"Detoxify Your Life"

Reflections4Life™ September 15, 2019

“Detoxify Your Life”

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 (NASB)

Scripture Contemplation: 2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 51; Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 15:33; 2 Corinthians 7:1…

There are times in our lives when we must take a step back, stand still and evaluate who and what are in our lives, and the purpose they are serving. Not everything and everyone in our lives is good for us and the path that God has ordained for us. Even those things and people that seem good, seem right, seem to be working out; could be the very thing that is stalling us, keeping us from moving forward in the life that God has ordained for us.

There comes a time when we must detoxify our lives; purge ourselves of the things that have been poisonous to our lives, our goals, and our vision. Sometimes it is not what we are doing that’s wrong, sometimes it’s the people, places, and things we have surrounded ourselves with.

I decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Allow the Father to lead you and show you the places in your life that need detoxification. Let Him lead you through the process, so you can be ready to receive the abundance that God has ordained for your life.

Life will throw us some hardballs and twisted curveballs. One moment we can be riding high, and the next, we are down and out for the count. Yet, one thing remains the same: God’s love for us, and His wisdom and instruction that never fails.

With our life’s journey comes many ups and downs, along with bumpy rides and rocky roads. However, if we will yield to the Father’s instructions we will be able to navigate the storms and trials of this life and be the better for them.

Along our life’s journey, mistakes and missteps will occur. We will sometimes trust in the wrong people, go the wrong way, get stuck in a place, and fumble at times. Yet, it is nothing that we cannot overcome and get through, as long as we follow what God is telling us to do.

I have learned in my journey that it is not necessarily what one is doing that’s wrong or stalling the process of our reaching our destination. No. Sometimes it is the people, places, and things we have surrounded our lives in. Not everything is good for us. Not every person has good intentions for us. Not every place is the right place to see our visions come to pass.

We must be intimate with the Lord, seeking His will daily, and following His instructions so that we know what we should do if we ever find ourselves in a place of stagnation. The solution can be as simple as moving, changing a routine, or letting some people go.

Many of us do not even know this, but our lives have been clogged with poison. There are toxins that must be purged from our lives in order for us to move forward and receive the full manifestations of the blessings of God.

Far too many of us hang on to people when God has told us to separate ourselves from them. There are places we have stayed when God has spoken to our hearts and told us to move on. There are things in our lives that God has told us to let go of, and we haven’t. Obedience unto God will save us unnecessary sacrifices down the road.

One of the things I know for certain is that not everyone is meant to go where I am going. Not everything I have is meant for the next level. And not every place I reside is the place for me to grow and move forward. There are people I must separate from. Things I have to let go of. And places I need to move away from, if I truly desire to walk in the ordained life God has for me and mine.

No. it’s not easy. Especially when you have become attached to certain people, places and things. Don’t get it twisted: there may be nothing wrong with the people, places or things. They may very well be good people, great places, and helpful things. HOWEVER, they are not good for the plan that God has ordained for YOUR life. Sometimes we cannot see the problem, because we are not looking through the eyes of God. This is where we must trust God where we cannot trace Him. This is where we must believe in God with or whole hearts, even when we may not understand…yet.

Beloved, it’s time…it’s time to move forward into the promises of God for our lives. And part of moving forward is learning to let go and truly walk in faith. In order for you to get to that next level, and to be where God has called you to be, then you must be willing to accept the truth about some things and have a willing heart to do as God has ordained.

My Beloveds, I decree that the spirit of peace and prosperity has found permanent rest in your lives. Stagnation is a sure sign that detoxification must take place in your life. Allow God to lead you through the purging process. Follow His instructions; even if it means walking away from some people, moving from certain places, and letting some things go. Remember: whatever you have to give up only pales in comparison to what God wants to give you. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2019. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Leaving Lodebar"

Reflections4Life™ October 14, 2018

“Leaving Lodebar”

“Then King David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.” 2 Samuel 9:5

Scripture Contemplation: 2 Samuel 9; 2 Samuel 16; Jeremiah 31:31; Psalm 90; Isaiah 61…

©Ruthe McDonald.

