My First Response

Last night I had a crazy dream. I have been having a few of them these days. This one involved friends of mine who were stuck in a part of the world that was being ripped apart by wind; a crazy kind of storm. For some reason in this dream we owned a plane and in the dream my children were in this plane and I was on the ground running behind them. I told you they are crazy dreams so much of what happens does not make sense. As the plane took off, I began praying and suddenly I witnessed this plane get stuck in the air as if the wind was keeping it in place. It could not go up or forward. In my dream I dropped to my knees and began praying over my children. I began praying the plane could just land safely. I prayed for what seemed a lifetime in my dream and at last the plane landed in almost the spot it had taken off and I ran to greet my children thanking God for saving them all. I called my friends and told them to go underground that the winds had reached us and we were doing the same. I told them to pray continually and that we would find each other after the storm.

Even though I pray, call out, beg, talk to and chuckle with God when I am awake on a constant basis, it still catches me by surprise that in these dreams my first response to all evils is to pray. It does tell us that what is in our heart will come out of our mouth. I can find no deeper truth to that than what one does in the midst of the subconscious in the dream world. My first response to while both awake and asleep is to call upon God for help. This morning while refreshing my mind with His word (a vital part of our armor), I read this:

I love the LORD because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! ~ (Psalm 116:1-2, NLT)

I know at times in life it seems as if the LORD is silent, that when we pray, we don't get what we want. I think we often forget that in the end all believers live eternally but in this world we all will face death. No one wants to die and everyone hates to see a loved one suffer. When these things take place often we listen to the father of lies and believe that God has forgotten us. That He doesn't care about what we care about. We get mad and ask, "Why?". While we don't get all the answers that we want here on earth, we will have them in the end. We must learn to trust in Him, knowing that He is both loving and faithful. To know this beyond a shadow of a doubt, we must seek to know Him. There is only one true way to get to know someone and that is to listen to their story. God's story, Christ's story can be found in the Bible.

I have listened to many people who have made the claim that they have read most of the Bible and they find it contradicts itself and it reveals a cruel or wrathful God. I encourage these people to pick up the Bible again once they have repented to God. I suggest that they pray for understanding.

One thing that the majority of the world overlooks is the truth that Satan is well versed in Scripture. He knows God's word and he had clouded man's mind against it. He has fueled man's desire to be their own gods and in this desire, they will never see the truth that is boldly proclaimed in God's word.

If you have a heart of stone, doing wrong, knowing it is wrong and not longing to change this type of behavior than you have yet to confess with your mouth your sins and repent with a Godly sorrow to your creator. Until you do this, don't expect that the story of the Bible should come to life for you. Your heart is not right before God and therefore your stronghold is not in Him, it is in the things of this world.

"What is a stronghold?" you may ask. In essence it is a fortified place, a fortress, a place of security. Your stronghold is either found in God or found in the false securities that this world provides. I pray for you that your stronghold is found in the God of Jacob as mentioned in Pslam 46.

To think that anyone could place their trust into something within this world is a crazy notion to me, especially in these days. When you look at Big Pharma and the prescriptions that are being filled, you come to realize that in the United States, we live in a world of uncertainty that has spawned anxiety and fear. When you place your trust firmly in God, understanding fully who He is and that He is faithful and loving and true, you don't walk in fear of what this world and mankind might do to you. Those possibilities are endless in all reality. I would encourage you today to come clean with all your wrongs; hanging onto them thinking you are not as bad as many in the world, or that you were somehow justified in your actions, will not bring you peace of mind in your sleep! Only God can deliver such results. Go to Him, confess your sins and get right with God. Only then can you begin to live an abundant life in this world and in the end, an eternal life in the world to come!

Father, I pray that many begin to wake up to the reality of their situations. I pray they stop running and calculating their next move. I pray instead they turn to you, confess their sins and in turn seek to know all they can about your truths. When they have achieved this step, I pray they become lights for others to follow so that in the end, many are saved. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, mom of many.

If Not Us ~ Who? (Revamped 11/1/2022)

When I hear people say they don't go to church, I think in my head, "Do you not know one single friend that is a follower of Christ?" For the church is not a building, it is the people that have been called together by God.

"The New Testament uses the Greek word ekklesia (literally, 'called out ones') for Church, referring to those who are called together by God. The word always specifies people ~ the followers of Jesus ~ not buildings." (Jeremiah, David, p. 321)

I think it is important for us to remember that Jesus did not send His disciples into the church, He sent them into the world. We have a calling to share the gospel of truth with the world, not to mingle inside a safe building with fellow believers, keeping the good news all to ourselves in fear of what mortal man may think of us.

