"God Is Not Complicated"

 Reflections4Life™ November 20, 2022

“God Is Not Complicated”

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ, they are [all answered] ‘Yes’. So through Him, we say our ‘Amen’ to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

Scripture Contemplation: Genesis 18:14; Psalm 100; 131; 2 Timothy 3

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. I implore you to not complicate what God has made easy. Do not overthink or analyze the goodness and grace of God. Learn to go with the flow; the flow of the Holy Spirit. How do you know that God is not as complicated as people made Him out to be?—by learning for yourself,  spending intimate time with the Father, and developing your personal relationship.

It must be human nature for us to over-complicate things. I do not know about you, but as I have gotten older, I have learned that little children and old people got it right: simple is better. What I truly believe is, as we grow and mature in life, we are exposed to so many different beliefs, ideologies, so many people, ideas, and thoughts on life and walks of life, what is right, and what is wrong, that our brain becomes a hodge-podge of information collected over the years. We try to decipher everything as best we can; most becoming a combination of all the things they have learned over the years. With that many influences, there are bound to be complications; too many thoughts and ideas fighting for the first position.

Humanity loves to make God seem complicated. We place God in a box and believe that this is who He is and what He wants. We learn as children that there either is a God, no God, many gods, demi-gods, one true religion, manufactured religion, no religion, etcetera. I can literally go on. It is not difficult to see how one may come to the conclusion that God is complicated when so many have painted Him in so many different lights with so many attributes, that our minds become discombobulated and not really sure what to believe.

Beloved, God is not complicated. God has no gray areas. He is definite in what He says and who He is. It is black or white; hot or cold; yes or no. God is not a God of confusion. He knows how to say exactly what He means without speculation or subcontexts. He knows how to send a word, give a word, and proclaim a word. God speaks to us every day if we are listening. When we believe in God; when we accept Christ as our Savior and begin to spend intimate time with Him and get to know His heart and mind; we learn His voice. The spirit of discernment sharpens and complications begin to fall away.

1 Corinthians 14:33 …for God [who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order. As [is the practice] in all the churches of the saints (God’s people)…

John 10:27 The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.

In the presence of God, there is peace and understanding. There is a revelation that takes place. Knowledge is gained and wisdom is given. As children, we are sponges soaking up all the information we receive and storing it. The easier it is to understand, the more we get it and move on. As senior adults, we have lived through so much that we know what works and what does not work. We have the wisdom of our years and the discernment of age and experience. We are not searching for who we are, what we should be, or what to believe. We already know. And because we realize how precious time is, whatever does not work or fit, we let it go and move on. Complications are time-consuming and we do not have the luxury of wasting any time we are blessed with. So, simpler becomes better, once again.

Here’s what I know and understand, Beloveds: What God desires for us is not complicated. The only way for any of us to truly know and understand this is to get to know God for ourselves. We need an intimate and personal relationship with our Lord. As a teacher, I would always tell my students (as a consultant and Mentor, I tell my clients and mentees this also) that the best-learned lessons come from what you gain for yourself. First-hand experience and knowledge beats second-hand knowledge and experiences any day. Because what you learn and receive for yourself is priceless. No one can take that away from you or alter it. It is yours.

Grant it, we have some wonderful teachers (and some not-so-wonderful ones too) that teach us what they know. However, it is not until we learn for ourselves, put into practice what we have been taught, and go through various trials and errors that we learn what works for us. It is the same when it comes to our relationship with God. We can sit under a Pastor, Minister, Bishop, Priest, etcetera, and hear and learn what they know, and follow their advice, but it is not until we start walking the walk for ourselves, living our lives accordingly, and getting to Christ for ourselves that we truly know and understand who God is and who we are.

A personal relationship with God is necessary in order to know and understand His heart. God is not complicated. Once we allow Him to strip away all preconceived notions and experience God for ourselves, a wonderful thing occurs. Our hearts are opened, our minds illuminated, our eyes and ears become receptive to Him and what we thought we knew is replaced with the truth that can only be verified by a personal, intimate relationship with God.

Here is what God desires for us: To serve Him with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and our very being. To believe in the Lord Jesus, confess our sins, repent, and receive redemption. Allow Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us; meditate on His word day and night, spending intimate quality time in His presence. Get to know His heart as He reveals His truth and our truths so that He can bless us, as He desired to do since the moment He created us before we ever entered this realm of time. If we fall, get back up. Share His truth and our testimony with those around us. Now, does that sound complicated to you?

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. Do not allow the world to complicate the love of God in your life. God loves you and desires an intimate one-on-one relationship with you. Let Him surprise you with just how easy it is to love you and bless you. You deserve a little less complication in your life. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing.

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Sometimes It Doesn't Make Sense"

 Reflections4Life™ November 13, 2022

“Sometimes It Doesn't Make Sense”

“She went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.  The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, in accordance with the word of the Lord, which He spoke through Elijah.” 1 Kings 17:15-16

Scripture Contemplation: Genesis 17; 18; Exodus 16; 1 Kings 17; Esther 8; Luke 1...

©Ruthe McDonald.

