Me & Jesus

 I love this meme. I don't particularly think anyone has talked about me, don't actually care. It would be the most interesting conversation they'll have in a year. But I've learned some things this last year and this reminded me. 

People don't want to have a conversation with you to see what is happening in your life. They don't want to know how YOU are or if there is anything wrong. Really. Watch their eyes glaze over if you say anything other than "fine". But they're quick to find fault if something comes out where you're in trouble, sick, or broke. "Well, she or he must have done something wrong to cause all that. God is after them." 

Yep, He sure is. He's spent the last year keeping my head just above water cause the devil harassed me on every front for a YEAR. If he had his way, I’d be homeless, walking, and no food. I mean every single front. My house, my car, my finances, my family, my health, and my peace of mind. My sanity! 

Well, you know, "We all got problems." 

Why, yes, we do! Please tell me yours so I can pray for you. I sincerely want to hear and pray for you. And if I can help you with anything, you call me, email me, text me, send a carrier pigeon. If I can't help you, I'll do my best to help you find help. I know how to do that! If I can’t do anything else, I’ll hold your hand and walk with you.

But you know what? No one said that to me. And I mentioned what I was dealing with to people. (See paragraph two.) Not ONE. Except a dozen Facebook contacts. Some of whom haven't even met me and some family. Thank God for everyone of you who did something, even if was just a message to say you were praying! I believe in prayer, but it is an extra blessing when people hear, acknowledge, and act.

I texted a virtual stranger the other day; he was a guy who cut my yard for two years when the mower died. I only saw him once every two weeks as he flew by on the mower and chatting when I paid him. He cut me a deal on the yard. I sent a text that said, “I need someone who does handy man work.” The yard man sent me a contact. I found the yard guy from a writing friend because I had a broken down mower and he sent me the details. These folks have become real friends. I have no idea how much the handyman repairs I need will cost. I’ll worry about it later.

That’s just minor problems. But starting October 2023, I had covid for the third time and was sick three months, thru Christmas. The freezer went out. I’d previously lost two freezers of food because of a faulty circuit. It’s fixed now, and I didn’t lose food, but it cost the earth. The same week, the car broke down. That cost more. Two weeks later, it broke down again. All in October and November. In one month, I spent my entire income. All of it. And no, that wasn’t the end. There were plumbing problems after New Year. And the water and light bill went up again. Groceries went up. Gas went up. 

But you know something? I've survived all of it. Because the Almighty has kept me from drowning. Even when I asked Him to let me drown. Sometimes drowning is easier. He scraped up a handful of people I didn’t know well, some family who love me, and a precious new friend who needed help as well. She needed a place to stay, and I needed a boarder. It was miraculous. It’s both a pleasure to have her here and a blessing to have the help. And then Sarah came home. 

I’ve sat here in this house feeling so unloved. And so defeated. All my life, I had people around me I could go to or resources. I worked, took care of myself, supported a second household. I’ve been faithful in paying my tithes. Yeah, you can talk about that if you want to. Suddenly, there was NO money and no friends. If I had not had a credit card, I would have been in trouble. But I owed people. And borrowed money must also be repaid. The Bible says owe no man. I owe a bunch of them. And now I could add God to the list. I was in a very bad place in every conceivable way. And alone. No one knew because no one asked. 

I realized that I’d have to just do the best with the debts I owed to men. And the debt to God? That is far greater than my pittance. It is what it is. I didn’t ask for the circumstances. I sure didn’t ask for the problems. God is very aware of my bank balance. Every dime is His, the land I live on is his, the car I drive is his. I am his. If he wants anything I have, he can just withdraw it. I’m good with that. Really. This is not my home. This is a residence. 

This month, a small light shone on my little scrap of land. No, it isn’t all fixed. I got a call from out of town. Someone paid the house payment for one month! That one thing shifted things. For a minute, I thought everything would be fine. It’s gonna take more than a minute. But that one minute … it’s gold.

Then, today, while I sat here beating myself up, grieving over money, I decided to write it all down. To pour out the poison, that is one more trick in a long list from the enemy. So, I don’t have a problem. I’m broke. I don’t have trouble. I am doing something right or the devil wouldn’t be bothering me so much. I got broke stuff. It all belongs to Jesus so he’ll have to fix it.

And I’ve decided since I survived death, I will survive this, too. And I’ll do it alone. Just me and Jesus. Or with the people who hold out their hands filled with friendship, love, and prayer. 