There are times in our lives when we want a do over. Let's face it; we can royally screw up sometimes. Make the most outrageous mistakes, and cause a lot of pain in the process. Thank God for the chance to begin again. There are things we will never be able to fix or repair. Some relationships will never be mended. However, God is granting us to leave behind the old, dry, barren places in our lives. God is asking us to look straight ahead. Look in the direction that He has placed before us. Look at the ordained path that will lead to the manifestation of our blessings, leaving Lodebar behind.

I decree that this week’s Reflections4Life will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart mind and soul. Know and believe with all of your heart that your God has a special place for you at His table. At His table is an abundance of all that you need. This is your season to come out of Lodebar, a spiritual and physical space of drought, bareness, emptiness, and lack. It time sit at the Father’s table and receive all that God says is yours.

Beloved, Lodebar is a place of not enough. That place where dreams and visions often die or cannot be seen. It is a place where we slowly lose hope because so many things have not gone in our favor. It is a dry and crippling place. That place of living paycheck to paycheck, if you are fortunate to have employment. It is a place of broken promises and relationships, and a constant reminder of what you no longer have. It’s is time—way past time to leave Lodebar behind.

In the first book of Samuel, chapters 9-21, King David is looking for a member of King Saul’s house to bless. Despite what occurred between David and Saul, David respected Saul and loved Jonathon—King Saul’s son and David’s best friend. He wanted to show that love to anyone left in household of Saul. Mephibosheth was the one. He found living in Lodebar, crippled from an accident with his nanny, living beneath what his lineage called for. It was a desperate and barren place, especially for someone who was crippled and lived under the stigma of being King Saul’s grandson, and in fear of King David, wondering if his life would be taken because of who he was.

There are times in our life when we will find ourselves in a situation, not because of what we may have done but because of the actions of others in our lives. Perhaps parents, spouses, different relationships, that have left us in vulnerable positions and in a place where we feel stuck and unable to move away from; especially without assistance.

I realized a while ago, that though we may royally blow things, we and others, may have caused much hurt and pain in relationships, and have failed in our lives too many times to count; God can and will give us a reprieve. A chance to get things right, a chance to make the right choices, and the opportunity to leave Lodebar and walk in the promises and abundance He has ordained for our lives. David sought to restore Mephibosheth to his former lifestyle. He wanted to treat him with the respect and dignity that came with being the grandson of a King—no matter how much Saul had failed and gone mad.

One of the wonderful things about God is His power of restoration. As we start our lives over, God has the power to restore that, which was lost. To grant us a do over at the things we failed at miserably. He is bringing us from Lodebar to a place of abundance. Thank God for His second, third, fourth and fifth chances! It is by His mercies and goodness that we have not been destroyed by our foolishness or the foolishness of those around us but granted the opportunity to stand on our own and make responsible and respectable choices.

There are many of us spending too much time ruminating over the past, mistakes, and failures. We tend to be sidetracked by the things around us and can miss what is right before us. Beloved, it is time to look straight ahead. Look in the direction that God has placed before us. Look at the ordained path that will lead to the manifestation of our blessings and out of Lodebar.

Of course, this path is not simple! However, nothing worth having or accomplishing ever is. You can be certain that the enemy of our souls is waiting alongside that path to try and trip us up. It is a guarantee that he will do all that he can to make us fall, give up, get distracted and turn back. He can do none of these things successfully if we are fellowshipping with the Father and following His instructions, looking straight ahead. And should we fall? Then we get up, repent, and keep moving. We have to learn to forgive ourselves, learn, and grow from our experiences.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Leave Lodebar behind! Do not look back or allow the sins of your bloodline keep you bound and hostage to a life of lowliness and despair; not when God says He has made a place for you at His table. Let the promises and word of God become your blinders, keeping you focus on the road ahead. Spend quality time in the presence of God, as He directs your path. Keep looking straight ahead with confidence, knowing that God has already answered your prayers. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2018. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Do Not Stay Too Long"

Reflections4Life™ April 23, 2017

“Do Not Stay Too Long”

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

Scripture Contemplation: Hosea 14:4; John 8; Romans 5; 8:2; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 7:21…

© Author Ruthe McDonald

I declare that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. There is so much that the Father has ordained for our lives; so much that He desires us to see and experience. Yield to Holy Spirit. Give God your all this week and follow His instructions, with the knowledge that are indeed free from anything that would hold you back.

