"DISCERNMENT vs. SUSPICION" - Telling The Truth About Abuse and Wolves In Leadership Positions

 
By Mary Lindow 
 
I’m going to make a few statements about this podcast before I begin.
I hope I am not required by Lord to make many podcasts like this one, but I will obey him if he does ask me to do so!  To even things out a little bit, my next few podcasts are going to be sharing about some magnificent and overwhelming experiences that I have had in meeting First Native Chiefs throughout the United States and Canada.
All of these events were orchestrated by the Lord in order for us to meet. The things that I learned from these godly individuals who love Jesus, but understand the strongholds in our cities, our nations and upon our lands, has been absolutely Life-changing. I hope to share at least two podcasts telling you these stories and experiences that glorify Jesus, and show the power of his supernatural ability to get us to the places we need to go without ever having to push our way in or manipulate anything.
 
Now let’s begin today’s crucial podcast.
We are in a time when many people are seeing much evil take place, not only in our nation, not only in large and small corporations, but in church organizations and organizations that claim to bear the name of Christ on their letterheads.
 
One of the greatest deceptions taking place is that people are being told to NOT “discuss”/not to tell the truth about the abuses that are taking place in some of these organizations.
With the multitude of public exposures that is taking place right now all over social media regarding unconscionable and difficult happenings, I have been agonizingly yet strongly prompted by the Holy Spirit, to share my thoughts and the experiences that I have had in walking other people out of dark places, because of the harm done to them in some of these institutions.
 
I do this with a heavy heart, and yet I must take courage and be obedient in order to be an “Advocate of Hope” for those who feel that they cannot speak out for fear of being threatened or ridiculed, letting them know that there are others who will champion and stand with  them by calling “wolfish abuse” what it is, instead of sweeping it under any kind of Church Carpet, Corporate Carpet, or Institutional Carpet.
 
I am by far, not the perfect believer by any means!
I’ve had some wonderful mentors and training from others in ministry as well as in the counseling arena who have been strong and good people of discernment.
When something inside of you is alerted or feels really uncomfortable, or even just the thought of, “there’s something not right about that” pops in, that’s a built-in radar God gives us.
Now, if someone’s judging someone because they don’t like that they’re loud, or seem to be "too meek, obese, skinny, or speak a truth that they aren’t comfortable with or don’t have wisdom about", then that’s where all the speculating and suspicion move in.
 
Being set free from critical behavior and suspicion takes a willingness to admit that we don’t trust anybody, or, that we think we have an exclusive lead on how God speaks all the time.
 
I certainly need the accountability friends in my life
who speak truth to me firmly and regularly!
 
The soul loves to put itself in its own place of authority and override discernment, humility,and often the need to prove that our opinion matters. Honestly, keeping a heart pure and clean before the Lord every day, (and that’s truly not just an easy thing), but pursuing him with the right heart, keeps that place where we hear from him very sharpened and aware!
Studying his word, digging into what it really means, provides a depth and place of resource to go to, to check whether our heart is in accordance with his word or if we’re making up our own ideas about things.
It’s so easy to let other people think or speak for us, or their opinions, being strong, driving a message to us that says we should probably do what they say. This is where we get into trouble!
 
We are supposed to question or “test” things
and not just take everything hook, line, and sinker!
 
In 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 it tells us,
“Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not despise prophecies,
BUT, test everything; hold fast to what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil.”
 
Friends! Evil can be deceptive and cunning!
The word of God has an omnipotent power that cuts through all of the fog of self-deception and definitely pontificating! Many people quote the scripture and use it to their benefit when they want to self promote or appear to be somewhat spiritual. This is where discernment has to come in!!!
 
If something feels wrong, if something is spiritually off key, is not in alignment with what Jesus said or what the scriptures speak, then discernment has to come in to play.
 
The road gets narrower as you walk your Christian journey with Jesus, and you absolutely will be called many names because of the stance of wanting to be more like him, and more detached from the volumes of worldly knowledge.
Wisdom isn’t easily gained!  But, it’s so worth it when you get a little nugget that lasts for eternity.
 
Suspicion vs. Discernment.
I’ve seen this destroy and have been painfully more than a few times, a recipient of ugly and ruthless “suspicious” judgments.
Suspicion destroys relationships.
It destroys lives.
It listens to hearsay rather than God’s inward warnings.
Suspicion can feed a self satisfaction (which is actually pride) when our choices to put others in a lesser and suspicious light, even sabotaging them, justifies our own agendas.
 
When we are constantly suspicious of the motives of others, we drive people away that could be a great blessings to us. (They may even walk with a bit of a limp due to the battles and hard fought victories they’ve fought throughout their lives.)
Check your life today.
Are you discerning, or merely suspicious?
The problem is, sometimes we label suspicion with the pious name of “discernment” and think we're being super spiritual.
It’s so important to learn the difference between discernment and suspicion!  
 
The difference is quite simple.
Discernment comes from God and will recognize evil for what it is.
Suspicion come from or soul and will imagine evil when there is none.
If you see genuine compassion, kindness, mercy, accountability, humility and a forgiving nature in someone, you are seeing a surrendered soul.  
 
Not many want to talk about how hard spiritual growth and dying to ourselves, our opinions our interpretations is.
It's not a one time thing, it's every day.
It's remaining quiet when we want to speak.
It's trusting God's timing when we would, rather control.
It's doing it God's way when it doesn't make sense to us.
It’s quietly walking away from what might “appear to be a lucrative or more publicly promoting opportunity” when you know there are political or spiritually abusive environments involved.
 
We don’t get a lot of accolades or crowns here on earth for that kind of brave but necessary decision. But in heaven, when we do behold the face of the one who literally bled out for us, and he says, “Well done, so well done my good and faithful servant! Enter into my rest!” Oh my goodness, how absolutely all of the hardship and persecution will melt away in that moment, and the joy that is unspeakable and has yet to be fully understood, will be complete in our lives.
 
It is necessary in life to learn from those
who have more wisdom and experience,
because they can help us see things that we don't notice.
 
Even though modern culture tells us that we should “live our own truth and do whatever we think is best”, it’s this type of thinking that leads us into trouble. This is why Scripture tells us not to be wise in our own eyes.
 
True wisdom comes from fearing God. This means we should have a high regard for God's Word and His instructions to us. He knows all things, including, what is best for us.
We can also gain wisdom from other people. When we can learn from the mistakes and experiences of others, we're better equipped to not make the same mistakes. However, if you think you're the only one who knows best, you are bound to repeat the same errors.
 
There’s a huge amount of exposure taking place in pulpits, Ministry organizations, Christian Media Corporations, Governments, Christian Universities and Bible Schools...
...Right now.
 
Of course, we all know the Lord is doing a lot of the exposing and dealing with painful and shocking events that have or, are currently occurring, or are being investigated.
 
Why is he doing this? Because he will not allow these kinds of charades, criminal acts or hiding of sexual misconductsto NOT be caught.
Sadly many individuals who are sitting in church pulpits or are serving in ministry environments such as youth ministries, children’s church, Young adult groups and more, are often made uncomfortable by things they see taking place with some of the staff members.
The big question now is do you dare say anything?
 
If you see a male individual in a place of authority as a teacher, a pastor, any kind of youth worker anywhere, being over familiar with females, and by that I mean, resting their hand on their back too often with letting it linger, standing too closely to them in their personal space, spending time alone with them in their office etc. with doors shut and no visible way to see anything taking place. These are red flags!
A little bit of investigating and watching and taking notes is appropriate. Always document things that you see that make you feel there is something wrong going on and always date it. But be honest, not suspicious and don’t exaggerate or embellish. If necessary, take pictures. These are now used as evidence in court cases.
 
Another example!
If you would happen to know that there was a youth minister who sexually approached or interfered with a child or a young adult, and it was hidden and “dealt with” in an internal investigation among elders or leaders of a church or youth organization, club or scouting group, but was never reported, and this individual was then packed up and sent off to another state to minister or workelsewhere, they have basically turned this person into a repeat offender. These things must be reported to the police!
 
Here’s the hard thing.
We sure hope that we could go to people like elders or other leaders in the church if we see something taking place and know that deception is involvedand that others are covering it up.
If there has ever been a question that you have seen or a child has reported to you, that a young adult has reported to you or a teenager has reported to you that something inappropriate, whether it was conversation, whether it was physical touch, whether it was a threat that took place, you must go to the police.
 
Taking it to the pastor or taking it to the leadership "feels" like a good idea. But when there’s a wolf in the crowd, when there are wolves in leadership positions, we don’t take time to try to defend ourselves against wolves or predators. 
 
If you know, for a fact that these things have taken place, you must document and you must protect the children. You must protect the young developing adults. And, you must protect the future generations that would be affected if this perpetrator is permitted to be allowed to continue to remain in any organization, and not have appropriate legal consequences take place.
 
There are many who are holding positions in churches that are hiding inappropriate events of their own, within their own staff, or within their own organization, who value their building, their notoriety and their income, more than they value protecting the sheep or telling the truth.
 
Some people do not believe this is true! They think that surely the Holy Spirit would be exposing these things if they were really happening!
Well, my friends, the Holy Spirit uses practical human beings who are aware and have cultivated discernment and see that there is something very wrong and very out of order going on, and these human beings must be bold, courageous, and speak out like the prophet Nathan spoke to King David when he was having a long-term affair with Bathsheba and murdered his own military leader in order to cover his own manipulative and adulterous behavior.
There were terrible, painful consequences that took place because of what David did. Yet God in his mercy when David repented, restored David’s relationship back to himself.
But if forever changed David, and there were things that he was no longer permitted to partake in because of his wickedness.
But God did not shun him.
God corrected him.
 
Here are a few basic recommendations I’d like to share as a Pastoral counselor (and as a minister myself), with those who are in some form of ministry.
It’s not wise for men to counsel Women alone, but if necessary they must have a glass window where another safe office or staff member can see into the room. I have seen too many people get enmeshed emotionally with intimate counseling and I have historical documents that sadly indicate where several ministers who fantasized or planned or, actually have run off with people they were counseling for marriage difficulties! They have devastated marriages, families and churches because they crossed a line and blew clear past healthy boundaries, and safety protocols for counseling.
 
I also strongly recommend that men are not often alone in an office setting or ministry facility with women, especially if single, because they’re vulnerable women, because the table can turn two ways. The woman can become needy or manipulative and play on the affections or the emotions of a tender, kind hearted man, and then turn around and accuse them of some kind of inappropriate actions.
Men in buildings alone with women who are married and it’s late at night with a woman who is beautiful and lovely, or even sweet and precious, can create a sense of desire in a man whois tired of the grind of life, maybe hard work, might be having some strain at home, and in a few moments of weakness, begins to pursue an emotional affair, talking too openly, sharing too openly, and it can quickly lead to other kinds of affection, emotional bonding and inappropriate touching.
 
I know some of this sounds pretty heavy, and we as believers just don’t want to have to hear about the horrible, dark things that could possibly take place! We so want to believe the best in everyone and we want to be merciful and forgiving!
But, with the recent rash and exposure of well-known names, seemingly appearing holy and virtuous, many well protected individuals are now being exposed in multiple areas and in multiple environments, for hiding harm done to children, harm done to staff, and then using spiritual gifts or “spiritual pedigrees” to justify that they were just “tired or weak in the moment” and that they thought they’d handle it in house privately!
 
Well, to speak bluntly and boldly,
this fakery and denial is just all hogwash
when the gaslighting and lying starts!
 
 
We have to call it what it is!
It’s called spiritual abuse (SA) or clergy sexual abuse. (CSA) .
 
Returning to my original introduction regarding the need for discernment versus suspicion, we have to be very wise and make sure that our hearts are right as we begin to walk out these very difficult times of exposure as well as needing to be vocal.
 
There are victims among us who have not said anything for years about the things that took place in back rooms or offices or church buildings, camps or cars. For some reason, people run to suspicion and say, “Why are you now just beginning to talk about this? Why did you wait so long? What do you want out of this?”  
 
In legal terms when someone speaks out immediately about sexual abuse or harm done,the term is called “Outcry”.
They “cry out”, they “tell”.
 
When someone takes awhile to be able to process abuse, especially children (male, and female!) or young vulnerable teenagers or women who have been abused in the past, and have been threatened to remain silent or paid off to be quiet, and are easily preyed upon by those who are able to spot vulnerability, it takes them longer, and healthy unpacking and dialog frees them to tell. This must be tenderly and wisely handled with a skilled CHRISTIAN trauma counselor who works in these areas of sexual, church or cult abuse, or child abuse.
 
The term for this, when someone takes so long or doesn’t remember everything that happened (because they’ve been threatened and they have shut it out), this is called “Delayed Outcry.”
 
With the proper counseling and the proper police reporting involved, then there becomes an investigation or a forensic investigation that listens to and  reviews documents, the stories or events, does the investigating, looks at any kind of proof which could be documents, notes, texts, emails, pictures, clothing, the location or rooms these things happened in. Then, they begin to question and cross examine those who are being accused.
 
Yes! There have been people who have lied and set others up for something they never did. Or, they lured people into getting them to be involved in nefarious behaviors, use of drugs, alcohol, inappropriate touching, looking at unsafe objects, videos or pictures, and then turn around and use it to project onto that individual in order to hide their own very Addictive sicknesses.
 
Here’s the Honest Deal.
When there are wolves operating the pulpits, we don’t say, “well they were once a really nice sheep so we have to be nice to them!” A wolf is a wolf! A wolf puts on a mask like a sheep and can appear saintly and beautiful and tell sad, well oiled stories about themselves to make themselves look like they’re repentant over something “small” that they may struggle over and then everyone feels like, “what a lovely, humble soul!”
They can con, they can cry, they can preach, they can look compassionate. They can talk a good line, they can be very convincing.
But, if they have been predators, touching children, often touching women, touching men, plagiarizing, mishandling funds for their own purposes and lavish living...
…These are wolves.
 
We have to call them for what they are. They thrive on building their egos and are very convincing in order build their own empires, claiming that it was the Lord giving them all the blessings.  
 
2 Corinthians 11:13-14 addresses this so strongly!
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light!”
 
Friends, Discernment is at an all-time low
and the Lord is bringing it to the forefront.
 
The Spirit of God is saying to you and saying to me, “cultivate develop and train yourself to be discerning and to test everything!”
This means school boards, politicians, those in the pulpit, those in other ministries and any other position of authority.
Some of the slickest and most well promoted people are often those of who have charming, manipulative narcissistic traits and harm many in their wake.
 
The posture of power, inflated titles, fake tears, swiftly changing of trends and movements that claim it’s “THE thing” God is doing, are lures to draw crowds, train people to trust the speakers to hear from God for them ( but not fully train the audience to discern and judge.)
 
Oh the wretched and unbelievably twisted things I have heard behind the doors of Pastoral counseling!
Oh the ugly and extremely uncomfortable things I’ve witnessed in Green rooms before live “Christian” broadcasts.
Oh the unbelievably huge complex and disgusting competition that goes on among ministries and Christian organizations, when monetary policies are used as a way to enrich those at the top.
 
If There’s Anything I’d Scream From the Rooftops Today
It Would Be,
“Cultivate and Learn Discernment!”  
Be sober! Be wise!
Be accountable!”  
Oh Lord Jesus! Mature your people. Teach them to hear your voice. 
 
I would like to share a statement from a wonderful man of God who is a seasoned Husband, Father, Pastor, Speaker, and Author.
His name is Tim Challies.
He shares these very potent and deep words.
 
“With discernment comes division.  
A person who seeks to be discerning must be willing to suffer the effects of this division.
It will divide not only the believer from the unbeliever, but it may even divide a discerning believer from one who is undiscerning.
It will separate the mature from the immature and the naïve from the prudent.”
 
SO well said!
 
In my closing out of this podcast today, I would like to share a few potent words from Dr. Diane Langberg who has worked in multicultural and many international settings were abuse and tragedy of every kind, (those imagined and those that you cannot imagine that have taken place).
She works as a specialist among those who have been traumatized by Church abuse in its many forms. She is a wise Senior woman who I greatly admire and have learned much from.
As I share her statements in closing, allow them to speak to the deeper part of you where the Lord is developing discernment and greater awareness.
 
Diane says,
“Many of us have confused the church system with Jesus Christ; they are not the same.
There are wolves among the sheep, tares among the wheat.
Jesus called humans that looked good on the outside, white-washed tombs full of stink. My work has taught me that many poor sheep have followed a blind guide, a gifted wolf, and landed in a pit.
No so-called Christian system is truly God’s work unless it “fleshes out” his character. Toleration of sin, pretense, and crookedness do not reveal the character of God, even if they bear his name.
Arrogance is never godly.
Covering up sin is never godly.
Abuse of power is never godly.
Shepherds who feed on sheep are abusive.
Leadership that preserves and protects the system, rather than the people, turns the house of God into a safe place for predators.
Those who come to feed on God himself then find themselves being the main course instead.
 
We have failed to protect leaders from their own bondage to self-deception and sin. Exposure brings hope, for it brings the cancer to the light.
To hide sin by cover-up or silent complicity is spiritual abuse.
It is a failure to love the perpetrator. Demise of a system—even a spiritual system—is not the worst that can happen!
We must acknowledge and tell the truth about these things.
Great damage is being done to God’s sheep, in his name.
He weeps over such leaders and the sheep they harm.
Be watchful.
Recognize coercive and manipulative behavior.
Call it by its right name when someone in power uses spiritual words and ideas to silence, control, and intimidate.
Be discerning about those who hold power—including yourself.
Do not be deceived. 
May we, with Daniel, call out to God: “O Lord, hear! O Lord forgive. O Lord listen and act. For your own sake do not delay, because your church and your people are called by your name.”(Dan. 9:19).
Source:  https://erlc.com/resource/when-the-sheep-are-preyed-upon/
 
Finally, I would like to say these words.
Trauma can leave people feeling shattered and alone.
But through our faith, we discover that God’s love is unwavering and His healing touch can mend even the deepest wounds.
 
Let’s remember that we are not defined by our pain,
But by the Grace that lifts us up,
and leads us toward restoration.
 
If you find yourself carrying the weight of trauma, know that you are not alone on this journey.
For those of you who may be trembling with fear or who have experienced any kind of abuse.
For those of you, how are trembling and fear, because you know you have done something and have hidden it from others or have protected others who you know have done harmful, evil things, the word of God says to confess your faults to one another to confess your sins so that you may be clean, freed, and that you may be forgiven.
To those of you who have been abused, don’t be afraid to find a safe, godly, skilled trauma counselor who will be able to help you be freed from the prisons of shame, control, and intimidation within, so that you can walk in the light of grace and freedom and know that your Father in heaven has rescued you from those that harm.
To help you in your journey, I have included a link where you can quickly locate or begin to research a Christian counselor who is skilled and able to help you with whatever specific area that you may need to have help with.
https://tinyurl.com/5h4zfc9u
 
Let's pray together before we end this time together.
Heavenly Father,
May everyone who knows your mercy keep putting their trust in you, for they can count on you for help no matter what.
O Lord, you will never, no, never, neglect those who come to you."
-Psalms 9:10
Heavenly Father, in the face of fear and uncertainty, I call upon your strength to fill those who are listening to, or who are reading this message, fill them with courage.
When the wounds of traumatic experiences seem too deep to overcome, remind them that you are the ever-present help in times of trouble.
Grant them the bravery to face their fears head-on, knowing that you go in front of them, leading them into a future, free from the shackles of the past.
Thank you for being our fortress and our deliverer. With you by their side, They will not be afraid. Amen.
 
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed,
as long as the complete message, Website, podcast link
and information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You!
"2025"
"THE MESSENGER"  -  Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
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A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE - When God Says "GO"!

 
A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE – When God Says “GO”!
By Mary Lindow
 
This Podcast is going to be focusing on what I would call
“A Miracle on Christmas Eve!”
 
Steve And I Had Just About Been Married About A Year and had been through a complete reorganization of his business due to a partner, having not reported properly on the business financial books. Shortly after we were married, we found this all out and we were saddled with the debt of the business and the business was shuttered and the friendship was shattered.  
 
STEVE REOPENED HIS OWN INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURAL ADVISORY BUSINESS ON A LITERAL SHOESTRING. I was teaching piano and voice lessons and directing a church choir.
 
In October Steve had been asked to totally remodel a local restaurant as well as create matching themed Christmas decor. I had worked in a floral shop for years as a young high school girl and had done many wreaths as well as large swags of things for commercial decorations. I helped Steve begin to build and construct the pieces that went together for all of the items we were going to install. Once it was all prepared and ready, the owner was so grateful and so in love with all the work, she asked us to also do Christmas swags and decor for the Bar and eating area in the bar. This was a few days before Christmas and she had decided she wanted more festive decor in the bar since many parties were to take place for Christmas and up to New Years Day.
So, we gathered materials and created that and installed it.
 
