More Glory! If I pay the price...

The Lord has been telling me to spend more time with him again.  He wants me to drop all the other good stuff and just spend time with him alone.  My family has been through this before so they are used to it, Thank God.  For all my friends that I should be calling this article will have to suffice for now.

I was asking the Lord why we are not seeing the breakthroughs we've been praying for and the Lord told me to get more control over my mouth.  I have been learning about slander but I never realized how common slurring people has become in our society.

A slur can be a number of things: an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo or  words that have a shaming or degrading effect.  It can also mean to cast aspersions on someone or to depreciate a person's value.

The sad thing is that it's so easy to do, especially with family members.  Most of the time people don't realize they are doing it.  They have a stronghold of complaining and it leads to slurring their loved ones.

I asked the Lord what happens when I slur someone and the Lord showed me how my slurring someone puts a grey fog around them in the spirit realm so that the blessings of God are blocked and they have a hard time hearing God.  That woke me up!  Slurring by a Christian is tantamount to cursing them, plain and simple.

Now you do that to your husband, son or daughter once a day and you've blocked the blessings of God on them. The devil has used your mouth to stop God's kingdom from advancing.

This is serious stuff!  I need to get a better grip on my mouth and what I speak about!
I've been asking the Lord to help me recognize when this happens so I can repent out loud and get the person I'm talking to to agree with me for blessing our loved ones instead.  After all, it's only by God's grace that I am not doing ten times worse than them!

If complaining was all it took to stop the Israelies from entering their promised land, what makes me think that I will be able to keep complaining and enter my promised land?

Now you all know me and you know I've been working on my mouth.  This post is not meant to be hard on you but more of a self-confession so that you don't make the same mistakes as I have, lol.   If I can save you some pain or grief then I am all for it.

Here are some confessions that I've been renewing my mind with:

Lord, please give me more fear of You so I won't want to sin against you.  I know that the reverential fear of you leads to life. (ref. Prov. 19:23)

Thank You Lord  that the reverential fear of you is Life and that he/she who has it will rest untouched by evil. (Prov. 19:23 NEB)

Thank You Lord helping me to recognize when I am complaining or slurring someone.  I want to live by your standard, not the world's standard.

Thank You Lord for helping me to hate sin the way you do so that I won't want any part of it.  Show me how much you love my family members and the people I would tend to slur; politicians, bosses, leaders, pastors, etc., etc.  I choose to speak blessings over them instead, on purpose!

I am going to end with Psalm 15.  It's a special psalm for those who want to live in God's presence.

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

¹ Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
    Who may live on your holy mountain?

² The one whose walk is blameless,
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth from their heart;
³ whose tongue utters no slander,
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;
⁴ who despises a vile person
    but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
    and does not change their mind;
⁵ who lends money to the poor without interest;
    who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things
    will never be shaken. (bold highlights are mine)

Bless you!

Brenda Gale Thompson
p.s.  If this has blessed you please share!

Slandered!

I'm sure as I write this, that it's happened to many of you.  You go to work one day and people are looking at you funny and asking strange questions.  You might not think anything of it till you get called into a meeting with managers, where they start grilling you on events gone by.

As you try to recollect the details of the events that transpired you have the sinking feeling in your gut that you have been slandered.  Your motives have been called into question.  It's a horrible feeling.  It can wreck your best day and cause many sleepless nights.

I am here to tell you that God is faithful.  If you will stick with God and determine not to become bitter or vengeful God will vindicate you.  He got me out of many nasty situations that the HR manager called 'a poisoned work environment'.  And praise the Lord, I never lost my job!

I was wondering how slander gets started and it's so sneaky.  It can start off with being disappointed and then you want to 'air' your feelings.  It can start with you wanting to manipulate a person, because of preconceived ideas of what you need them to do, so you feel comfortable or satisfied.  Most of the roots are fear based.  You start asking why and eventually you'll get to a fear based reason.

I hate fear because it's not from God.  So when I recognize it in my life I go after it to root it out.  Here are some scriptures I have been using to renew my mind  so I don't become the enemy's tool to destroy someone else.


Thank You Lord that I am wise because I don't utter slander.  (ref. Prov. 10:19)
Those who hide hatred with lying lips are fools, (Prov. 10:18).  Therefore I choose to forgive and You look after me. 

