"Awakened"

Reflections4Life™ September 30, 2018

“Awakened”

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

Scripture Contemplation: Genesis 13; Nehemiah 2:20; Isaiah 60; Ephesians 5

©Ruthe McDonald.

It is time to wake up. Wake up to the truth, to the light of God that shines brightly, making wrongs right, bringing justice, and recompense for all that has been done and said. We have slept long enough; ignoring the truth of God. The hour is here, where we must choose. Do we believe God and His word? Or, do we ignore Him and remain sleep while devastation takes place all around? Once God has spoken a word, declared a thing, there is no changing it. Once He has awakened you to the truth, there is no going back—no matter how hard you try.

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. Be conscious of what God has spoken to your hearts and is speaking to your soul. The Father is in communication with His children, preparing them for what is coming next. We cannot afford to remain asleep at this hour, nor ignore all that God has revealed and is revealing. We must take our place, put on the armor, and go forward doing as God instructs.

I do not know what you may have been experiencing lately in your personal life but I do know that what we see in the world around us is a reflection of what is going on in the hearts and minds of the people. God is opening eyes and ears to the truth all around them. He is exposing the heart of man, buried secrets, and things swept under the rug. We have been tripping over that rug for a long time now, and it is time to clear up and clean everything else that God says to release.

We cannot receive the goodness and fullness of God in our lives if one: we have too much clutter to receive anything new. Two: we remain asleep to the voice and move of God. Lastly, three: we cannot see ourselves as God does, nor the love He holds for each of us. It is time, Beloveds, to wake up, smell the proverbial coffee, and begin walking in God’s truth and not the fabrications that people with agendas call the truth.

Ephesians 5:13-15 (ESV) But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.

 God is shining the light on our hearts, our thoughts, our deeds, and calling us to wake up from the slumber that sin has caused. Wake up from the dead places that we have allowed ourselves to be in because of deferred dreams and hope. Because of disappointments and fallouts with loved ones and people in the body of faith. It is time to be resurrected from those dead places in our lives that have caused us to draw away from God and His will for our lives. It is time to walk in the wisdom that God has placed in us and separate ourselves from those who are not walking accordingly.

We are at a critical time in this earth. The sign of the times is all around us. We will miss the signs of God, however, if we remain asleep, or ignore the voice of God when He tells us to repent and to change our ways; to walk and live in faith, being obedient to His will. We must stand up for what is right, not compromising, or changing the word of God to suit our own agendas.

Isaiah 48:6 “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.

Beloved, God is doing a new thing. He desires to bring forth new things in our lives. We must wake up! Wake up from our long sleep. The sleep of ignorance, the sleep of laziness, the sleep of hypocrisy, the sleep of lying, the sleep of buried secrets, the sleep of hurt, the sleep of pain, the sleep of cover-ups. The sleep of all things against who God is and righteousness.

When I yielded; surrendered everything thing to God and trusted Him where I could not trace Him, my heart was set free and then one day I woke up, and everything was brand new. I could see more clearly; hear more intently, and there was no going back. I now knew—with no doubt—just how much God loves me and has protected me. I had finally awakened.

Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. When you allow God to wake you to the truth, His truth, then you will see the new and hidden things that He has had for you all along. You will understand every trial, test, and set back. Then you will see yourself as God sees you, and all will be new to you, and your heart will be set to move forward in the truth and love of our heavenly Father. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Falling into the Arms of God"

Reflections4Life™ September 23, 2018

“Falling into the Arms of God”

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” Psalm 91:1

Scripture Contemplation: Joshua 2; Psalm 5; Psalm 31; Psalm 91; Philippians 3; 2 Timothy 4; 1 Peter 5…

©Ruthe McDonald.

In our lifetime, we will fall for many things: people, words, things, etcetera. We will fall into diverse situations, sometimes not even knowing how we got there. Other times knowing exactly how but too ashamed to confess it, so we stay in that situation while our soul and heart become harden. It's time for us to fall into the arms of God. To, fall in love with God.

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. May you allow our Heavenly Father to pour into you, to give you what you have been searching for all along but did not know how to find.

There is nothing in this earth that can outdo the protective and healing arms of God. There is no condemnation. There is no pain. There is no looking over your shoulder. There are no lies. Though there is the truth that may sting and hurt a bit; there is no harm. There are no false or duplicitous words, or backward comments said as compliments but meant as an insult.