WE WERE NOT ANTICIPATING THAT EXTRA BLESSING FINANCIALLY and we received a $400 check, (which was a lot at that time.) As we began to pray about a Christmas offering, we wanted to do something to honor the Lord at Christmas and help others. A friend of ours whom we had met and had had wonderful prayer meetings with two other schoolteachers in East St. Louis, Missouri, had shared in a prayer meeting about a family in need. At that time, the Bloods and the Crips gangs were very heavily active and there was a tremendous amount of racial tension in East Saint Louis. We were always very careful when driving through the area to not get off on the wrong ramp because often there was a lot of car theft and harm done to people who didn’t know or belong to that area. But, there were times that we would travel down with a group of our friends, both black and white, to a house where a woman by the name of sister Lucy, who had a Doctorate in education, would hold ladies teas and prayer gatherings. We would worship and pray, and intercede and study the word fervently among both black-and-white women who were either highly educated or women who cleaned homes for a living. It didn’t matter! We loved being with each other, and we loved the presence of the Lord. So, when sister Margaret Wren our friend from East St. Louis, who was also a teacher, told us there was a family in desperate need of clothing and food that she knew of and that the mother who was in her early 60s had been holding all of the children and grandchildren together in her home.
 
THIS DEAR WOMAN WAS SCHEDULED TO GO IN FOR OPEN-HEART SURGERY ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Margaret told us there was going to be limited food and of course they weren’t expecting anything for Christmas. Steve and I knew that we were going to end up making what we considered a very significant personal sacrifice instead of doing things we needed to do to broaden our business and also to take care of a few things we needed to handle as well in our home. Yet, the Holy Spirit was persistent. The extra job came in unexpectedly. We knew that $400 was to be used specifically to help this family.
 
WE BEGAN TO TELL OUR SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO LIVED NEXT-DOOR TO US AND A FEW OTHER FAMILIES BEGAN TO GET EXCITED TO HELP. Steve and I went to the local grocery store and filled carts with warm blankets, hams, cereals, fruits, vegetables, different kinds of meat and canned goods, and had the joy of a lifetime like we had won the “Supermarket Sweepstakes!”
 
WE WERE GOING TO GO DELIVER ALL OF THIS ON CHRISTMAS EVE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE DEAR SISTER WAS GOING TO GO AND HAVE HER SURGERY THAT EVENING. Everyone congregated at our little cottage home and we could not believe how many people put together beautiful things for this family! My sister-in-law Judi had put together stacks of beautiful clothing and little outfits for children that her children were no longer fitting into because we had said there were children needing clothing. They also found a giant 6-foot long stocking and filled it with candy, fruit, and nuts.
Another lovely couple had a giant Christmas turkey on a platter with all kinds of onions and celery and carrots with the stuffing ready to go so they could put it in the oven when we got there.
 
THERE WERE BOXES OF DIAPERS, FORMULA, AND SACKS OF GROCERIES FROM SO MANY PEOPLE! Many who also had large families! We really didn’t know how many we were going to be helping! We just knew that there was a large family in need, and there were children were involved. Several married couples lived in the same house with the mother and the poverty was substantial.
 
WE MADE A CARAVAN OF FOUR CARS TO TRAVEL INTO EAST ST. LOUIS and Margaret Wren met us on a side street as we entered to go towards this family‘s house. We parked the cars outside, and there was a young man standing outside who did live in the home, who told us he would watch our cars for us. We told him that we didn’t think it would be a problem and he smiled at us shyly and he’s told us it was very important to have someone from the neighborhood watching your cars. We thanked him and went up the steps to a house that was sturdy but in much needed repair.
 
WE STOOD ON THE PORCH AND RANG THE DOORBELL. The door opened and there was the most precious older woman standing there in her coat and hat with a purse on her arm. She told us she was waiting for us to come before she made her journey to the hospital. As we began to walk in with box after box, package after package, grocery sack after grocery sack of items, the room began to fill with people coming from upstairs just standing there, staring at us in wonder and shock.
 
AS I LOOKED INTO THE KITCHEN AREA, THE ONLY HEAT IN THE HOUSE WAS THE GAS STOVE WITH ALL FOUR BURNERS FLAMING AND THE OVEN DOOR WAS OPEN. Lying over on a vinyl couch was a little infant, beautiful, baby boy dressed only in a T-shirt and a diaper, and the house was chilly.
 
Our hearts were breaking to see how little they had, and yet the love among them was evident and of course, the mother/ grandmother was introducing us all with great pride to her children and their spouses. Two of the little boys saw the big fluffy blankets that we bought. We had stacked things over on a makeshift couch that was really just a twin bed with a covering over it, and these little boys grabbed the blankets and ran upstairs to their rooms.
 
TO SAY IT WAS HUMBLING IS MINIMIZING HOW LITTLE THESE DEAR PEOPLE HAD. We were not there to give out of any sense of benevolence, but out of love.
 
We Began To Talk To Their Children And Coo Over The Babies,
And The Tension In The Room Began To Melt As They Began To See,
That We Were Just People Who Came To Love And Bless Them.
 
Because they knew Margaret Wren, they knew we were safe people and that we were kind people. We knew they were safe people and kind people.
 
NOW HERE’S WHERE THE BEAUTIFUL MIRACLE PART BEGINS TO TAKE PLACE! Steve asked if we might be able to pray for this dear woman heading into surgery that night. She was the one holding the family together and I think pretty much financially as well. She was covering what it cost to pay for the house and just basic comforts. Although several other others did have jobs, it just was not going to be enough with her being incapacitated.
 
SHE SMILED BROADLY, AND SHE SAID, “I AM BELIEVING THAT GOD WILL HEAL ME AND THAT I WILL COME OUT OF THIS WITH A NEW HEART. That I will mend quickly! I trust in Jesus!” Some of her older children were rolling their eyes at her or had an attitude of just accepting that “this was the way their mother always was”, but there was not necessarily disrespect, just a lot of disbelief. Yet, they all joined the large circle we formed to pray.
 
STEVE BEGAN TO PRAY.
He prayed and blessed the family and thanked the Lord for the privilege of meeting every one of them. He asked the Heavenly Father if he would come and show himself to be kind and real to each and every one of them and provide for them and open up new jobs for them. He then laid hands on this dear lady, as did several others who were with us, and he anointed her with oil and prayed that the Lord would touch her body and astound the doctors, asking that there would not nearly be as much damage done to her heart as originally thought.
 
We All Felt This Unusual Warm Presence Gently Surround
All Of Us As We Were Standing There.
Everyone Was Aware Of The Sweetness Of God’s Presence.
 
WHEN STEVE GOT DONE PRAYING, WE ALL HUGGED EVERYONE.
Some of it was awkward, some of it was genuine and warm, and the dear lady said, "I need to be on my way, they’ll be waiting for me at the hospital." We said Merry Christmas to everyone and went outside where the young man was still watching our cars and of course, he had seen us take in all of the items. He was smiling a big smile and gave each of us a hug and said, “Thank you all so much. You have no idea how much this means to our children.” Many of us smiled and said, “We do understand because some of us came from big families and have been through hard times in the past, so we’re so glad to be able to share!”
 
ON OUR WAY HOME STEVE AND I JUST SAT THERE QUIETLY basking in the joy of knowing that God sent us to a difficult place and a potentially dangerous place, and that the enemy would want us to think that we were doing something foolish or dangerous, but instead, we were sent to love people who were in need. We were given the privilege of watching joy take place in their home, as well as seeing their beautiful children, and then praying for the dear lady who was going to have the heart surgery.
 
WE WENT TO STEVE’S PARENTS HOUSE and sat there with Christmas music playing and good food everywhere and said, “we’ve already had our Christmas” We just had the most beautiful moment and it just seemed like everything else paled compared to what we had had the honor of partaking in. It was about a 35-minute drive from Steve’s parents house to ours and we went home and prepared for bed.
 
CHRISTMAS MORNING, (THE NEXT MORNING), WE HAD GOTTEN UP AND WE WERE PREPARING SOME COFFEE AND WERE GOING TO OPEN OUR SMALL GIFTS TO EACH OTHER WHEN THE PHONE RANG. When we answered it, Margaret Wren was on the phone and she was laughing and praising God. We said, “What’s going on Margaret? What’s got you so fired up on Christmas morning to call us! Aren’t you with your family?”
Margaret said, “WELL!! I WAS getting ready to celebrate with my family, but I got a phone call from our dear sister who went into surgery last night …
…And as they were examining her last evening and did a final scan, the doctor was extremely puzzled. They decided to do some exploratory surgery before fully opening her up to make sure that everything was necessary.
Upon further examination with laparoscopy, the doctor was absolutely stunned and flummoxed that this woman’s heart was in perfect condition! There was no scar tissue. There was no evidence of heart attack or stroke anywhere in her body. Her blood pressure had gone into a normal rhythm and she was breathing with ease. They ran more tests and didn’t know what to do with her so they sent her home. 
 
WE WERE STUNNED, JOYFULLY PRAISING GOD AND LAUGHING AT THE FACT THE DOCTOR’S DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HER! We told Margaret we would split calling everybody up with her to let everyone know, and each time we called and told someone the rejoicing increased!
 
After the phone calls, Steve and I sat and talked about what an absolute moment it must’ve been for her children to have her walk through that door and smile at them and say, “Look what the Lord has done. He gave me the best Christmas ever! He gave me a new heart!” All of those young adults and grandchildren who stood in that room, doubtful that God cared about them very much, but knew that their grandmother or their mother loved them and gave everything for them in order for them to have comfort and shelter. Yet, she stood there bravely and courageously saying she was believing God for a new heart. (I think the Lord gave a few other people a new heart that day as well!)
 
WATCHING PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD or even from your own culture, praying for your mother, bringing gifts and treasures much like the Wiseman brought, filled with abundance because of Jesus to celebrate Christmas, created an open door for God to work a miracle and change an entire family’s focus to see that he not only cares for them, but that he loves them.
 
NO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, NO TINSEL,
NO BEAUTIFULLY WRAPPED GIFT HELD INTEREST FOR STEVE AND I THAT CHRISTMAS. We sat on our little couch and held hands and wept and praised God for the extra income that we had been given through the unexpected extra job. Even though we had suffered great losses and had been saddled with the business debt, we knew that we had obeyed the Lord being a part of the blessing of watching God unite many people who gave their little bits, which created a tremendous amount to bless another family in need. To see joy on those dear faces and learn of the miracle that took place was more than we could handle!
 
Every Christmas we recount the story. We remember the years where there was hardship and yet God always came through. That dear woman lived into her late 80s and although we never saw her or the family again, we occasionally would hear from sister Margaret about the advances that had taken a place in the family. How the grandchildren were doing. We knew that we had been a small, tiny part of validating that they were worthy of love and care.
 
WHAT IS IT RIGHT NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH IN ABUNDANCE?
What is it that you have in your home?
Maybe you have a box of new tennis shoes that you don’t really like or a pair of dress shoes.
Maybe you have jeans or clothing that you can’t fit into, or, they’re too big and they’re just hanging in your closet.
Maybe you have an extra $20 or $50 where you could go buy bags of fruit loaves of bread, a few blocks of cheese.
 
When you put these things together and you ask around, you will find a family in need. A family worthy of love, going through a difficult time.
In that moment when you choose to go and be the hands of Christ extended, not only will he empower you with his Holy Spirit, but he gives you the opportunity to offer prayer for the deeper needs that they may have.
 
Perhaps In The Next Few Days You Will Be Called Upon
To Do Something That Starts Out As Simply A Loving Act Of
Giving Of Sustenance And Warmth That Will Turn Into
A Miraculous And Beautiful Testimony.
 
We live in a world in a time we’re hoarding has become something others applaud, holding our “earthly stuff” close to us, and becoming cynical when others suffer or others are going through difficult times.
 
IF YOU HAVE WEALTH, IF YOU HAVE ABUNDANCE OR IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE,  and there is even the slightest hint of condescension or looking down on anyone else who suffers or seems to have cycles of loss, Check your heart!
You have been blessed in abundance, to help others in abundance.
That is the biblical approach to wealth.
 
We don’t store up and hoard for ourselves in order to impress others as believers.
We don’t flaunt and act extravagant in front of others in order to appear superior.
We humble ourselves, we give sacrificially, and we go to hard places, we go to difficult places, perhaps to families who have no interest in Christ, but we become light in their darkness and plant seeds.
 
THERE ARE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS NEARBY WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, THAT NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE SEEN AND LOVED. Even the smallest thing, a plate of cookies or a basket of fruit taken to a woman who has been recently widowed, can cause her loneliness and fears to be calmed.
 
ALWAYS REMEMBER TO PRAY WITH THOSE THAT YOU GO TO CHECK IN ON. They may say no, they don’t want to be prayed for, and you can lovingly say, “that’s fine. I will pray quietly for you at home.” But never be afraid to offer to pray for them in the moment.
This Is What Jesus Would Do.
 
Ask the Holy Spirit right now what is it that you have been blessed with.
Ask if you are supposed to share a part of that blessing.
Ask if there’s something sacrificial that you can do to help bless others who serve. Those who bless others who care take.
 Bless others who seem to be givers and others think they have an endless supply, when in fact; they too need to be loved and seen.
 
THE COMING OF CHRIST WAS A GIFT OF IMMEASURABLE GRACE.
God gave his entire wealth to mankind so that this gift would give us back access to the Father himself. He gave the very best that heaven could offer. That is why Christmas is such a potent time, because it is to be about the giving, the light, and the celebrating of this immeasurable gift.
 
When We Step Out Into Difficult And Hard Places And Sacrifice,
Remember,
God Is With Us! Emmanuel!
 
Matthew 1:23 Tells us
“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY SHALL NAME HIM IMMANUEL,” which translated, means, “GOD WITH US.”
 
THE NAME OF JESUS THE MESSIAH, “GOD WITH US”
MANIFESTS IN NOT ONLY THE MIRACULOUS,
BUT HE HEALS AND BREAKS DOWN BARRIERS. 
 
May your celebration of the King of Kings who was sent to earth as a tiny, vulnerable baby, be filled with a deeper understanding of the price that was paid for our lives.
 
Of course we know this is not actually the accurate date or celebration for Jesus’ birthday, but we must never minimize the fact that the world is aware of what we are celebrating! Something of great power and a great comfort. It has a depth and a meaning that many are still seeking to understand.
 
Let us use every opportunity to its fullest to tell of the wonders of his love!
 
Have A Miraculous And Beautiful Christmas Season My Friends!
God Is With Us.
We Are Not Alone!
 
I will say goodbye for now until my next podcast!
I bless you all in the mighty name of the Savior of mankind, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, GOD WITH US.
 
 
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed, as long as the complete message, Website, podcast link and information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You! 2024
"THE MESSENGER"  - Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
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"TRAUMATIC TIMES AND TRUTH TELLERS"

By Mary Lindow
 
Today’s podcast is going to be discussing a subject that a lot of people avoid because they honestly just don’t know how to approach it or, they are afraid to approach it.
Somehow people think that people like myself who have been serving in ministry to the Body of Christ for many, many years, and who are called by the Lord to operate or flow in a prophetic ministry as well, do this 40 hours a week. And, of course, people do expect you to be on call and ready to deliver a clear and concise word from the Lord, without considering the fact that you are not just simply a prophet or a teacher/minister, but you are also a human being who lives and breathes and moves and feels.
 
BEING IN MINISTRY ON ANY LEVEL IS NOT FOR THE WEAK OF HEART and truly should not be something to be considered or pursued by those who are looking for a platform for fame or to hold power over others. It is a call to hear the voice of the Lord, to study his word and to always be ready to give a good report of what he has promised or what he is requiring of his people.
So having said that, I am echoing the words and most likely also the thoughts of many disappointed and disillusioned believers right now.
I read a wonderful devotional last week from the Bible app. and it so resonated with where things are right now in our world.
It said, 
“If we are paying attention, we will see a lot of “off” around us. I bet you have noticed things that appeared unjust. Cracks in the façade that show injustice is real.
People hurt. Bullies winning.
The right action is left undone or the wrong action brings harm.
When we pay attention, we have to acknowledge this world is gut-wrenchingly broken.”
 
Many of us will read a description of mistreatment and nod along from experience, memories bringing a fire to our chest. Others hear words about injustice, and it all feels distant. The deep desire to downplay evil stirs, perhaps even subconsciously.
Reading Habakkuk beckons us to acknowledge a foundational principle God reveals through Old Testament prophets—you have to see the evil. We must look around at what is happening in the world and see it for what it is.”
 
THE BIBLE PAINTS THE PROPHETS AS THOSE WHO JOLT US AWAKE AND FORCE US TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT SUCH THINGS.
 
They are the watchmen signaling with waving arms, often to people wanting to look away.
“Look up and see the evil done against others”, the prophets said.
See the impact of your own choices on the vulnerable.
See the disobedience of God’s people.
 
GOD SEES THE WAYS WE’VE GOTTEN THINGS SUPER WRONG FRIENDS, and he’s coming to do something about it.
Get ready. We might not be paying attention, but he is.
 
It would be easy for some of us—and beneficial at times—to look away from the wrong done around us. We much prefer the aesthetics that way. Yet, there are consequences to indifference. We should not be surprised by discipline from the Lord if we choose not to pay attention to the discrepancy between our community’s actions and God’s righteous standard, just as the prophets warned in Israel.
 
FOR OVER 16 YEARS STEVE AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED AS PASTORAL COUNSELORS. Now, some individuals say that all pastors can give pastoral counseling to people. It’s a little different than that. Some people go to school and study psychology, which is the study of the mind, and how to understand the psyche of people and help them. This is a secular approach, and there have been good results and helping people resolve conflicts and often mental illness issues as well as addressing dementia and Alzheimer’s problems and more.
 
Pastoral counseling is where the Bible is the foundation, the Scriptures are the foundation of what you use as a basis to advise and counsel and hopefully help restore people. You also do have to take study courses and apply different techniques in counseling that assist you in being able to assess and discern, as well as understand some issues of mental health in order to be integral in your approach. Steve and I were supervised for over 15 years by a doctor of psychology, who was a strong believer, and we both took courses from different Christian counseling associations and college courses in order to broaden our ability to help people. We also had a brick-and-mortar counseling group with a dear friend, our friend who was the doctor of psychology and the practice supervisor for three years in our local area.
 
WE SAW THE LORD TRANSFORM, marriages, families, young people, and drug addicts, as well as dealing with many abused believers who had come out of almost cult-like, churches, or who were involved in environments and churches where they could not talk about abuse going on with the staff. Many in ministry callings came to us to share their hearts and gained helpful counsel as well.
 
LITERALLY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE COVID LOCKDOWNS BEGAN, our landlord who was also a believer let us know that he was going to sell his portion of the medical unit building that we were renting from him, and the Lord had begun to speak to Steve and I about the timing of where we were supposed to head into more private work as pastoral counselors and as mentors within that same timeframe. The state of Colorado had begun to dictate what licensed counselors were permitted to address, absolutely mandating that they were not permitted to talk about any kind of therapy, that assisted those with “different sexual lifestyles” if they wanted to be transformed or helped.
 
Steve and I strictly operate as Ordained ministers so we do not have to bow our knee to the dictates of a corrupt government licensure program.  We still have to follow confidentiality laws as well as report any kind of devastating child abuse that we may hear in our counseling sessions, but it is all done ethically and legally, and with grace. When the lockdowns began the majority of our work took place over the phone or occasional zoom sessions. With great sadness our dear sister and friend and Counseling Center Supervisor Dr. Muskie, passed into heaven, due to complications with WuhanCovid19.
 
When You Counsel People, The Number One Thing
That Needs To Be Absolutely Evident Is That You Are Willing
To NOT Look At Everyone From A Lens Of What YOU Know,
But Rather From The Lens Of God’s Compassion, As Well As
Leaning In To The Discernment Of The Holy Spirit.
 
The majority of the people I work with are women who have been in abusive environments with either husbands, abusive parents or/siblings and with people in ministry environments (and I’m telling you there are many sexual predators who prey upon women right in church buildings!) as well as working with professional women who are pressured by men and women in their work environments.
 
There are also a lot of women who are very sensual, who get attention by teasing men hoping to cause them to fall. It’s a real deal! And they don’t just go after pastors. They will go after any man in a local body or church or work environment to get the attention that they hunger for when they missed out on being parented properly, or if they feel that something sensual makes them get the attention they need to feel loved. This often happens when there has been sexual abuse in their lives.
 