I am convinced that at times we stay too long in situations that God has long freed us from. We have prayed and prayed but we are not listening to Holy Spirit. The answers have come for many of us, but sometimes our hearts want what our heart wants and we do not hear the subtle voice of God telling us to move on or to let go. Or, what His instructions on how to begin to fix what may be wrong.

There are times when we look back over our lives and get stuck in the past. We stay too long reminiscing only to be stuck as time passes us by. Instead of living in today, we are reliving our past and unable to move forward.

Many times, we hear what we want to hear and see what we want to see, based upon the strong desires in our hearts and what we desire God to do for us. Then, when things do not work out the way we want, or we suffer and heartbroken—we get angry with God and ask why He allowed going through these things. Yet, it was not God but our choices and unwillingness to move forward, let go, move on, and see what God has before us.

Sometimes we just stay too long because we are afraid of the unknown and too familiar where we are at. We are afraid of what may lie ahead of us, that thing we cannot see. Yet, God has been admonishing many of us to move on into what He has declared for our lives. What He has waiting for us.

Beloveds, there is no growth and no surpassing our full potential when we are stuck in a place of familiarity because of fear, comfort, easiness, and even love; a love that would blind us to what is best for us. Let me ask you this: What if your child, who you have never been separated from, had a severe drug problem and God had opened a door for them to receive professional help but it meant they’d have to leave for a year with no physical contact with you for six months, would you do it? Would you think that was the answer or would you keep praying because your child has never been out of your reach physically? More than likely, I am gauging that your answer would be yes. That is your child and you would do anything to get them the help they needed.

So, then why is it so hard to do the same thing for ourselves? Why do so many of us find it difficult to do what is best for us and let go and let God? Why do we stay too long in situations that bring harm to our heart, mind, and soul? Why do we get stuck in what was and turn a blind eye to what is, when God has so much He wants to establish and manifest in our lives?

We have prayed but our prayers are not for God's will to be done. They are prayers that ours will be done. That God will adhere to what we want based upon what we believe we want at the time. However, here is the rub with all of that; God sees what we cannot see. He knows what we do not know. Yet, if we yield to Him and listen to His instructions, we will be in a far better place than we are right now.

There is so much that God has for us but we are staying too long in situations that are slowly killing us; killing us spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and yes, even physically. Some of us are in desperate situations where we have prayed and prayed, and God has already given us the answers but because it was not in alignment with how we want things to go, we eschew it. Then there are those of us stuck in the past; staying too long in our memories of what once was that we are blinded to the glorious present or bright future God has ordained for us.

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 stay too long lingering in the past how things used to be. You may forfeit what is right in front of you for the memories of things long gone. Do not stay too long in situations because your heart doesn’t know how to let go or because you are afraid of the unknown that awaits you. Obedience to God is far better than what you are afraid to sacrifice. When God tells you to release all things into His hands, let go of what you are holding so tightly, knowing it’s time to go. You are blessed. No go…and be a blessing.

©2017. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Taste of God's Goodness!"

Reflections4Life™ February 19, 2017

“Taste of God’s Goodness”

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusts in Him!” Psalm 34:8

Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 145:7; Isaiah 63:7; Nahum 1:7; Hebrews 7; 2 Timothy 1:7…

I declare and decree that this week’s Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and enlightenment for your heart, mind, and soul; bringing you peace in every area of your life. Beloveds; spend some intimate time with the Father this week to be reacquainted with the taste of Hid goodness. Do not allow the worries of the day supersede your time in the presence of the Lord at His table.

Have you, Beloved? Have you tasted of the goodness of God lately? Have tasted of the goodness of God at all?

It is not about answered prayers or the gaining of prosperity or material things. However, it is about the pure experience of the love and goodness of God. The joy of an intimate relationship with our Creator and getting to know His heart, who He is, and who we are-- the "us" He created an ordained us to be.

When, if ever, was the last time you got lost in the presence of God? When was the last time you lost all track of time and only cared about being in the presence of your Creator, who was filling you with His love and wisdom, and simultaneously healing old and new wounds and soothing heartaches and giving hope and directions to the visions He has placed in you?

Oh, Beloveds, I admit to my folly today. I admit to having slacked in my intimate time with my Father because I allowed other things to get in my mental space, such as hurt, worry, fear, doubt, and anger. I allowed the whispers of the enemy to overshadow what God was saying to my heart, speaking to my soul. For a moment, I forgot what the goodness of God tasted like. I forgot what His peace felt like; what trusting in Him completely felt like. I forgot how sweet to the soul and spirit it could be when I fully rest in my Lord; believing in His word and promises, and that He has me. No matter what things appear to be.

