlasting life, just as He said. We are kept by the power of His anointing. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand."

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine 

O what a foretaste of glory divine 

Heir of salvation, purchase of God 

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood 

Perfect submission, all is at rest 

I in my Savior am happy and blessed 

Watching and waiting, looking above 

Filled with His goodness, lost in His love 

This is my story, this is my song 

Praising my Savior all the day long 

This is my story, this is my song 

Praising my Savior all the day long 

Blessed Assurance by Third Day

The Story of My Life

Psalm 139:16 (NLT) You saw me before I was born. Everyday of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

God IS done writing our story, but He is certainly not done carrying it out. This is not how our story ends.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Sermon Excerpt from Talbert Swan:

God exercises rule and providential authority over the affairs of our lives. So if He allows us to get to this point, He also has a strategy for getting us through it.

God is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Beginning and the End. That means when God started, He was already at the end looking at Himself start. God does not wait for you to get into trouble to react to what the enemy is doing. God started at the end of your life and backed up, saw you would need a way out of no way, and put it in there. Backed up again, saw you would need healing, and put it in there. Backed up again, saw your child would be strung out needing deliverance, and put that in there. Then when He had backed all the way to the beginning of your life, He said, "Now start."

Your life to God is like Gilligan's Island. It's just a rerun. He has already been there and done that... already worked it out.

Keep your head up, looking toward Heaven. This is where our help comes from.

Numbers 6:24-26 (NLT)

May the LORD bless you

and protect you.

May the LORD smile on you

and be gracious to you.

May the LORD show you His favor

and give you His peace.

Amen.

Unanswered Prayers

Lately I have been seeking the Lord about my unanswered prayers, because it seems like I am starting to lose faith in praying because of the multitude of unanswered ones piling up.

A long time ago I came across a poem that still blesses me to this day.

God's Rebuke

📜 Job 26:11 NKJV

The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at His rebuke.

📜 Isa. 50:2 NKJV
Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink because there is no water, and die of thirst.

📜 Ps. 106:9 NKJV
He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up; so He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

📜 Nahum 1:4 NKJV
He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and dries up all the rivers.

Satan, the LORD rebuke you!

He Loves Me

Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)

The LORD your God in your midst,

the Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing.

When I woke up this morning I grabbed my phone and took it with me to the restroom, intending to play music while I washed up.

Coincidentally, the song next up in the que was I Feel You Moving by Bishop Paul S. Morton. As the song played I knew it was no coincidence that that particular song played first on this particular day.

I have been struggling and praying about my attitude toward a couple of people and I do need the Lord to move in me to help me love them.

The prophet Zephaniah said, "He will quiet my spirit with His love and rejoice over me with singing."

In my morning devotional, the author talked about a photo she received in which both her parents sat gazing lovingly at her.

This is how our Heavenly Father sees us. I am struggling in my attitude towards others, yet His love towards me is still alive and flourishing.

In all these things we're more than conquerors through Him who loved us... and loves us still.

The Journey to Maturity

Not too long ago I confessed to the Lord that I was having a hard time praying for growth because I know that entails some kind of a trial in order for development to occur. Who wants to spend their whole life going through trial after trial? Life is already hard enough.

Then, the other day I was playing a word game on my device and I sensed the Holy Spirit leading me and giving me insight regarding the next move. I had an aha-moment. The Lord was teaching me how to sense His leading by using this word game. If I become continually aware of His presence, He does not have to permit trials only, to teach me.

So often we are scurrying through life unaware of the Lord's presence that we miss His signals altogether. When I received the signal from the Holy Spirit, concerning the word I was looking for, all He showed me was the letter C. When I stopped to notice that letter, it was then that I saw the whole word... N-I-C-E.  He didn't show me the whole word till I stopped to acknowledge His signal. It is the same in life, when we stop scurrying and acknowledge His signal, He can reveal more of the picture.

If I continue to exercise and hone that gentle tug from the Holy Spirit, eventually it will become second nature. If I keep my eyes and ears attuned to Him all the time, life's lessons don't always have to come in the form of a trial.

It is true that the testing of our faith builds endurance, but I no longer have to dread praying for maturity. We can't stay babes forever and we don't have to dread the journey to maturity either.