Has there been a time in your life when God has told you something but it did not make any sense to you? Your human senses just couldn't comprehend it? You immediately began thinking: how, what, why, where, when? I have been there. God has spoken some things to me; has shown me some wonderful and miraculous things. In the past, it would not register with my human mind. It did not make any sense; did not even seem possible. I asked a lot of how's that going to happen? How's that possible? I just could not wrap my brain around the awesomeness of it all. Yet, my spirit believed with no question. I have since learned it does not have to make any sense to my human senses, as long as my heart knows and believes God never lies. This, Beloved, is where faith takes over and facts cease to exist.

I decree that this week's Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Allow the very word of God to penetrate your heart. Walk in the sense of Christ, believing that whatever God has spoken and shown to you, it will indeed happen. God cannot lie. Though things may seem impossible to your physical senses, allow the sincerity and wondrous works of the Holy Spirit to take you higher, filling your heart and mind until your spirit believes all that God has spoken concerning you and your faith is complete.

Can you put yourself in the widow woman’s shoes for a moment, in 1 Kings 17? You have only a little bit of meal and oil, enough for the last meal for you and your son. You have already made up your mind that you both will die soon from starvation. One day a man of God comes to you, telling you, one: to use your last little bit to make him a cake, and two: the barrel of meal and cruse of oil you now have will last until the drought is over. That is a lot of information to take in, comprehend, and believe. However, as the prophet of God continued to speak to her, her heart held faith in God. Though she still had a doubt, what did she have to lose by listening to the prophet of God? So, she trusted in the word of God and not in the facts before her eyes.

We have no answer for many things. There are things we objectively cannot seem to find a plausible reason for; things that make no sense to our human mind; things that seem impossible. Yet, God desires for us to go beyond our human mind, intellect, and reasoning, and simply believe. Believe in that which He has spoken to our hearts, what He has shown us. Simply: Have Faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Hebrews 11:1 (MSG) The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. 

It took faith for this widow woman to believe in what the prophet had spoken to her; faith to believe that God had chosen her and her son to receive this miracle and blessing; trusting that everything was going to work out. That, indeed, if she fed the prophet of God as he instructed, God would provide. That, He would take her little and multiply it.

How many of us are willing to give God our last? To take what we know is not much but is very much needed and share it or use it in the manner God instructs, letting go of what we had planned. It is not an easy thing when we look at our hands and count what we do not have, as opposed to looking at what God does have and has promised. It is a definite leap of faith; especially when you have been living paycheck to paycheck, or have your last and God is asking you to do what He says with money you allocated to buy that week’s worth of groceries.

I am sure it did not make any sense to Abram when God told him that he was going to become a father in his old age. It definitely did not make any sense to Sarai. She laughed at the promise because it did not make sense to her human understanding. Her doubt led her to give her husband her maid to sleep with, resulting in Ishmael. To this very day, because of one woman's doubt in the spoken word of God, we have two nations forever fighting; Ishmael vs Isaac. 

We must learn to see through our spiritual eyes. Many things that God has to share with us will not make any sense to our human mind or way of thinking. We must come up higher and see through our spiritual eyes. We must walk in faith and trust in that which God speaks concerning our lives. God specializes in the impossible, not always the facts, or the obvious.

There are things that are impossible for mankind—impossible for man to understand. Yet, for those who would dare to have faith, walk in faith, and trust in what God has spoken, their life will see the impossible take place. Their lives are filled with the unexpected; with the constant blessings of God working on their behalf.

Charged to walk by faith and not by sight, not all that God has ordained for us will make any sense to our senses, but it will bear witness with our soul and spirit if we have developed and nurtured our intimate relationship with our heavenly Father.

The Father desires to bless beyond what can be seen with natural eyes. He wants to take you to another level of faith. That, though you waited a long while for answers, for what God has spoken to you to come to pass, you will believe no matter what. That, it no longer has to make any sense to your senses or to those around you, as long as God has spoken it that settles it and that is what it shall be. Faith—immovable, unshaken, solid, and unbreakable.

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. Get out of your senses and into your spirit. Let your faith lead you where God has promised you. Believe with your heart, and not with your eyes or intellect. God cannot lie. His promises are certain and happening in your life. You are blessed. Now go...and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"NOW...Do It Now!"

Reflections4Life™ October 30, 2022

“Now…Do It Now!”

“Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. For by this [kind of] faith the men of old gained [divine] approval.” Hebrews 11:1-2

Scripture Contemplation: Hebrews 11; Romans 4; Genesis 12; 2 Corinthians 1…

I decree that this week’s Reflections are a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for heart, mind, and soul. Rejoice in all that God has ordained for your life. Even if you cannot see the full picture yet, have faith and be confident in the word of the Lord concerning your life. Walk with Him. Commune with Him. Trust Him. Meditate and believe with all of your heart and soul. What God has ordained for your life will happen. You just have to move…when He tells you to.

There is a burning in my heart and soul, a blazing inferno and so strong at this very moment that, now, is the time to move forward in the plans of God! Now!—is the time to execute all of the plans and ideas that are written in books, journals, and to-do lists. This is the season to begin to see the manifestations of God’s promises for our lives but we have to move when God says to move. Total obedience.

Now is the time, Beloved. Now is the time to go forward with your passions, to make amends, to forgive, to let go, to move forward, to do recompense, to ask for forgiveness, to be humbled, to go after everything that God has placed in your heart that you have been procrastinating to do. Time is an elusive thing to humans. Many believe they have all the time in the world, while others believe there is not enough time. Both schools of thought have those same people frozen, standing in the same position instead of moving forward, walking in the promises of God, and following His instructions.

