Grieving on Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner.  Do you know someone who lost their mother within the last year?  Do you know a mother who lost a child within the last year?  Can I make a suggestion to you?

Buy them a “thinking of you” card.  Write a simple note on the inside, and send it to them next week.  You don’t have to write something deep.  Here’s something I have written to those I know who are experiencing loss this year.

I wanted you to know that I am thinking of you as you face your first Mother’s Day without _______,  I am praying for the Lord to comfort you and give you peace, but also that you will have a sense of joy in the memories you will always cherish.

Your card and note will mean the world to them.  By this time, they may feel as if no one remembers their loss.

Modern Day Idolatry

Modern Day Idolatry

I am currently reading the early books of the Old Testament.  A couple of things seem to be commonplace among the people of those times.  First, they do a lot of complaining.  It doesn’t seem to matter what awesome miracle the Lord provides for them, soon they are back to that terrible habit of sinful murmuring.  

When Miriam murmured against Moses in Numbers 12, the Lord struck her with leprosy.   The Israelites also began to murmur about how badly they wanted meat. In the CSB, it calls the Israelites riffraff who had a strong craving for “other food.”

This scenario fits so many churches today, with people craving “other food.”  This led to compromises, where the music started sounding more like rock concerts, and there was nothing scriptural about the lyrics.  Many churches began preaching a gospel that offered forgiveness without repentance.  Galatians 1:6-8 tells us that those who preach a different gospel are accursed.  

Other churches began to seek experiences over the Word of God – seeking after signs and wonders.  However, Psalm 138:2 makes it clear that God has exalted His Word above all else.

The second thing that stands out to me is how easily they fell prey to the sin of idolatry.  They became bored with the Lord, and that innate need to worship something led them down a very dangerous path.  Their actions angered the heart of God, prompting His wrath to descend upon them.  

God doesn’t change, so He his feelings are the same regarding the sin of idolatry.

People often fall into the trap of idolizing their favorite authors, teachers, preachers, etc.  We must be very careful of what spirit we allow ourselves to sit under – whether in church, the radio, internet, podcasts, television, etc.  With the myriad of false teachers who have arisen over the last couple of decades, it is imperative to have discernment.  One of the best ways we gain discernment is by diligently studying the scriptures.  When we have an intimate knowledge of the Word, it will help us to discern when we hear error.

I fell prey to many of these “different gospels” in my earlier years.  It was only after being led by the Lord to diligently study His Word that I began to see these dangerous gospels for what they were – a house built on sand.  (Matthew 7:24-27) What I see happening today is a spiritual leprosy that has stricken the souls of many, scarring them to the point that they no longer hear the Lord, nor feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Time is short.  Church, it is time to wake up, repent, and build your house on the Solid Rock!

© 2020, Stacy R. Miller

The Fowler’s Snare

The Fowler’s Snare

During this pandemic, many of us have likely been reading Psalm 91.  I decided to dig a bit deeper, using an online interlinear bible and an app on my I-pad.  I saw something interesting about the fowler’s snare.

A snare can be a bird trap, but it can also be plots.  2 Corinthians 2:11 mentions Satan and his schemes (plots).  The word used for fowler was bait-layer.  Now that sounds just like the enemy of our souls!  

I began to ponder on which “bait” is likely the most effective against Christians.

I have a feeling that many of us are guilty of wasting time when we should be redeeming the time.  (Ephesians 5:16)  I am referring to playing games on our phones, and doing marathons of Hulu and Netflix.  Ouch!  Did I step on some toes there?  Yep, mine are hurting too because I struggle with this one a lot.

We live in a society where people are so self-absorbed.  Just take a glance at Facebook and you will see it.  People are showing off their new house, car, or a myriad of other “toys.”  There are many who feel the incessant need to post selfies several times a day.  There are those who are seeking “fame” through how many friends are on their list.  Forget that they don’t actually know 95% of the people on the list – they just want to prove how popular they are by the numbers.

Another kind of bait that is very effective for Satan is that of trapping us into being lazy Christians.  What do I mean by that?  One example is when we read a book because it is labeled “Christian,” but we don’t pay attention to see if it lines up with what the bible actually says.  Another way is when we listen to “preachers” and just embrace their words as truth without researching to see if is really true.  We neglect the command to study to show thyself approved, a workman who needs not be ashamed. (2 Timothy 2:15)  We fail to be like the Bereans.  They diligently searched the scriptures to make sure that what they were hearing was actual truth, rather than that which only tickles itching ears.  (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 4:3)

After pondering on this, I thought of Proverbs 90:12, where it says “Teach us to number our days that we would gain a heart of wisdom.”  I began to think about how many days I have left if I live to be seventy or eighty years old.   Compared to how many years I have already lived (many of them wasted years), it was a very sobering thought.  Proverbs 23:15 tells us to give serious thought to the way we live.  Yes, indeed!