Pastoral counseling is based on getting to the root of the problem according to what the word of God says, and for a believer the importance of it is that we are willing to face the root cause of what causes us to be traumatized, bitter, secretive, or lie.
 
ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO COUNSEL IS A PERSON WITH AN EXTREMELY HARD, WOUNDED HEART, OR WHO IS EMBITTERED. No matter how much you try to show them the way and soften the pathway for them with the grace of God, there is often a back lash that always has a reason to explain why they are hurt, why they are hard, and why they choose to stay stuck in a hard place.
In Matthew 13:15 Jesus says:
“For the heart of this people has become hard,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.”
 
It is a humbling thing to admit that you are stuck or that you are in a hard place, or that you are dominant and mean and cruel to people because you are bitter over tough life circumstances that have happened to you, and so you put up a wall to protect yourself.
 
I have met Christians who justify the fact that they can bully and name call and yes, often swear at other people when they think they are trying to help them or advise them. They often get angry when they are confronted about their bad bullying behavior towards their children. If you ever hear a believer say something like “my child is a jerk”, or “you’re a little brat”, or “stop whining and get up or I’m going to give you something to cry about”, you can tell that there’s verbal abuse going on in their home.
 
Verbal abuse isn’t just cussing at someone although it is verbal abuse for sure! Verbal abuse is considered shaming, humiliating, paralyzing, and dominating over someone else verbally to the point that they are caused to emotionally shut down in fear. Unfortunately, I hear in the confines and confidential pouring out of hearts in my counseling sessions many who have been yelled at with scripture verses and shamed over not being perfect and obedient to God.  This is called spiritual abuse.
 
Picking out specific Bible verses, and using them as a battering ram, or a knife that stabs into the heart of someone to get them to “obey" or to get them to “submit”, is absolutely vicious behavior and it is abusive. There’s no godly virtue in posturing to be a big shot, or to appear to be the person who can control a room with snarky snide remarks or a bunch of advice that everyone is forced to listen to.
 
This is called "insolent pride" in the Bible, and we always take that biblical view, but in the natural if you were studying a psychological viewpoint, this is called narcissism.
 
Proverbs 21:24 states
“Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names, 

He who acts with insolent pride
 
 
INSOLENT PRIDE CREATES A SCOFFING, ARROGANT “KNOW IT ALL” ENVIRONMENT, where there is no ability to ever address the deep-rooted issue of control and abuse in a human being and how they use it towards others to posture. The need for power and control becomes “out of control”! But underneath that simmering rage there is someone who needs to keep everything tightly organized and under their thumb in order that no one finds about out the secret part of them that is either weak, wounded, or has done something they should not do to harm others.
 
WHY AM I SHARING THIS?
Well, we are living in a time where narcissism is actually applauded and stroked as a point of near genius! Insolent pride and verbal domination have become the way of communication in most social media groups.  And, unfortunately it takes place in a lot of texting where people can say cruel or snarky things behind the protection of a telephone screen and slander others in one mass social media post or text! But to say it face-to-face and see the pain in someone’s face by the words they’ve spoken is a different thing isn’t it? And the other party suddenly being painted as a “rotten person” never gets a chance to tell the side of their story that may actually be the truth.
 
Every day we come across people who need to hear a kind word, who need to be lead to a place where they can get help or truth, or just simply be treated with a level of empathy.  And, every day we come across people who may be predators, verbal abusers, spiritual abusers, and have no conscience about how they treat people.
 
IT IS ABSOLUTELY TIME FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST AGAIN TO READDRESS THE ISSUE, FOR THE NEED FOR EXTREME DISCERNMENT. Everything that the enemy could throw at us and our children is on full display right now, and if we dumb down safety and sexuality, safety and what our children watch on television or other tech devices, safety and what WE as adults watch, we simply embrace the narrative of the world, and we move away from scriptural goodness into a place that pollutes the ability to have good discernment.
 
When we don’t allow accountability to come into our lives, whether it be with a good and wise counselor, or with a group of trusted friends who are not going to take your information and spread it far and wide, we leave ourselves open to a secretive fantasy world, or a secret world of torment.
 
What do you do when you’re anxious or sad or depressed or fearful over the way your husband treats you or the way your wife beats you down verbally?
 
What do you do when you are at a stalemate because a spouse refuses to forgive or move forward into hearing the truth about some of the things they have done to get locked into bad behavior and resentment?
 
What do you do when you have a child that suddenly has become addicted to video games and it’s moved up into their adult life and they have no friends because their world is all in front of a screen?
 
What do you do when you know that a minister or a member of a staff in a church or a CEO of your corporation is secretly sexually preying upon individuals in their offices, and you could lose your job, because you know?
 
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE HARD TO ADDRESS,
BUT MUST BE ADDRESSED!
 
The world is feeling a tremendous amount of being unsettled right now by the great upset of realizing how easy it is to be controlled by a few tyrants, and yet people will cower and go about in denial, instead of learning how to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
 
I have worked with many brave women, who have prayed and fasted and done everything they possibly can to help work on their marriages, but their spouses have chosen to hunker down and gaslight and punish. No matter what approach is taken they become more verbally violent and are determined to blame everyone else.
 
Is this easy to talk about? Absolutely not!
But when you are scripturally based not only as a minister, but also as a pastoral counselor, you must bring truth into the light and help people become free from abusive environments and often “self abusive” environments.  You must above all have confidentiality and trust level that they know will not be breached. Most pastoral counselors work on a sliding scale fee in order to keep their rates low for those who are working hard, sometimes two and three jobs, or a wife who has limited income because her husband tightly holds the reins of the finances.
 
WHEN YOU’RE A PASTORAL COUNSELOR, IT IS DONE OUT OF THE PASSION FOR CHRIST and therefore money and income are not the foremost driving purpose for your work. But, there must be an investment and a fee from those who are in counseling, or people tend to not take it seriously.
It needs to be considered per individual and what they are capable of handling. I often tell people their counseling is much more important than the two or three times weekly custom cup of coffee at their local coffee shop, or perhaps snacks in their afternoon candy bar routine. It really isn’t a sacrifice when you start doing the work to get yourself whole and healthy.
It becomes a lifetime investment.
 
Pastoral counseling is definitely a calling and not to be simply a moneymaker. However, many individuals still expect hours and hours of free counseling time, and rarely invest much into changing their lives if there isn’t some kind of financial accountability for them. Of course if you attend a local church and there is a counseling pastor on staff, that’s what they are there for! If you regularly go to that fellowship and support them, usually there is an option or opportunity for you to see a counselor on staff for no fee. But having experienced some of this in the past, I also know that people tend to jump from counselor to counselor or, Pastor to Pastor if they don’t want to deal with the root cause of their problems, and it can cause friction in a local body if there’s not respect for the position and the role the pastoral counselor is assigned to, by the Lord. Basically they want someone to justify what they are doing, and their bad behaviors.
 
I URGE YOU TO ASK THE LORD TO WALK THE CORRIDORS OF YOUR HEART. Are there things in your life that you dominate and hold over others as scriptural and “legalistic absolutes” and they have become nearly abusive because you refuse to listen to someone else’s heart on the matter?
 
One thing that I have often observed is that people become very hard and hardened because they want to win an argument, or something that has helped and changed them, becomes a law for them to use against others.
 
Now, before others think I’m going to lighten my approach to the Bible, understand this. The word of God is perfect and enlightens the soul. It brings truth to a matter and it does not waver.
 
Of course, there are absolutes in the Scriptures that God will not deviate from no matter how many people try to dilute or maneuver around them. But if we use a hammer and verbal abuse and shame and scripture to “scorch people” in order to prove a point, or to advise them then we are also biblically unsound and abusive.
 
FIRST CORINTHIANS INSTRUCTS US SO CLEARLY THAT LOVE IS WHAT?
It is patient.
It is kind.
It is not boastful, it is not arrogant, and it is not self-serving.
 
When the Lord said, come to me, all of you who are heavy, laden, weighed down and burdened, and I will give you rest, he meant that, because he knows we get heavy laden and burdened and weighed down, either by our own destructive behaviors and sins, or by the destructive behaviors and actions and sins of others.
 
There is also nothing more painful than when someone is in pain or sorrowful or going through a great loss or trauma, and another individual shouts, “get over it, move on”, or cracks jokes about the person in pain.
 
Yes, you will be around people who are chronically in pain or depressed, and it takes patience. It takes guidance, and it takes kindness to either help direct them to help, or gently tell them that you are not the person that is able to help them at this time, but that you will stop and pray for them right now. 
You see, it takes humility.
 
Although there is a lot of reading material produced that uses the term “tough love” and a lot of books about boundaries that we can study, remember, if you’re coming from a scriptural perspective the ultimate goal of God is a Redemptive moment or a restoration if possible.
 
BOUNDARIES ARE NOT TO BE HUGE CEMENT WALLS WITH BARBED WIRE AT THE TOP BLOCKING OUT EVEN THE SUN.
 
Boundaries as a believer are there for when there is a conflict or a disagreement or a different viewpoint with another person. It’s a  "time out" to go and think about it, to pray about it, check your own heart and see if there’s something that would bring about a form of reconciliation.  And then, you try to come together and discuss the issue.
You can agree to disagree and not banish people!
 
Imagine how much Jesus disagrees with a lot of how we behave and yet he doesn’t banish us! He continues to wait for us to come out of our corners of hiding or corners of denial, and meet him again in dialogue until light comes and hope and help, bring a different perspective on our pathway of life.
 
I have worked with people through phone counseling sessions from many different places in the United States, and I have seen them grieve and open up and trust me with the deepest of their painful sorrows and things that are unbelievably sometimes even unbearable to mention. Slowly, but surely, a foundation of nurture and truth combined begins to chip away at the lie that they have believed and feel viewed as something no longer valuable or useful, or that they are worthy of value and are not to be abused!
 
For instance, if a young girl has been used and trafficked by a parent for most of their childhood and up into their high school years, once they awaken to this later in life, there is no way that anyone can accuse them of “choosing” to not face it!
 
There comes a time where the light of God shines brightly on the pain and the sorrow, and they need to be led out into a place where they can express the grief, the anguish and the huge loss of childhood innocence, and yet be brought to a safe place before the face of God, through strategic dialog, planning, or behavioral changes. Gently addressing the people that they affiliate, with until they see the light and the kindness of God. Until they can see themselves as the original creation God had planned them to be.
 
NOW, DON’T GET ME WRONG.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WHEN THE LORD OPENS DOORS FOR ME TO SPEAK AND MINISTER, and if so called to, I to do operate in the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom when I am involved in these environments.  It is hard work to study and prepare in prayer for when you are assigned these opportunities to speak and minister publicly. But, this behind-the-scenes work of mentoring and pastorally, biblically guide people with counsel, is one of the hardest things that I think I’ve ever done, and yet the most joyful and rewarding when you see the lights come on and the light enter and the chains of the enemy become literal paper and fall away. The person finds the joy and laughter and finds that God has a glorious plan for them.
 
Sometimes it can be a rather rapid process, but the majority of times it is a steady, consistent work, until they find their wings and fly. Every time I work with someone I think about how long it takes for Jesus to help us to find our way, and he often narrows the path of our relationships and friendships in order for us to not only be safe, but to also be on a pathway that is not crowded by those who choose to not do the work that God is asking them to do, in order to be transformed.
 
If we look at the parable where the seed falls on the ground, there are those who will stay stony hearted and will not take in water. They will not receive nourishment. They choose not to grow, and the sad thing is that their seed is pecked up on my other predators.
 
I CAN TELL YOU HONESTLY THAT ALL OF THE PROPHETIC WORDS SPOKEN OVER YOUR LIFE DO NOT CHANGE
THE HARD WORK IT TAKES TO GET YOUR LIFE ON A PATH WHERE THEY CAN COME TO PASS.
 
The Lord is so good to give us future promises, but with those there’s a requirement for action.
Don’t wait until things are so bad and you have a minefield of heartache and debris left in your wake that you have to now clean up.
Don’t be afraid to ask for the help that you need, and find someone whom you can work with and feel safe with, and get on with allowing God to create a new clean heart and renew a right spirit within you.
 
If you have addictions to pornography or addictions to drugs or any other thing that causes you to feel driven towards it, the Lord wants to offer you freedom and restore you to a place of peace and no longer walking in fear.
 
The greatest counselor that we can have is the Holy Spirit; the scripture says the Holy Spirit is a counselor.
Now, many people say, “Well!  I can hear from the Lord for myself, and I will let the Holy Spirit counsel me!”
The problem with that statement is that if we are already in trouble, or we are hiding something, or we have been abused and beat down, we can often dismiss the deep inner voice of the Lord telling us that we need to talk to others and be accountable and get help. Often the Holy Spirit will gently say to someone,  “Go talk to so-and-so or go talk to your pastor or go talk to a counselor or a close friend, who is wise”. Yet pride or fear keeps us paralyzed and afraid to move forward.
 
EVERYONE SOMEWHERE IN THEIR FAMILY OR IN THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES HURT, AND PAIN AND TRAUMA. Unfortunately, this is the nature of fallen man and the Earth is riddled with devastation because of it. But in John 10:10, Jesus himself said, “I have come that you might have life to the fullest!” He said that you MIGHT have life to the fullest! And the first part of that verse is, “but Satan comes to rob to steal to kill and destroy”. This is what happens to people in life when they are abused and traumatized! 
 
Jesus offers a hand to us saying come to me all of you, who are very weary and heavy laden, heavy burdened, and I will give you rest so that you might have life to the fullest.
 
One of the simplest ways you can find help is to simply look in your area for a Christian counselor, and you can even ask for specifics and details. Those who are really dedicated to the call of God as pastoral counselors spend as much time in prayer and preparation before there counseling session, as they do IN the counseling session.
 
The word of God ultimately has the answers that we need, and the pathway that will guide us out of darkness into the light.
 
I AM IMPRESSED TO SHARE THIS PODCAST SPECIFICALLY
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE THOSE OF YOU
THAT ARE LISTENING WHO ARE CRYING OUT FOR GOD
TO SHOW YOU WHERE TO GO OR WHAT TO DO ABOUT
SOME OF THE SITUATIONS YOU FIND YOURSELF IN.
 
He wants you to know it is not wrong to seek help and that counseling is not of the devil!
 
After all the scripture in Isaiah calls, Jesus, The Mighty Counselor! And again he speaks of the Holy Spirit as being our advocate, or one of our counselors, because they are in themselves three in one with the Father. But, the Lord gives the spirit of counsel and wisdom, and insight to those who are called to help others out of dark places.
 
Don’t hesitate!
Call someone, research someone in your area, or if you have a pastor or individual who is skilled in your church to help you deal with the specific kind of trauma upset you are dealing with, make an appointment and step forward. Not all pastors are skilled or qualified to help people who have been through traumatic sexual abuse issues, or who are dealing with parents who have dementia and Alzheimer’s. But, they can certainly pray with you and help also to direct you to the proper resource.
 
JESUS WANTS US TO FIND A PLACE OF PEACE AND REST IN HIM. His ultimate is to bring us peace and to draw us close to him.
 
If there’s anyone who has ever shamed you by telling you that, seeing a counselor is weak or shows that you don’t trust the Lord, just understand that that individual is also hiding something, or is extremely bound up in the fear of being led astray.
 
Some counselors are not a good fit and so you go to a different one! There have been times when I have worked with individuals and I have to lovingly let them know that I am not a good fit for their situation, or it becomes overlapped into situations where there needs to be another specialist who can better help them walk out an area where they’re stuck, and they need a Focused, Skilled individual to help them unpack, and unburden the deep pain that they are in.
 
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS HE WHOM THE SON SETS FREE IS FREE INDEED.
My prayer for those that are listening today is that you will open your heart to the Lord in prayer and ask him to help you to take the steps forward that you might need to deal with whatever it is that you are suffering over.
 
If you have been verbally abused by bullies in the church or those that may even say that they have some form of counseling skill, but they verbally abuse or shame or use harsh language in order to shock you, this was not the way God planned it. Try again!
 
Step forward one more time and ask the Lord to open the door for you to the right counselor. He will do it, and he will help you be free from pain, the hiding of abuse as a child, the difficulty of dealing with addicted or angry adult children, and those that are prodigal parents, or prodigal children.
 
Jesus has a plan and helping us to hand things over to him in his care when we’ve done all that we know we can possibly do, and we have apologized or repented for actions on our part.
 
Remember, nothing is impossible with God.
I have seen him turn situations around that seemed absolutely impossible! He can help us to stand firm in our faith and not hide in order to be people pleasers, or to cower under the pressure of abusive treatment.
 
OUR NATURAL HUMAN RESPONSE TO SHAME IS TO HIDE.
We hide from each other and hide from God.
This has been the case since Creation. The Bible describes how the first human beings responded to God when they had sinned and were ashamed:  “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8).
 
FRIENDS, HIDING KEEPS US FROM HEALING.
Let’s all aim to be a compassionate, courageous community of believers. A community in which we support each other as we choose healing over hiding.
Let’s support each other as we ask God to grow, to change and heal us.
 
Let Me Lift You Up To The Father In Prayer Right Now:
Father, I thank you for those that are listening to this podcast today. I know it’s not an easy one and certainly not as stimulating and supernatural or as exciting as some, but it IS a supernatural work that you do when you bring us to a place of releasing pain and telling the truth about what has happened to us, or where we have done something to harm someone else.
 
Lord, I know you’re doing a great cleansing work and that you are starting with the body of Christ, bringing your judgment and your truth, and your light.
 
Lord, you said the days are coming when we will worship you in spirit and in truth. Lord, we can’t fully worship you when we’re not truthful with you, if we’re hiding and if we’re cloaking, so I pray that anyone listening today. Father anyone who is afraid. I pray that you tell them that fear is holding them back and that you would guide them literally by the hand and direct them to the proper counselor, to someone who has the wisdom to help unlock the pain, the history, the stories and the trauma that has happened to them, in war, in family, in abuse in school or a job. With an abusive Pastor, with an abusive Sunday school teacher.
 
The list goes on and on and you know every one of these events.
So Father I ask that those that are hearing this message will take courage. You will GIVE them the courage to step out and ask for help and I know you will do it.
 
You will help them if they will simply step out, and I thank you for hearing this prayer from my heart for them, in Jesus name.
 
 
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed, as long as the complete message, Website, podcast link and information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You! 2024
"THE MESSENGER"  - Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
If you would be so kind and assist Mary helping her to meet other administrative needs such as website and podcast costs, or desire to bless her service in ministry with
Spirit-led Love gifts or regular support:
 
Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of: 
► Personal Checks ► Business Checks
► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks
To: 
 
His Beloved Ministries Inc. 
PO Box 1253
Denver, Colorado 80614
 USA 
 
Or feel free to use our send a tax-deductible gift with
 
Pay Pal   paypal.me/mlindow 
Under the name of - His Beloved Ministries Inc. 
 
ALL gifts are tax-deductible under
His Beloved Ministries 5013c non-profit status.
 
We are financially accountable
and have been in full compliance since 1985.
 
Thank You!
 
X0b4EOoOzHFtDNYJun0d

"Aligned - Armored Up - Focused" - Spiritual Discernment

 
By Mary Lindow
 
Hello Brothers and Sisters!
Today’s podcast is specifically focused on a word from the Lord that I have had stirring in my spirit and with current events and all of the tragedies taking place around us, many people are either paralyzed, angry, or are extremely, extremely in despair.
 
Many are being driven into a deeper place of prayer and it is also bringing to light, the weaknesses that many of us as believers have!
So, this word is a word of encouragement and also a directive from the Holy Spirit and I believe that it is a strong word and has such powerful encouragement in it so I’m going to deliver it to you just as I have received it from the Lord. So let’s go!
 
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS SAYING...
"Be very careful whom you share your treasures with. How many pearls have you cast before piggish users in the past, only to have them ground to powder?
The servant Paul the apostle was more than a new herald in the order of the day. He stirred up old systems and disturbed demonic religious strongholds. You must be ready to "power up" for years of opposition and hoards of religious factions and fractures of truth!
The past years of agony have been hard soldierly-like boot camp. 
Elite forces training.
It will not go away. 
You must simply learn that it is My duty to do the fighting for you.
Just be certain that you are only speaking, ONLY SPEAKING, what I have told you to.  Speak Nothing more and Speak Nothing less."
 
THIS IS A TIME IN THE KINGDOM 
WHERE WE ALL MUST SOBERLY COUNT THE COST 
OF WHAT WE ARE ABOUT TO STEP INTO ON EVERY LEVEL.
 
If there is not the peace of the Holy Spirit resting on those whom you are involved with, don't move into anything until the peace comes.
Gatherings and movements can feel real exciting and purposeful, until conflict, control, and competition show up.
The apostolic and prophetic saints in Acts, fasted, ministered to the Lord, and then the Holy Spirit spoke. 
We have all learned many a painful lesson in the past from experiences of over planning, programming, and hurrying to help God out!
 