In the arms of God, there is healing and unconditional love. Many of us cannot see this or understand this, because we have listened too long to the lies and whispers of the enemy. For so long, so many have been searching to fill a void, an emptiness in their hearts with temporal things. At first, they feel full, satiated, and complete. Then after a while, a feeling of emptiness and longing starts to stir up once again. They’re soon looking to someone or something else to fill that emptiness, only to repeat the painful cycle.

The whole time, while seeking and searching high and low to fill that void, to appease that ache, God is there. He is there waiting to receive us into the shelter of His arms. He calls to us. He reaches for us. However, all too often, we reject God. We reject His hands and His love. But the enemy will have us to believe that God has rejected us.

Allow me to say this to your soul and spirit before continuing forth. Just because you may not have received an answer to your prayer in the way in which you were expecting, does not mean that God has rejected you. Just because you have prayed for something and it did not come to pass does not mean that God has rejected you. Just because you received a no, for now, does not mean that God has rejected you. God has not rejected or abandoned you. And no right now, does not mean it will always be a no.

Beloveds, allow this to ruminate in your heart and mind: Sometimes God has something far greater than you could ever imagine for yourself, and He does things in His way and His time, but it is always for your good. God cannot lie. He will keep His promise to you, and give you that expected end that is filled with grace, mercy, love, and joy.

There are many of that have placed our trust and belief in others and things and have been sorely disappointed over and over again. It has, for many, jaded them when it comes to believing in someone. It has also caused some to place God on that same level as man.

God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man that He should repent. (Numbers 21:19) Rest assure; whatever God has spoken and promised to you, it will come to pass in the due season. We just have to make sure we are ready and have lived our life accordingly. Otherwise, we can find ourselves out of position to receive the manifestations of the blessings.

Beloveds, we have listened to the wrong people for far too long. We have put our trust and faith into people and things that have no idea who we are and what God has ordained for us. We have fallen for the lies of the enemy and believed what he has spoken concerning us and God. It's time to change the station and hear what God is saying to you today. Fall into the shelter and love of God's arms. Let Him love on you and restore you and strengthen you. What do you have to lose? Nothing but your past hurt and shame. But, you have so much to gain.

Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Fall into the arms of God where there is always room for you. Fall into the shelter and safety of the arms that have been open for you since you entered this realm of time. Receive freely what Jesus has already paid for in full. Receive the comfort and peace that can only come from a Father who loves you, accepts you, and sees you just as you truly are. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"The Wisdom of Being Quiet"

Reflections4Life™ September 16, 2018

“The Wisdom of Being Quiet”

“Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:6

Scripture Contemplation: Job 34; Job 40; Proverbs 17; Ecclesiastes 7; James 4

©Ruthe McDonald.

“

You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True Power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means that everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.” Warrant Buffett

We can often allow our emotions to get the best of us; wanting our side to be heard and understood, which can cause further hurt, pain, and confusion. Sometimes we have to reel back our hurt emotions and be quiet. There is wisdom in being quiet. However, it may seem like disrespect or shutting a person down, it is not. It takes two to tango, two to have an argument that can quickly escalate where words said, cannot be taken back. Or the misinterpretation of what is being said and its intent, leading to hurt feelings and possibly the destruction of a relationship.

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. Meditate on the word of God this week. Ask the Father to show you your heart, your thoughts, your weaknesses, and strength. Allow His words to season your mouth and be a guard over your tongue. Take a moment before speaking, and assess what you are going to say. Know that, sometimes, being quiet is the best thing you could do in certain situations.

Do you want to be Happy or Right?

James 4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Why can we not be both?—is the question most of us would probably ask. Why cannot I be happy and right? It is my life and my right, after all. Sure, you can be both, but when you are in the middle of an argument with someone and both parties feel they are right, do you continue to argue until you both are unhappy and in the worst state of being? Or, do you take the option of acquiescing and deciding you’d rather have peace than to stress your point of view?

It is a normal part of our human nature that fights to be heard, accepted, and believed. We find ourselves in escalated arguments wondering how we got there and felt miserable after getting there. At this point, the argument is not really about who is right or wrong (both people can be right), the argument is now more about power. Or, a power struggle. Neither person wanting to give in because now emotions are on the line and egos are in the way, and common sense has taken a flight, while Holy Spirit has gone quiet because our flesh has taken over, as God-sense also flies out the window.