Beloveds, taste the goodness of God. Allow God to usher you to a seat at His table that is overflowing with love, peace, joy, happiness, and all manner of great things that we crave in this sometimes bland, cold, and cruel world.

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. One taste of God's goodness will change your life forever. You will never forget it. Though you may move away from His table, there will always be a piece of your soul that knows and understands and will remind you of the tastes that you experienced while in the Father's presence, at His table, at a place set just for you—a seat that will always remain, that waits for you to occupy. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2017. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Whom Do You Love? Are You for Sure?"

September 25, 2016

REFLECTIONS4LIFE™

“Whom Do You Love? Are You For Sure?”

“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others. Isn’t always “me first”. Doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything.
Trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 MSG

Scripture Contemplation: Luke 15; John 15; 1 Corinthians 13…

Whom do you love? Are you for sure? Do you love them in a way that lifts them up, or that tears them down? How do you know it is love that you are feeling? Maybe it is not love but infatuation. We use that word love an awful lot. Have you really stopped to think about its meaning? What love really means? What love really is? Who Love is?

I pray today’s Reflections brings comfort and peace to your heart and mind. I decree it be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration; bringing peace and revelation to your heart, mind, and soul. God is love. He is the ultimate definition of love. Spend some intimate and quality time this week in the Father’s presence, soaking up all the goodness and love that can only be found in a relationship with Him. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

When you tell someone you love him or her, what are you really saying? What do you mean? Is it unconditional or conditional love? Sometimes we get it twisted.

To love someone unconditionally, you do not count their faults, flaws, and mistakes, then turn around and use it against them. It means that you know they are flawed and not perfect, yet you love them in spite of and decide that you want to share a life with them, accepting them just as they are and willing to grow with them and see where the journey of life takes the both of you.

Conditional love puts limits and conditions on our love. It says that if you do x, y, and z, then I will withhold a, b, and c, along with my love. You use love as a punishment; withholding affection until you are satisfied with the other person's actions. Conditional love says that there are certain conditions that must be met before you will give or show love to the other person.

Often times we believe our love is unconditional until a situation takes place or a person disappoints us and we are exiting the relationship, rushing into new ones, only to find ourselves repeating past behaviors.

Unconditional love is risky, requiring vulnerability. Many of us would rather hold on to the old wounds, allowing them to dictate our behavior and measure of love in all of our relationships.

Too many people say, "I love you" and do not know what they are talking about. They get unconditional and conditional twisted…leaving people hurt, angry, wounded, and jacked up for the next relationship, and finding it hard to love themselves.

Know and understand this: If you are not ready to be vulnerable, to give your all, to take risks, to accept people for who they are and where they are at in life at this time, then do not commit and do not say you love them. Moreover, whatever you do, do not marry them. Unconditional love requires a lot, especially vulnerability and acceptance. Think on it.

Who could be more vulnerable than God could? Here we are, His beloved creation, made in His image, and we ignore God. We reject Him. Our actions are sometimes anything but love. Yet, God has not given up on us. Our Heavenly Father, Knower of all things, especially our hearts and what we are going think before the thoughts come, knew that sending His only begotten Son would save many, but many would still reject it—reject Him.

God is love, Beloved. He is the embodiment of love. What love is, what it looks like, feels like, sounds like, tastes like…all God. We can exchange the name of God in our conversations like this: I God you. I will God you forever.

Beloved, when you tell someone you love them, think about what you mean, and what you would want it to mean when someone says they love you. If you are not, ready to love unconditionally; to accept someone for who they are right now, then do not make that commitment until you are certain, and are ready, until you can allow yourself to be vulnerable. Because loving someone is not always easy. It takes some sacrifice and compromise at times, and a certain strength and fortitude to forge ahead in love at times. Just remember: with God in you and all around you, you cannot lose with love, only gain.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Allow the true, sincere, unconditional love of God to not only penetrate your heart and mind but also allow it to lead you throughout each day; guiding and strengthening you in the ways of His kind of love, a love that this world so desperately needs more of. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2016. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"Break Away"

August 14^th, 2016

“Break Away”

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1-2 NKJV

Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 1; Hosea 9; Matthew 25; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 6…

What is holding you back, Beloved? Who is holding you back? What has stopped you from doing what God has placed in your heart to do? What has hindered you from pursuing those goals and visions that have now gone dormant and silent within your soul and spirit? It is time to break away. Break away from all things that have gotten in the way of you walking in the will of God for your life. Break away from the things that have hindered and even corrupted you in the way of your thoughts and how you see yourself.