To everything there is a season, a time. 
Until you have a full green light, don't move. 
 It will keep you from having to backtrack and...
 …It trains you in humility.
 
Familiar Friends OR RELATIONSHIPS?
Ask yourself the following question. 
"Are you simply familiar with people or are you working in relationship with others and those whom you feel are to move into a more Kingdom minded level of Spiritual intimacy with?"
 
IF YOU SHARE WHAT IS PASSIONATELY BURNING IN YOUR SPIRIT WITH THOSE WHO ONLY "RELATE"
ON A CASUAL SPIRITUAL LEVEL THEMSELVES… 
 …YOU WILL BE CONTINUALLY DEVASTATED.
 
Spiritual intimacy can only be as deep as those who spend the time in spiritually intimate worship, waiting, and self-examining dialog with the Father, and in relating to others of a likeminded heart. 
This is not easy for busy, human life!
 
"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."
Philippians 2: 1-3
 
A PROPHETIC WORD CONCLUSION:
"Hear Me”, Cries the Spirit of Holy Grace and Mercy! 
I desire to move upon, in, and through each of you. 
Not one of you alone can endure the onslaughts of evil by standing aloof and silent.
Nor can the most vocal of gifts among you clearly communicate all that I long to express.
Until each one is willing to step into the Holy place of pure relationship with Me and with one another, waiting, crying out, Yes - even waiting until I come and refresh, then the generation waiting in the wings will not fully come forward.
Until it is branded into your spirits that this era in time is for the saving of the lost, the redeeming of the wasted, and the release of My power, of My glory, you will be so very, very frustrated by the heaviness that doggedly harasses your soul.
 
What I ordain, I cover. What I command, I give direction to. 
Be certain that you have heard what I am saying.
I am fully aware of the weariness and fatigue you have been experiencing.
Heavier than anything you can recall from the past.
 
"Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you!"  -1 Peter 4:12
There are many, many others globally who are also still wrestling out of the cocoon in new birth and are suffering also. PRAY FOR THEM!
 
Hellish warfare will be a normal activity in the days ahead. 
Unless you harness the power of consistent prayer and train yourselves in regular gatherings of passion in prayer and worship together, you will shrink back into serious doubt, anxiety, bitterness and dread, when the trauma of warfare attacks!!
 
GIVE VOICE TO MY SPIRIT! 
Awaken your mute tongue and give voice to My name, My power and My Kingdom Solutions! No weapon formed against you will ultimately prosper! 
My Spirit longs to declare wonders, to decree Justice, and to destroy darkness with your lips proclaiming from the spirit.
"So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  - Isaiah 55:11
Speak out in truth and in praise and I will step into your midst with the peace you have been craving, and groping for. 
 
Quickly! Enter in before you reflect and exchange ideas. 
After I am given My rightful place of honor and adoration, then I will speak and give you clear vision and direction.”
 
"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I will lay my requests before you, 
And wait in expectation."  -Psalm 5:3
 
My friends, this is a word from the Lord and I encourage you to heed the word of the lord and not immediately go to the assessing and the sanitization of what some would do with a prophetic word from the Lord. 
He’ll show you what parts aren’t accurate or what parts aren’t fitting for you right now.
 
THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THIS WORD IS THAT THE LORD IS CALLING US TO A PLACE OF BATTLE, A PLACE OF PRAYER, A PLACE OF GROWTH. A place of tenacity and letting go of bitterness where we feel unfairly treated, where we feel like life will never get better.
 
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT GOD IS SAYING! 
If you want to continue to say these things, then you stand in the way of him being the ONE who is the Redeemer of time.
We need to have a challenge to each believer in the Body of Christ, each of you who are servants of the Lord. Every one of you!
 
Every person listening has an assignment from the Father at this time to tell someone else about the Lord, to tell others who are feeling weak and discouraged, angry or bitter, that the need to be understanding that they are called to now grow up into the faith and to not just listen to what other people say, not be inundated with media and false narratives and lies about what Jesus says in His Word. 
It is time to stand in the place of trust and ask God to strengthen us in every way, yielding every ounce of our being into His care. 
I bless you today in the mightiest and most powerful and Supreme, dynamic name there is ever to be, and that is the name of Jesus Christ the Messiah. 
We know that God is Sovereign!
 
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed, as long as the complete message, website, podcast link and information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You!  "2024"
"THE MESSENGER"  - Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
If you would be so kind and assist Mary, helping her to meet other administrative needs such as website and podcast costs, or desire to bless her ministry service with Spirit-led love gifts or regular support:
Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of: 
► Personal Checks ► Business Checks
► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks
To: 
His Beloved Ministries Inc. PO Box 1253Denver, Colorado 80614USA 
Or feel free to use or send a tax-deductible gift with
Pay Pal   paypal.me/mlindow 
Under the name of – Mary Lindow
 
ALL gifts are tax-deductible underHis Beloved Ministries 501(3)c non-profit status.
We are financially accountable and have been in full compliance since 1985.
THANK YOU!
 

THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD WILL BE DEMONSTRATED WHEN WE WALK AND PRAY

By Mary Lindow
In this podcast I am going to share two interesting supernatural events that took place in regards to “prayer walking” in two different locations.
If you will remember the story of the battle at Jericho, Joshua and the people who marched around that fortified city, you will know that prayer walking and praise have a potent affect!
We would often have groups of people walk among our community near where our church facility was and they would simply pray quietly for the neighborhoods they were walking in. Often there would be people out in their yards or sitting on their front porches, and they would stop to visit with them, simply asking if there were something they could pray about with them, and would state that they had no agenda other than just a walk through the neighborhood and to pray. 
Out of that came great moments where peoples live were being touched, and changed! These individuals would often end up coming to church where they could be loved on, discipled and find family in Christ to help them grow, or to help them through difficult times.
We knew one pastor who had everybody gather one Sunday during the service, and then he gave packets of scripture verses and candy bars to groups of them or whoever was there, and said, “Today’s service is concluded! Here’s a block map for you to go walk and pray and greet your neighbors around the church!”
Imagine the shock of the people that they had to leave their comfortable church building and go out and actually be praying for their neighbors physically, and look for opportunities to help them!
The next Sunday, the building was so packed the people couldn’t believe it! People had asked for help and asked for prayer, because someone dared to reach out to them.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN GOD WILL STRATEGICALLY
SEND GROUPS OF PEOPLE
TO PRAY THROUGHOUT
THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEIR CITIES,
AND, THEIR STATES.
It’s during these times when we focus on praying that the God brings about not only a change in our hearts, but he also begins to see that the land is being blessed by his people, rather than being cursed by the wicked.
 
WE ARE IN A TIME WHERE GOD IS CALLING HIS BODY TO BE ACTIVE, and he is literally thrusting them out of the upper room experiences that they’ve been dwelling in for a long time, and sending them out into the streets to preach the gospel in love and act in kindness and in listening.
 
Hey! The world is frightened right now!
People are terrified at what they see
coming against them from the
encroaching communist regimes.
They don’t know what to do!
 
AND SO, HUGE PRAYER INITIATIVES
ARE EXPLODING EVERYWHERE!
 
But the one thing that we must not be afraid of is this to go out of the church building and walk our neighborhoods and pray, because this is us in action out in the highways and byways, compelling people to come in, simply by being available.
There are times you may meet no one while you’re walking and praying but you continue to listen to the Holy Spirit! He may have you stop gently in front of someone’s home and then show you something that you need to pray about for that individual or that family.
You just quietly pray as you walk and bless, or pray however the Holy Spirit leads you for that home.
This is faith in action, and it is above all, love in action!
 
SO NOW, FOR THE TWO SPECIFIC INTERESTING
PRAYER WAKING EXPERIENCES THAT I HAVE HAD
THAT I’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU!
Here we go!
Steve and I took a team of women from across the United States, to Mundolsheim, France a city not far from well-known Strasbourg, France. We were working with another wonderful French ministry team, “Le Olivier” called, “The Olive Branch” in English, and we were preparing to have a multi-national women’s conference. We had built a wonderful relationship with the key leaders, Christine and Michele and we had arrived with the team of women who came from all across the United States and who paid their own way to come. Many of them were Pastoral, Counselors, Ministers, intercessors, missionaries, and also strong Christian businesswomen.
 
AS WE MET AND BEGAN TO PRAY AND PREPARE for the days ahead when the conference would take place, we had a map of the city the conference was being held in on a poster board and pointed out to individual different places we would like to have everyone go walk and pray, in the community where we were going to be having the conference.
AT THE TIME, FRANCE HAD
MORE RESTRICTIVE RULES ABOUT
RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS AND CHURCH PRACTICES THAN CHINA.
 
WE HAD FAVOR WITH THE CITY MAYOR.
He was a strong Lutheran who had a love for Jesus, so he did everything he could to secure the large meeting hall for us, and the team that helped us from the City Hall were lovely people.
As we assigned different city location areas for groups of people participating in the conference as leaders or helpers, we asked them to take their Bibles and to go in groups of three or four, to begin to walk and pray for the village of Mundolshiem.
 
This region is a very difficult place to plow in, especially when it comes to anything that might have the power of the Holy Spirit flowing.
We had women coming in from Brussels, France, Germany, Romania, Croatia, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and we also found out we had individuals who were led by the Lord to the conference who were from Iraq. This all was a result of the Lord having everyone prepare in prayer for months ahead.
 
THE TEAMS OF THREE AND FOUR INDIVIDUALS BEGAN TO SPREAD OUT throughout the village/city of Mundolsheim. Everyone knew that because there was a language barrier, we would not be able to talk with very many people since we did not have enough French interpreters. So, people went with the intent simply to pray and to bless this city.
We asked the Lord to use us to bring peace and joy, and also to discern, how to pray.
 
During the prayer walk, one group was specifically really feeling strong to pray and intercede for salvation among the young people, and asked the Lord to please show them how to pray, and to please give them an indicator that they were on the right track into what they felt they were being called to pray about. 
 
SUDDENLY THEY BEGAN TO HEAR MUSIC DOWN THE STREET ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY. (In France they still do open the shutters in the upper level of their homes to let air pass through!)
The closer they got, they recognized the worship song that was very popular during that time. As they approached where they could hear the music more clearly, there in the window, with his back to the window was a young man playing the guitar and worshiping the Lord in French, singing, “I will glorify the King of Kings! I will glorify the Lamb!”
 He had no idea that this group of individuals was now standing down in the front of his house lifting their hands and praising God with him!  When he finished his song, they began to clap and he turned around!
 
HE SAW THEM PRAISING GOD AND HE JOINED IN WITH THEM, clapping his hands and rejoicing, that even though none of them could understand each other, the common bond was, that they knew they belonged to each other because of Jesus!
Everyone tried to sign language with him and he spoke a little bit of English so they told him about the conference. He was so excited to hear about it! Even though the conference was for women during the day, night sessions were opened to men.
 
THIS WAS A CLEAR INDICATOR THAT THE LORD HAD DIRECTED
THESE INDIVIDUALS TO PRAY FOR THE YOUTH IN THAT CITY!
 
And, as they walked the streets and interceded, the Lord gave them a prophetic indicator that there were those in the city that were young people, called to impact that city through worship!
EVERY GROUP THAT WENT OUT TO WALK
HAD SOME KIND OF INTERESTING EVENT TAKE PLACE
OR AN INDICATION OF HOW TO PRAY.
 
God wastes nothing when we dedicate ourselves to his purposes! Not every time you prayer walk will there be something supernatural or spectacular take place in the natural, but what will take place in our heart, is that we shed fear and what we think people will think about us and we simply and quietly go serve our communities. Above all of that we serve the Lord by praying for those around us, as the word of God tells to us to do.
THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US TO PRAY
FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY AND TO PRAY
FOR OUR CITIES, AND FOR THOSE
THAT ARE OUR LEADERS.
 
I know of groups of people who have taken time to go walk around their local city buildings very quietly without fanfare or trying to draw attention and simply prayed for all the leaders, the police force, the fire department and all those others who serve in their city communities.
 
NOW, MY NEXT STORY ABOUT PRAYER WALKING IS VERY RELEVANT
FOR WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
 
I urge you to listen carefully,
because I believe that there will be another attempt
to put a complete lockdown on the United States
with another forced pandemic or a “forced fear” about a pandemic.
 
I urge you to be very wise and discerning about listening to the encroaching fear mongering, and continual threats against your freedoms.
 
IT IS FOR THIS THAT CHRIST DIED TO SET US FREE, AND NOT TO TREMBLE UNDER THE HAND OF TYRANNY. We are never to hide our faith under a bushel basket, or hide what we believe in order to protect ourselves from opinion.
 
IT IS WHEN WE OBEY THE LORD IN THE DARKEST TIMES,
THAT THE GREATEST POWER,
AND THE GREATEST STRENGTH COMES.
 
IN MARCH 2020, WE WERE AT PEAK LOCKDOWNS HERE IN COLORADO. People were so afraid of each other that even neighbors would mask and rush to their cars and not even wave at each other as if perhaps this diabolical biological weapon, would somehow be further released in a wave or in a friendly greeting.
 
OUR TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MID TO LOW 50S ON A MONDAY THAT SEEMED TO BE EXTREMELY BLEAK. Everywhere we turned people were in fear, and the newscasts were nonstop bombardment of fear, control, and banter.
I was in our guest room, which is also my prayer room, just pondering everything and quite weary of the noise, knowing that this was not going to get better quickly.
I was looking over a bunch of scriptures that I was going to pray over my city as well as pray for our neighbors, and I was strongly urged by the Holy Spirit to put on a warm coat, warm clothing and gloves, and take a walk around my neighborhood.
I was to take those scripture verses with me on my piece of paper and simply and quietly walk all of the blocks and pray those scriptures and speak peace over my neighborhood. So, I got bundled up and I told my husband Steve that I was going to go prayer walk.
I did not put a mask on.
I was not going to walk in fear.
 
Block after block, I was simply walking and praying and, listening closely to the Holy Spirit as to how I was to pray the scripture verses I read that were spoken out quietly.
As I was coming down one street there was also a looped, small cul-de-sac, and so I took a left-hand turn and began to walk around the cul-de-sac.
As I was coming around the edge of the cul-de-sac, coming back towards the street just being quiet, reading my prayers and scriptures, I noticed that there were three young women standing outside the front of their house on the lawn drinking large cans of beer, and being generally rowdy and laughing.
I didn’t pay much attention to it because I was busy praying.
 
SUDDENLY THEY STOPPED, AND ALL OF THEM CAME TO THE EDGE OF THE SIDEWALK AND STARED AT ME as I was approaching to go down the other side of the street across the street from them!
ALL AT ONCE THEY BEGAN CUSSING AND SWEARING AT ME, laughing maniacally, and then one woman in a very guttural maniacal voice began to yell,
“We’re going to spit on you!
We’re going to give you Covid!
What are you doing out here?
We’re going to spit on you we’re going to breathe on you.
Cooooooooviiiiid is coming for you!”
 
THEY WERE LAUGHING AND SCREECHING AND SPITTING OUT INTO THE STREET!  At this point, I had stopped just to stare at them and realized that I was seeing a full force of mocking and harassing spirits coming my direction, in complete demonic manifestation!
Hmm…  Apparently quiet prayer walking for your neighborhood really upsets the Demonic strongholds!
 
I did not give them any attention and as I was walking forward, and I looked up into the sky above the house where they were, the day was overcast and had gloomy pockets of clouds so the sun was not showing for the majority the time I was walking.
 
SUDDENLY, UP OVER THE TOP OF THE HOUSE THE SUN BROKE FORTH and I was just beginning to pray in tongues asking the Lord to please keep me safe as I passed by them, because I really didn’t want them coming over to the street to engage with me if they were either drunk or fully manifesting demonic activity!
Again, as I looked up over the top of the house, suddenly the sun burst forth behind this formation in the sky, and there in the sky was a giant cloud, CLEARLY shaped like an eagle.
It’s pretty obvious from the picture in my introduction, since I did have my phone with me and I was able to snap it.
I had just gotten done praying for the United States of America when I was coming around the cul-de-sac, asking the Lord to protect our nation, and was led by the Spirit of God to pray regarding a need for protection in the skies, and protection over our nation.
In Isaiah 40:31, God compares His care for His people, to that of a mother eagle who spreads her wings to cover her young and carry them away from danger.
I was crying out in prayer for our nation like a Mother would for a child in grave danger!
AS I SAW THAT HUGE CLOUD ABOVE ME, I STOPPED AND STARED, AND OF COURSE GOT MY PHONE OUT AND TOOK THE PICTURE. I think the women thought i was getting ready to take a picture of them, because they began to really act up!
But as I stood there and stared in the sky, they too turn around and looked. I continued on my way and did not engage with them so I can’t honestly tell you what they thought of that formation in the sky, but I can tell you it was so obvious that no one could’ve missed it.
I went around the corner and passed where they were, and they seemed to withdraw and go back into the lawn area as if something was subduing them.
As I turned down another block, and was pondering what I had just seen, the sun then went back behind the clouds and the shape was gone.
 
I BEGAN TO PRAY IN TONGUES, PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT AS THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDED ME.
Several times I was praying, I would speak out in English the word, “It’s a coup it’s a coup! Pray against the coup!” So then I would I began to speak scriptures about God exposing every evil thing that is hidden in the darkness and to bring it into the light.
I was praying so intensely in the spirit for the next 15 minutes I vaguely remember walking a couple blocks and I was at this point, walking pretty quickly and purposefully.
 
AS I CAME AROUND ANOTHER BLOCK, THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN AND HIS WIFE GETTING OUT OF THEIR PICK UP TRUCK WITH A BABY, and they had masks on. I was walking more down the middle of the street because it was a quiet neighborhood street, and as I walked by them I smiled at them and waved and I said, “I hope you’re OK! Have a peaceful afternoon, don’t be afraid.”  The young man turned around and stopped and looked at me like a deer in the headlights. And then he said, “Thank you so much. I appreciate that so much!”
All it took was one kind word, one risk to engage,
and someone stopped and felt that love
and felt that connection.
 
I HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRESENCE OF GOD FLOWS OUT OF US like the virtue flowed out of Jesus for the woman who had the issue of blood. He said he felt virtue leave him when she touched the hem of his garment.
 
WHEN WE ARE BUSY OUT AND ABOUT PRAYER WALKING,
BEING CARRIERS OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST,
BRINGING PRAYER INTO DARK PLACES,
WE ARE EMANATING A LIGHT THAT WE MAY NOT SEE,
BUT IT IMPACTS THOSE AROUND US.
 
Obviously the demonic forces in my neighborhood didn’t like that I was out praying and breaking strongholds of fear and critical judgment against each other in our neighborhood!
So what did the evil darkness tried to do try turn around and threaten me,actually it gave itself away! The enemy let me know exactly that he knew I was out praying for my neighborhood and that he was going to threaten me with spit or Covid!
Needless to say, I knew I was on to something!
You do not need to have some large ministry or some affiliation with a group to go prayer walk! You as a single, individual believer can walk in all the authority you need to go walk in the power of Christ and pray for your neighborhood!
 
MANY PEOPLE SAY, “I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN!”
So, I’m going to give you some simple, easy guidelines.
Don’t make it difficult!
As you walk and pray, the Holy Spirit will guide you!
Here are a few instructions and guidelines on how to prayer walk and, WHY to prayer walk!
 
WHAT IS PRAYER WALKING?
First of all it’s following the example that Jesus gave us in Luke 10 try to go out in twos if possible.
In Ezekiel 22 verses 30 through 31 it shows us that we are we’re standing in the gap for people by praying for people! Standing there in prayer for them between heaven and their lives.
Then in Luke 10:19 it says, Jesus gave us authority over the enemy, so as we pray, we begin to stand firm against the strongholds in our neighborhoods or cities. In Matthew 18:14 it states that we have to seek God‘s guidance in whom we approach when we are prayer walking.
WHEN YOU GET READY TO PRAYER WALK,
THE FIRST THING TO DO IS TO SET
AN INTENTION FOR YOUR WALK.
 
There are multiple possibilities as to why you’re going to take a walk and pray.
 
First of all think about praying for your community.
Pay attention to the details around you.
What do you see that needs your prayer?
There may be a home on the street that looks impoverished or perhaps it looks like it might even possibly be a location where there is crime taking place.
Explore a question situation with God!
Ask God to help you discover truth!
 
ASK THE LORD WHAT IS HE WANTING YOU TO SEE, then if you’re meditating on a passage or a verse of scripture like psalms, as you walk keep referring to the piece of scripture that helps you meditate on the word, and speak the word as you’re praying. That’s why I take notes with me. Just a little piece of paper with scriptures so I know that I am praying the word of God over my neighborhood.
 