I understand. Believe me when I tell you, that I sincerely understand how you can become immobilized by fear, doubts, and uncertainty. Yet, God is here, knocking on the doors of our hearts, whispering in our ears; nudging our spirits to go forth in all of those plans that He has placed in us; all of the dreams and visions. He desires us to go boldly forward, walk in truth, and live our lives with no regrets.

There is such a burning in my soul today that is telling me that if we do not move on to what God has spoken to our hearts, we will miss this season of manifestations, and it is not a guarantee that we will make it to the season when it comes around again. Now is our appointed time. We must move in faith, be diligent, and believe in our hearts what God has spoken.

No matter what it appears to be. No matter what obstacles arise. No matter who is or who is not on our side; as long as God has given the green light, it is time to go forward and get the work done and bring in the harvest. Seeds were planted long ago. Pruning season has and is taking place, God is ushering in a spirit of removal and blessing His children that meditate, spend time in His presence, in prayer and fasting, with a greater anointing of discernment and an ear to hear His voice, that may sound like a whisper in the midst of chaos.

Do not wait for circumstances to be just right. They never will be. This is a faith walk. Do not wait for someone’s approval or validation when God had already approved and validated you and given you the word—the green light—to move ahead in the plans and promises He has placed in you. An impending recession, skyrocketing mortgage rates, climbing gas rates, food shortages, continued evil in the land--none of it is an issue to God when He tells us to move now! God sees it all. But He is bigger than the economic climate and far greater than the enemy that is in the land.

Let me also warn you, Beloved, in case you are not aware: Not everyone who says they are for you actually is. Not everyone who says they believe in you actually does. Not everyone you start the journey with will make it to the end to see the manifestations of the fruit of your labor and visions. And that’s okay. You may even encounter some naysayers and you will definitely encounter a Judas—maybe more than once—but be encouraged, that is just a sign that your manifest season and long-awaited promises are here. You are on the right track. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep meditating. Keep doing. Whatever you do, do not give up.

Now, Beloved now is the time to move when you feel that burning, that nudging, that thing that won’t let you sleep. You are going to have to take chances, let some things and people go, be focused, determined, and above all else: forgive. Forgive yourself for any mistakes. Forgive others for whatever they have done, and move on. You do not have time to hold resentments, regrets, anger, or unforgiveness. It will only hinder your progress and your hearing and ability to see God’s instructions for what comes next.

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. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. Do not allow your dreams and visions to die because of fear, or procrastination. Move when God says move. He will give you the provision for the visions He has placed in you. Just as He has given us the spirit of love, power, and a sound mind. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved. 

"Determination"

Reflections4Life™ October 16, 2022

“Determination”

“For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:338-39

Scripture Contemplation: Joshua 15; Proverbs 25; Matthew 16; 2 Timothy 1; 1 Corinthians 15

Be Determined to Go All the Way. Whatever God has promised to bring forth in your life comes with a price…for the flesh. The flesh truly does, war against the spirit and the enemy would like nothing more than to not only destroy us, but to also make us give up, walk away, and stop believing in God Almighty; separating us from God not solely on the earth but for all eternity. That is his way of destroying us. Walking in Christ is not for the faint of heart who do not like confrontations or getting their hands dirty. It takes a determined heart, mind, and soul, one who truly believes in what God has spoken to their heart and soul not, to surrender to the lies of the enemy.

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Put the whole armor of God on, Beloved. For it is essential in your walk with the Lord. Allow God to show you His strategic plans for your life; how to overcome the attacks of the enemy. There is nothing, God will not do for you but you have to listen and have developed your intimate relationship with the Father to know His truths, His heart, and His plans for your life and how to defeat the enemy.

Beloved, please understand this today; I am not trying to be harsh or mean but to be stern in love and what is burning in my heart today concerning the promises of God for our lives. It is not about judgment but about what God desires to do in our lives, and the systematic plot and plan of the enemy to destroy us, by first attacking our minds and getting us to believe that we are not strong enough for this walk in Christ or strong enough against him.

The devil is a lie! We are strong enough. We are capable of overcoming the attacks of the enemy. We do not have to worry about defeating the enemy, either. Because the truth is (and the enemy knows this and wants us to forget) that the enemy has already been defeated when Christ died on the Cross, whooped the enemy’s tail, defeated death and the grave, rose on the third day, and giving us the power and authority to destroy the enemy and his plot and plan against our lives. (Matthew 16:19, Luke 10:19, Revelation 1:18)

There is nothing the enemy wants more is for us to forget that he has already lost and everything he is doing to come at us, is a strategic mental game to get us to give up. He wants us to walk away from the promises and protection of God so that he can pounce on us, destroy our lives and dreams and have us blame God, turning our belief into unbelief and our determination to see, pursue, and accomplish the promises of God in our lives, turn into bitterness, unbelief, and self-hate.

NOT TODAY, SATAN! I am calling the enemy’s bluff today! I am uncovering the truth, revealing his plot and plan against the children of God, and encouraging every one of you today, tomorrow, and every day after, to stand your ground against the devil! Be strong and courageous! Be determined to go the distance. Put on the armor of God, suit up in prayer, keep your mind stayed on Christ and go after what God says is yours! NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES!

