Breaking Chains!

Today is fantastically fun filled friends and family Friday. I named it friends and family so that my focus would be on everyone. I have friends that don’t see themselves as my brother or sister in Christ. In my mind they just haven’t had their eyes opened to the truth yet. This world is loud. It is so overwhelming and fast and full of crap in all reality that most of us have never sat still long enough to have heard God speak to them, yet He speaks to all of us in one way or another.

No one is without excuse we are told within God’s word. He chases us. He has given us daily evidence of his existence, yet so many refuse to acknowledge him on a daily basis and many refuse to acknowledge him at all! I prefer to show where in God’s word I find such things. This truth can be found in the Book of Romans in the New Testament:

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities ~ his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20 (NIV)

Once we come to know who we are in Christ, we should feel compelled to share the gospel, this gift of pure freedom, with everyone we come across. We need to share the love of God with the world, allowing His light to shine through us as we are also advised to do in God’s Word:

No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. ~ 1 John 4:12 (NLT)

God gave us the greatest gift a father could give His children. He allotted us free will. FREE WILL. This means we are FREE to choose how we want to live. I think a lot of people run from the Word of God because they don’t want to live according to the instructions laid out in His Word.

In religion, much like the Pharisees in the past, our teachers pound the law in hopes of changing the behavior of their followers. Christ taught by example. He lived the law. He also expounded the law and the so called teachers hated him for it. Why you may ask? Well because they enjoyed their positions. They enjoyed their power. Power can be quite a dangerous thing. I am certain all of us have witnessed those in authoritive positions that abuse their power.

What I love about reading God’s Word is that I understand that there is nothing I can do or say that will save me. It is not by works that I am saved, it is by grace through faith! Nothing more!

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith ~ and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God ~ not by works, so that no one can boast. ~ Ephesians 2:8-9

This morning on my way to an artist friend I met in jail, I was praying over several friends, binding the powers of Satan under the authority of Christ. I was mentally breaking chains and fervently praying in the Spirit. Visually I saw a hand that was cuffed to a chain, much like one would be found if they were in shackles and I was waving the sword of the spirit. The vision was so bold I questioned if I was to draw it and I even went as far as to ask God if he was going to give me another talent! When I shared this vision with the friend I was going to see, she said, “Get out of here!” She had just drawn something close to what I described to her!

I know without a doubt that she has been placed in my life for a purpose. Tracy is someone I met during my infamous 17 days in jail. She is also the one I mentioned in a previous blog and as of today she is who I have asked to be my maid of honor when Mike and I officially tie the knot in the eyes of the world.

I have called Mike my husband ever since we said our vows in front of only God. We had been together for one year and I was actually still legally married to someone else who had left me for another woman. I actually went to God and sought His blessing. This is the one and only person I have ever gone to God over when it comes to the matters of the heart. It is why I have gone to God over my relationship with Mike again and again.

Recently I became a member of New Hope Ministries. I desperately want to go back into the jail and minister to women. However, New Hope requires those in leadership positions to walk the VERY Narrow road. This brings me to Mike and I. While I consider him my husband in every way, the government and the world would not see it that way. Much like getting baptized after you accept Christ is a signal to the world that you are dedicated to the Lord, getting officially married under man’s laws will signal to the world where Mike and I stand in regards to one another.

I am not sure when the wedding will take place as we have talked about doing this literally for years but have never made the next step. I promise to keep you all in the loop. As I know, you will know. Honestly, I don’t know where I will be from day to day. That is part of what makes life an adventure!

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14 (NIV)

While we can make plans, for the most part, we are not to worry about tomorrow. We are just meant to live each moment to the fullest. Be blessed my friends and my sisters and brothers in Christ and remember to be a blessing to all that cross your path!

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2015

The god of Slavery

Recently someone was sharing their view on religion and how those in charge have been using it for binding people and they shared a few books they had been told to read. One of them was something like my blog post title. This particular book, they explained, insinuates that God enslaves his people by forcing them to worship him. In the midst of me saying how ridiculous that notion was, I was challenged on why my faith in the Bible should stand over these other books and they had to say on the matter.

I didn't reply immediately. I reached into myself and searched my own faith foundation. I started out with this:

"Often I feel like I got to cheat my way to faith. As a child when I say I walked with God, I mean I walked with God.

My home life wasn't the greatest when I was little. One day I found myself in a heap of trouble. In a moment of great duress, it was suggested that God was my only hope and I should pray to God to help me. That day I said my first fervent prayer and being true to who He is, he saved me from my punishment. I was so amazed I began talking to God every day. He was my best friend. He taught me a lot of things that today when I read them in God's Word, I can't help but sit back a moment as tears of thanks well up in my heart. Its in these moments of recall that I am overwhelmed in ways I cannot even put into words. It was in the midst of my next truly fervent prayer that God once again spoke to me, calling me by my name. Since then, God has allowed me to be part of a healing that I had prayed for in a very direct way.