Simply enjoy being in the presence of God and in nature. It’s wonderful! Enjoy the beauty around you and the Divine presence of God.
I would recommend to pray before you start walking and also be open to God’s leading in this time of walking. If you see people on your walk, you can say hi! If you happen to strike up a conversation, feel free to ask them if they have anything you could pray for.
 
WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR WALK just as you’re coming home, give thanks to God for this time that you’ve had praying for your city and tell him how much you love your neighborhood and that you want these people to feel the love of God.
I call this “Prayer walking made easy”.
 
When Steve and I were pastoring or when we knew that there was a situation going on in our community we looked to partner with God, or in a new area, we’d start by prayer walking the streets to prepare our hearts for the harvest.
We see throughout the Bible that God calls people to walk the land and as we do, this physical act becomes a spiritual one!
 
In Genesis 3:17 it says,
“Go walk through the length and breadth of the land for I am giving it to you!”
 
WOW! I like that one!
 
Joshua 13 says,
“I will give you every place that your foot touches as promised to Moses”, so prayer walking helps is to really see the area and its people through God‘s eyes.
 
WE CAN HEAR WHAT GOD IS SAYING, and get an understanding of how the Holy Spirit might want to engage the people who live there, and when we pray or walk, all our senses become part of our prayer as sights, smells and sounds prompts our discussion with God.
Understand that prayer walking is not about standing on a street corner praying out loud and preaching! It’s a time of learning, listening. and importantly, intercession on behalf of the people that we want to reach. It’s very important that we know how to pray when we’re prayer walking, so ideally if you can find a friend to walk with you. It’s nice to have someone to be in agreement with while you’re walking.
Each of you can pray and take turns to just walk the streets of your neighborhood silently. praying for each person, each house, and praying for specific needs if you know them or, just pray for God‘s truth and blessings for each person.
 
PRAYER WALKING SHOULD BE LOW PROFILE. You don’t need to carry a huge Bible, pray out loud, or tell everybody what you’re doing.
Just quietly pray as you walk.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE REALLY FORGETTING
THAT WE CAN PRAYER WALK FOR THE SCHOOLS
THAT CHILDREN ARE GOING TO!
 
What do we pray for?  We pray for the coaches and teachers, the bus drivers, the traffic directors, the cafeteria staff, front office staff, the school nurse, security personnel, especially pray for the superintendents of the schools right now!
We definitely need to see a move of God among school boards!
 
We need to pray for arts teachers and school counselors who need wisdom in assessing the needs of children and pray that they are not forcing harmful narratives on them.
We need to pray for classroom teachers that they use efficient time management and creative planning and love the children and teach them well, not indoctrinate them!
Special education teachers need prayers so very much, and we need to pray for new students.
 
The big thing to pray for in schools is for bullies.
When I taught school, the bullies would even bully the teachers! This is a stronghold that comes against teachers! It comes against tenderhearted students or young students coming into the schools.
BULLIES USE A STRONGHOLD
OF CONTROL AND SHAME!
 
We need prayer for specific care above all during this time where we have so much child abduction, taking place, definitely praying for children who walk to school, that they would make wise decisions and be alert to cars and people and Safety.
I encourage you to pray specifically with the names of teachers if you know them and be sure to include prayers of thanks.
 
WE BEGIN TO PRAISE GOD
AS WE SEE CHANGE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
TAKING PLACE DUE TO PRAYER.
 
 
Now!
I WILL GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC STORY AS I FINISH THIS PODCAST.
We had a family that lived across the street in one of the homes near us who lived there many years and they had one young daughter. I’ll say her name is “J” because I don’t want to give her name away. She was a darling little girl, but there was tension between Mom and Dad.
Eventually, Mom and Dad moved out and the house became a rental to some lovely people that lived there.
Now understand, every now and then this couple would come over to check on their house/property, and their little girl would be there. As she grew up she always came across the street to talk to us because she enjoyed visiting with Steve and I and our boys, and then as our boys got older and left home, she would still come over and we would always visit with her.
She knew that we were ministers or pastors at one time, but we never pushed anything on her. We simply showed her love and always gave her cookies at Christmas.
 
FAST-FORWARD, 15 YEARS.
Suddenly her dad and mom have been divorced for years and her dad has decided to let her live in the home by herself as a single adult. Who are the first people that she decides to come over and talk to?  You guessed it! Steve and I!
More and more she would come across the street or we would meet her at the edge of the sidewalk and just chat about lawn mowing, the weather, and, she got a new puppy.
 
ON A SPRING EVENING THIS YEAR, I invited her to come over for coffee and sit on the front porch to enjoy the beautiful evening. We were going to come inside, but her new puppy wanted to run around out in the front yard area so we sat on the area instead.
Slowly, but surely she began to tell me her story.
What heartache she had experience through her parents divorce. What she had just recently gone through with the Covid pandemic, and having to bury both of her grandparents, because her mother had a complete breakdown.
 
This young woman is just now 21 years old.
We sat there and I talked and laughed with her and let her share her deep, innermost sorrows and fears. I held her in my arms as she began to weep and cry out of despair and feeling so lost knowing that her Dad was going to soon remarry, and she was being rejected and belittled by the new woman in his life and her daughters.
This lead me to be able to gently task her is she had ever thought about asking God to show himself to her? Have you ever said, “If you’re real, please let me know who you are.” She has had plenty of counseling from a secular counselor, she has relatives who come from a cultish spiritual background, and have tried to force it on her.
So, when I told her that she can ask God to show himself to her, that he loves her and that he can handle her anger, that he could handle her asking him this, it was like an entire new world for her!
She went home, smiling and happy and hugged me again, and again.
 
We have waved as she drives by. She’s come over and talks on the lawn.
A few times we’ve given her some baked goods or fresh vegetables from our garden, and we’ve left it alone.
 
BUT, SHE CONTINUES TO GRAVITATE BACK TOWARDS OUR HOME BECAUSE SHE FEELS SOMETHING. She had told me she felt so safe and calm when she was around me. I told her that’s the kindness of God that you’re feeling, and his peace. (She wasn’t sure about that. She thought maybe it was just because we were nice people!)
I’m looking forward to the next time that I can have Miss “J” over to our home and love her, and continue to plant seeds into her heart. Every Thursday night when we have our prayer gathering we pray for Miss “J”.
Sometimes I’ll just stretch my hand out towards her house when I’m looking through the window blinds and pray for her.
Maybe you’ll join me in praying for Miss “J” as well?
 
I feel the Holy Spirit would have me to say to many of you
who are reading or listening to this and have been asking the Lord,
“What part can I do?
What can I do to change anything?
Everything is so dark and frightening
and I’m at my wits end!”
 
I CAN TELL YOU THIS!
There are people tonight who will lose their homes due to the mounting cost of living.
There are people tonight who have their children who will not talk to them, because they are Christians and the children despise their parents.
I can tell you tonight that there are many people who are weeping and crying, because they have no one to tell about how close they are to losing everything.
I can tell you in my life it’s become very tight on many levels. Being a pastoral counselor we keep our fees low so that we CAN help people, but when people are choosing between groceries and gasoline and a house payment that everything is skyrocketing in expense, the first thing they tend to do, is just stop coming for counseling. So, that drastically affects my way of living too!
 
Churches are feeling the pinch because people are not able to give as freely or as generously. This then shuts down opportunities and the opportunities of other to go and speak and minister in different places because the church needs to pay their utilities before they pay for a guest minister! Yes! I’m feeling it just like everybody else is!
 
IF you’re NOT feeling it.
If you have everything in a good place in your life and you have plenty of financial security, then be a blessing to someone who isn’t.
 
HELP OTHERS! PRAY FOR THEM!
Pray for those in your neighborhood who look worn down, those who have yards that perhaps are not as well tended to anymore because they’re working two and three jobs. You may even volunteer to mow their lawn just to show love and compassion!
 
BELIEVERS! DEAR ONES!
Let us not love merely in theory with words or with giving lip service to compassion, but in action and in truth, in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words.  - I John 3:18
 
One of the greatest things that we  can possibly ever do,
is to go and walk and pray for our neighbors, our cities,
our states, our nations.
 
GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE A PEOPLE OF PRAYER and I encourage you to go march around your city and speak against the strongholds that are trying to destroy your children’s education, destroy your freedoms, and to take away your ability to function!
THE LORD WANTS THE WALLS OF JERICHO
AROUND YOUR NATION TO COME DOWN,
BUT HE CALLS UPON HIS PEOPLE
TO OBEY HIM AND DO THAT KIND OF
LABOR OF LOVE BY PRAYING.
 
In fact, let’s pray right now!
Heavenly Father!
I come to you in the name of Jesus and I thank you Lord Jesus that prayer walking is a desire of your heart. Not only is it good for our spiritual health, but it’s also good for our heart muscle as we walk!
I thank you that you will use this message to stir people to realize that sitting around and just waiting for something to happen isn’t fruitful.
Lord as we get up and move, I ask that you help us to be discerning and open to the things of your spirit, and Lord if a manifestation takes place or an opportunity to pray for someone happens, help us to record it and write it down to remember the things that you have done!
Lord I am so grateful that someone recorded the story of the road to Emmaus when you walked with the two disciples. You were walking and talking and sharing with them, and out of that came the great amazement that they realized it was you speaking to them!
Father, I bless every person listening to me today, and I speak peace over their storm, in the name of Jesus.
I see that your word says no weapon that is being formed against them will utterly prosper against them, that you will come and rescue the desperate and the destitute, and the fearful.
Father break off any shame, or any sense of great humiliation for being in struggles or difficulty right now.
Break off the shame of being embarrassed because things are tight or uncomfortable financially for many Lord!
I ask that you show each individual that you are a loving God and that you provide even at the very last moment. Lord I ask that you would open up generosity in the hearts of people in your body to care for one another like they did in the book of Acts.
Train your people to be people of battle, train their feet to walk and to march in prayer and prepare us Lord Jesus for the harvest that will come across the globe.
We ask for your loving face and mercy to flow throughout our neighborhoods and we ask this because we love you Father.
I ask this in the mighty, glorious name, the name of Jesus Christ the Messiah, the Great Redeemer, Yeshua.
AMEN.
 
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS PODCAST !
I would sure love to hear from some of you if you decide to go out and do some prayer walking and perhaps have some exciting events take place!
I’m convinced that this will happen for you, because I’ve seen it happen over and over again!
 
I Bless You Today in the Name of Jesus!
I want to thank those of you who have been so gracious to help in assisting me produce, publishing and storing these podcasts! 
I thank you all for your kindness and your notes and emails that come to me as well as your prayer requests. I don’t just look past them!
I’d like to let you that know I can’t comment on some of your comments posted on my podcast site or blog, because in order to comment I have to pay for an extended premium account and I’m not going to do that just to be able to make comments!
Please know that I read and see everything you say and it so encourages me!
I want to thank you for today’s time spent together
and I look forward to our next podcast.
 
Please visit my website at www.marylindow.com to listen to more podcasts and read about all the Lord is doing! 
Goodbye for now!
 
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed, as long as the complete message, Website, podcast link and information for Mary Lindow is included.
 
Thank You! 2023
"THE MESSENGER"  - Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
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”The Timing of God and His Impeccable Attention To Details”

By Mary Lindow
Today’s podcast is one that I am going to share with you about “another wonderful story” of how the Holy Spirit can prompt us to do things for others at the most uncanny times, and as if they were perfectly orchestrated years and years beforehand.
And, of course, the Lord knows the heart desire of every one of his children, but he often uses his own children to help bring about the heart’s desire for many other people by being obedient and acting when the Holy Spirit in first Corinthians says, “Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves.” 1 Corinthians 6:19
 
IT WAS NEAR CHRISTMAS TIME, and a local Women’s Aglow group, which happened to be a good sized chapter, was having a Christmas ladies luncheon and asked if I would come in and be their keynote speaker. The room was decorated beautifully and of course the tables were festive for the holiday!
As I was sitting at the table next to the team members and the president of the group, there was a conversation about the beautiful table settings. I was just listening and enjoying hearing them talk about how they went about getting everything ready, and why they wanted to make it so nice for so many other women that were coming, because many of them worked full-time jobs and didn’t get a chance to come and partake of beautiful things during the holidays because they were also busy mothers.
 
ONE OF THE LADIES BY THE NAME OF BILLY WAS SHARING WITH EVERYONE THAT SHE HAD JUST GONE SHOPPING WITH HER DAUGHTER A FEW WEEKS AGO, and they had picked out Wedding China for her daughter and her husband, because her daughter was going to be married in the spring. She went on to say that she never did get to have Wedding China as a young bride and wanted her daughter to have a beautiful experience and opportunity to have a beautiful table.
 
I THOUGHT, "WHAT A WONDERFUL THING THIS WAS THAT THIS WOMAN WAS GETTING CHINA FOR HER DAUGHTER, AND THAT SHE HAD NEVER HAD WEDDING CHINA HERSELF." She went on to mention that she had picked out a special pattern herself as a young bride, but that it was just not possible for her family and friends to give wedding china at that point, because it was a very frugal wedding, and other wedding gifts were more important.
I sat there and wondered about how wonderful it was for her as a mother, to be so concerned that her daughter would have a beautiful table to set with beautiful things, when she herself had never had any. Now, it was time for me to get up and share my Christmas message so I did, and afterwards told her how beautiful her story was to me about her daughter, and proceeded to go home for the day.
On my way home, I began to remember that I have been given an entire set a Fine China from a dear friend, whom I had come to know while I was in Bible College.
 
NOW, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING!
This dear, godly, lovely man would take on students to help with jobs or different kinds of projects in his home or, other derelict properties that he would buy, and train them and also pay them so they could pay for their Bible college fees. He had been in the military with a high clearance type of job, and although he had wanted to marry, he knew that he would never be able to be home enough to justify caring for a bride. At 63 he began to take students into his home for meals and storytelling, and developing them for skill sets. He had been a trainer for all kinds of business components of the military.
WHEN I MET HIM WHEN IMMEDIATELY HAD A BOND because he was also a gifted musician, and had a love for Fine art and Fine China. He would go to the thrift stores or take me along and different places where very wealthy Texans would drop off Crystal and China and dishes and silver that they were no longer using. So he was forever scouting out Havilland china pieces or different kinds of China to add to his collection. I went on to meet my husband and marry him later and we moved to Illinois. (That’s where my husbands from.)
THIS LOVELY MAN BY THE NAME OF ALAN would occasionally sent boxes of pieces of things that he would find to add to a side of China for me, and I did have wedding China of my own. At one time we had three full sets of Fine China and I wasn’t sure what to do with all of it! Then came two boxes that he had found of a 1950s china pattern that he thought was exquisite! I had opened the boxes and noticed there were eight place settings, eight cups and saucers, eight salad plates, eight serving plates, and also a creamer and sugar set as well as a large serving bowl.
 
SOMEHOW, I NEVER FELT LIKE THESE WERE TO BELONG TO ME, and I really didn’t have storage for them. So, I put them away in a cupboard thinking that someday if we moved and I had a China hutch for them, I would use them as spring dishes. They had a platinum rim, they were white and off to the right side there was a spray of flowers that had a lot of teal and a little bit of touch of pink and a hint of orange, and of course soft green.
 
STEVE AND I WERE THEN CALLED TO GO HELP PIONEER A CHURCH IN MISSOURI, so we packed everything up and moved those dishes and everything else to Missouri. And understand these dishes have been shipped from Dallas Texas to Illinois. Now they were taking a trip to Missouri!
 
ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER STEVE AND I DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE BACK TO DENVER, COLORADO BECAUSE THE LORD HAD PROMPTED US TO DO SO. So once again, we packed everything up and moved to Denver. There I was in Denver speaking at a Women’s Aglow Christmas banquet luncheon and I hear this woman-discussing find China for her daughter.
 
NOW! BACK TO ME ON MY WAY HOME. 
The thought came to me, (prompted by the Holy Spirit) “Why don’t you give that set of China to Billy? What a wonderful Christmas gift it would be to gift to her, and she would have a lovely set of China for her own home.”
I was absolutely thrilled to think that this would belong to someone else, and that the Lord would want me to give it to them. But I wasn’t sure if it was a pattern she would want or not.
 
BUT THE PERSISTENT NUDGING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT…
… WOULD NOT GO AWAY!
 
I went into our basement storage area and found the two boxes and everything was still pristine and in great condition. I wrote a quick card, and told her that I felt like the Lord wanted me to give these to her after listening to her conversation about buying China for her daughter and then that I just wanted to bless her with it so she would have a beautiful table at Christmas time. I did get a hold of her telephone number and called and told her that I was having my husband and two little boys run some boxes by, just a little something for her. Would she be home? She said of course she would and she said she was “quite intrigued”.
I BUNDLED UP THE BOXES AND HELPED MY HUSBAND GET THE TWO LITTLE BOYS INTO THE CAR AND OFF THEY WENT TO DO THE DELIVERY. I was downstairs folding laundry, and just thinking about how much I hoped it blessed her, and that she would be tickled that the lord thought of her.
 
 NOW COMES THE MOST EXCITING PART!
The phone starts ringing and I went upstairs and I missed it. (This is back when Cell Phones were way too expensive for everyone and we still had a landline with a long cord!)
Then the phone started ringing again, so I quickly answered the phone, and on the other end, there was the sound of someone gasping and crying! Now Being a pastor's wife, we often received calls from people who were in distress or who were needing prayer, so, I began to saying, “Hello? Who’s there? Can I help you?” Finally, the person on the end of the line was able to clear their throat and gather their emotions, and it was Billy the lady who Steve had dropped the China off to.
 
SHE BEGAN SAYING, “OH MARY! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!” And of course I didn’t, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but I could tell that she was overcome! She then began to tell me that when the boxes arrived, she was tickled to think that someone thought of her, and my husband said my wife wanted to give these to you and wish you a Merry Christmas. But, when she closed the door and went to open the packages, she reached in and pulled out one of the dinner plates that was in a slotted cardboard area. The China pattern was the EXACT China pattern that she had wanted as a young bride, but never had. It had the platinum rim that she had desired to have on her pattern! And there were eight place settings, just enough for her Christmas table and her family that was coming to feast. Also, she was able to set a beautiful place setting and table, for the Mother of the Groom, who was going to come and visit.
 
THIS WOMAN WAS WEEPING AND LAUGHING, AND COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE LORD WOULD HAVE HELD ONTO THIS CHINA FOR HER ALL THESE YEARS. I told her that they have been given to me and shipped from Dallas to Illinois to Missouri to Denver. Imagine! The Lord had shipped those dishes, and had me move them “strategically”, until they got into the hands of the woman that he had planned to bless them with!
 
MY FRIENDS, GOD KNOWS THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS even down to the simple things like Fine China, and he knows that soft and beautiful things, in specific times of our life are so necessary, to show us how lavish and beautiful his care and love for us is.
 
THE STORY GOES ON BECAUSE MANY OF HER FRIENDS THEN BEGAN TO HEAR THE STORY ABOUT “THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE CHINA”, and they began to give her serving pieces that matched, or Silver pieces or Crystal, and one friend even gave her a set of family silverware to accompany her beautiful table. Everyone wanted to get in on the beautiful moment!
 
WHEN STEVE CAME HOME, WE JUST PUT OUR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER AND LAUGHED AND CRIED at the joy of knowing the Lord had those dishes, literally moved and sent on his behalf, to this darling woman.
 
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO NEVER, EVER, MINIMIZE THE FACT, THE HOLY SPIRIT ASKS YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
It could be something as simple as giving them a beautiful scarf that you are no longer wearing, or perhaps you have tools in your garage that you’re not using.
IT’S IN THE ACT OF GIVING
THAT THE PRESENCE OF GOD COMES DOWN
AND TRANSFORMS WHAT WE ARE GIVING, INTO HOPE.
 
 
GIVING IS NOT THE NATURE OF THE DARK WORLD! Taking and grasping and hoarding is from the dark part of the world. But we as believers are to give freely because we have freely received everything we could ever need to save us from the doom and darkness of this world.
When Christ himself came and gave his life as a lamb, as a child, he gave his life to us in the form of an infant so that when his day to die up on the cross came; he could truly say that he experienced life like we have, from cradle to grave.
 
AS WE ALL BEGIN TO DE-CLUTTER AND PUT AWAY CHRISTMAS ITEMS, I would encourage you to look at through the lens of what you have, and ask the Lord, “Is this something that I need to be sharing with someone else?”
Is there another set of silverware in your house that you are not using that another family might need?
Do you have several pairs of sports tennis shoes that you purchased and realized you don’t like them and they’re practically brand new?
 