God has already equipped us with everything we need to succeed. The keys to success, to seeing the promises of God fulfilled in our lives, are not a secret. They are 1. Believing in what God has spoken to us, 2. Making up our minds and heart to do what God instructs, 3. Putting on the whole armor of God, 4. Consistent in Prayer and Meditation, 5. Declaring and decreeing what God says about us to the atmosphere, 6. Have faith at least the size of a mustard seed, and 7. Be determined never to give up but to keep pushing forward no matter how many times the enemy tries to stop you. Oh! Bonus, 8. If you fall, get the heck back up and try again!

Greater and stronger is God in us than the enemy in the world. The enemy wants us to look at the world and get scared, disappointed, and lose hope. But, if you have been diligent and disciplined in your relationship with the Heavenly Father, you will not see the world the way the world sees it or what the enemy says it is. No. You will see the biggest seed time and harvest time of your life! For those who believe, this is your harvest time; to reap all that God has promised and ordained for your life while planting new seeds of hope and inspiration for others to harvest. If you know anything about farming, you do not take up the harvest without planting new seeds.

Beloveds, I am telling you now: we are in one of the greatest harvests and seedtimes ever! It is time to see the manifestation of long-awaited prayers and promises and time to plant seeds of love, inspiration, encouragement, and faith. But it won’t be without a spirit of determination.

We must have a spirit of determination. Because if there is one thing the enemy can do very well, is lie, manipulate, and cause confusion while putting forth a bunch of illusions. He is not above playing dirty and using fear, manipulation, and guilt to get what he wants. There has to be a determination to stay the course and to make sure we are maintaining an intimate walk with the Father, following all that He instructs us to do. We cannot give the enemy any room. If we do, he will wreak havoc and have us believe that God abandoned us in our time of need. When God is telling us, it’s only a test that we can and will pass if we faint not and continue to believe what He has spoken to our hearts.

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. Let your heart be filled with determination. Know that God is a promise keeper and has equipped each of us with a spirit of strength and courage to make it through all adversities and afflictions. We know this because He is in us. Where the spirit of the Lord resides, there is strength, healing, power, grace, and a never-ending abundance of love and mercy. Do not be fooled by letting go of the promises of God, but be determined, like Joshua and Caleb, to see the promises of God be fulfilled in your life and those you love! You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved. 

"Unmerited Favor & Blessings"

 Reflections4Life™ July 24, 2022

“Unmerited Favor and Blessings”

“For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth], we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].” John 1:16 (AMP)

Scripture Contemplation: Genesis 15; Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 5; 30; John 13:17; 20:29; Romans 4…

Reflections4Life Volume IV

I declare that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Let the word of God penetrate your heart and soul this week. Let the truth of His goodness and the revelation of His grace fill your heart with hope and a burning desire to be in the presence of God, soaking up His wisdom and glory ordained for your life. Do not waste one more moment away from the loving arms of God. He has exactly what you need.

I do not even think that the word excited is big enough to explain the joy that is burning in my heart and my soul at this moment. It is like swallowing the sun and its light is shining through every pore of my being while burning away everything that ever hurt, healing every wound, and nourishing me for the continued race and journey ahead of me!

You may ask why I am so excited? If you but knew all the reasons I could give you. It would take my lifetime--and then some!--to explain and share absolutely everything that God has done and is doing for me. However, this week, I am excited to be celebrating FIFTEEN YEARS of Reflections4life™ Ministries and Blog!

As I was writing the next volume of the Reflections4Life™ Book and Journal series, I was just overwhelmed that, July 27th  to be exact, will mark our fifteenth year of sharing God's Word, His message, and hopefully bringing encouragement and hope to those who need it. My joy is overrunning. I began the Reflections4Life™ Blog as God whispered to my heart to start sharing my experiences, life lessons, and testimonies. I continue to learn some very strong and powerful life lessons. One, in particular, is that people need encouragement. They need to know that there is indeed a God; a true and living God who loves them and cares for them and that those of us who forgot because of life’s hardships, did not abandon us or forget about us. That what we are facing at this moment will strengthen us, and will, if we allow it to, draw us closer to God. Or, it will take us away from Him if the enemy gets his way.

Every post written has come from my own life and spiritual lessons. It has come from lessons that I have learned and am learning in my personal walk with God. These past fifteen years of my life have not been easy at all. Especially these past six years. Though I have not shared everything that has happened to me—yet (there are a time and place for all things), the lessons, knowledge, and wisdom gained have been phenomenal, and there was no way I couldn’t share them with you—my Reflections4Life™ community and family. Because, if you did not know, that is how I see you—as a family. A family comprised of many nations, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds, coming together to share the love and grace of God. I honor you all today and thank you for your fellowship and friendship. Thank you for your prayers and support, and for the wonderful dialogue. Even when we disagree or see something different, we still can communicate and respect and love one another, because that is what families should do.

For the past fifteen years, God has granted me to not miss too many Sunday posts, with the exception of when I lost internet connection, and recently this year, when God told me to take a break and that I did not have to be perfect ( a whole other testimony for another time!) and that, sharing Reflections4Life™ Blog was not a ritual but part of the ministry and sometimes, as a minister, we need a break and that even includes a Sunday every now and then.  In the past five years, however, the Lord has increased my ministerial writings to include five days of inspirational posts and seven days of publically posted prayers. Wherever God leads, I am determined to obey and follow.