Nine times out of ten, we do not even realize when or how the enemy snuck his way in and began whispering in our ears, which sounds like our inner thoughts. We end up saying things we do not mean, taking offense to things that normally would roll right off the back, and emotions stirred up, that we are blinded by the anger that has crept up, causing more trouble, hurt, and pain. Instead of taking a step back, pride takes a step in.

Beloved, this is not what God intended for us in our relationships. This is not how we, children of God, should allow things in our life to escalate. If someone is saying something, you do not agree with or thinking something about you, you do not have to react to it. Yes, it may hurt and bother you—let that be between you and God. Do not allow it to take you out of character and stir you up so emotionally that you fight, at all costs, to be right. At the end, who really wins? No one. Nine times out of ten, when you make the decision to be quiet and not engage in a war of words and stop yourself from reacting emotionally, you will find out how fast a situation can deescalate and how much hurt and pain can be avoided. Do not ignore Holy Spirit when He is telling you to be quiet!

Words Can Be Powerful & Deadly Weapons

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

James 3:8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Being quiet can save many lives and relationships, also. We often forget how powerful the words are that come from our mouths; whether intentional or not. In the power of our tongue are death and life. We have the power to kill and destroy or to make live. We can kill people’s self-esteem, hopes, dreams, visions, relationships, marriages, families, employment—all from the words, we may speak.

We also have the power to change lives for the better. To inspire. To bring life, hope, love, acceptance, strength, and peace. We can speak a word of life into our relationships, our marriages, our hopes, dreams, and visions. We can be encouraging, inspiring, and spark a fire that spreads so wide and far that happiness becomes like breathing.

We need God to be a guard over our tongue; a watch over our mouths, and to check us when we are in our emotions. Our emotions can get us into a whole lot of trouble when we are not in accord with the Holy Spirit, or, are easily offended. Our tongues become poison swords, striking out at anyone within our circumference. Bringing damage and extreme hurt and pain in the hearts minds and souls of those we say we love.

Beloveds, it is not God or of God when we get to a place of yelling, screaming, and talking over one another to the point we are being rude and disrespectful. Hurt people hurt people. Something inside of us feels like we have to defend ourselves. This is the exact point where we need to be quiet, stay quiet, and truly reflect on what is happening, without blaming the other person, but taking accountability and responsibility for our part in the situation. At the end of the day, it is a power struggle. But the power struggle is not between you and the other party, it is between you and God. You and Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is telling us to be quiet and pray, while our flesh is saying, no, we have to defend ourselves, not realizing that God is our best defense and that the whole truth of the matter is, the enemy found an opening and slid in.

Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. We have to get quiet, recognize the enemy, and allow God to be a guard over our mouths and to fight the battle for us, as we humbly acquiesce to His will; even if that means apologizing, even if you feel you are right. Because at this point, it is not about being right but about allowing God to be in charge and setting things right once more before you forget the love and all the good things that exist in spite of the bumps in the road. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"A Celebration of Your Life"

Reflections4Life™ September 9, 2018

“A Celebration of Your Life”

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:15

Scripture Contemplation: Deuteronomy 28; Luke 15; Romans 5; 6…

©Ruthe McDonald

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. Allow the precious love of God fill every part of your heart, taking residence in your mind, and bringing healing to every wound ever inflicted over the years. Allow God the honor of filling your life with His everlasting joy and peace, as you celebrate the gift that is your life. Not taking a moment given for granted.

Dear Community of Faith,

It is with a heart of gratitude and a bit of sadness that I come to you today. This past Thursday I celebrated my Birthday. It was a beautiful day regardless of my present circumstances and current life trials. God blessed me with a new year of life and another year of His manifest blessings; another year to fellowship, minister, and to teach.

This past year has brought many heartaches. Some that I thought I would never get through but I did. Because God is on my side and His will is being done. I could either count all the things that are wrong, or count and be grateful for all the things that have gone right, the blessings of God, and His promises that are coming to pass soon. I chose the latter. Because I understand that a grateful heart and attitude is conducive to the blessings of God manifesting and for the angels to come on my behalf.