Yes, it is true that the belief of God these days comes with a stigma of various sorts. Some call us weak and make the claim that we need to conjure up some supernatural source to help us get through life. Others claim that we are hypocrites due to the amount of those who call themselves Christian but do not actually walk in the word. In my mind, these are all strategies that have been implemented by the father of lies. What better way to get others to see the true Church as untrustworthy than to create a false church to confuse the masses.

The word of God helps us to know the difference, but if you aren't reading the word for yourself, how would you ever know what you are looking for? The biggest thing you are looking for is a difference. One can claim to know God, but if they are always stressing through every life event, they are not walking in the word.

There is something that happens to the true believer, they are able to find rest in the storm. Even in the midst of major battle, they are certain of one thing, "God has them." They might not know the end result, but they trust that something good will be produced.

Wouldn't it be nice when travesty hits to be able to sit back and trust in God; to not lose sleep fretting over the final outcome? This is a promise of God that is delivered the moment you finally understand that He is the one who will fight your battles here in the world. The enemy attacks the believer through a variety of ways; personal and legal. We must remember that our fight is not truly against flesh and blood, but rather against a spiritual realm that in many ways is more real than anything we can see with our own eyes.

My biggest weapon in battle is my faith and in prayer. Praying calms my heart, reminding me that my strength comes from the LORD. Even before I gave my life to Him, He had me covered in miraculous ways. This is obvious from the reading of my true life story. Once I gave my life to Him and began to seek Him daily, my faith was increased in the craziest of ways. I often say that I was allowed to cheat my way to such faith for God has sent angels to sing to me, to speak to me; He has enshrined objects in heavenly lights for me so that I cannot miss them. He has shown His glory to me and I cannot deny Him. I know how much He loves you. I know how much He loves me. His biggest gift to us all was free will. This is both a blessing and a burden for humanity. We have the choice to refuse to accept Jesus Christ into our hearts, to deny that He is the son of God, to insist that He is not the only way to eternal life, but in this act, we are missing out on an abundant life.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6, NASB)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10, NASB)

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. (Psalm 28:7, NASB)

As the church, we must step out into the world just as the early disciples did. We must remember that this world is under the rule of the evil one and while he has been conquered, he does have power against those who are not fully dressed in their full suit of armor. For the most part he is happy with the way in which the world is going. Many even admit that the world is going to hell in a hand-basket, yet they never truly ponder why. I know why; we have fallen so far away from God as a society. There was a time when God was in everything including our schools. Now so many children grow up believing in nothing or worse believing that God is dead. This is a major travesty that the church must at least try to reverse. You may ask yourself what you can do. You may use the excuse that you are just one person. Well, I say to you, Paul of Tarsus was just one person as well! Don't ask yourself what you can do ~ instead ask God to use you in mighty ways and then be prepared to move as directed. 

I never intended to open my closet full of skeletons and share them so openly with the world, but in doing so, countless lives have been touched. People have thanked me for helping them learn how to talk to God. I didn't do that ~ I am just a girl. God did that through me. 

Today, if you are struggling with anything, I beg you to purchase my book and begin your journey to an abundant life. Simply click here to be taken directly to my personal store where buying my book is simplified. May you be blessed immensely in the reading. 

God has a purpose for us all. He gave me a message for the world, "You are worthy too!" after all, The Proof is in the Pudding.

Father, I come before you asking that you use me in greater ways. That the story and message you put on my heart to share with the world be heard in greater volume. May those feeling empty stumble upon my message from you to them. May their eyes and ears be opened to the truth. May they begin to recognize the enemy at work in their lives and in turn call upon you for help. May they learn that you are our strength and our shield. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Wendy, mom of many, walks with God.

References:

Jeremiah, David. (2012). Discovery, experiencing God's word day by day. San Diego, CA. Thomas Nelson Publishing

MacArthur, John. (2006). The MacArthur Study Bible. LaHabra, CA. The Lockman Foundation

Something Worth Sharing

I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. ~ Psalm 16:8, NLT

When this is a truth that you firmly believe, nothing will shake you. The moment you find yourself being drawn into battle, you will know where to turn; to the LORD. He is always right there beside you. 