I heard a great quote by Leonard Ravenhill that really helped put my thoughts into perspective.  “Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?”  That, my friend, is a very good question.

Excuse me now, for I need to do some repenting for falling prey to the fowler’s snare.  

© 2020, Stacy R. Miller

Being Thankful During a Pandemic

One of the things I have been doing during this pandemic is to think of things for which I am thankful.  Here is today’s list:

1. That I thought to get my hair cut the week before everything shut down.

2. That I “embraced the gray” last year, so having to go without hair color hasn’t been an issue for me.

3. That I don’t have fake fingernails, so my nails look just fine right now!

4. For a very fun, but relaxed, wedding day for my daughter and her hubby.

5. That most of the wedding was recorded so I can eventually play it for my parents when/if this pandemic ends.

6. That I have embraced the new “normal” during the pandemic, and now feel much less stress.

7. For the 4-day weekend I was able to enjoy last weekend.

Oceans Where Feet May Fail / Hillsong

Being a Berean

As I have been striving to be a Berean of the Word, the Lord has led me to apply that concept to what is often falsely referred to as “Christian music.”  As I listen to the lyrics, I ask myself, “Is this concept in the bible?” 

I have stopped listening to most of what is popular in many churches today, simply because the lyrics don’t line up to what scripture teaches us.  

One song I want to address today is called Oceans, Where Feet May Fail.  It is put out by Hillsong.  When I first heard the song, I thought music was really eerie and kind of creepy.  When I heard the words, I thought they were really odd.  The song didn’t set well with me, but it took me several months before I figured out why.

In the song, it mentions God calling us out upon the waters, and finding Him in the mysteries of oceans deep.

Many Hindu deities are depicted “upon the waters,” with marks on their foreheads.

       

That was bad enough, but I dug a little deeper.  As for the mark on the forehead, Revelation 13 speaks of the anti-Christ, who will force all, great and small, rich and poor, to have a mark on their right hand or their forehead.

Revelation 17:1 speaks of the great harlot who sits “on many waters.” 

The lyrics speak of finding God in the mystery.  Revelation 17:5 speaks of Mystery Babylon, the Great Whore.

Now I understand why I felt so uncomfortable with this song.  It sounds as if it came right out of Revelation 17, where it speaks of the Great Whore of Babylon.  

The song speaks of my soul resting in your embrace.  After seeing the above connection, and how it sounds like it is speaking of the Whore of Babylon, I don’t care for that kind of embrace, for an embrace by the Whore of Babylon could quickly lead one into bondage.  I prefer the glorious freedom I have in Jesus Christ!

© 2020, Stacy R. Miller

Psalm 91 and the Deadly Pestilence

Psalm 91 and The Deadly Pestilence

I posted a devotion a few days ago called, “Testing the Lord.”  I want to talk a bit more on that topic today.

I was looking at Psalm 91 and saw something interesting.  In verse 3, it says the Lord will surely deliver me from the snare of the fowler and the deadly pestilence.  Taking this one verse, it appears that we have the freedom to do whatever we want, and go wherever we want to go, and God will protect us.  

However, we must take the FULL counsel of the Word of God.  That verse is conditional upon verses 1 and 2.  We must dwell in the secret place of the Most High, making him our refuge and fortress.  But we can’t stop there.

You see, Satan quoted Psalm 91 when he was tempting Jesus in Luke 4.  He quoted it, saying that God would protect Jesus.  Yet, Jesus told Satan that we must not tempt the Lord.

So the truth of the matter is that Psalm 91 does not suggest we take unnecessary risks with our health during this pandemic.

Now let’s address the issue of agape love.  Philippians 2:3-4 admonishes us to think more highly of others than ourselves.  That is an example of agape love.  Flippantly going out in public, just to get out of the house, is not living out agape love.

What about common sense?  There are many people use claim the Name of Christ, and the blood of Christ, but they refuse to use common sense.  Proverbs 27:12 warns us to be prudent.  This means we show care in our actions, and give thought to the future.  Let me give you an example.  My parents are in their 80s.  I miss them terribly.  I still talk to them on the phone, but I have not seen them since before the shelter-in-place orders went into effect.  I can use the excuse, “But they are older, so I’m just going to check on them.”  However, I am a healthcare worker and my parents have underlying health issues.  For me to go over to see them would be thoughtless and reckless.  I must think about how my actions today might affect them in the future.  By doing so, I know that I need to refrain from going over there.  That is being prudent.  It is thinking of others before myself, and it is agape love in action.