The Broken Covenant

Courtesy Pixabay.com

I'm grieved a lot lately. There is so much craziness going on in this country. Never mind the rest of the world. America has become a byword, as my Mama used to say. With all the chaos and hatred being fostered and fed in this country by the inmates of this American Insane Asylum I now find myself trapped in, I've been asking where we're headed.

I've lived through some amazing times when the country was divided but eventually came together and reunified, slowly to be sure, but progress was being made. I've watched certain parties slowly apply wedges in that joint and pry it apart, chipping away at all that had been accomplished by dedicated, intelligent men and women, some of whom died. I've watched the 21 Century MLK wannabes make fools of themselves and those who follow them.

I've also heard the voice of the watchmen crying loudly from the walls of the City on a Hill that was once a shining beacon to the world for peace, prosperity, and hope to the tired, downtrodden, and destitute but which is now a guttering candle struggling to light the darkness spreading across this land of zombies and dead men walking. Because darkness is spreading. We have turned a corner and are about to watch the greatest downfall since the Roman Empire. I believe this because all the signs are there.

So it was with a shock when I read today the outcome expressed in these words to a nation hell-bent on following its own way with no thought to the warning signs. It speaks about the Jerusalem but as we all know, any nation that blatantly transgresses has condemned itself to judgment and is subject to the wrath of God. Here is the outcome for a nation warned and unheeding of the warning. I've deleted some text to shorten it. You can look up the original if you choose.

2 Chronicles 36:13-16 -- He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord.......all the leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful, following all the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord, ....The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.

This nation has been blessed beyond measure. People who had nothing came here and became unbelievably prosperous. To come to America meant you could live well. Millions did it. It became known as the land of promise to any who stepped on her shores. Did you even notice when that changed? You can blame it on politicians, but did you not see that they had no control over it? In fact, did you notice that the counselor to our leaders helped them make decisions that have destroyed the economy and the culture of this nation?

Look back in time to when the prosperity began to fail. As of today, we are a nation near destruction. No longer can anyone succeed in this country. No longer is there freedom to the oppressed and dejected. No longer is there peace in our borders. No longer is there the rule of law. The law is now twisted and contorted to suit the demands of the few and lawless. The flames of hatred are fanned by malicious and violent people. For the first time in history, the nation is at risk of terrorist from outside and inside. Why?

Because what you are witnessing is the removal of a blessing that was originally placed on this nation. A covenant was made by the founding fathers of America. But we have defiled the land and broken the covenant that was made by the founders.

I don't care what you think. Each of those men believed in a higher power and dedicated this nation to that power, and they signed a pact to that effect.

The final line of the Declaration of Independence says:  "We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the founders of this nation made a signed contract where they state they are appealing to the Supreme Judge for the morally correct behavior or thinking; righteousness of their intentions and that they firmly rely on the protection of divine Providence. They pledged their lives, fortunes and honor to one another. This pact is a covenant. With the signing of this document, the founders, not only notified the King of our independence from Britain, they made a signed Covenant with God for his direction and protection.

American has rejected and revoked that covenant. We no longer are under the protection or direction of God. We have rejected both. When you break a covenant, the rules and promises made by that covenant are no longer binding. America no longer resides under the protection of the Supreme Judge because we rejected the morally correct thinking agreed upon by the men who signed the covenant and we've rejected the righteousness and morally right thinking.

I know I stand in a ridiculed and marked minority. Those who have rejected the counsel of God and the warnings of the watchmen now seek to silence the voices that would still cry out a warning. We love our nation. We love our people. We plead for their restoration.

I do not know when or what form destruction will come. I believe it is coming. I only know that there is always a point beyond which you must not go. If you elect to step outside the wall, the watchmen can't save you. When you break your covenant with the Supreme Judge, there is no power that can save you. As the Chronicler noted, there is no remedy.

Isaiah 24:1-6 (NIV)

See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth

    and devastate it;

he will ruin its face

    and scatter its inhabitants—

2 it will be the same

    for priest as for people,

    for the master as for his servant,

    for the mistress as for her servant,

    for seller as for buyer,

    for borrower as for lender,

    for debtor as for creditor.

3 The earth will be completely laid waste

    and totally plundered.

The Lord has spoken this word.

4 The earth dries up and withers,

    the world languishes and withers,

    the heavens languish with the earth.

5 The earth is defiled by its people;

    they have disobeyed the laws,

violated the statutes

    and broken the everlasting covenant.

6 Therefore a curse consumes the earth;

    its people must bear their guilt.