Have you ever wondered how you have lived through or gotten through some of the travesties that you have? If you look closely in that rear-view mirror, you might be surprised by what you see. I know that was the case for me. When I fell back in time and wrote my story, I was amazed by what I had missed the first round. Two major things stood out to me. One, I was a fool who allowed myself to be deceived by the father of lies. Two, God was always faithful, even in my disobedience and rebellion.

I do believe that we are near the end of days. I don't fear what is to come for I know that I am a child of God. I know I have the gift of eternal life and that next life will be void of the evils of today. This is something that I truly look forward to. In the mean time though, I feel compelled to share the gospel of truth with all. Sadly, many are blind and deaf to the truth. Once upon a time, I was one of them. It is not good enough to know and believe in God, your ultimate defense in this world is putting on the armor of God, which is Christ. He is the one who defeated death. He is the one whom we are saved through. You must believe in Him, your very life depends on this truth.

I find it ironic that people can believe in demon possession, but they have doubts where Christ is concerned. the demons knew who Christ was, its in the Bible. The demons believe in God. The demons even know Scripture and can be found historically in church.

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are ~ the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. (Luke 4:33-35, NASB)

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. (James 2:16, NASB)

Back in the days that Jesus walked the earth, people were more focused on God. Demons often possessed people in order to accomplish their work. Today, thanks to movies like the exorcist, we are decieved into believing that a person must be possessed for demons to work through them. This is so not the case. Sadly today we are living much in the way that Satan prefers; the majority of the world is disconnected from God. Today Satan commits spiritual warfare in much more subtle ways. There is a reason he is known as the father of lies, the whisperer of contention, the deceiver. He is able to communicate thoughts directly to our minds. This is a major reason why it is so important to guard our minds, to renew them daily with the word of God. In doing so, we protect ourselves from the lies of the enemy of humanity. Don't for one second doubt the truth that mankind is the apple of God's eye. He created us with His own hands and breathed life directly into us. The rest of creation was spoke into existence; not mankind.

Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7, NASB)

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah, 1:5, NASB)

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearful and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139:13-16, NASB)

There is no doubt that God knows all His children, why are so many of us set against getting to know Him? Some may say this is due to a lack of faith in the world. Scripture tells us that faith comes from getting to know Him.

 

I think so many are opposed to the word of God because they have never taken the time to digest it directly themselves. They have been spoon fed by others. There is great danger in this today as there was in the days of Jesus. Man loves power and there is most assuredly power in God's word. You can either be manipulated by the word of God or you can live an abundant life by knowing the word of God. Don't allow yourself to fall prey to false teachers, this is Satan's desire for you. Seek the kingdom of God directly. Knock on that door. Pray for understanding. Pray for your ears and eyes to be opened to the truth. Train yourself and your children in the ways of God and prepare to witness the amazing!

Father I pray that those who are sleepwalking through this life awaken. I pray they turn to find you in their midst. May they begin to absorb and understand your word and may they in turn share Your glory. May those who already know you, begin to follow you; begin to obey your commands. May they love their neighbors, may they step outside of their comfort zones. May they carry their Bibles with them for all to see. May this openness, open countless doors of curiosity about you. May it kindle a desire to get back to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, mom of many

The Right Direction

When I was a child, I believed in God, but I had no idea just how faithful He is. I think one of the reasons it is so important for those that follow Christ to truly follow His teaching is because we are the only living source in the flesh on the face of the earth that could possibly point someone in the right direction.

Now you may ask yourself, "What is the 'right' direction?". The right direction is pointing them to God. 

I recently had a conversation with someone that informed me that they talked to God and had no need for Christ Jesus in the mix. There was a point in my life when I had no idea who Christ truly was and I might have uttered something as foolish myself back in those days. 

One thing that cannot be argued is that Scripture speaks truth. Often people will take a verse and use it out of context which is why it is so important for you to understand God's word for yourself. As you study His word you'll realize you have to read it in context. You have to know what was going on in the world at the time of the writing and so much more. Another great thing to remember is Scripture does not contradict itself so, if something is mentioned in one book, you should be able to find a verse in another book that speaks to this same truth. With that being said, Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6, NASB)

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever [a]believes will in Him have eternal life. (John 3:14-15, NASB)

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12, NASB)

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (1 Timothy 2:5, NASB)

I can understand the resistance to accept someone as your LORD and Savior without researching this truth out for yourself. After all, it was in my seeking God that I discovered the truth in Christ. This didn't happen on its own. It happened because I was banging on that door. I needed desperately to find another way to live my life. What I had been doing for the last few decades had left me hopeless and empty. I had a decent life, but it was obvious to me that I was not living an abundant life. 