Thank You Lord that it's to a person's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. Prov. 20:3

Thank You Lord that the reverential fear of YOU if the beginning of wisdom!  I draw near and ask for more please.  (Ps. 111:10, Prov. 9:10)

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels, they go down to a man's inmost parts. (Prov. 26:22)
A gossip separates close friends. (Prov. 16:28)

Thank You Lord that though bosses sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. (Ps 119:23)

Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will pay for it. (Prov. 30:10 italics mine)

That's warning enough eh?  You'll pay for slandering others!  Lord have mercy on us and give us a great guard over our mouths and set watch over our lips so that we don't sin against You or others that You died for.  (Ps. 141:3) Amen.

Bless you today!
Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

P.S. If this has blessed you please share!

Learning...

Beautiful Lemon Sunflower

God's been good.  I have been learning some great life lessons and enjoying the journey.  (I just want to always be looking for the Sun(Son)! lol.

First new idea is that if I can't help the person directly then I shouldn't be talking about them.  The Bible has lots to say about 'slander'.  I couldn't believe how many scripture verses  I found!

Second new idea is that I should talk about Jesus until Holy Spirit tells me to be quiet.  Completely different perspective from most Christians especially at work.   I prayed for healing out loud  for someone at work that was a Christian and I could see that they were uncomfortable with it.

Another time I was sharing with someone higher up in the chain of command about how God told me to be careful in a situation and he remarked, "So you're a Christian?"  "YOU BET,"  I responded. Sad thing is he doesn't know that over half the people I work with are Christians,  they just don't talk about it.   Fear in it's various forms has caused them to take the easy way.... and the devil wins another round and we shame the one who suffered so much for us.

I don't know about you but I reckon myself dead to the flesh.... and any fear I discover I have,  I am working to eliminate.   I have overcome a few things and have a ways to go, but I'm going in the right direction!  I have found that it's easier to overcome  when I stay strong in  my Bible promises.

Third new idea  is that I am busy, so I have to make time to stay strong in the word.  I usually have about 40 minutes before I leave for work in the morning, so while I'm letting the dogs out and getting ready,  I've been turning on Dan Mohler on youtube and getting some good anointed word in me.   Good stuff.

Fourth  new idea is that business doesn't have to take you away from God's plan for your life.  It can force the decision making process, so that you pare away the things that don't really matter.  The choice is really up to you.

Holy Spirit has been helping me through some really busy weeks and my family and I aren't suffering and neither is my walk with the Lord.  Hallelujah!  Holy Spirit has been helping me to keep my priorities straight and I am so grateful!  I do not want to miss this end time move of God.  I want to be in it somehow, someway.

On that note, I am going to go sing the Lord a few songs and see what else he has to say before bed.
I Bless you  abundantly; physically, mentally, spiritually, financially, and relationally, in Jesus' name!

Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

Waiting Patiently, Muddy and All

 ¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
   out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
   and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
   a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
   and put their trust in him.
(Psalm 40:1-3 italics mine)

I love this Psalm because it is so encouraging.  The author has been in a slimy pit, in the mud and mire. Have you ever been in a slimy pit?  Maybe not a physical one, but how about a situation where no matter what you say people misunderstand you?  That's no fun for sure.

How about finding yourself in some mud or mire?    Maybe not physically but how about the gossip that people throw at you?  All the innuendos,  the slurs and slams behind your back.  It hurts and it sticks to you just like mud.

Have you ever been mired in a messy situation? You might not have done anything wrong except be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  These situations can weigh heavily on your mind and steal your peace, your joy and even your sleep.

This Psalm promises that if we will wait on the Lord, He will lift us out of the mire and put us on the rock.  That means so much to me because God does not change and He has exalted His word above all things. (Mal. 3:6, Ps. 138:2) He will lift us out of the mud and the mire (verse 2).

If we will wait on the Lord, muddy or not, He will make it right.  And while we are waiting, let's go after the  spirit of leviathan that causes people to misunderstand us and jump to wrong conclusions. Let's claim, clear, open communication without hidden agendas, in all our relationships and Let's ask for a great guard on our mouths and our lips.

Let's declare some good words: "Thank You Lord that Your words of love, grace, mercy and power flow through us all the time. Thank You Lord for camaraderie and mutual respect in all our relationships. Show us how to ask clarifying questions where there is opportunity for offense. Teach us to extend grace to all the people we meet.  Amen."