Hebrews 5:14 (NKJV) Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Offended at God

I noticed that I seem to have an overwhelming concern when I think I have offended anyone. Though I pride myself on the fact that I follow the Golden Rule in my everday life - while driving in traffic, on the job, in the fast food line, at the bank, in the grocery store, and in my home. I am always mindful of how my actions are effecting others. Yet when others seem to disapprove of my actions, and my well intended behavior, I am laying awake worried about it.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This has been my life's mantra since I can remember, even before I knew it was a Bible verse, I lived by it. But even on my best day when I think I am being my wonderful self, someone is likely to be offended by something I did or said. Why do I allow that to bother me?

I heard Marilyn Hickey say a long time ago, "I love people, and people love me." This was her way of combating the haters. I think people love me too, certainly to know me is to love me. To understand me is even better. Instead of being offended, the offended will say, "I know Dee's heart and she would never intentionally hurt anyone."

Well lately, I have been offended at God, wondering how He can seemingly sit on His throne and allow evil people to treat others so badly and get away with it. I questioned His justice, and His love. If He can see an innocent person being brutally mistreated and not dispatch a warrior angel to help them, how dwelleth the love of God in Himself, to see one in desperate need and not come to the rescue? He expects us to obey Scripture that He Himself won't follow?

But honestly, I think it comes right back down to knowing the heart of God. In the same way that  I can offend someone on my best day, because they misunderstood my intentions, it is the same here. We misunderstand the heart of God and see Him as apathetic and unconcerned when He doesn't respond the way we thought He should in any given situation. We know He has the power and resources to put a  stop to evil but He won't.

I saw a homeless man sitting outside the post office on a  bitterly cold day. I didn't have any cash on me, and my heart was saddened. Even after I drove away from him, I kept apologizing to the Lord for not helping  this man. To the naked eye it looks like I didn't care enough about him to do anything, but I didn't have anything. I know that I am a wonderful person and I love me, and my neighbor as myself. I cannot help that others misunderstand me and are offended by my good behavior.

God is good all of the time, and all of the time God is still good. His behavior is just, and right, and fair. We must trust in the heart of God that He has our best interest at heart, even when it appears otherwise.

The people of Jesus's hometown were offended at Him, and He could do no mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief.

I am believing God for some mighty works of my own and can ill afford to be offended by His actions and His  decisions. This is hindering my prayers. I must trust the heart of God, when I fail to see His hand in my situation.

Check out Our God Is Good by Brian Courtney Wilson. Download, and put it on repeat.

God bless you. 🙂

The Heavenly Father's Loving-kindness

I was watching an episode of All In The Family about where Michael Stivic had appendicitis and needed surgery.  He and his wife Gloria were trying to figure out how they were going to pay for it while he kept getting progressively worse by the minute.

Gloria’s father, Archie Bunker and her husband, Michael never really got along that well.  The only reason he approved of the marriage was because he thought he might lose his “Little Girl” forever if he didn’t.  While Michael was in the bathroom throwing up, Archie told Gloria that he would pay for the surgery and they could pay him back whenever they were able.

This act of kindness touched Gloria’s heart very deeply because she knew how Archie felt about her husband.

This reminded me of what Jesus said of our Heavenly Father, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matt 7:11)

And… before you let the devil win, go back and pray again.

Don't Limit My Abilities

I was watching an old rerun of Match Game, and a new contestant was being introduced.  The host asked her to tell us something about herself.  She said she was in school to become a Medical Illustrator.  To look at her outward appearance, she did not necessarily look the part of someone you'd think would choose that profession.

The host looked confused.  He said to her, "You know, that is not an easy profession.  Have you thought about this carefully?"  The young lady did not skip a beat, she said, "I am going to be the best Medical Illustrator."

I must admit, I too had also judged based on her appearance, that she was fooling herself thinking she could compete in that field.  This lady was confident and I bet she went on to become exactly what she set out to be.  The host (and me) measured her possibilities based on what we saw.

When the Lord told the prophet Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel, He sent Samuel to Jesse's house stating that He would indicate to Samuel which one of his sons was anointed to be the next king.  When Samuel saw the first son Eliab, he knew he must be the one.  He must have looked stately, dignified and kingly.  But the Lord spoke to Samuel and said not to look on his physical stature because He had refused Eliab. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Seven of Jesse's sons passed before the prophet Samuel, but God had not chosen any of them.  Samuel asked if these were all his sons and Jesse said, "Well, there is my youngest son David."  When he brought all his sons to appear before the prophet, it never occurred to Jesse that it could possibly be David that would be chosen to reign as king over Israel.