Today, I would encourage you to follow in my footsteps. Begin seeking God. I believe He in turn will point you to Christ Jesus and with the Holy Spirit at your side, your eyes will be opened to the truth. Pray for understanding and I will pray for you to gain understanding; to grow in faith, to find your way home. 

In the midst of my journey, God beckoned me to share my life story in print. I was horrified at the thought of fully opening my closet for all to judge me, but God reminded me that I had nothing to fear from man. In the end, I found myself in front of a blank screen and often I witnessed my hands moving faster than my brain could think and before I knew it, my story had been written in a way that only God could tell it. You know its something when you learn something from reading the story of your life. Often when dark days get the better of me, I open up my book and read a chapter. It reminds me of just how faithful God is even when we ourselves are not! 

If you have found yourself looking for more out of life. If you have found yourself longing for a better way, a bit of hope, or in need of some faith, I invite you into my world to read my story. It isn't all pretty, but it will hopefully help you in your journey to living an abundant life. You can purchase a copy by clicking here.

Father, today I pray that those who seek you have their eyes opened to the truth. I pray they gain understanding in all things. I pray that while they learn, that they are protected from the evil one and not delayed in their journey home. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, mom of many, girl who walks with God.

Anxiety Over the Next President is Truly Pointless

This morning, the first thing I did was reach for my word of the day. I have recommitted to seeking God the minute my eyes open. I have learned how important this one little activity is. It literally makes all the difference in the world. Seeing how I am in this world but I am not of this world, I need to be prepared in every way possible to walk through each day in this world. Today's word caused me to chuckle. 

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. (Proverbs 12:15, NASB)

The word of God has a lot to say about fools. Until I began reading God's word every day, I had no idea just how incredibly cool the Bible actually is. When you just listen to man's opinion of it all, it indeed sounds outdated, pointless, too confusing to digest, and the biggest lie of all that is professed, the claim that 'the Bible contradicts itself'.

I have spent the last three years diving deep into the word of God as well as the history of mankind from outside scholastic resources. In the end, I have fallen more in love with both God and Jesus Christ. There is no debating the existence of Christ nor the impact the early church had on the world. There is no denying the activity of God in the history of mankind either.

Some people think that if God did exist back in the day, He is no longer active in the world today. That is a sad thing for people to believe. I have personally been sung to by angels in this decade. I have personally heard the audible voice of God in the midst of prayer. I have personally witnessed Him move mountains out of my path. I promise you God is active today; it is the people in the world who have shut Him out, not the other way around. I find that truth very sad for people in today's world are riddled with anxiety. They fret over the next president. They fret over what people think of them. They fret over a million various things. 

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. (Proverbs 12:25, NASB)

With so much negativity in the world, where does one find a 'good word'? Certainly not on the News or the TV. Currently we are being overloaded with the need to fret over who our next president will be! You will always find a good word in the word of God. Today, since the subject of this post seems to be revolving around fools and anxiety, let us go to the gospel of Matthew for our 'good word'. 

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34, NASB)

This is the final word that Jesus has to say in regards to worry and anxiety over life and all of its details. One of the most impacting verses in this section is the one where Jesus asks who, by worry, can do something as simple as adding a single hour to their life? The answer is no one can accomplish that with worry or anxiety. Neither one of those activities do anything but rob us of life and peace of mind. Jesus reminds us that for Him and His father, adding time to a persons life is something that can be done. There are countless stories in the Bible of people being healed and even those who were brought back. Now again, some may say, that was over 2000 years ago. I am alive today to tell you that I died in a house fire and God brought me back to life. This is one of many true life stories that can be found in my book. If you are lacking in faith or hope today, I invite you, I beg you to read my book. I have been told countless times that it is a real game changer! 