Here is what I have learned and come to understand from fifteen years of Reflections4Life™ Ministries: God’s blessings and unmerited favor (grace) show up in our lives in many different and unexpected ways. It is not about how good we are, how perfect we try to be, or how many times we may have failed, messed up, screwed up, and totally blew things. No. It is about God’s love for us and His compassion and mercy towards us. His blessings and unmerited favor have nothing to do with how good we can be or how much we pray. It is about His love and purpose for our lives; about His Son, Jesus Christ, dying on the Cross for our sins, redeeming us, and covering us. So that when God looks at us, He does not see the wrong or bad, or even our faults. He sees His grace, His love, and His mercy. He sees us complete as He ordained us to be. He sees us as we should be and that is how He communicates with us.

God does not wait for us to get it right before He calls us or chooses us. No. If we could get it right and be all that we could and should be, there would have been no reason for Christ to go on the Cross in the first place. No. God calls us just as we are. He has chosen us, even while we are still in sin and have no clue who or what Holy Spirit is. God calls to us in our lowest places. He has a plan for our lives—a plan to prosper and give us hope, and peace.

While we are yet struggling, trying to find our way, wondering if there is a God, He has already placed a purpose inside of us that is waiting to be birthed, unearthed, to be uncovered, and revealed. Waiting for us to believe and see ourselves as He does. Not someone who is incomplete, broken, and used but someone who is loved, cherished, whole, and complete because of His love. We will never be good enough on our own but with God we are unstoppable and that is why the enemy tries so hard to take us out. That is why he is the enemy of our minds always whispering and using people to bring hurt and shame and lying to us that God cannot use us or that God has abandoned us.

I have learned over the years, in my walk with our Father that terrible things happen to good people. God gave everyone on this earth the same gift of choice and sometimes other people’s choices have negative effects on our lives. However, it does not stop God from calling, delivering, and healing us. Some of us are a casualty of a war we did not start but we can claim the victory and the spoils of the war by running into the waiting arms of God. We do not have to be perfect. We do not have to come from the richest family. We do not have to have the best schooling, clothes, or home or appearance. All we have to have is a willing heart. A heart that wants to be used by God and is ready to be filled with His love.

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. Thank you for fifteen years of fellowship. I am profoundly grateful to you. May the coming years bring us closer together, expanding our family and connecting us on greater and deeper levels. I love you and I pray for you always. Before I forget; Volume IV of the Reflections4Life™ Book Series will be available in three weeks (Thursday, August 11th, 2022) Faith...Written on the Wall In hardcover and a companion Journal!! So, get ready! It is all about faith!! Remember: You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Free"

 Reflecions4Life™ July 3, 2022

“Free”

“It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed].” Galatians 5:1 

Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 118:27; Isaiah 61:1; Zephaniah 3:20; Acts 7; 2 Corinthians 3:17

I declare that this week’s Reflections are a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. The Father has freed us from many things by His giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus. There are benefits of the Kingdom of God that we have yet to tap into because we have not realized just how truly free we are. Make time this week for you and God. Get to know His heart, His voice, and His face. The Lord will show you just how free you truly are.

There is a certain kind of freedom that comes when you are in a relationship with God that cannot be compared to anything else on this earth. It certainly is something that is better experienced than explained. I will venture to say that when you are finally ready to walk in the will of God for your life, you will not be disappointed. Not in the heavenly Father. When you learn to trust God with everything, you will find that committing to Him becomes easier. And when you are committed to your relationship with the Father, you will understand true freedom and just how free you truly are.

Please do not get it wrong; there are tests, trials, attacks from the enemy, and all manner of things that come our way when we are walking with the Lord. We become walking targets because of our relationship and faith, and the enemy wants nothing more than to pluck us off; to steal, kill, and destroy us and our faith and belief in God. Yet, when we are in a relationship with God, the battle is not ours but His. When we learn to trust God, we come to understand that the enemy has waged a war against God and will try to use us as pawns and weapons in his fight. But he has forgotten—he has already lost the war the moment Jesus died on the Cross, reclaimed the keys of life and death, gave them and the Holy Spirit to us, then ascended into heaven, freeing us from a life of sin and death with the ability to repent and the freedom to choose our path in life.

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom].

Beloved, there is nothing better than having true freedom, and that freedom comes from being in a committed relationship with the Highest and having Holy Spirit reside in us. Because wherever the Holy Spirit is, there is freedom. When we yield to Holy Spirit within, we will find that choosing to do what is best and right for our walk is not hard. In each circumstance or situation that arises, we have an advocate with the Father and the Holy Spirit within, guiding us, and fighting for us. We just have to recognize our freedom and walk in it with confidence and assuredness.

The truth is many ascribe to God the same characteristics as a man. We expect God to fail us, or not do what we need and when. We think God has forgotten or abandoned us and that, He has not heard or listened to our prayers. While we walk in this frame of mind, the enemy wreaks havoc and we block ourselves from hearing, seeing, and recognizing God or knowing the Holy Spirit. God is not man; neither are His ways like men.

Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

As a young girl, I remember going to a church that was extremely strict. As I look back, there was no true worship, either. It made God seem so unloving, harsh, and unforgiving. There were so many things that you could not do that it made it seem as though a life with Christ was anything but freedom but instead more bondage; like a prison sentence to life that was dull and gray with no vibrancy, no color or warmth.

I felt stifled in that environment. In my heart, I knew that it was not right. That was not the God I came to know and love as a little girl. That did not sound like the God that reached out to me as a child through the moon and stars and intrigued me to get to know Him. The "god" being presented in that church was not the same God I knew that had covered me and soothed me. I understood that as we got older we would learn and understand more, or at least we were supposed to. However, what I was being taught was binding not freeing. So many rules that it literally hurt my head and my heart. My spirit would not conform. Holy Spirit residing in me would not leave or be squelched. I knew in my heart there was more to God because I had already tasted of His goodness and was touched by His spirit of freedom, and there was no going back.

Beloved, far too many have been led to believe and see God for who He is not. In doing so, they have associated God with nothing but restrictions, rules, bondage, and no freedom. You cannot trust someone you are afraid of. And you cannot commit to someone you cannot trust. There is order and decency in the Lord. There are things that God does abhor that are sins. However, there are so many more yes' with God than there are no’s. So much more happiness and uplifting words of encouragement and teachings of love, light, and healing than there are of damnation and shame. Yet, most will not know this if they do not have a personal relationship with God.

True freedom comes with an intimate relationship with God, where you learn for yourself, through your own personal walk with God, who He is, and who you truly are in Him. Where you learn to trust Him with your entire being. God wants us free. Because a free heart and mind can receive all that He has ordained and can serve and be an instrument of change on this earth, helping to free others from their own bondages and false impressions of who God really is. You happily commit to a relationship with the Father.  Light cannot do its job if it is hidden or dimmed because it has been restricted to shine. That is like telling the Sun it shines too brightly so we are going to wrap a shade around it. No.

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. There is freedom in God, in a relationship with the King. A kind of freedom you have never tasted or dreamed of, but always hoped for, and the only way to truly receive and understand it is to be in an intimate relationship with the Heavenly Father. Get a firsthand account. You will not be disappointed. Not with the God, I serve. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.           

"Honoring Fatherhood"

 Reflections4Life™ June 19, 2022

“Honoring Fatherhood”

"Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:13 NASB

Scripture Contemplations: Genesis 2:24; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16-17; Malachi 1:5-7; Matthew 15:3-7; Ephesians 6:1-3…

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers, father-figures, and fathers-to-be. I pray that you will look to God for all instructions, allowing Him to lead you; even in the most difficult of times. Our heavenly Father will never leave you but will lift you up and be your strength.

I declare that this week's Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. In honoring your father, know that you are honoring God. No matter what path your earthly father may have walked, when you acknowledge him as your father, God will move upon your behalf.

I love my father and honored him no matter what he did or didn't do. Yes. I was a Daddy's girl. Many say it is difficult to look past or forgive their father's transgressions. However, I have come to understand, that unless we can forgive our fathers—no matter if he is present or not—we do ourselves a disservice when it comes to our own life's journey and choices made in relationships. It does not mean we condone heinous actions, such as abuse. To honor him means that we acknowledge them in that, they are part of the reason we exist. Not everyone will have a relationship with their father, for various reasons. And that is okay.

Not everyone makes a great parent. Some do not possess the skills or desire it takes to do what is necessary as a parent. Yet, this does not cancel out the fact that God says to show them respect, if not for the mere fact that because of them we are here in the land of the living. Let us face it: without his contribution, we would not be here. So for that reason alone, if you cannot find any other reason, he acknowledges them.

Did you know that the commandment: Honor thy father and mother, is the first commandment with a promise?

Ephesians 6:2-3 "Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth."

So that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth…That is the promise. Here is the deal: God wants us to show honor and respect to our parents regardless of what they may have done or not have done. The Father’s number one concern is our hearts, and that we are not blocked from receiving his blessings for our lives.

Do you think God doesn’t know about the atrocities that some parents make? You don't think He sees the abandonment. The failures? The broken promises? The abuse and rejection? Yes. He sees all of that. Yet, the Father understands that if we walk around with unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred, and disrespect towards our parents—the very ones who gave us life—then we are blocking what He has ordained for our lives. We trap ourselves, and may very well become the very person we have dishonored all this time; repeating their behaviors and patterns in our relationships with our own children.

Regard them, consider them, and respect them. Do not let your heart be burdened down with dishonor that you miss what God has for you in your life.

I honor my father. He was far from perfect. He did things that were not acceptable. However, I loved him, honored him, and considered his life, as well. If it had not been for him, I would not be here. If it had not been for him, I would not be an author. He was the first person who told me I could. When he passed, I was only sixteen. I thank God for the Uncles I have who stood in the gap and nourished my broken heart. They are fathers, as well, who have made mistakes and are not perfect. But I honor them, just as their children do.

Honoring your father is not for his benefit; it is for yours. God knows exactly how to reach a parent who is not behaving accordingly. To honor them, despite, is a testament to your heart, and where God wants to take you. When it comes down to it; to honor, respect, and regard or consider them, has to do what you desire to accomplish in life.

Many fathers are not being honored or respected for who they are. They have worked hard to provide, for and to be the best father they could be, even when they had no example themselves of a good father. They make mistakes along the way but they are not giving up. They are striving to do what is right, so their children will benefit and receive what they never received as a child.