FIND A FAMILY, FIND SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THEM.
And yes, you have to look for them sometimes, but the Lord will direct your path because you are led by the Holy Spirit and you belong to Him, and the Holy Spirit wastes NOTHING!
 
WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME WHERE THE BODY OF CHRIST
IS BEING CHAMPIONED AND CHALLENGED TO LEARN
HOW TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND MEET ONE ANOTHER’S NEEDS SO THAT NONE ARE LACKING.
There’s no place in the Bible that talks about hoarding or keeping everything to us. None whatsoever. But it does talk about sharing and at times, “sacrificial giving to others” so that they may know the love of Christ.
I encourage you to go through your canned goods to look at your bedding, sheets, extra coats, and by all means that dozens of Bibles that we all have sitting on our shelves in abundance! There are those who would give anything to have a new Bible or perhaps a warmer winter coat.
 
WE CANNOT LOOK DOWN ON THOSE WHO ARE SLIGHTLY IMPOVERISHED OR IMPOVERISHED,
BECAUSE THERE’S NOTHING "MORE GODLY" ABOUT BEING WEALTHY, THAN THERE IS ABOUT BEING POOR.
 
GOD JUDGES THE INTENTION OF OUR HEARTS,
NOT THE ABUNDANCE OF OUR WALLETS.
 
THERE ARE THINGS AROUND YOU THAT THE LORD HAS PLACED WITHIN YOUR REACH and maybe even you have moved from state to state or move from one house to another that you could easily ask him about and ask him to prompt you to show you who is this to go to.
You may be sitting in a restaurant and hear someone talking about something they need and you may be prompted by the Holy Spirit that you are the one that has it.
It takes simple listening.
It just takes simple listening!
It doesn’t take a Herculean effort.
But love acts!
 
ONCE WE SECOND-GUESS OURSELVES and never stop and buy that cup of coffee for the person in front of us that seems downtrodden. Or, we wonder if that $20 towards someone’s grocery bill in front of us makes any difference, then we miss out on the blessing. But you see it’s not for us to question the amount or the moment! It’s for us to act in loving grace and humility and kindness, and in that moment change the world!
 
HEAVEN COMES DOWN AND MEETS THE NEED AND KISSES SOMEONE’S HEART WITH HOPE, AND HE USES US TO DO IT.
 
I wish you all a beautiful week as you prepare  for this up-and-coming year.
My message after the first of the year is going to talk about “Peace in the midst of chaos” because the world is becoming more chaotic, and unfortunately the world is covered with a gross darkness right now.
Believers need to be strengthened encouraged not to quit, not to hide, and certainly not to hoard!
I BLESS YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND I PRAY NOW THAT HE WILL TOUCH YOU AND GUIDE YOU AND SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO WITH THE THINGS THAT YOU DO HAVE, THAT YOU CAN GIVE FREELY. And, perhaps there are things that you are feeling a tug at your heart that you need to give but they’re going to cause a little pain to give away. That’s OK! The Lord does love, sacrificial, giving, and above all, he loves a joyful giver!
 
THERE IS NOTHING MORE JOYFUL THAN TO SEE THE ABSOLUTE SURPRISE AND DELIGHT ON THE FACE OF SOMEONE THAT YOU HAVE BLESSED IN KINDNESS, AND WITHOUT FANFARE.
 
Have a beautiful and Happy New Year, but above all, pray that the Lord would show you what he has to say to you in 2023 specifically for your life  and what kind of assignments he has for you.
 
THE CHURCH IS BEING CALLED UP TO BE THE FULL ARMORED BODY OF CHRIST, AND MY FRIENDS THAT MEANS YOU AND I.
Goodbye for now please go to my website at www.marylindow.com where you can listen to this podcast directly there or you can read and listen to other things that I have posted there and a few videos.
I say thank you to all of you who have been so gracious to send beautiful Christmas cards and little notes in the mail and also emails with encouraging words, sharing what these podcasts and stories I’ve been doing mean to you.
And I thank those of you who have been prompted by the Lord to support this next year of ministry. Your response has been a bit overwhelming and I thank you for your help, and also I think you more than anything for your prayers for I truly do feel them.
God bless all of you.
 
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete article, podcast and website information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You!
Copyright © 2022 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
  www.marylindow.com
www.marylindow.podbean.com
 
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Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of: 
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”OH LORD! WHY ALL THE DELAYS?” - The Encourager Hears You! - A Prophetic Word Of Hope

By Mary Lindow
I HAVE AN UNUSUAL STIRRING IN MY SPIRIT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT AS I WRITE THIS MESSAGE.
The Lord is revealing a sound in the earth coming from the hearts and deep cries of so many of His people right now.  Perhaps it might even be yours as you read. There is a cry of hunger for His sure, safe presence in difficult times and in changing times.
 
A NEED FOR “QUIET”
The world and it's voices of influence, humanistic subtleties, and constant technology and it's sounds bring about an overload of weariness to all people, and there is a greater need for a place of rest for the warriors of truth who are very aware of the pressures that have not stopped mounting for many years now.  
 
THERE IS MUCH TREACHERY OCCURRING IN THE EVIL PLANS OF DARKNESS ANDTHE PEOPLE HELD CAPTIVE BY IT THESE DAYS
It can bring a real sense of despair, broken-heartedness and shock when you encounter this type of thing and when it attempts to destroy your hope and confidence in what the Lord Jesus has set you apart for to express in His Power and in His name.
 OH LORD! WHY ALL THE DELAYS?
I don't know fully why it seems as if good people who are sincere and pure hearted seem to go through more persecution and repeated difficulty than those who seem to be the ones perpetuating the majority of it!!  
SO MANY RIGHT NOW ARE NEARLY AT THEIR WITS END
WAITING FOR GOD TO RELIEVE THEM OF SORROW,
DISILLUSIONMENT AND BATTLE FATIGUE!
 
“My soul faints with longing for your rescue,
But I have put my hope in your word.”
-Psalm 119:81
 
FEAR NOT! THE ENCOURAGER HEARS YOU!
“You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;
You encourage them, and you listen to their cry.”
-Psalm 10:17
 
WHAT IS THIS VERSE SAYING TO YOU AND I RIGHT NOW?
It is saying that the Lord Himself will encourage us!
That is why we must continue to fight for that place of Divine “refuge!”
That “get away from it all” place of craving and longing for His comfort.
He knows our hurt, our loneliness, our scorched and heart torn issues! He understands how agonizing and bled out we can get when it seems as if battle after battle we begin to wonder if something might be wrong with us!
 
“Hope delayed makes the heart sick,
But when dreams come true, there is life and joy.”
-Proverbs 13:12 (NAT)
  
NOTHING CAN SATISFY DRY LIPS LIKE WATER!
We are in a time where no persons opinions, no one’s books, no one’s TV shows are going to satisfy that craving, that need for a thirst quenching drink of companionship with God.
We long to hear words from someone that tell us everything is going to be all right! That our children will be safe, our homes protected, our basic needs provided! And yet! Nothing “out there” satisfies us fully!
  
YOU SEE DEAR BELOVED ONE… 
…The season of great hunger for the simple walk with Jesus has blossomed!
Only time spent with him like a dear dear friend will fill the gaping ache you have.  He will speak, He will comfort and He will show you what is true and what is false in the days ahead if you will return to that PLACE of companionship with Him. Away from the opinions of men and the noise of this life. 
 
“Every word you give me is a miracle word-how could I help but obey?
Break open your words, let the light shine out,
let ordinary people see the meaning.
Mouth open and panting, I wanted your commands more than anything.
Turn my way, look kindly on me, as you always do to those who personally love you.”
Psalm 119:129-131 (The Message)
  
~ A PROPHETIC WHISPER TO YOUR HEART FROM THE SAVIOR ~
“ To know of My ways, you must know ME!
To Know Me, you must spend time with ME.
To spend time with Me, you must purpose, to put aside the lists of things you have to do, before you can spend time with Me.”
“Order you days first in My Presence, and watch the desires of your heart be fulfilled.  Man and his counsel will always fall short of the full truth of My Wisdom. I have blueprints and a Master plan for so many things yet to build upon in your life.” 
“Come. Let us talk again together.”
“You are the temple, the house of My Holy Spirit. I desire to build you up in spiritual strength as you walk in prayer conversations with me. “I will fulfill your longing for peace and direction as you step up again into a heavenly trust and rest.”
“People will change, man will fail you, friends will turn, if they are not seeking My Voice above the clamor of the day. And you My child will fail others, if you listen to your own voice of reason and intelligence.  As you turn to Me, you will see My compassion poured out upon you and you will then have My power of pure godly compassion and Wisdom driven grace to pour out on others.”
 “I too, long for you as well!  Seek Me-with all of your heart, your longings, your heartaches, your dreams. And I will be there with arms of strength to rescue you from Despair.”
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
-Jeremiah 29:13
 
“The LORD is good to those, whose hope is in Him, 
to the one who seeks Him.”
-Lamentations 3:25
 
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed as long as complete article, podcast link and website information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You.
Copyright 2022  - " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
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”HARDSHIP - HURT AND HOPE” - Jesus Understands Suffering and Fear

I KNOW SUFFERING IS EXHAUSTING AND PAIN HURTS! That is why it is called pain and suffering. If there were an escape a person of great wisdom and insight would have done it already!
By Mary Lindow
SUFFERING AND SORROW ARE A PART OF LIFE
Knowing this, however, doesn’t make it any easier to cope when you find yourself in the midst of the deepest, darkest trials of faith, and mentally anguish and strain.
Don’t you wish Christianity could make you exempt from suffering? That would be great, but as most of us have learned, following our faith doesn’t give us a free ride.
We catch as much trouble as unbelievers—often more.
The difference, of course, is that we can turn to Jesus when things go wrong. Unbelievers might argue that we’re only turning to our imagination, but we know better.
At some time in your life, however, suffering will hit you so hard that you won’t be able to do any of those things, and that dark time will probably visit you more than once.
“Even in darkness, light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.”
Psalm 112:4
 
WE ALL WANT THINGS WE DON’T GET.
Maybe it’s a person you’re sure would make a perfect spouse, and the relationship crumbles apart. Maybe it’s a better job or promotion, and you don’t make the cut. Or it might be a goal you poured your time and energy into, and it doesn’t come to pass or others sabotage it all.All of us have prayed for the recovery of loved ones who were ill, but they died anyway.
It takes real spiritual maturity to stay faithful when things go wrong, but severing our relationship with God punishes us, not him. It’s self-destructive behavior that can put us on the path to a miserable life. The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) teaches us that God always wants us to come back to him.
Whether your problem is discouragement, illness or aging, sometimes all you have left is Jesus.
When you’re angry and bitter, you can still cling to Jesus in the midst of your tears. You can grab onto him and refuse to let go until he brings you through it. You’ll find, to your surprise that he holds on to you even tighter than you hold on to him.
 
JESUS UNDERSTANDS SORROW
He knows about being hurt. He remembers the terrible moment on the cross when his Father was forced to abandon him, because he was filthy from taking on our sins. Jesus won’t let you go.
And as you age and start down the path from this life to the next, Jesus will take your hand to guide you. He appreciates all that you have done for him through the years, but what he has always wanted most is your love.
So there you are in the middle of one of life’s train-wrecks-dazed, wounded, wondering what shoe-or bomb-will be dropping next, and up walks Job’s comforters.
We all remember Job from the Bible. A rich, powerful man, a great father and good in every way was Job.
Then, in a series of overlapping upheavals, he lost everything and everybody except his wife-who turned out to be a whole lot less than sympathetic in her changed status.
Battered Job ends up sitting alone on a pile of dirt, scratching his boil-covered body with some broken pottery.
 
WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH POOR JOB.
Life drags us through some tough times of loss that make us feel every bit like Job. Caught in a vortex of pain, and wondering if we’ll ever make it to safety.
And, boy, do we recognize Job’s so-called friends who showed up to by all accounts offer support and comfort. As they sat with Job in his misery, they took turns playing a self-centered, self-righteous, can-you-top-this game of knowing for certain that every bit of Job ‘s disaster had to be his own fault or a lack of trust in God. They weren’t sure how or why because Job seemed so decent, but deep down, they insisted, he just couldn’t be all he pretended to be.
 
THIS IS FAMILIAR TERRITORY
You get fired, and friends smirk knowingly when you try to explain the political nature of the event. Your child gets into difficulty-well; you know the kind of comfort you’ll get from friends about that. (It probably started sometime during potty training.)
Yet others try to “help” you with what I call “prayer lecturing.” While praying “for and with you” they let you (and God) know just how lucky you should be to even have running water, had a meal that day and more! Not really comforting in any way, and very very short on compassion.
Yet, from the story, it’s clear that Job was completely innocent.
Dreadful things do happen to completely innocent people, good people.Because of their opinion of Job’s guilt, history has bestowed his friends- (and their current replicas) – the label, “Job’s comforters.”So-called friends who add to a suffering person’s anguish by piling on false charges of blame and guilt and harsh reprimand for daring to show sadness or agony.
You may never have met anybody like Job, but you’ve met his comforters on more than one occasion. They seem to be everywhere.
 
WE CAN CHARGE SOME OF IT OFF TO JEALOUSY
Job had everything a person could dream of wanting-and then some-so jealousy was never more than a stone’s throw away. The green-eyed monster is a little more subtle with people living everyday, typical lives, but jealousy doesn’t need much ground to take root and grow with vigor.
 
WE DON’T WANT TO ADMIT BAD THINGS MAY HAPPEN TO US!
If bad things happen to people who don’t deserve them, they could happen to anybody, including me. If I don’t want bad things to happen to me, (who does?), I have to persuade myself and everybody around me that the victim’s actions caused the problem. If blame can be assigned, then I’ll be safe as long as I’m good.
In other words, if I can claim that the cause of your problem is something you do that I don’t do, then what happened to you can’t happen to me. There is, of course, no logic to this, but it brings some shaky comfort to frightened hearts.We see this thinking at work when people stare numbly at adversity and ask, “What did I do to deserve this?” Sometimes the answer is, “nothing.”
 
HAVE YOU EVER ASKED YOURSELF "WHY ME?"
And it doesn’t have to be bad; you could be excited from something wonderful. Most often then not, I ask myself this after something I am looking forward to goes wrong.
Even at times when something goes wrong I lay awake at night and my thoughts wonder to what previously occurred. I am sure everyone does it at times, wishing for another try or chance.
You may lay awake thinking about your suffering, part of life’s suffering is misery’s shadow persisting/hanging on; not only do you suffer but you have to think about suffering.
I can’t prove this with statistics or find it any book I know of, yet I would say that more people either come to the faith or fall away because of this reason above all; the disturbance of suffering.
YOU SEE GOD USES TIMES OF SUFFERING…
...TO TEACH AND GROW US.
If you allow yourself to recount your sufferings, did you not learn more about faith while suffering then any other time? It has been said that; “Blessings are God’s whispers, he speaks in our conscience, but shouts to us in our suffering.”
“O my Comforter in sorrow,
My heart is faint within me.”
Jeremiah 8:18
Suffering becomes the only way to realize our hollow spiritual self. Pain is unmasked, and every person knows when something is not right when they are hurting. Pain insists upon being attended to.
So when you travel down this line of thought you come to the idea, why do I or someone else suffer when others don’t?
 
I KNOW SUFFERING IS EXHAUSTING AND PAIN HURTS
That is why it is called pain and suffering. If there were an escape a person of great wisdom and insight would have done it already. Yet Discipleship demands such trials to compel us towards renewal.
Read Hebrews 2:10
“God, for whom and through whom everything was made,
chose to bring many children into glory.
And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering,
a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.”
The real question is what to do when life has just punched us a good one, and Job’s comforters show up at our door.
Nobody says we have to let them in.
And certainly nobody says we have to entertain them.
And, most positively, nobody says we have to believe them.
“For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives,
So also through Christ our comfort overflows.”2 Corinthians 1:5
We can sort out the who’s-to-blame-for-what after we get some solid ground under our feet and a little energy back into our lives.
But we still won’t want Job’s comforters anywhere around us…
...We will want people who care.
"Compassion"
To me not to be kind is evil of the mind.
No need to pray or preach,
Let us our children teach with every fond caress,
Pity and gentleness:
So in the end may we God’s Kingdom cause to be.
Author - R.W. Service
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete article, podcast link and website information for Mary Lindow is included. 
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Your Gracious Support and Donations Are So Very Helpful And Assist Mary In Publishing Her Teaching Podcasts and Blog Materials.
THANK YOU!
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"The Longing And Aching Deep Within Your Heart"

The World is in an absolute Turmoil!! Lives are in shattered grief! 
Sound familiar?
By Mary Lindow
 
MY HUSBAND STEVE AND I HAVE MORE OFTEN AS OF LATE HAD SUCH A STIRRING AND AN ACHING IN OUR HEARTS.
We've had a need, to talk over and deeply ponder many “questions of the heart” and have spent hours in dialog then crying out in messy prayers to the Father, shedding many tears, much of them in unintelligible sobs and choked out words.
The World is in an absolute Turmoil!! Lives are in shattered grief!
Sound familiar?
 
WE’VE WEPT AND PRAYED...
...For those who are forever stirring up and demanding others to “push, to give, sacrifice” —serve "me", do for "ME", give more at the job! And yet, many of these individuals who push others so terribly hard, hide internal rage and insecurities, not heeding the warnings about their own home life and poor social practices, nor dealing with the seething anger and strife boiling within their souls.  And, all too often they project shame onto others, bullying them, then demand respect regardless of what needs to be addressed in their own behaviors.
 
THIS IS WHERE TRAVAILING PRAYER COMES IN.
Where you "gut it out with God", standing before Him in what is called supplication.
Or, in more clear words, it's an appeal, a request for help.
"HELP OH GOD! HELP! Only YOU can address this person, this situation"!
 
OH THE TONGUE! IT IS A FIRE!
The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies.
It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence
-- And it is set on fire by hell.
-James 3:6
 
Steve's and my little piece of trying to warn about and address these things as we minister in various places and gatherings, and also meeting people for ministry advice, comfort in child rearing in a nasty digital age, and in pastoral counseling, well, we are seeing a massive escalation of many families fighting (young and old).
 
A STEADY STREAM OF PEOPLE RESISTING THE TAKING OF “HUMBLE STEPS” towards the change that would spare others deep wounds.
We are also learning to be even more careful about our own words.
 
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS PASSING AWAY.
Every day this occurs and it edges us closer to the time of choosing whom we serve....
...Not whom we "casually have knowledge of" or a limited commitment to.
 
I’M EVER SO AWARE OF THE NEED TO LIVE, LIMP, TO EXSIST,
EACH MOMENT OF THE DAY IN "THE PRESENCE",
IN FULL EXPOSURE TO THE PROBING EYE AND HEART OF GOD.
 
I WHISPER REPEATEDLY,
“Have your way Father.
Have your freedom to do your work in me.
Have your way.”
 
ARE YOU BEING DRAWN INTO A PLACE OF DESPERATE ABANDON TO SEPARATE YOURSELF AND RE-EXAMINE THE PATH UP AHEAD?
Friend, yield to the tears, the examination and probing of your heart, and speak out to the Father about all of it.
ALL OF IT.
 
THESE ARE THE DAYS WHERE YOU AND I CAN “CHOOSE.”
Chose to grow, move forward, and live simpler and choose to travel along narrower paths.
OR
Draw back and remain dull, returning to the familiar and comfortable settings where WE “choose” to steer the course of our hearts.
There’s no humility there friend.
None.
Just self-protection, empty of any real mature, repentance.
 
WHEN THIS HAPPENS, RELATIONSHIPS DRASTICALLY CHANGE.
People go into hiding, isolation, numb living, compartmentalization, and they “shut out” help.
 
CHOOSE THE WAY WHERE "PEACE LEADS YOU".
Even when torrents of tears and unanswered longings are prevalent.
Keep letting go of “fears within and fears without” until your stride is firm and has consistent sweet conversation with the one called alongside to help.
 
THE VERY HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD IS A WONDERFUL TRAVELING COMPANION!
The heavy judgments of those who rarely risk authenticity and carefully orchestrate their control over what they allow to penetrate past their insecurities and pride, are fully engaged in denial and can absolutely be ruthless and punishing.
Let them be surrendered to God my friends.
 
Hand the entire setting over to Him and then, go about the humble work of digging new wells for those who value the effort that it takes. They will so appreciate the cool cup of water that you serve them in the loving name of our Redeemer Jesus.
 