As I celebrated my life, thanking God and all of those that celebrated with me and wished me well, I could not help but to thank God. Not everything may be the way I want it but I am alive and in my right mind and have the ability to wait on God, as I work diligently in faith for all things to line up with His word concerning me. I have so much to be thankful for; so many blessings and open doors, and a plethora of ideas birthed in my heart and soul. There were some bumps in the road but none that trumped God’s divine will!

Life is not always, what we want. Things do not always turn out the way we desire. However, if we truly believe God for working all things out, then we can walk with a heart and mind filled with peace and the joy of the Lord, which is our strength.

The following night, after my birthday, I learned that a first cousin of mine passed away. It took me by surprise. The entire family was shaken with unbelief. I had just prayed with him the week before, as he was not feeling well. Let me just say this: Cancer sucks! It really does. The toll it takes on a body can last for years, as it did with my cousin. Charlie and I did not grow up knowing one another, even though we were first cousins. We connected years later. We talked ever so often, and the conversations were wonderful and insightful. I can say this (which brings some comfort,) he knew the Lord and had a personal relationship with our Creator. I cannot begin to tell you how much he will be missed.

All of this—my birthday, his death—and the upcoming seventeenth year of “9/11”—has my heart and mind focusing on the precious gift of God, which is my life. No matter what things may appear to be, and what I have to go through, I am alive! I am here, with a purpose! Things do not have to be perfect for me to say Thank You, Jesus! Because every day the Father grants me to see, is a celebration of my life; a celebration of the gift and miracle of life.

Beloved, there will be times, situations, circumstances, and people that will come in your life and try to tell you what you do not deserve or what you are not qualified to do. But I am telling you now, to take every gift of a new day, celebrate your life, and get about the Father’s business. God has a plan and purpose for everything that has occurred in your life. Every unexplainable thing. Every hurtful thing. Every heartbreaking thing. Every confusing thing. And indeed, every good thing.

God has placed a light in each of us. His light. God has called many to change the world. To touch lives in a positive way. To bring the love of God to people who have given up on humanity and believe there is no God. There are those who God has chosen to triumph over every adversity and become that man or woman He has ordained us to be before we were even conceived in our mother’s womb.

There are some of us that cannot see. We do not recognize our gifts and talents. We do not see the light in us that cause some people to dislike us on site; even hate us, and try maligning our character every opportunity they get. Listen; just as God has sent His angels to watch over us, and has sent those in our lives to protect us; the enemy has sent his cohorts to trip us up, to destroy us, to rob us, and even try and kill us.

But God, Beloveds! God sees all and knows all. Even when we are not aware, God is moving on our behalf and we must hold onto Him and seek His face. Sometimes we do not see ourselves the way God does or even get why the enemy is so scared. However, God knows, and He will use the enemy to place you in the right positions for the greatest impact of your life will have for many others.

God will take you from obscurity and ridicule to sitting before Kings and Queens, in front of people that can aid you in doing what He has placed in you to do. He will raise you up—using your enemy and their jealousy—to position you in your place of greatness and influence. Even when you don’t see it, your adversity will become your teacher. Your afflictions your greatest strength and character builder.

You may not see it or feel it right now. But I promise you—God is moving on your behalf and positioning you for every good and perfect gift He has ordained for your life and for the lives of those He has assigned you to.

Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Celebrate your life. Celebrate the gift of life that God has granted you along with the opportunities He is placing before you each day He grants you life. Do not allow time, mistakes, the past, or anything keep you from living the life God has ordained for you. Seize every moment and remember to thank God always. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

Your Friend and Sister in God,

Rue

©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Eradicating All Doubt"

Reflections4Life™ September 2, 2018

“Eradicating All Doubt”

“And the woman said to Elijah, 'Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.'” 1 Kings 17:24

Scripture Reading For This Week: Genesis 15; 1 Kings 17; 18; 19; Habakkuk 2; John 10; 12...

I

t is easy to lose faith and to be filled with doubt when we place our focus on the circumstances instead of the word of God. God desires for us to believe Him with all of our heart mind and soul. If we are struggling in any way—believing what God has promised, the Father’s desire is to remind us of His promises and His power, eradicating all doubt from our life.

I decree that this week's Reflections will be continuous source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. Let this be the week that every doubt is eradicated, and your faith stirred up, as you stand upon the word of God and His promises for your life.