Whether you are considered the greatest of fathers, or the worst of fathers, I acknowledge you today. I give God praise for you. For those who are not doing so well as a father, I consider you and all you may have gone through, and pray that the Lord will get a hold of you and direct your path; bring healing to your wounds, and forgiveness to your life so that you may truly begin to experience the joy and abundance of fatherhood. To every father that is doing all they can as a father; I honor you and pray that your heart is continually filled with joy, that your example of fatherhood and leadership will be passed on to your children, and that your children will honor you all the days of your life. To those fathers who just do not care or have it in them to parent, I honor God for using you as a conduit to bring forth a life that will do extraordinary things in this world despite who and what you are.

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. It may be difficult for some but honor your father. Whether he is the greatest or not, give honor to him as the person God chose to bring you into this world. God is looking at your heart, and it will determine how your days are upon this earth. Make peace so that your manifestations of blessings are not held up. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!                                                                                                             

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Winning in Unfamiliar Territory"

 Reflections4Life™ June 12, 2022

“Winning in Unfamiliar Territory”

“We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6:12-13

Scripture Contemplation: Exodus 13; Ephesians 6; Isaiah 40; 2 Corinthians 10; 1 Timothy 1; 1 Peter 5; Zechariah 4:6; Romans 12:2; 1 Samuel 17:47

©Ruthe McDonald

I declare that this week’s Reflections will be a source of continued encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. There is an ongoing war; a spiritual war that we are in every day. Our best defense is an intimate and disciplined relationship with our Heavenly Father. This assures that we will not only be properly dressed in the armor of God but also know how to do battle with an enemy older than the sands of time.

Beloveds, there is indeed such a thing as spiritual warfare; a battle fought in the spiritual realm that affects every aspect of our lives, including our physical lives. Satan has long declared war against our heavenly Father. This war has never been about us directly. The enemy wants to hurt God and destroy His greatest creation—mankind. He wants to destroy our belief in God, in righteousness, in holiness, in faith, and our belief in love. The enemy believes that if he can destroy us and take as many as he can to the lake of fire, he will have destroyed God’s plan.

The enemy forgets that he has already lost. That, not only has God won, but we have won also because, Christ not only went to the Cross and died for our sins, He rose again. And before He rose, he won against death and hell, taking back the keys to life and has made them available to us; giving us the victory.

The greater problem is, that many of us forget these facts also, especially when we face trials and tribulations in our lives. We forget who we are, whose we are, and the weapons that we have at our disposal. We also forget that sometimes in battle, God will take us through unfamiliar territory and grant us the victory because we obeyed and believed Him. 

The enemy counts on us forgetting and being sidetracked so that he can get in and distort what we believe, making us forget the goodness and promises of God. This, my beloveds, is the reason that we need to make sure we have an intimate relationship with our Father each day. That, we are seeking God’s face, reading our word, following His directions, and having a stealthy prayer life.

The enemy is crafty in his moves and watches like a wild animal stalking its prey, waiting to pounce. Strategic in his machinations, he strikes to kill and destroy, to maim, and alienate, to drive insane and separate. The enemy wants in our minds, wreaking havoc until all we hear and believe are the lies he constantly whispers and his smoke and mirrors. If he can make us doubt at any time the promises and love of God, he has an opening. And you can rest assured, he will barrage his way through to take over your mind until he has left nothing of your life but shambles, confusion, hate, bitterness, and no belief in the word or promises of God. Or, even belief in yourself, destroying love in your life. Trust, he twists every word around. He will have you question the validity of the word and everything you have ever believed or have been taught, learned, and experienced firsthand.

The good news is we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus. He has already given His life and assured our victory. He has done the hard part—dying for our sins and retrieving the keys of life. He has made available to us not only the keys of life but also the keys of the Kingdom. What we have to do is be vigilant in our relationship with God. Seek His face and His will daily, following His instructions, walking in faith, and reminding ourselves when the very harsh and difficult times arise in our lives [and they will] that God has already declared us victorious.

We must know in our hearts that sometimes, in order to win, God will take us on a journey that will lead us through unfamiliar territories. On these unfamiliar roads, our victories will come. The Father will teach and prepare us for the battles that lie ahead. He will strengthen us and build our courage and conviction. But the most wonderful thing about these journies that many of us cannot see and will not understand until the battle is over, is the fact that all along, God will hide us in plain sight. He will protect us, while also preparing us for the right time. When we're ready, we will shoot forth like an arrow, hitting its intended mark; claiming the victory, winning in unfamiliar territory.

Beloved, get in your word every day. Fill your heart and mind—saturate it—with the will of God. See what God sees. Hear what He is saying. If we know the heart and mind of God, then we will know how to stand against the enemy and how to use our armor. We do not learn these things by skimming the word of God and occasionally praying or only praying when something goes wrong. No. We must saturate our hearts and minds in the things of God; renewing our minds daily, pulling down strongholds. We cannot fight the enemy on physical terms or by wit. We must armor ourselves in truth and under the direction of the Holy Spirit, following ALL of His instructions, lest we succumb to the lies and evil plots of the enemy. Remember who you are and what has been given to the body of Christ. We cannot fight a spiritual fight without spiritual armor. That would be like going to a gunfight with a knife. And, we cannot always stay in the same place and expect to win when God said to move and go another way.