Father, today I come before you praying for the countless lives of those who are filled with worry and anxiety over today as well as tomorrow. May they find the peace that you offer to them both through your word as well as in open conversation with you from their hearts. So many have fallen for the lie that you are a wrathful God out to punish those who fall short. If only they could recognize the truth in the parables such as the one about the prodigal son. There is so much to that story. The father didn't just welcome the son home, he was watching for his return. He recognized him from a long way off and ran to him; ran to him. That is a reflection of you and how you welcome the lost back home. May this and so many more truths sink into their hearts, their minds and their souls. May their hearts be softened. May they awaken. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, mom of many, girl who walks with God

Peanuts picture found on internet: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjmwvOKkeLPAhWC2SYKHU2uAQcQjRwIBw&url=%2Furl%3Fsa%3Di%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dimages%26cd%3D%26cad%3Drja%26uact%3D8%26ved%3D0ahUKEwjmwvOKkeLPAhWC2SYKHU2uAQcQjRwIBw%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.mindful.org%252F5-steps-to-worrying-less%252F%26psig%3DAFQjCNGTrCBz5nqIumpm09LDRGG4m1tsRQ%26ust%3D1476803819337196&psig=AFQjCNGTrCBz5nqIumpm09LDRGG4m1tsRQ&ust=1476803819337196

My Own Personal Spiritual Battle This Year

It has been so long since I have written from the heart. So much of this year has been difficult to write on. Where does one begin when one is so beaten up? Today I began reflecting on the truth that Jesus did nothing wrong while here on earth and yet so many accused Him falsely and in the end He was crucified, accused of a crime He never committed.

This year has been so hard on me and honestly the two prior have been a trial of trials. This year though has all but kept me from my purpose. I have been accused of having relationships with men that I have never had. I have been accused of things I have never done. These accusations made me stop writing, stop posting on Facebook as I used to. I was asked to unfriend every male person on my Facebook account and I obliged thinking that this act might finally cause this assault to end. It didn't. My accuser wanted more. In the end I have to acknowledge that the true enemy of mine is simply working through this poor soul in order to snuff out my light. While I will continue to pray over this lost person, I can no longer allow them the power over my life's purpose. In the end, I have to Love God above all else and trust that everything else will fall into place.

It is crazy to be placed on trial for nothing. To have someone comb through every snippet of your life, your posts, your pictures, your friend lists, their walls, your cabinets, your children's cabinets and to have crazy notions of supposed activities and desires presented against you. It is enough to drive a person crazy. It has driven me crazy. It caused me to shut down my blog. It caused me to close myself away from the world in almost every way. It caused me to not talk to as many people as I normally would in my walk. I just did not want the fight that these things brought. The crazy thing is, quitting all of these things only seemed to feed the beast. It was as if every thing that I gave up demanded more things be given up. You cannot satisfy the enemy. He seeks your ultimate death. This is what I realized. I am not willing to sacrifice my life for the enemy. For Christ yes. For the enemy no.

Yesterday, I made the decision to get back to the will of God for my life. It was weird how it all came about actually. First, Facebook prompted me to update my profile picture. I was bored and decided to flip through my photos. Crazy enough, I had a picture of myself with my first two books that was taken by a friend of mine at my first public speaking and book signing event. Here it is:

I have received several compliments already and yet from my accuser I received a message that this image was damaging to me. That I should remove it from my profile because in the background was a man with his pants down. I was informed that I was a victim and while it was my life, I should really consider taking down this image. This was the final nail in the coffin. These accusations are once again a big lie but I began to wonder, 'Does this person truly believe what they are saying about what they see?'

If so, this just goes to prove that the enemy can indeed plant false visions and thoughts into a non-believer's head! This is why Paul reminds us that our fight is not against flesh and blood:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NASB)

In the end, I want nothing more than to give my life to God and have Him use me as He sees fit. I don't have time for senseless relationships with men. Honestly, I am pregnant at 47 and have just now crossed into my second trimester. The last two pregnancies had ended in miscarriage so I was leary of even saying anything about my condition until now. Honestly, I haven't even been to a doctor for I learned in the past when you begin to lose the baby there is nothing they can do to change that. I simply could not put myself through all that again. Now I need to get about the business of scheduling a doctor's appointment. I also need to get about my Father's business and stop putting so much energy into something as senseless as the enemy trying to snuff out my light. I enjoy sharing what God has done in my life. I love sharing the truth of Christ. Why on earth have I allowed the enemy to steal my joy in such things? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know slowly I began to not get fully dressed in my full suit of armor each day. That is a dangerous thing to begin. Today is a new day and I am recommitting my life to the LORD, come what may. I will no longer respond to these negative attacks. I will allow them no power in my life. They are lies, why should they gain my attention? The answer is they should not. From now on, they will not!

Please keep me in your prayers, you will be in mine.

Wendy, mother of many, girl who is back to walking with God!

© Wendy Glidden 2016