In The Beginning

Genesis 15:4-6 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

When we first receive a word from the Lord, understand His promises and what He has spoken to our hearts—we are strong in our faith and we will declare what the Father has spoken concerning our lives with enthusiasm and complete faith. We wait, believe, but the seasons go by, the calendar changes, and we are still waiting. We begin to count the time and look at other people who seem to have received their promises. People begin to ask you: Didn't you say God said? The enemy begins to whisper: Did God really say that? Maybe you heard Him wrong. You know, He will not come through for you. Look how long it's taking. He's forgotten about you.

I've been there. But neither time, circumstances, words of people around us, or whispers of the enemy changes what God has spoken and has promised. It will come to pass. Every. Single. Promise. We must continue to believe and have faith; even when it feels to painful to do so, or the situation impossible.

It’s Easy to Forget When Trouble Comes

1 Kings 17:12-14 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.’”

The Lord instructed the prophet, Elijah, to go to Zarapheth, where He instructed a widow woman to sustain him. There was no rain in the land because Elijah had prayed so. Elijah asked the widow to bake him a cake. He instructed her to bake him a cake first. He then told her that her barrel of meal and cruse of oil will stay replenished until the lord sends rain.

It occurred to me, as I studied, that at some point in time, perhaps this widow woman had begun to doubt; to doubt that Elijah was a man of God and spoke for the Lord. Yes. She'd seen the miracle of God in the meal and oil. But it still had not rained. The drought in the land was severe. Maybe Elijah was wrong? Maybe the meal and oil would not last? Maybe he was not a man of God, but one of Jezebel's prophets.

The same happens to us. We receive a word from the Lord; we witness a miracle or supernatural event, which stirs us to believe. Then, while waiting, something else takes place to shake us and try to make us give up and begin to doubt. It is easy for us to forget what God has already done, and begin doubting that which God has spoken concerning our lives because we don't see anything happening, or it is taking some time for the promise to come to pass, while another hardship or crisis arises.

 At some point, doubt entered into this widow's heart concerning what the Prophet Elijah had spoken. Even though she'd seen with her own eyes the meal and oil; time had affected her perception, and caused doubt. There was no rain, and the land was suffering, and then another tragedy takes place.

1 Kings 17: 17-24 NASB Now it came about after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. So she said to Elijah, “What do I have to do with you, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death!” He said to her, “Give me your son.” Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the upper room where he was living, and laid him on his own bed. He called to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am staying, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray You, let this child’s life return to him.” The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived. Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.”

This is her response, which lends to the belief that doubt began to settle in:

Verse 24: Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

Keep Believing Without Seeing

Beloveds, there are times in our life when God has spoken a word to us. He has sent His messengers, His prophets, His teachers, His shepherds. We received the word. We have waited. We have been blessed to see miracles and God move in a way that we knew it was no one but God. Yet, there is still that promise; that one or two things that God said He was going to do that had yet to come to pass. In the midst of our waiting, doubt creeps. We start to question if it will happen. Although we have experienced blessings in many areas. We have witnessed the move of God in many ways; doubt can still arise when we take our eyes off of God and begin to count the seconds and minutes of the clock.

It is in these times that I believe God will move exponentially in some way, and we will witness His hand in such a mighty way, that all doubts are eradicated. That, every voice that is contrary to what God has spoken is shut. Our faith is recharged and we again can wait with expectation and hope that whatever God has spoken—no matter how long the wait—it will come to pass because God said so!

The widow had her doubts. Soothsayers and magicians were common in that time, which seems common once again in our time, as well. For people, just as today, say they speak for God, but knew nothing of the one true God. In the midst of the widow waiting for the rain, the resurfacing of doubt rising, tragedy occurred, taking the life of her son. However, God used his prophet, restoring the life of her son, and her faith in the Lord, and that Elijah truly spoke for the Lord.

My Beloveds, May the spirit of peace and prosperity finds permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. What promises have you been waiting to see manifested? I have a few. I will believe with every part of me that whatever God has spoken is surely coming to pass. If there were any doubt in me, I believe God will make it known, and will remove it and deliver me from any unbelief. Because I do know: There is NOTHING impossible for God! You are blessed. Now go...and be a blessing!

©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.