Exodus 13:18 So God chose a different, longer path that led the community of His people through the desert toward the Red Sea. The Israelites marched out of the land of Egypt like an army ready for battle. 

Zechariah 4:6 “…‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ saith the Lord of hosts.”

1 Samuel 17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

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. Spiritual warfare has been launched against the children of God. Designed to destroy and separate us from the love and promises of God. At some point in our walk with God, He will take us on a journey in unfamiliar territory. Be obedient and follow His lead. He is ensuring our victory on this earth so that we not only win against the enemy but will also receive God's best for our lives. He will cause us to win in unfamiliar territories where the enemy didn't even see us coming! Put on your armor of God; spend time in His presence, filled with Him and the knowledge and wisdom needed to navigate through a war that has already been won and a battle that is not ours, but the Lord’s. Trust; He got us. We have already won…a long time ago. You are blessed. Now…go and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Walk Away"

 Reflections4Life™ June 5, 2022

“Walk Away”

“If any place won’t welcome you or listen to your message, leave and shake the dust from your feet as a warning to them.” Mark 6:11

Scripture Contemplation: Matthew 10; Acts 17; 2 Timothy 2…

©Ruthe McDonald.

I declare that this week’s Reflections is a continued source of encouragement for your hearts, minds, and souls. Set aside some quality God time this week so that He may fill up the reserves of your heart and spirit with His love, patience, kindness, joy, and peace. Allow Holy Spirit to lead you to where you need to be. Do not allow anyone’s rejection of who you are to keep you from remembering who God has already declared you to be.

I know. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is walk away when all you want to do is prove your point or want your message or what you are saying to be heard and understood. However, Beloveds, as you will come to know if you do not already, not everyone is going to be receptive to your ideas, your opinions, your knowledge, your message, or wisdom. You will be in some places and in others, where what you have to say will not be received. Not everyone will want to hear what God or you have to say or welcome you.

There is so much in all of us—a word, a message, a truth—that God wants us to share. God will indeed send us to places already knowing that what we have to say and to offer will not be received. Yet, our going is not about whether what we have to say is accepted or listened to, but about our obedience to God in going forth anyway.

We are encouraged, however, to not become discouraged by the lack of reception that we may receive. God admonishes us to leave and shake the dust from our feet. Meaning, do not linger in that place—physically, or mentally. There are so many people waiting for what you have to say. There are people waiting on the message that is burning in your heart and your soul. We cannot be caught up in our feelings every time someone does not want to listen to us or receive the message we are sharing. Even though one place was not receptive, or even the last five places!—does not mean the next place will be the same.

Know this, as well: Your message may have appeared to not have been received or listened to; you just never know if there was indeed one person, one soul that heard and received, or that the seeds you planted actually landed on good soil. So do not hang on being accepted or not. Just do whatever God has called you to do and move on. When it is time to go forth again, be certain to have also walked away mentally from the last place that did not receive you. You never want to bring doubt and uncertainty with you, but instead, confidence and boldness, knowing that God has ordained you for this hour and time.

Learning to walk away is pivotal in our lives, Beloveds. It is not always about staying, fighting, and not giving up. Sometimes it is about saving your sanity, your own faith, and being able to hear God before emotions and hurt feelings block and stop you from being and doing all that God has ordained. There are times when walking away is the best thing you could have done.

Many of us feel as though if we walk away, that we have given up, we are not exercising faith. No. We are actually using wisdom and following the instructions of God. The flesh will always want to save face and not be embarrassed or considered a failure. Yet, the real winners are those that see the situation for what it is and walk away in maturity, understanding that they have done all they could and should do and do not have to prove anything to anyone.

When God tells you to walk away; to no longer try to convince or to share your message, He already knows you have done all that you could and should have done. Do not stay in a place where you are not received, welcomed, celebrated, or listened to. If what you have to offer is not received, move on. Because it will be a shame for you to stay and try to convince someone and you end up being the person that is changed.

Oh yes! I have seen it countless times. Even with myself. You want the person(s) to receive what God has for them. You hate to see them walking in circles, or into brick walls, or generally just messing up their lives, and you desperately want them to see the truth and accept the truth. You desire for them to truly believe because you know how much their lives will be changed. However, in the process of trying to convince them, you become the one who has changed.

God does not want that. He wants us to retain our integrity and our belief. That is why it is so important to maintain a prayer-filled life; always seeking God’s direction; following his instructions, and checking our own hearts and motives. Why would you stay in a place that made it clear that your message was not being seen or heard? Let that pride go! When God says walk away, shake the dust from your feet, then do it! We are no one’s savior. Jesus is the only one who gets that spot! You know what? He can have it! LOL. We cannot save a single soul but we can be the instrument that God uses to get them to see and into position to receive what God has for them. But we must not linger in a place so long that we forsake all the rest that are waiting on us. And trust me, Beloveds; there are many others that are anxiously awaiting what we have to say and share with them today.

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. Walking away is not an indication of failure or giving up. It is learning not to linger in a place, space, or time that may hinder or eventually rob you of your own message and blessings. Let God lead you. When it’s time to shake the dust off your feet, do just that! Allow God to lead you where you need to be next because there are countless others who are waiting to hear and receive what you have to release. Trust God and keep it moving. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2022. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.