Verse three does come to pass.  He has put a New Song in my mouth every time I was in mud, mire or a pit.  He is faithful!  What He's done for me He will do for you! Hallelujah!

God is Serious

Well, I can't plead ignorance.  He's told me before.  I keep getting the word, "Don't complain about your brothers and sisters."  (ref. James 4:11)

I never realized how easy it is to gripe about the kids that don't listen, or the hubby that is tuned out.  It has been an awakening, that's for sure.

The Lord told me a simple solution.  He said that if I wouldn't say it to Him in prayer then I better not speak it at all.  Hmm, that's something to think about.  Even if I feel justified I better not start.

So thank You Lord for a greater grip on my tongue.  Set a watch over the door of my lips, Please.   (ref. Psalm 141:3)
I was also reminded of Psalm 15.  Since I want to dwell in His sanctuary and live on His Holy hill I better take note of the requirements...
Thank You Lord that there is no slander on my tongue. I want to be used by you.
Thank You that I do my neighbor no wrong and I don't cast slurs on my fellowman or woman. I hate a vile man but I honor those who fear the Lord.
Praise the Lord, I will never be shaken.  (ref. Psalm 15:1-5)

Holy Spirit is so happy now.  He really likes it when I share my bloopers with you all.  May you be blessed and encouraged to know that with Him all things are possible.  There is no condemnation in the Lord, just a process of becoming more and more like Him called sanctification.  (ref. Rom, 8:1, 1Thess. 5:23) As we notice some areas of our life that need changing He will help us find a promise to cut out the bad and replace it with good. "Through His glory and goodness He has given us His great and precious promises so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. ( ref. 2Pet. 1:3-4)  

I thank God that there is supernatural power  in each promise from the Bible to bring itself to pass in our lives. (ref. Isaiah 55:11)

Therefore, since He promised me I would be a rickshaw for His Glory I want to obey all His promptings. I don't want anything to hinder the flow of Holy Spirit in my life. "Your words of love, grace, mercy and power flow through me all the time," is part of a song I wrote.
I'll keep singing it and renewing my mind with His word.  It's a done deal with Holy Spirit!

Have a great weekend with HIM!
Big hugs,
Brenda Gale

What Grieves My Heart

It was a great prayer meeting. We praised and worshiped until we felt Holy Spirit's manifest presence then we stood in quiet silence while He touched our hearts. I love times like that. He knows how to heal the wounds of the day. We felt to pray for a lady that was going through a rough time and God gave me a word for her. Then the retired leader gave a word in tongues. I wasn't paying attention because He was talking to me and then somebody nudged me, "Interpret."

"Lord, what do I say?" I quickly asked... and I gave the interpretation. Holy Spirit confirmed the word, giving the lady a breakthrough and there were many tears and hugs. Hallelujah! To God be all the Glory.

As I was leaving a lady came up to me and said she felt to tell me something. I said okay and she waited till the people had left my side and started talking. She said she felt to warn me about a sister that I should not associate with, because she had an "inner trauma" that had not been dealt with and her gift might be used by the enemy. I
told her I would pray about it and left.

I departed and started praying immediately, because I felt offense trying to get in. "Maybe that's why my friend did that," I was thinking... after all, the lady that had warned me was a supposed "mature Christian." After a few hours of prayer I knew, but I knew, that my friend was just fine and this lady was being used by the devil to slander, gossip and hurt the body of Christ. Jealousy and pride had caused her to overstep her authority.

I told my Pastor what had happened and he told me to go confront this person. I'm praying about how to do this.

I know it's easier to be cautious about "warnings" like that, but I beg you to press into the Lord for His heart, before you go along with someone "who warns you about another Christian." I mean think about it... who's greater? If we are afraid to associate with someone because they might not be perfect yet, we will be alone forever. The last time I checked, we were all in the process of being sanctified.(Heb 10:14) If we believe that the devil is greater than God, Holy Spirit inside of us, shame on us! If His power can't keep us and protect us from ALL evil, then we need to renew our minds.(Rom 12:2-3)

We are entering an era where the acts of the apostles are going to be done again. We do not want to shut it down, in our midst by listening to the "warnings" of other people. Let's go test the fruit of that person's life, first.

P.S. I did a google image search on "slander" and it came up with many images of a person whispering in another person's ear and it also came up with a hangman's noose. If the world can figure out that slander is "death by words"... why can't the church?