Samuel Chadwick was a deep man of prayer, and learned how to not only stay "in it", but was know for "sticking to it".
He said:
"There is no way of learning to pray but by praying.
No reasoned philosophy of prayer ever taught a soul to pray.
We know not what we should pray for as we ought ot, and if prayer waits for understanding it will never begin.
We discover by using. We learn by practice.
Though a man should have all knowledge about prayer, and though he should understand all mysteries about prayer, unless he prays he will never learn to pray."
 
JESUS HIMSELF GAVE US A KEY MESSAGE ABOUT THIS!
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to walk alongside with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” - John 14:16-17
 
OH DEAR ACHING HEARTS!
PRAYER! Let's stay at it! Stay in it!
Let's Stay in it until we are saturated in His Peace, His Presence and His Strength to Stand in Courage, and then...
...To Continue!
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete source and website and podcast information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank you!
The Messenger " ~ Mary Lindow
Copyright  ©2021
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
www. marylindow.podbean.com
Do you or a loved one need prayer?
There are faithful intercessors around the world who areready and who are prepared to pray for you.
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Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of:
► Personal Checks
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"Ascending In Hope When Darkness Attempts To Restrict God's Work" - BUCKLE UP - Prophetic Insight

by Mary Lindow through the Holy Spirit
Today’s podcast is one that shares something that has given me a greater sense of being anchored in the Lord during these very strange and unusual times in the earth.
I love it when the Lord speaks to us in his word, or from other people speaking into our lives and also through dreams or visions.
Now, what I’m about to share with you is a significant dream that I had not too many nights ago. I know that the dream was from the Lord because it spoke to the things that I had been praying about and asking the Lord to give me confirmation over, as well as insights to these prayers. 
If you will research the word of God you will see how the Lord has used dreams and spoken to people through dreams and visions, and led them not only out of dangerous situations, but also spoke to them about situations that were about to take place in their lives. 
 
Numbers 12:6 speaks about this.
Listen to my words:
“When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD,
reveal myself to them in visions,
I speak to them in dreams".
 
The dream I had was very detailed and very vivid.  I’ve had several of these in my walk with the Lord throughout the years.  
The dream began with me standing on the tarmac of an airport runway walking towards an airplane where you had to climb up a tall and narrow stairway in order to enter the plane.
As I was standing at the bottom of the stairway I turned around and looked behind me. Standing directly in front of me was an individual whom I recognized. She was holding two very large babies in her arms. They both were grossly oversized and their faces looked like adults. These babies were throwing temper tantrums and crying, and wanted lots of attention. 
The letters PhD showed up on the forehead of this person holding the babies. She was shouting at me that I did not have time to get on the plane because we had to take care of all of these babies! I knew in my spirit in the dream that these babies represented adults who still act like children and want to have intellectualism and others with educational or intellectual abilities, tend to their every need, and, they were forever wanting attention!
Behind my friend was a shoulder-high picket fence that was very worn and splintered. Behind the fence there were all kinds of people laughing and mocking and partying. Some were very enraged and were spewing out nasty words and hateful statements. This was all being directed at the people who were climbing or ascending the stairway, climbing up to a higher level to enter a jumbo jet. 
 
I began my ascent on the steps and turned around and noticed that my friend was very angry at me for not listening to her ideas about how to handle all the troubles going on with adults, acting like children today.  I knew that I had a very tight timeframe to get up the stairs and get on the plane, so I turned around, sadly knowing that I had to put a distance between myself and the things going on behind me, and keep moving upward.
 
When I reached the point of entry on the plane a police woman of sorts put her arm out and said, “You cannot enter! There are only a certain amount of people allowed on this specific flight!” I very kindly told her that my husband had already boarded the plane and that we had tickets. She looked at me and said, “Yes then you may pass. You may enter.”
As I stepped into the plane it looked like it had a  very simple, low stage/platform down in the front of the plane and the seating looked like an auditorium with spacious seating. There was a single door on the back wall of the small stage. People were milling around by their seats and quietly enjoying warm conversations in anticipation that someone important was going to be coming out and addressing them. 
I then noticed that there was a dividing wall down the middle of the plane and there were people on the other side of the wall as well that were seated. I could not see my husband Steve so I spoke out loud and shouted, “Steve Lindow?”  And, I heard his voice from around the other side of the wall saying “I’m over here!”
As I went around the corner I saw Steve in the very far back of the seating area where there were just two reclining type airplane seats, that were very comfortable.  When I went back to be with him I noticed that his leg was in a leg brace and a foot boot. ( In real life, Steve was actually fighting a disjointed bone in his foot at the time Id had this dream,  and had been wearing a foot boot around the house!)
 
Steve was smiling and had his foot propped up and looked very comfortable. As I was about to take my seat next to him, an individual in a professional pilot’s type of airline suit came up to us and told us that there were two special seats for us behind us, in an alcove. I noticed on the hat that he wore was the word STEWARD in capital letters. This individual was very kind and helpful and made sure that we were “guided” to the alcove where two very comfortable extra wide padded luxury seats were located.
As I sat down in this amazing chair, I look to the left of me and on the wall there was an affixed sign that said “Prayer Room”.
In the dream I said out loud, “Wow! I have never seen a prayer room on an airplane before!”
The steward stood there and smiled at me and nodded his head knowingly. I had a feeling that this was the Lord helping us and Stewarding us, helping  to get us settled and was ministering to us as we positioned ourselves for the flight we were just about to take. 
Just before this individual left us, he leaned over and winked at us and said, “Buckle up!” At that point in the dream we were made aware that we were going to need to have the seatbelts on in order to endure the intensity of the flight.
 
I woke up and after this dream I knew that I’d heard something from the Holy Spirit, very important for the times that we are in.
As I began to pray and search the Scriptures the Lord unpacked the dream for me. 
 
The tarmac represented the earthly road that we walk on every day. 
People travel back-and-forth in the earth and on the earth every day. As I was approaching the stairway to go up and ascend into the jumbo jet, there were distractions and conversations going on that were trying to get me to change my decision in order to follow what would look like common sense, intellectual advice, or following the narrative of angry people, or feeling humiliated by people who had mocking spirits. 
Since Steve and I have also been involved in much pastoral counseling the past five years, one thing that stood out strongly in the vision/dream was that the PhD written across the forehead of the woman, stood for trying to solve things or trying to attain helping people, through discourse of the mind or using humanism and coping mechanisms to help tame the soul. 
 
The two large babies that had the faces of adults that were throwing temper tantrums, speaks very strongly of many believers who refuse to grow up into mature adults in the Lord and refuse to become responsible for their own choices and actions, and instead throw temper tantrums and cry and scream, and blame everyone else for their immaturity or reoccurring problems. 
This is also a common narrative in the world right now that is causing great division among people groups as well as the push for verbal abuse and the ability to character assassinate.
I knew that I had to turn my back on everything that was causing me to be distracted or overwhelmed, as well as walk away from dependance on anything that clinical or educational pursuits that might be allowed to cloud my ability to ascend higher in the Lord. I knew that this stairway that I was going up to get into the jumbo jet, was very steep and it was very narrow and that I had to focus on climbing.
 
In Matthew 7:13-14 it says,
“There are two paths before you; you may take only one path. 
One doorway is narrow. And one door is wide. 
Go through the narrow door. 
For the wide door leads to a wide path, and the wide path is broad; the wide, broad path is easy, and the wide, broad, easy path has many, many people on it; but the wide, broad, easy, crowded path leads to death. Now then that narrow door leads to a narrow road that in turn leads to life. It is hard to find that road. Not many people manage it."
 
The police woman at theentry door onto the plane I believe, was an example of the protection of the Lord using a discernment factor as to who you allow to travel with you in this next phase of your walk with the Lord, as well as the kind of relationships and fellowship that will be forming in the days ahead.
 
I was allowed to pass and enter because Steve and I had already agreed that we we’re going to travel together and be in agreement as a couple, to obey and follow the path that God was leading us on, even if we knew it would be hard.
 
There was an atmosphere of anticipation among everyone that was milling around and standing by their seats before the flight took off.
Again, the platform was just a simple stage with one door in the center. It seemed as if someone was going to step out and address everyone once the flight took off, but everyone was at peace knowing that this was a very important announcement…
… but that there was a specific timing for it.
 
As I called out for Steve to locate him and he called me and I went around the wall and began to move towards where he was sitting, I was aware of a very sweet presence and atmosphere of holiness and reverence.
We were seated in the back but no one at all felt like they had any kind of priority seating or notoriety. All of the seats were very plush and comfortable for everyone, in order to make the trip bearable during its time of flight.
 
The Lord then began to speak to me about Steve’s leg boot and knee brace that he was wearing in the dream. 
He showed me that so many in the Body of Christ are in a time of being called up into a higher place with the Lord, and that during this difficult and pressure filled time in the earth right now, people have felt “hobbled” and as if they are unable to move about freely and travel and function in jobs or pursuits as they had in the past, and weren’t able to freely do things in missionary work or evangelical work during the restrictions that have been placed on them. 
The Lord very sweetly let me know that HE is stewarding this time. 
Remember the man with a hat that said “STEWARD” on it? 
 
During this time that we are all experiencing the great discomforts of being either isolated or locked down or hindered, (and most all of us are very aware that the pressure has been intense for so many and it has immobilized so many people), the Lord is sending us help and he is wanting us to steward this time wisely and use it for the purpose of coming into a bigger place, a broader expanse of the understanding of “ascending higher” into a place of relationship with him.
Ephesians 2:6 says,
“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him 
in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus”
As the steward gently guided us over to the alcove to the two extra plush extra comfortable reclining seats  that were prepared for us, (we were being SEATED With Him In Heavenly Realms) the Lord showed me that when he moves us into a different place or when he is causing us to travel into a new location or a place with him, he puts us under the shadow of his wing and protects us, and shields us while we are in that time of transition and change.
And, as I saw the sign positioned  on the wall that said  Prayer Room, and even spoke out-loud In the dream saying, “Wow! I’ve never seen a prayer room on a plane before”, it was if the Holy Spirit was saying to me, “When I move you into a new place of transition, even if you feel hobbled or you feel restrained or restricted, this is because I am drawing you into a place or a new 'plain' of prayer”. 
He wants us to understand that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, and that, that ascended place of intercession in prayer, is a place where the strongholds and warfare are viewed from the pure wisdom of God’s view and God’s understanding.
 
Colossians 3:1 says,
---- >“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, 
---- > Set your hearts on things above,
---- > Where Christ is, 
---- > Seated at the right hand of God.”
 
Now Remember, we were on a jumbo jet with only selected people who were allowed to be on that flight, waiting for instructions from someone that was going to come through a single door on a platform. 
I believe that those on the plane represented a fresh unity and equal playing field in the Body of Christ. Everyone had a place to sit and a place to comfortably spread out, and yet there was no title or competition for position or notoriety or elite seating. Everyone was waiting to be told to take their seats and were anticipating this unique flight, and, waiting for instructions from the person who would come through the door.
 
Now! The last part of the dream was very significant. 
When Steve and I had gotten over the surprise at the extremely comfortable and roomy seats that we were given in the prayer alcove,
I was impressed to remember the steward that stood by quietly and was smiling, but was very much a professional in his uniform.  REMEMBER. He leaned over and winked at us and said “buckle up”! Now, This was said kindly and the wink was in a sense of being humorous, but when he said it, it was as if we were being told, “you need to make sure you are ready for what you are about to experience in prayer on this next journey”.
After much meditation and praying and dialoguing with Steve and a few other individuals in ministry that I respect, I feel that this dream is an indicator to the Body of Christ to leave behind the things that so easily trip us up and to also allow ourselves, to be separated from the things that  the world has to offer us, or, the things that the world is throwing at us to mock what we believe in Christ as truth. 
 
We are to no longer lean upon our own understanding, our own intellect, or our own intellectual assumptions about giftings and callings. We are to quickly climb and ascend with Christ at this time as the path narrows, and gather among those that God has assigned us to be in unity with, in prayer.
 
This is a time of the Holy Spirit drawing us into an atmosphere of reverence, and it may feel a little cloistered and compressed for a while as if being hobbled, but it is in fact a place of being called to come up higher into the things of the Spirit of God.
As we hide under the shadow of his wings and we intercede and we pray in the spirit and wait upon the Lord and steward this time, we are being prepared and kept safe, as we buckle up for some of the turbulence in the days ahead. 
 
Whoever was about to step out on the platform in the front of the plane, was someone of great significance which I believe was the Lord Himself giving Divine instructions and fresh commissioning to those who were selected to be on this flight. 
They came from all walks of life, all ethnic backgrounds and had one thing in common. 
They wanted to walk in unity and in a deeper level of the knowledge and wisdom of God.
 
Psalm 133:1 says,
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
 
My friends, with the world in absolute upheaval and so many shocking events taking place so rapidly, many believers have asked themselves how could they have missed what was coming, or how could they have not seen things more clearly or sooner! 
Understand this, evil has always been just one breath away in the earth. 
It just puts on different forms and personalities and masks in order to trick people, or to deceive them into solving problems through intellectualism, through scientific projections and theories, and also through religious structures that prohibit freedom in Christ for all. 
 
Remember that Satan goes around “like” a roaring lion seeking...
...whom he “may” devour. 
 
Most people are devoured by looking to news articles and trending narratives in order to make sense of chaos or to make sense of experiences that they are having.
 
We as believers are being called to “ascend into a place of great fellowship with the Lord”. That’s going to cost us something.
It’s going to cost us our reputations at times, it’s going to cost us relationships. It’s going to cost us financially and it’s going to cost us, how much time we spend entertaining ourselves. 
 
I have seen many believers put on a new form of “self protective rigidity in their faith” actually shunning or distancing themselves from anyone who does not meet their standard of structure or approach to serving Christ. This is actually a form of secret pride in thinking personal holiness and personal reverence is allowed to be selective.
I would like to say that when you are desperate enough to serve the Lord at all costs, you don’t have a whole lot of time to pigeonhole people. If you find yourself discriminating against someone who isn’t as zealous as you are, or who tends to be a verbal processor, or perhaps even someone who is very stoic, most likely you will be hindered from being allowed to enter this new plain and place of travel with the Lord.
 
I like how the Passion translation addresses this in John 7:24.
“Stop judging based on the superficial. 
First you must embrace the standards of mercy and truth.”
 
The Lord is looking for unity, he is looking for like mindedness, he’s looking for humility and an anticipation of being able to speak and direct his people in the up-and-coming fresh move of his power in the earth among mankind. 
 
One thing I know for sure, the Lord is looking for vessels who know how to honor and respect as well as fear the Lord. Those who reverence Him, and in doing so, reverence those that God has placed in their lives to form a bond of unity with, no matter how unique and different each individual is.
The Body of Christ has always been encouraged and challenged by the Holy Spirit to come up higher to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the churches. (Revelation 3:22 ) 
So, if the Spirit of the Lord is speaking to us to come up higher and has something to tell us, then the Spirit of the Lord is also telling us, there are things that we will need to be saying and speaking after we receive instructions about them. 
These instructions can only be pure and concise after we have spent time in intercession, in the prayer room, in an alcove seated with Christ in heavenly places. 
We need to “buckle up” and prepare in prayer for the things God is about to lay out to us in instructions, but we also have to understand that there will be warfare and discouragement and accusations that will come during this time of being secluded and called to prayer. 
 
Satan does not give up ground easily... 
…and, if you will recall when Jesus was in the wilderness, he was being sent by the Spirit of the Lord to be set aside for a time of prayer and fasting, and the enemy was relentless in attempting to wear him down and break him.
 
Jesus gave us the model to an ascended life, and what means is that we must get alone with the Father.  We get into a place of secluded intercession as we ascend to meet with him in prayer. 
 
Life is not easy for those who choose to separate themselves and answer the upward calling of Christ. 
But, life is exciting and rewarding as we serve him with our eyes fixed upon the eternal long term results.
 
Philippians 3:14-15 says this, 
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 
But one thing I do: 
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 
I press on toward the goal to attain the heavenly prize… 
…of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
All of us who are mature should embrace this point of view. 
And if you think differently about some issue, God will reveal this to you as well." 
 
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed provided that
complete source, podcast and website information
for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You Copyright © 2021 " THE MESSENGER " ~Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
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"A Place At the Table"- A Promise For Those who Feel Displaced And Broken Hearted

 
By Mary Lindow through the Holy Spirit

Preface:
The Lord was tremendously intense with me about the preparation and study that went along with the prophetic insights and words intermingled with this message. I would like to encourage you to read it all thoroughly and to not only skim through it quickly.
This is an hour when the Word and the Spirit are being brought together to demonstrate the ultimate power of Christ!
In His Shadow, Mary 
 
 "A PLACE AT THE TABLE"
A PROMISE FOR THE DISPLACED AND BROKEN HEARTED"
A Prophetic Insight
By Mary Lindow
 
"Mephibosheth ate at David's table as one of the king's sons. 
Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate endlessly at the
King’s table, even though he was crippled in both feet."
- 2 Samuel 9 vs. 11b-13
 
Just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy and completed, to perfect her by the washing with water through the word, and to establish her to himself as an exultant church, without imperfection or wrinkle or any other defect, but holy and guiltless.
After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church for we are members of his body. This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5: 25b 32
MEPHIBOSHETH: MEANING "ONE WHO SUFFERS SHAME"
The name was a joining by two members of the family of Saul - his son and his grandson. Let's look at this man Mephibosheth.
His life is a picture of a life of disaster, disappointment, and anxiety.
You think you have troubles?
In reading the story we already know that Mephibosheth is motherless and fatherless, because he is under the care of a nurse.
2 Samuel 4:4 also says that at the age of five his father, Jonathan, David's best friend, was killed in battle along with Jonathan's father, King Saul. To add injury to insult, we are told that when Mephibosheth's nurse heard the news of the murder of Jonathan and Saul, she panicked as she ran from harm's way. And in her running, the nurse dropped the child - causing him to become crippled. So the baby prince who was in the line of succession to the throne became a crippled beggar living as an orphan in hiding.
What should have been a life of wealth became a life of misery, tragedy and heartbreak. While his family was being assassinated, murdered, and banished, his future, as a king would never be fulfilled.
AND MORE THAN THAT, MEPHIBOSHETH WAS PERMANENTLY SCARRED!
We can relate to Mephibosheth's being a victim of sad circumstance. Perhaps you can even testify to being victimized by other's mistakes for yourself. Like Mephibosheth who trusted his nurse, some of us can relate to being dropped by those in whom we've placed our trust.
We're living crippled lives because a person in whom we loved and gave our hearts to...has dropped us.
JUST LIKE MEPHIBOSHETH WE KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE DROPPED BY SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TRUSTED.
Our lives are still suffering from the crippling effects of those disappointments. Everyone has been "dropped" in some way. And if you haven't, you will be. Some are still so proud in heart that they never admit to any weakness and therefore shame those around them who stumble their way to the cross of redemption.
It's no wonder that we are afraid to trust againbecause we've been lied to or used as scapegoats for the escape of others who hide their sins and egos behind loud opinions about how others should behave or...might have done better in the way they have handled the things that have happened in their life's journey!
MANY ARE AFRAID TO TAKE CHANCES BECAUSE OF PAST FAILURES.
Many more are afraid to follow their heart because the plain idea of making one more mistake sends shivers through them. We can't handle another anguish. Sometimes it feels as though we are hanging on by a fine thread.
If God is a merciful God, we wonder when we're going to start seeing the mercy. Our words echo the psalmist as our soul cries out,
"Lord, have mercy on me!" "Have mercy on me, Lord"
BUT THE THING IS, THERE IS MERCY...  ...IF YOU WILL SEE IT.
If you will allow that mercy to saturate your soul. If you'll see that you have an important role to play in that mercy. In fact, "mercy" is really the only reason that you and I are existing today, whether you know that or not.
You are here today because at some level - consciously or subconsciously - you know that God has been and is merciful to you and you are expressing your appreciation for that mercy. You are here today because you know that despite the hurts that have been inflicted upon you, you want to trust, you want to go on, and you want to find hope.
THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE IS BOTH A BIT OF MEPHIBOSHETH AND 
A BIT OF KING DAVID IN ALL OF US.
And, perhaps a bit of King Saul's fear of the loss of power, position, and need for control and honor. That is, we have been hurt, but we have also been healed.
We have been helped, and we also have opportunity to help others. We really have received mercy, and we can offer mercy as well.
WHEN MEPHIBOSHETH WAS CALLED INTO DAVID'S PRESENCE, HE WAS TERRIFIED!
Why shouldn't he be? As the grandson of dead King Saul, Mephibosheth was an heir to the throne that David now possessed. So his first thought was that the king would kill him because he might see him as a threat.
Secondly, Mephibosheth has experienced little in his life that would make him believe that something good could happen to him, so he expected injury. His own words were, "What is your servant that you should look ona dead dog such as I?"
Then King David sent and brought him out of the house: Mephibosheth must have been terrified when messengers from David knocked at his door and demanded that he come with them to see the king. In the back of his mind he must have constantly anticipated the day when David would do as other kings did and murder every possible enemy to his throne.
UP TO THIS POINT MEPHIBOSHETH AND DAVID NEVER HAD A RELATIONSHIP AND IT WAS BECAUSE MEPHIBOSHETH WANTED IT THAT WAY.
HE AVOIDED DAVID OUT OF UNFOUNDED FEARS. BUT DAVID REMOVES THE FEARS OF MEPHIBOSHETH.
Verses (7-8) So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually."
Then Mephibosheth bowed himself, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?
Mephibosheth didn't feel worthy of such generosity. He considered himself a dead dog, meaning a worthless and insignificant person.
All the years of hiding from the king and Living in fear and poverty made Mephibosheth thinks of himself as Worthless.
THE OFFER OF MERCY
David didn't want to add to Mephibosheth's Misery. David offered mercy.
Mephibosheth - in his amazement and skepticism - is restored.
No, he didn't retrieve the ability to walk. Mephibosheth's weakness did not vanish. The end of the scripture is clear about that. "He was crippled in both feet."
But he was given a place at the table of the king.
This goes far beyond giving Mephibosheth what was rightly his!
THE HONOR OF A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KING
David gave Mephibosheth the honor of a close relationship withthe king. The miserable, unfair, undeserved events of his past didn't change. But he was re-established within the kingdom and given an opportunity to live out the rest of his life with dignity.
Because David - the King - was merciful.
 