I pray today’s Reflections brings comfort and peace to your heart and mind. I decree it be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration; bringing peace and revelation to your heart, mind, and soul. I don’t care how long it’s been. As long as you still have breath in your body, it is not too late to humble yourself at the feet of God and receive all that He has for you and watch as your life turns around. Run to Jesus, Beloved. Run to the Lord and ask Him to have His way in every area of your life. And watch, as the blinders begin to fall off!

I won’t be before you too long today. I just want to give you a word from the Lord and encourage you. And to let you know that it is time to break away. Break away from people, places, and things that have hindered you from fully investing yourself in the will and ways that God ordained for your life.  It’s time to break away from your past, from lies spoken over your life, from the bad and corrupt company; from everything and anything that would try and separate you from the love and will of God in your life.

Many of us have fallen victim to ourselves. To the needs and desires of our flesh and have forgotten that we are more than flesh. We are also spirit. And our spirits need to be nurtured and fed. Too many of us are starving. We are malnourished because of the things we have allowed to dominate our lives that were not of God.

Enough is enough! It is time to take a stand. To stand up against the enemy. To reclaim your victory and start walking it. It is way past time to experience the fullness and goodness of our God. To allow God to love you and bless you in the manner that He has always wanted to do since He created you.

Why, Beloved? Why do we continue to allow people to rob us? To steal our joy and peace? To hinder our growth and development in the Kingdom of God? Why? And we cannot blame everything on the perpetrators without looking to ourselves first. It is time to hold a mirror up to our face, look ourselves in the eyes and start telling the truth—no holds bar.

We must begin to separate ourselves from those who are toxic to us. Toxic to our dreams and visions. Toxic to our relationship with God. Toxic to our hearts and minds. We must not be afraid to stand up for truth and for what is in our hearts. We must begin to break away from old habits, bad habits that will engulf our minds and immobilize us; keeping us from moving forward and getting all that God has promised.

When God says let go, Beloved? Do it. When He says it’s time to move? Then you move. When God says, it time to fight? Then you fight. Beloved, God knows all about us. He knows us when we need to break away from a situation(s) or person(s). Wake up and hear what God is saying to you. There is a whole new chapter being written, and you will determine the ending.

Do not stand in the way of your blessings manifesting by staying too long in a place that was only supposed to be temporary or a life lesson. Do not give up on yourself because you feel as though you’ve no control over a situation. God has put all power in our hands. Power to break chains. Power to move mountains. Power to save and change lives. Power to get your life together no matter how many mistakes you have made. It’s a brand new day. Brand new opportunities. Allow God to teach you what is needed. How to break away from those false people. Break away from dream killers and vision snatchers. Wait on the Lord and be of good cheer. And stop taking advice from those who never ever seen the real you. Or, are constantly causing you more pain than there are days Trust God. Really trust Him to make things work for your good.

Revelation 3:14, 20 NKJV “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. Allow God to lead you. Trust Him where you cannot trace Him. God knows you. And He has your number. He’s been knocking for quite some time. Knocking on the doors of your heart, in your spirit. Waiting for you to answer; to invite Him in. And waiting for you to once and for all break away from anything and anyone that would seem to block your blessings. You are blessed. Now go…and be a blessing!

©2016. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.

"And God Said..."

Reflections4Life July 10^th, 2016

“And God Said…”

“…if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Scripture Contemplation: 2 Chronicles 7; Exodus 32; Numbers 23:19; Job 42; Matthew 3; Luke 15; Acts 3; Ephesians 6; 2 Peter 3:9…

We’ve heard everyone’s opinion. We know what we believe. Many are asking what to do now after you have done everything you can do? The world is waxing colder and evil seems to be prevailing. How do we handle the travesties of today’s world? What else can we possibly do? There is only one thing left to do, which should be the first thing we always do: Seek God and hear and listen to what He says. What is God saying in all of this hate and vitriol?