I know you are tired of staying at home.  Do it anyway because it is the most loving thing you can do.

© 2020, Stacy R. Miller

Thankfulness, Humor, and Self-Care During a Pandemic

At work, there is a poster near each time clock.  It changes midweek, with a different question.  I love seeing the comments, and wanted to share them with you.  I hope it gets you to think of something positive while we work together to get through this pandemic.

1. What made you thankful this week?

2. What (or who) made you smile this week?

3. What have you done this week for self-care?

My answers:

1. Jesus

2. A coworker in the ER, who always has a smile on her face and a very bubbly personality.

3. Read my bible and went to bed early a few nights.

One #3, one of the comments I saw was “took a shower.”  Obviously, this is from one of our heroes who has been putting in some long hours.  Another coworker said they did a soothing facial.  I actually did the same thing last night.  It does help to do special things for yourself  — even when you’re not in the middle of a pandemic!

Some Happy News for a Change!

Scripture tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice.  It also tells us that a merry heart does good like a medicine.  I am hoping that by sharing this personal news, it will cause you to rejoice, as well as laugh.

Our daughter, Rachel, got married today.  There were only 9 people there, due to the rules in place from the Corona Virus Pandemic.  It was a very low-key wedding, which is exactly what Rachel and Ben wanted.

Here is Joe, helping Ben with his tie:

Saying their vows:

Signing the marriage license:

It’s official:  Mr. and Mrs!

The rings.  You can’t see her ring all that well, but it came from Israel.  In Aramaic, it says, “I am my beloved’s and he is mine.”

Banner made by Rachel’s dad:

And the perfect gift for a Pandemic Wedding:  TOILET PAPER!!!

During a pandemic, you can’t have a wedding reception.  So instead, you sanitize!

Rachel and Ben with her parents:

Rachel and Ben with his parents:

My hubby made this magnetic for the back of their car:

Spiritual Distancing

Spiritual Distancing

With the pandemic we are facing, we have been told to use “social distancing” to protect others and ourselves.  It is also very important for us to use spiritual distancing.  Scripture tells us false teachers will arise in the end times.  In fact, Jesus warned more about those false teachers than anything else in the Olivet Discourse.  I believe those days are here, due to the multitude of popular, false teachers that have arisen.

Paul told us in Galatians 1 that if someone preaches a different gospel, let them be accursed.  This is a very serious matter!  In 1 John 2, we are told there will be many antichrists who will come out from among us. This means they will outwardly appear as Christians, but what they preach will be deceptive.  It is imperative that we test the spirits, as we are commanded to do in 1 John 4:1.  Doing so requires that we actively listen to what they say, checking to see if it lines up with what scripture says.  If it doesn’t, then they are preaching another gospel.  

To help you navigate through some of these popular, deceptive teachings, I am going to cover several of them.  This will help you in determining where you need to put spiritual distancing into place.

The prosperity gospel – Those who teach this false gospel believe that our wealth and possessions are an indication of how spiritual we are. This concept is found nowhere in scripture!  Rather, the ones who were the most spiritual throughout the bible were often those who didn’t have many worldly goods.  This group frequently teaches that when you get saved, you are going to have your best life now, and nothing bad will ever happen.  However, Jesus told us we will have tribulation in this world, but to take heart, because He overcame the world.  (John 16:33)  He also told us that it will rain on the just and the unjust.  (Matthew 5:45)  A perfect example of this scripture is the current pandemic we are facing.  Young, old, rich, poor, saved, and unsaved are being affected by the Corona Virus.

Word of faith – Many who teach this false gospel say that we hold the full power, instead of God – that it is we who cause God to move.  How arrogant!  It is like God is sitting in heaven, twiddling His thumbs, just waiting on us to give Him orders.  Psalm 11:4 tells us that God rules from heaven, making it clear that He is the One in control.

Experiences over the Word – Many groups are focusing on experiences over the truth of the Word.  They want to see signs and wonders. Bethel is one of the biggest proponents of this false teaching.  Matthew 16:4 tells us that a wicked generation seeks after a sign.  One dangerous, but popular, habit of this group is get people convulsing on the floor, laughing hysterically, jerking as if they have no control over it.  Galatians 5 tells us the fruit of the spirit is self-control.  That one scripture makes it clear that if they don’t have control over what they are doing, then it is not the Holy Spirit who is in operation.  Psalm 138:3 tells us that God has magnified His Word above His Name, not experiences.