Even Jesus was rejected by those in his hometown of Nazareth.  When His wisdom and miracles were on display there, they dismissed Him as just being one of Joseph's and Mary's sons.  Jesus marveled at their unbelief.

I have learned not to speak of my aspirations to Negative Ninnies, because they will soon find a reason why your bright ideas will never work.  But I believe they simply don't know the God I serve, and His power to do the impossible. Dream in private. Let God expose you publicly.

We should never let anyone tell us what we cannot do, especially if they have never done it.  They don't know what is possible for you.  With God, all things are possible.
 
Don't let the attractiveness of playing it safe draw you in either, lest you limit your own self.
 
I don't think that game show host meant to deflate the contestant's spirit on purpose, or disrespect her on national TV, but I must give it to her, she was ready to defend her lofty dreams at a moment's notice.
 
"Somebody said that it couldn't be done, but he with a chuckle replied that maybe it couldn't, but he would be one who wouldn't say so till he'd tried. So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin on his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing as he tackled the thing that couldn't be done, and he did it."  >>Edgar Guest

Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. 1 Peter 3:15

Who Is My Neighbor?

Jesus told a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a Samaritan (whom the Jews despised) came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the Jew on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The Bible scholar replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Love thy neighbor as thyself, including:

• the one across the street with the incessantly barking dog

• the ones that barrels down my street as if they're on a drag strip

• my self-centered coworkers with a poor work ethic

• the less than caring customer service rep that did not resolve my problem

• the lazy courier who did not properly deliver my packages

• the family member who would not receive my gift

• the friend who tried to talk me into doing what I didn't want to do

• the homeless man who will not work but waits on the street corner for me to come by

Heavenly Father,

Help me to live a life of love for You, with all of my heart, and love for my neighbor as myself, whoever that neighbor might happen to be. I cannot do this on my own but in You I am strong and able to pull off anything. You enable me to do exceedingly, and abundantly, far over and beyond what I can do in my own strength and willpower. When people are not nice, I ask You to help me love them anyways. When people are being inconsiderate, let Your love for them shine through me, and help me to let my guard down so that You may shine even brighter. Let Your love in me, hide the faults in them. Let me be an example to the believer and to the unbeliever in word, in conduct, in faith, in purity, and in love. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Hotter Than Fish Grease

I was boiling some eggs, one time, and a close friend called me to meet her for drinks. Immediately, I grabbed my purse and ran out the door, forgetting that the eggs were still boiling. When I got back the pot had boiled dry and eggs exploded all over the kitchen. There was egg debris everywhere… ceiling, walls, and floor. Weeks later I was still finding shards of eggs hidden in and around kitchen appliances.

I can’t explain the science behind it, but I know that it has something to do with the inner temperature of the egg releasing explosively.

I give this example because something very similar happened to me this week. I am the egg that boiled dry and exploded all over my coworker.

I have worked with this individual for about a year. I know she is self-centered and I have fallen victim to her antics many times. But what I’ve been doing in the name of keeping the peace is going-along-to-get-along. I never confronted her antics, I just figured a way to get around them to keep on track with my assignments. But inside, my animosity toward her was building like steam in a pressure cooker. For a whole year I fumed inside, without any steam being released, and then Thursday morning… the explosion.

As another coworker put it, “I was hotter than fish grease!”

I found out the hard way that this kind of pinned up anger is not healthy and is like a pressure cooker ready to explode. You think you’re keeping the peace by not making waves but the person in chaos is you.

Banish bitterness, rage and anger, shouting and slander, and any and all malicious thoughts—these are poisonous. However...

Not all anger is a sin…

When Jesus had made a whip of cords, He drove all the money changers out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the money changers’ loot and overturned their tables.

When you’re angry, don’t let it carry you into sin. Don’t let the sun set with anger in your heart or give the devil room to work.

Give the Holy Spirit space to keep you at peace. Don’t give that space to any other.

Black Church and White Evangelicals

I don’t like President Donald Trump. I think he’s a racist. Furthermore, it pains me that our White Christian brothers and sisters support him – a known racist. How can we assemble together and worship comfortably when preachers are praising the president from the podium to our detriment? It makes me want to sink under the pew. How can they support this man that is prejudiced toward their African American brothers and sisters? I have read that this is separating multi-racial churches because the African Americans are feeling dejected by our White brothers and sisters.

How can we worship side by side with those that demean how racists make us feel as they spew their hateful words towards us? To me, it seems like they are not walking this journey with us and are unconcerned about how it is affecting us.