I pray today’s Reflections brings comfort and peace to your heart and mind. I decree it be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration. We must take the time to hear what God is saying, Beloveds. Trust that He is speaking loud and clear. Do not guess what God might be saying. Hear what He is saying by spending quality, intimate time with the Lord.

The anger and tension in this world are thick. In America, it is bubbling over with hate, distrust, fabrications, manipulations, unrepentance, disregard, and denial. All being spurred by a few mediums with their own agenda to keep people divided and with a growing sense of dread and unrest. People are looking for answers. They are tired of their efforts being ripped apart and trampled on, or cast aside. Who has the answer? God does. Always has and always will.

Everyone has an opinion. Some think they know what the problem is. Others are willing to find out and seek solutions for all people. And there are others who wish to put their heads in the sand and pretend that there is nothing wrong. That the hate and anger do not exist. That the wrong done to human beings on both sides of the spectrum is a fabrication. Then there are those that know exactly what to do and what is wrong, because they have the ear of God and the heart of God, and are not afraid to take an unpopular stance and say: “And God said…” It’s not the most popular or well-received solution—often ensuing in a debate. But when has God’s way ever been the most sought after or popular point of view and way of doing things? Never.

One thing I know for certain: God has addressed these issues. And He has told us and is telling us once again that it is time to repent as a nation. As a people. The blood of too many brothers and sisters are crying out to God. Crying out from the earth that has ripped their essence from their bodies—far too soon. Genocide is taking place, Beloveds. While evil is prevailing and leaving our children to pay the price for the sins of our fathers.

Some may argue that this platform is not the place to speak on this. Then what is, when God is clearly the only solution to what plagues us? Who, more than the children of God, has the ear of the Father? Were we not called to be the salt of the earth? The light to the world? Yet, the body of Christ has lost its flavor. The body of Christ is suffering from a conscious blackout; our lights going dim. I will not hide the truth and come before acting like nothing is wrong. Or pretending that what is taking place in America is not directly connected to the ball that was dropped by the church of God. By those professing to know and love God, and speak for God but have done nothing but to contribute to the despair, hate and vitriol in America today.

The charge was not given to those who do not know God, Beloved. No. The charge was given to those who say they know God and have a relationship with Him. It is time to repent. The Lord said, if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

The charge is to us beloved. And we cannot act like there is nothing going on. We cannot sit by and point blame and not take responsibility for our own actions or inactions. To have nothing to speak up or stand up with those who are oppressed. Or, to act like it is none our business as long as it doesn’t come to our door. Woe unto us who have had any of those thoughts and feelings. Because that is not of the God I serve.

What we see in the world is a direct reflection of our actions. Of our sins and unruly and unrepentant hearts. How dare we say we love the Lord and have nothing but hate in our hearts for another of God’s creation? How can we deem to represent the body of Christ if in our hearts we don’t even believe in equality and justice for all? Last time I checked. Last time I was in a fellowship with God, He clearly still loves us all, and Christ gave His life for all, and not some or a select group of elite.

We are facing the consequences of disobedience, hate, unjustifiable ignorance, unrepentance, and even defiance. As I tell my husband, even though we may move on from a wrong—we move forward, try to do right—there are consequences to our actions. Though God forgives us, extends His mercy and grace, there are repercussions for what we allow to take place. Things must run its course and come full circle. Like kidneys being flushed during a dialysis treatment; the blood being washed, being removed from the body and returning—the consequences of our actions must run its course. Yet, God is there to shorten that time. He is there to walk us through if we would repent. If we would acknowledge our ways and our contribution to the world we live in. Whether through action or inaction.

My Beloveds, may the spirit of peace and prosperity find permanent rest in your lives. I decree that every good thing that God has ordained for your life will become evident to you. We no longer have the luxury of just sitting back and see what happens next. Seeing who the next victim may be. No. It is time for God’s children to repent, confess our sins, turn away from the evil that men do. To admonish when we see wrong and injustices, and to not sit in judgement of anyone. To not make excuses for sin or deplorable behaviors. Not only because what is right or what God desires. But because we KNOW what is right and seek to please God and bring healing to land that so desperately needs a touch from God. You are blessed. Now go….and be a blessing.

©2016. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.