I can't tell you what it is like to witness tiny miracles that are 100% undeniable.. He has sent angels to sing to me as an answer to prayers. He has brought me back to life when I should have died in a house fire and then sent angels to guide me through it all.

I KNOW God is Who He says He is and He is far from the god of slavery. That so called god is Satan himself. He is the God of slavery. He binds you and does everything he can to keep you from freedom. He is great at the game and he is the master of all the false religions and how to enslave people."

From there I shared what I had learned about the manuscripts through school among others things I had discovered while reading the Bible. I'm not sure if I realized just how strong my faith was prior to that or not.

I am in awe of all the things I have read in the Bible and the mere fact that they have stuck in my head without trying to make them stick into my head. I love the promises that God has made. I have come to know how faithful He is. I am blessed to see His hand moving in my life. I am blessed to read the Bible and have it come to life before my eyes like a movie.

Many people read things in the bible and they don't get the true meaning. They truly are blind to the message just like the Pharisees were blind to the truth. Sadly many who actually take the time to pick up the Holy Bible read things like; 'read His law, walk in the path of righteousness, don't sin, etc', and they see it as a binding kind of thing. In other words, life without fun.

That too is a trick by the evil one. Think about it like this; sometimes when reading a text from someone, without hearing their voice, you could take one sentence in two completely different ways. In some situations, you could even find yourself from one end of the spectrum to the other; being offended when that was not the intention of the author.

Sometimes our own feelings portray things in written form in a completely different way than the author meant for you to take. When I read things like "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, But finds his delight in the law of the Lord" (Taken from Psalms 1) I honestly know that even the wicked are blessed by God. So this is not saying if you are a 'sinner' you won't be blessed by God. You will be. I know because when He had me write my story, he revealed blessings I never saw the first time around. I was at moments as wicked as wicked gets and yet He was honestly keeping me from absolute destruction. He is true to his Word.

Matthew 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous!

We are blessed beyond measure when our eyes are open to our  blessings and we find great joy in all the Lord does for us. It is hard to get down when you feel the Love of God full blast. When you recognize all the amazing things he does on your behalf! The Lord loves for you to recognize your blessings. He loves songs. David sang to the Lord. It is why he is one of my favorite people in the Holy Bible to read about. My children love it when I make up songs for them with their names in them. Girls often swoon when a boy sings to them, let alone when he makes up a song for them.

If things like that touch our heart, don't you think the Lord relishes those things as well? He is Love afterall!

What everyone in the world needs to know is God LOVES YOU! He KNOWS you by name. I promise you; He is always trying to give us advice, to point us on the right path. All the way back to Cain, the Lord has been trying to get us to recognize that sin is crouching at the door. The one thing the Lord won't do is take away your free will. With that truth, how could He ever be called the god of Slavery. He came so you could have life and live that life abundantly!

NOW, the king of deception, the father of lies, he my friends is the god of slavery. There is one person that walked this earth that Satan could not conquer and place in chains. That is why there is power in the name of Jesus to break all the chains! He conquered death! He did that for you!

There is a song that spreads this message. I am not sure if you can view videos on the device you are using so the title of this song is "Break Every Chain" by The Digital Age. This is a link to a video so you can search it out for yourself: http://youtu.be/EtyVdC7E6Wo

I love it when they sing, "There's an army rising up". I am a part of the army and I am humbled beyond words to be a servant in the Lord. Their is honor in this fight. I am fighting for you and all those in the world. I pray in Jesus name that the chains of slavery are broken for all my brothers and sisters in Christ. I know full when how those shakels feel. I was bound by them for much of my life. I also get what it feels like to be free and it is impossible to fully put in words for words are interpreted by the reader more than the writer. We try to paint the scene but it is your imagination that is the true artist. I can only say, "I once was blind, but now I see" Amazing Grace. It is just that. Amazing. We certainly are not deserving and trust me when I say the enemy will pound that point till the end of days. You need to arm yourself with the Word of God so that you can hear what HE has to say about YOU! I promise you will like it much more than what the god of slavery has to say.  I ask, "Do you think of your children as slaves?" Then how could your heavenly Father think of you in such a way?

Today's word of encouragement is this: Proverbs 17:22: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

It is true that negative people, negative media, negative thoughts can pull a person under and sap their energy leaving them depressed or angry. If God was a god that wanted to enslave his people, would he be an encourager? No, he would be an abuser. Wake up to the truth and be thankful we have the opportunity to worship a God of Love.

Father today I pray that you continue to shine your light on those who are lost. I pray they too find their way back to the truth as I did. I know too well what it feels like to not be close to you. Please use me Lord to be a light that others see. Allow me the opportunity to share my story with countless. I love to sing your praises for you saved me from the one who enslaves and I am so thankful for your grace and the true freedom you provide for all your children. Help me make your truth understood. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden, 2014