Pastor Robert Morris (a White pastor) at Gateway Church said that this is because we are not looking at the situation with the same perspective.

I may be wrong, but this could be the falling away that the Apostle Paul spoke of that precedes the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church is separating and falling away from one another.

The president could not openly renounce the KKK. Yet our sisters and brothers in Christ enthusiastically support him, no matter what, and no matter how detrimental it is to other church members. When we hear “Make America Great Again”, we believe he is actually saying, “Make America White Again” by taking us back to the 50s and 60s. Trump openly praised white supremacists having a protest march, but he severely criticized our brothers for taking a knee in protest at football games.

During the presidential campaign, there was a lot of talk about how the evangelicals were in support of Donald Trump. From that point on I did not want to be labeled an evangelical anymore. But when I looked up the word evangelical, it actually describes who I am as a believer and the values I stand for. Yet, I don’t want to be identified with those that supports Trump. I take issue with their value system that they continue to excuse his behavior and prophesy that he is a man sent by God to the White House. Does God hate Blacks? No.

Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church here in Downtown Dallas said the following: “Evangelicals still believe in the commandment: Thou shalt not have sex with a porn star, however, whether this president violated that commandment or not is totally irrelevant to our support of him. Evangelicals knew they weren’t voting for an altar boy when they voted for Donald Trump.”

And… nothing he can do or say about us African Americans will change their minds about him.

True, Jesus said of the woman caught in the very act of adultery, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” I know I have no stones to throw at Donald Trump or anyone else – as much as I have been forgiven for. The difference in Donald Trump and the adulteress is that she went away cleansed, and to do that sin no more.

Donald Trump said that NFL owners should fire African American football players that kneel during the anthem. Nobody seemed to care why we were protesting, and our stake in this thing, they just want us out of the way. Any attempt on our part to peacefully protest and petition the government for a re-dress of grievances, makes us look like the divisive bad guys.

White evangelical families are not the ones losing loved ones to trigger happy police officers. Perhaps if they saw it from our point of view, we might not look so divisive.

I read an article where an African American woman attending a predominantly White church was addressed as divisive because she brought up the young African American teen Trayvon Martin that was killed by George Zimmerman for walking through his apartment complex wearing a hoodie. They had not even heard of Trayvon Martin. Once again, they don’t see this from our point of view.

In Revelation 7:9 the church in heaven is described as a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, people, and tongues standing before the throne of Christ. It is sad that we are so separated down here, and we cannot assemble together down here in that way.

I live in a neighborhood that is about 50% Hispanic. I recently noticed that I was feeling resentful of them. All the businesses in our immediate area cater to them… the grocery stores, salons, and restaurants. I have to go outside of my neighborhood or order online to get the things I want and need. The Holy Spirit convicted me of that and even with that knowledge, it is taking me some time and prayers to shake off my resentment. I don’t want to think I’m a racist because one of my very good friends Maria is Hispanic, but I’ll admit that my love is not pure. If it was, I would not have negative thoughts toward my neighbors, or stereotype them as I do.

Jesus said, “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

We all have the right to choose our political party. It is my opinion that neither side (Democrats or Republicans) are 100% lining up with the word of God. If we choose Republicans because they are pro-life, they fail to treat the poor as Scripture commands. If we choose Democrats because they support the poor and needy, they are pro-choice and support abortions. Neither side is perfect, obviously.

I have a close friend Rhonda, that just happens to be a White evangelical, who supports Donald Trump. Two weeks after his inauguration, her post on Facebook said, “I wished people would stop rioting and hurting people who voted for President Trump. He’s only been in office a few weeks, he needs our prayers, not opposition.” Because I love her, I had to take a closer look at the woman in the mirror. Am I not praying enough for this president? Did God hear the prayers I have already sent up for him? Is unforgiveness hindering my prayers?

I have seen photos of ministers in the Oval Office laying hands on President Trump and praying over him. Were their prayers heard by God? Most of all, I do not want a falling away to come between me and Rhonda because of my dislike for this man.

Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward have you?” He encouraged us to love our enemies. He admonished us to bless those who curse us and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us.

So, here is where I stand today, confessing that my heart needs a transformation, that I may put off  this old woman and put on the new woman – and be renewed in my mind and in my spirit – and that I may grow and develop in His likeness and be that Christian walking in the light as Christ is in the light.

Father, forgive me. I pray Your blessing upon the church that we will band together and love one another as Jesus had prayed to You in the 17^th chapter of John. With all my love for You, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.