DAVID KNOWS THAT HE HAS BEEN AN OBJECT OF GOD'S MERCY IN HIS LIFE.
That he has already been delivered from extreme circumstances and from ...his own unpredictable behavior.
David is merciful, because he has received mercy - a melody that will continue throughout David's entire life, even when David didn't deserve mercy. And - on another level - David knows that, as he acts as the status of king - also by God's anointing, and not his own skill - that he must model the mercy of God within the kingdom.
BLEMISHES OF THE "CRIPPLED" BRIDE
Just like in Ephesians 5 are the blemishes of the "crippled" bride...she is much like Mephibosheth.
Hiding, fearful! And....the King of our souls, Jesus...restores and cleanses us...brings us to His table as His Bride, and covers our lameness, our disfigurement underneath the linens of the bridegroom's table where no one dare point out our imperfections.
We are perfected BY His Mercy! David knew that human beings and a society that exist without forgiveness and mercy are already doomed to self-destruction by their bitter doubt.
JESUS DIED FOR THIS VERY REASON. SO THAT WE MIGHT MODEL HIS KIND OF GUTSY FORGIVENESS AND MERCY.
AND SO THE STORY FALLS TO US AS EMERGING LEADERS IN THE KING'S KINGDOM!
We who are like Mephibosheth who have been injured by dreadful circumstances and by careless people; and we who are like David, have the opportunity to be instruments of mercy.
We who are like Mephibosheth and David who have received mercy; and we who must decide if we will live lives of resentment because of prejudiced facts or ...live lives of gratitude because of undeserved and unexpected mercy.   The story falls now to us.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE. 
AS WE HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED,
WE HAVE ALSO BEEN DELIVERED.
Remember, David - the King - had to decide if his kingdom would be one of dread or grace. David had to decide if his realm was going to be established on grounds of vengeance or the refinement of mercy. In being an instrument of grace, David is setting the stage for his great, great, great grandson Jesus, who will be the ultimate expression of mercy to all of us.
In the entire history of humanity no one was more misunderstood or viciously abused than David's ultimate successor, Jesus. Yet no person was ever more merciful.
AS HEIRS OF DAVID AND CHRIST IT IS NOW UP TO US TO PUT INTO PRACTICE THE VERY TREASURE THAT DAVID HONORED IN THIS STORY.
Loyalty, respect, unwavering love, and the well being of others.
Like David did for Mephibosheth, God has honored and blessedus with the promise of eternal life, inviting us to dine at His table, in His kingdom eternally. Also, God does this, not because of any goodness upon our part, but "because of Jesus."
THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY 
AND WHY WE ARE PART OF THE BRIDE OF JESUS CHRIST.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN BROKEN.
And because He has restored - and is restoring - US by His mercy, He invites us to His table, we MUST look around to see who else needs a place at the table, on His behalf! Not out of our great "earned reputations" or past accomplishments! No!
We as models of the Fatherly and Motherly compassion of a heavenly King invite others, to the table of "covering" and honor. We bring mercy, expressed with "tender hearts."
The best person to want to be like is not always the strongest or the best looking!! When we become like Mephibosheth, we can truly understand mercy and grace.
BEING LIKE MEPHIBOSHETH MEANS:
Realizing that the king sought me out.
Understanding what I deserved from the king.
Acknowledging the ones who brought me to the king.
Humbling myself in the sight of the king.
Rejoicing in the words of the king.
Accepting the provision of the king.
Adjusting my life to the requests of the king.
Psalm 51:12
Restore to me again the joy of your salvation,
And make me willing to obey you.
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete article, podcast link and website information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You!
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DEALING WITH SLANDER - BETRAYAL AND CHARACTER ASSASSINATION

 

 
 
By Mary Lindow
 
David had his Absalom, Paul had his Demas, who abandoned him, and Alexander the coppersmith, who "had done him much harm." Jesus had Iscariot.We know all about Judas, so the story holds no drama for us. We forget that Jesus chose Judas after praying all night. They spent every day together for three years, talking, eating together, and laughing. Jesus sent him out in ministry. Judas shared in the miracle of feeding 5,000 people; his hands took the small, round barley loaves from Jesus and tore off hunks of bread for hungry people.What makes each case of betrayal so painful is that someone who knows your heart—who knows your longings and character—turns from that and chooses to believe you are really dangerous. The mind freezes as it tries to grasp how a friend, someone who knew you deeply, intimately, could turn on you and attack you.The singer songwriter Michael Card vividly captures the agony in one song:"Only a friend can betray a friend, 
A stranger has nothing to gain  
And only a friend comes close enough 
To ever cause so much pain."Betrayal, I've noticed, calls good evil. 
It twists a person's true spiritual endowments into something negative, a saintly deficiency or psychological problem. Betrayal causes leaders to not want to trust, to not want to be involved in anything called church, to not be vulnerable, to not open their spirits in worship to God.
Don't give up! You may be tempted to flee, to turn your back on your call. 
You are walking where great people have walked before. They are remembered as great because they did not allow the betrayal to stop them. Instead they learned how to turn their pain into greater usefulness for the Lord.
What does it mean to slander? 
To make a false and malicious statement that damages somebody’s reputation. To set somebody or something up in opposition to somebody or something else.But another definition of slander is to take about someone with the intent to hurt them. 
To whisper and hiss subtle, condescending, suggestive thoughts that someone is ”missing the real deal.”II Timothy tells us that in the last days there will be slanderers and false accusers spreading innuendoes and criticism and reporting things unjustly about others.Scorpions carry poison in their tails; 
Snakes carry it in their cheeks, 
And slanderers carry it in their tongues.
Character assassination is an intentional attempt to influence the portrayal or reputation of a particular person, 
..Whether living or a historical person, in such a way as to cause others to develop an extremely negative, unethical or unappealing perception of him or her. By its nature, it involves deliberate exaggeration or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person. For living individuals, this can cause the target to be rejected by his or her community, family, or members of his or her living or work environment. 
 
Such acts are typically very difficult to reverse or rectify, therefore the process is correctly likened to a literal assassination of a human life. The damage sustained can be life-long and more, or for historical personages, last for many centuries after their death.
In practice, character assassination usually consists of the spreading of rumors and deliberate 
misinformation on topics relating to one's morals, integrity, and reputation.
 
If the devil has any servants that he values the most, are they slanderers or gossips? I believe they are!Charles Spurgeon said, "A lie will go around the world while truth is still putting on its boots."Think about that!
In Psalm 15 David speaks such a powerful lesson about THE PERSON who can truly ascend to a place of Walking with God in a holy high place.Psalm 15 : 1-5 A psalm of David. 
 
"LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart
and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong, and casts no slur on his fellowman,who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. 
He who does these things will never be shaken."If you will notice…this type of person cannot be shaken. 
That does not mean that he or she will not be sorely tested, or at times falsely accused or slandered. It meant that these things would not shake them from the knowledge that they walk with God in His Holy Presence SAFELY and confidently even though pressures and pain attack them!
 
The Lord is a protector… 

…And a refuge from slander and accusations!
 
"How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, 
which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.
In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; 
in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues." 
Psalm 31:19-20
I encourage you to spend much much time in worship and in hiding the word of God in your heart. 
These two weapons act like shields to the soul when attacks and false accusations are unleashed towards you. There will always be those who gain power and prestige for a season through the use of slander or subtle suggestions that imply that you have some how “gone off the rails” and have become a lesser saint!The Lord strongly addressed this in the following verses:“Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; 
Whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure."
Psalm 101:5"Do not go about spreading slander among your people. 
Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. 
I am the LORD." 
Leviticus 19:16Servant of God! DO NOT let fear grip you and paralyze the Lord’s voice calling to you to serve Him freely!No man or woman has the authority to tell you to not speak in the Name of Jesus if you are moving from a pure heart and a pure motive!  Of Course…you may thoroughly be discussed behind your back and dissected as to why you speak out or flow in the way the Lord might well call you to do!But remember to be certain it is the Lord that asked you to speak out and then you are able to simply;“Keep a clear conscience, 
so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ 
may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:16Remember this, obedient child of God:When we are slandered, we answer kindly. 
Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, 
the refuse of the world. 1 Corinthians 4:13Love lived out and expressed honestly... 
...In the hearts that have felt the sting of slander and yet choose to forgive, do a greater work in the name of Jesus and for His Kingdom, than a thousand voices that may shout against injustice or religious forms and practices.Remember…Jesus Himself endured insults rejection and ridicule.And yet - He finished the course.So will you!Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed provided that complete Message, website information 
and Podcast link  for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You!
 Copyright © 2019 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow 
www.marylindow.com

“MANY WILL BE PURIFIED AND REFINED - BUT THE WICKED WILL CONTINUE TO BE WICKED”

 - A PROPHETIC WORD -“MANY WILL BE PURIFIED AND REFINED ...… BUT THE WICKED WILL CONTINUE TO BE WICKED”By the Holy Spirit through Mary Lindow Scroll to the bottom of this message to use to the audio podcast player.“How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust, And has not turned to the proud for worldly advice, Nor to those who lapse into tale bearing.” Psalms 40:4 "My children. It is always amazing how people run to the power and strengths of man and to the voices of false hope. As if from these things they advise or promise might gain a place of security! You can only be fully secure when you first come to ME! I never break my promises to you! NEVER! I use every opportunity in your life to train you to be an honest and humble guide to lead others to my way of success. If you hear a man or woman boasting about too many great things that they have done, you will eventually find out that they are masters of manipulation and "embellished" liars. It's all to make themselves look more powerful in your eyes. I do not deeply fellowship with this type of person. “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of them.”Deuteronomy 18:22 "I only share My keys and treasures of victory and success with those who do not peddle pride and do not posture for an audience. False humility is obvious to Me even when others cannot discern it. Trusting Me means to really believe that I AM all you need to have a vision and a future. Trust. Trust. Trust! Trust ME!" Be Quick To Listen, Be Slow To Speak, Be Slow to get Angry. ~James 1:19 "The real proof of your personal transformation in Me is in evidence when you can practice this truthful insight without having to think about it too much! In order to sincerely be a voice for Me - one who cries out into the wilderness of other people's lives, you must be able to hear My voice clearly! Speaking only what I tell you to speak, and to not REACT with anger when you have those who oppose My Voice, challenge you! If you are suspicious of others motives and have secretly hidden the things of insecurity or entitlement in your own heart, you will be looking for a way to cast suspicion on others if you are the guilty or presumptuous party of some wrongdoing. This opens a door to a hardness of heart, which allows the pride of life and love for position to blind you from a life of brokenness, and personal, private integrity. Clean living creates a pure and clear conscience. "Keep me also from the sins I want to commit. May they not be my master. Then I will be without blame. I will not be guilty of any great sin against your word." Psalm 19:13 “I remained silent, like a lamb ready for slaughter! When My time to speak came, it changed eternity!It is finished! Father! Into Your hands I willingly turn over everything! My body, My soul, My spirit! Can you also turn all you hold dear in this life over to the Father? You will never be the same again! And you also will mark out a statement in eternity!" The Lord's promises are pure.... Psalm 12:6a "I have no ulterior reasons to make a promise that has a hidden agenda! I am the spotless Lamb of God! All that I have ever promised to you and to those who love Me has always been with only good and blessing in mind! Purity has it's own deep well of uniqueness to draw from.It looks for fairness for all.It only operates with absolute truthfulness.Purity is a value that never wears thin.When you minister or care for others, do all of it from only a pure motive to help, bless and restore. Impurity always shows up with self-preservation, intimidation and a pompous sense of personal power and personal vision. "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 2 Corinthians 6:3-6 Purity.It is only a refined vessel that can walk in the power of this attribute!"“Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” Daniel 12:10 Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed as long as complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included. 
 Thank You! 
Copyright 2013 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow www.marylindow.com 

“Do you Want Peace and Rest?” - Then you must Have Jesus Himself

By Mary Lindow
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The question is often asked, "What is the reason for the weak spiritual lives of so many Christians?"
This is an excellent question and it is amazing how little the church responds to Christ's voice, which is ever calling out! How little the church is what Christ wants her to be!


What really is the matter? What truly is needed?

Many answers will be given but there is one answer that includes them all. each believer needs the full eye-opener of a personal Christ as a spiritually internal, “living inside of me”  Lord  and as someone who was a satisfying portion.
When the Lord was here on the earth what was it that distinguished his disciples from other people? I think the answer is that Jesus took them away from their fishnets their busyness and their homes. He gathered them around himself and they knew him.
He was their Master, and he guarded them, and they in turn followed him. What is supposed to make the difference today between Christ's disciples-not those who are just hoping to get to heaven, but those who are Christ's wholehearted disciples-and other people? I think it's this. When Jesus was upon the earth, he was able to keep the disciples with him for three years day after day. Now that Jesus is in heaven, and he is able to do what he could not do when he was upon the earth - to keep in the closest fellowship with every believer throughout the entire world. Imagine this!
You might know the verse in Ephesians: 4:10
“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might  fulfill all things.”


Why was our Lord Jesus taken up to heaven?

Away from the life of earth? He ascended to heaven because the light of the earth is confined to localities, but the light of heaven has no limits, no boundaries, and no localities. He was taken up to heaven so that in the power of God the ever present omnipresent God, that he might be able to fill every one of his followers on earth and be with every individual believer in a personal way.
This is what my heart wants to experience by faith. It is a possibility, it is a promise, it is my birthright, and I want to have it! By the grace of God, I say to Jesus, “Jesus, I will not rest until you have fully revealed your self fully to me.”

How did the disciples get their burning hearts?
Remember that day that they were on the Road to Emmaus? It was through the way in which Christ opened the Scriptures to them. He made it all look different and new, and they saw what they had never seen before! They could not help feeling how wonderful and how heavenly the teaching was!
Many Christians have discovered that the best time of the day is when they can read and pore over their Bibles, and they love nothing more than to find a new spiritual insight. Just like a person who mines diamonds rejoices when they have found a diamond these individuals delight when they get some new thought from the Bible, and they feed upon it.
Yet, even with all of their interest in God's word and with the joy that is stirred in our hearts, when we return to work or attend our daily duties, we find that there is still something missing in our lives.

From time to time…
…We must leave all the many and unique blessings that Jesus gives us,
and come to the one blessing that outshines all of them.
The blessing that Jesus makes himself known, that Jesus is willing to make himself known to us!
If I were to ask you, “Isn't this exactly what you and I need, and what many of us have been longing for?” I am sure you would answer, “Yes! This is exactly what I want!”
Listen to this poetic verse.
“Oh, the peace my Savior gives!
Peace I never knew before,
And my way has brighter grown,
Since I've learned to trust him more.”
An individual in the midst of great trouble and difficulty wrote this poem.
She stated that it brought wonderful comfort and strength to her.
However, how can a person maintain peace in his or her life? It was the presence of Christ that brought the peace; therefore, peace must be sustained through the continual presence of Jesus.

Remember that when the storm on the Sea, was threatening to swallow up the disciples, that it was the presence of Jesus himself that brought the peace.


Do you want peace and rest?

Then you must have Jesus himself.
We talk of purity, and we talk of cleansing. We also talk of deliverance from sin!
Praise God, for the deliverance and the cleansing, when the living Jesus comes and gives us power and strength. It's there that we find that we have that resurrected Christ who sits on the throne, who is making himself known to you and I. This is the secret of purity and the secret of strength.

Perhaps some of you may be now asking,

“How will Christ revealed himself to me? How will he come?” That is the secret no one can know, it is the one that Jesus keeps to himself. It will come in the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember the disciples on the road to Emmaus?
They had a sudden revelation of the living risen Christ!
The Scripture says, “Then they knew Him!” He revealed Himself, he showed Himself fully to them, and then he vanished from their site! Was that moment of Christ visiting them revealing Himself to them worth much? It was over in a minute, yet it was worth heaven, eternity, it was everything!
From that time on Christ's disciples were no longer to relate to him in an earthly way. Thank the Lord that Christ now reveals Himself to each and every one of us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet, how He does this is a sacred thing between Christ and each individual believer. Take this as an assurance, “their eyes were opened, and they knew Him,” and believe that this was written for you!


You might be able to say that I have experienced a sad heart at times.
When I mourned that I did not know the living Christ. And I have had times when my heart is slow to believe and have struggled with my lack of faith, and I also know this stage of a burning heart in what I experienced and the  great times of joy and blessedness.
If you can say these things you will come to a place where you have a satisfied heart.


You will have a heart that has been made glad and will last until eternity!
You will have a heart that cannot keep and hold its joy but is poured out on other believers and shared, just as the disciples ran back to the believers in Jerusalem and said, “It is true! Jesus has revealed himself! I know it! I feel it! It has been made personal and real to me, alone!”

Dear child of God.
I'm sure you are asking but how would this revelation come?
Jesus will tell you. Just come to him and say a simple childlike prayer. You need to come to Jesus yourself. What I share with you here today is finished! I have pointed you to the risen One. Now you must step into the presence of the Holy One and begin to crying out, saying, “Oh my precious Lord and Savior! I have come to you and fully abandon my dreams my will, my hopes, and my sorrows.   I have come so that I might have this blessedness with me at all times.

Dear Jesus!  I want you completely the fullness of all that You are. I want to know you personally and completely. Not just simply by hearing the experiences of others. No Lord! I want to know that I can have your blessed presence surrounding me at all times because I am your child and I have been set free from my own condemning self-hatred, religious thinking, performance-based actions, and fear of not measuring up.

Jesus! Help me! Be my portion forever!”

Is this possible? Can we always be thinking of Jesus?

Thank God you don't need to be consistently thinking of him. You may be the manager of a grocery store and your whole attention may require you to carry out the business that you have to do. While you were thinking of your business, Jesus will be thinking of you and He will come in, and if you listen to Him he will take charge of you.
When I was holding my new Grand-daughter just today, (5 months old) I was thinking about when an infant sleeps in his or her mother's or grandmother’s arms, he or she lies there helplessly. He or she hardly even knows it’s mother or grandmother, he or she does not think of her, but the mother and grandmother does think of the child. And this is the great mystery of love.

Jesus waits to come to me in the fullness of His love.
And when He is allowed possession of my heart, He gathers me into those Divine arms and tells me, “My child I am the ever faithful one, I Am the mighty one, and I will remain with you. I Am watching over you and will keep you every day.”

Oh I can hear many of you saying, “Oh, if only I could believe that, if only I could believe it is possible to have Jesus constantly taking and keeping charge me every hour and every minute!”
But you see this is exactly what He said to you. He said these words,
“For low I am with you always”.
He meant it in the fullness of His divine love, and He is longing to show himself to you and to me, as we have never seen Him before.

“Your heart says this is too good to be true,
And that is just too wonderful to be possible for you.”
Still you do admit that it is an amazing way to live!

Oh you fearful one, mistaken one, and anxious one!
I am bringing to you God's promise; it is for me and for you.
Jesus will do it! As God, He is able, and Jesus is willing and longing, having been the crucified one to keep you in perfect peace.

This is a wonderful fact…
… And it is the secret of unspeakable joy.

*****************************************
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed provided that complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You
Copyright © 2012 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com