Going Beyond the Word — This group wants what is beyond scripture, as if God’s Word is not enough for us.  Sarah Young, who wrote Jesus Calling, states in the introduction of her book that she wanted more than the Bible.  This group often speaks of seeing gold dust falling from the ceiling.  There is nowhere in scripture that validates this concept. Instead, we are warned that Satan appears as an angel of light.  (2 Corinthians 11:14)  God has made it clear that He has magnified His Word above His Name.  (Psalm 138:2)

Dominionism or Kingdom Now group – This one is very tricky to catch.  These people believe that before Jesus returns, the church will rise up and take dominion over government, media, entertainment, education, family, business, and religion.  This is not in scripture.  What is in scripture is that an apostasy is coming.  Many false teachers will arise, and many will fall away.  They also believe they are part of Joel’s army from Joel chapter 2.  However, the army that is listed there is the army of the antichrist.  Here is a link if you want to read more about this group: http://www.piratechristian.com/berean-examiner/the-six-hallmarks-of-a-nar-church

Preaching a verse out of context – There are many who will quote one verse that sounds really good.  They will try to get the crowd excited over that verse and what they say it means.  However, when you take that one verse and compare it to the context, it doesn’t mean what they say at all.  They are very slick in the way they do this, often stirring the crowd up into a frenzy because what they say tickles their itching ears.  (2 Timothy 4:3)

Preaching against studying prophecy – Rick Warren is known for this one.  He says that prophecy is a distraction.  Jesus called out the Sadducees and Pharisees for not being able to discern the times in Matthew 16:4.  In Matthew 24, Jesus used words such as watch, look, see, and hear.  He uses them multiple times, indicating that He wants us to pay attention to prophecy and what is happening so that we won’t fall away or be deceived by the myriad of false teachers who will arise. If you hear anyone say to stay away from prophecy, put your spiritual distancing into place immediately!

We just need to love one another — This is another false gospel that is prevalent.  Love is not biblical love if you don’t have biblical truth with it.  This concept is found throughout scripture.  We are to love in deed and truth, not just with our words.  (1 John 3:18-19)  True love is walking according to the commandments in scripture, meaning love and truth.  (2 John 1:6)  In 2 John 1:7, we are warned about deceivers. These deceivers will redefine what love is, and we are seeing that happen today.  That is why the distinction is given multiple times in scripture as to what true love really is.

Some may ask, “Why can’t we eat the meat and spit out the bones?” Galatians 5:9 tells us that a little leaven (a little false teaching) leavens the whole lump.  There is a wise saying that says  when we hear a lie enough times, we will begin to believe it as truth.  This is why it is imperative to impose spiritual distancing whenever we hear things that are not true to scripture.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 tells us the Lord will come with a flaming fire to take vengeance on those who do not know God, or obey the gospel of Jesus Christ.  They will face everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord.  What a horrible thought to think of the multitudes who believe they are serving Jesus, only to find out that it was the wrong Jesus!  

Brethren, I urge you to become biblically literate so that you can spot the sneaky deceptions and false Jesus that so many are preaching and teaching today.  

Just as social distancing may protect you from illness, spiritual distancing may save you from spiritual destruction.  

© 2020, Stacy R. Miller

A Thankful Heart

The above saying is a good one.  Right now, with the pandemic, many of us likely feel like we are carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders.  If we can remember to carry a thankful heart, it will ease that feeling of heaviness that has become all too commonplace for so many.

So right now:

1. What are you thankful for? 
2. Stretch it a bit further — what “odd” things are you thankful for? 
3. What things are you thankful for, that you never thought you would have to be thankful for?

My thankful list, based off the above:

1. Jesus, my family, my home, food to eat, money to pay bills, my job.
2. Being able to call my parents since it’s not safe to visit them during the social distancing.  TOILET PAPER!!!!  (Ha!  I just had to add that one to the list!)  Going for walks with my hubby (he usually won’t walk with me, but being we are on shelter-in-place orders, he is now joining me just to get out of the house.)  Extra sleep due to the added stresses every day life now has.  Having a sense of humor and still being able to laugh about the dumbest things.
3. Homemade masks that have been donated to the hospital where I work.  I am so very grateful for these!!!  Things the Lord has shown me through this pandemic —  One of them is a “chink” in my armor, so now I can work on fixing that.