No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.
~ Isaiah 54:17 Here is the reality of my testimony! That which speaks to who I AM to include what impacts me or has influenced me. As mentioned many times before through my writing, I AM a SPIRIT first who was birthed here on earth as a human being made of FLESH and BLOOD thus occupying a BODY with a SOUL. Upon being awakened to the HOLY SPIRIT by way of REVELATION in experiencing who GOD IS for myself, I have accepted the call on my life to serve GOD with my WHOLE HEART! And yet, I still struggle with the pain of my reality while attempting not to allow that pain to interfere with my ability to please GOD in successfully executing HIS COMMAND or ASSIGNMENT as given to me. For God is diligently replacing what I considered to be a past reality with a new reality and I AM forever grateful! Therefore, my suffering is not in vain (for nothing)! Why? Because the pain of my misery has been revealed to me as being my ministry! It is my purpose and reason for being in assisting others with their pain whether I welcome it or not! I was CHOSEN for my resolve and my ability to overcome in the midst of the pain while being healed to heal others. Selah!
O Lord, you understand. Remember me, take care of me, and take revenge on those who persecute me. Be patient, and don’t take me away. You should know that I’ve been insulted because of you. Your words were found, and I devoured them. Your words are my joy and my heart’s delight, because I am called by your name, O Lord God of Armies. I didn’t keep company with those who laugh and have fun. I sat alone because your hand was on me. You filled me with outrage. Why is my pain unending and my wound incurable, refusing to heal? Will you disappoint me like a stream that dries up in summertime?
~ Jeremiah 15:15-18 [God’s Word] To reiterate, I asked GOD to reveal to me “How do I do what HE expects of me.” And HE replied, EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT. The problem with that is this! I AM, by nature, a very sometimes overly or extreme emotional person who feels everything; directly as well as indirectly. With this, unfortunately, comes a great deal of pain in how I process the offenses of others towards me to include how I may react to those offenses. And God who is the source of my protection wants me to understand and to acknowledge HIS WORD above all else in forever doing the right thing even when the right thing hurts in not allowing myself to succumb to the SPIRIT of offense. In fact, Ephesians 6:12 says “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].” So, when people who are influenced by the darkness of this world intend to do me harm, directly or indirectly, I must be mindful not to allow their behavior to offend me in causing my flesh to be an adversary (my enemy) in jeopardizing my SALVATION or the calling upon my life. Therefore, I cannot allow their actions of manipulation and deceitfulness to choke the WORD OF GOD within my heart by giving in to my flesh.
Other people are like seeds planted among thornbushes. They hear the word, but the worries of life, the deceitful pleasures of riches, and the desires for other things take over. They choke the word so that it can’t produce anything. Others are like seeds planted on good ground. They hear the word, accept it, and produce crops—thirty, sixty, or one hundred hundred times as much as was planted.”
~ Mark 4:18-20 [God’s Word] A number of people are still hurting from the result of the recent Zimmerman/Martin ruling or verdict. I cannot begin to tell you just how affected I was by the outcome of the trial. Before and after the smoke cleared, there was much talk about Trayvon Martin’s family. In particular, their handling of the entire controversy to include the not guilty verdict in maintaining their composure. If truth be told, I AM sure many people were expecting a less than favorable display of SPIRITUAL MATURITY and RESERVE. While watching the Nancy Grace interview with Trayvon’s parents, I could not help but get the feeling they were expected to share their rage to incite a riot. But their FAITH and SPIRITUALITY (love for God) was greatly apparent. They put their lives as well as the life of their deceased son to include his murderer in the LORD’s hand. Such CONFIDENCE and TRUST in the LORD’s decision to allow the events centering around the life and death of their son was inspiring to say the least.
[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
~ Galatians 5:16-18 [King James] However, watching them instilled great happiness, joy, peace and sadness within me all at the same time. Mainly, because each and everything I had ever experienced along the lines of prejudice, persecution and racism came flooding back to my remembrance and I needed to dig down deep to get a handle on it. In fact, I remember driving through the Capitol Hill area with a co-worker as my passenger and being pulled over by a Capitol Hill Police. This happened sometime ago prior to 1990 when I was employed by the Reilly Mortgage Group (a subsidiary of Perpetual Savings Bank (PSB) before they (PSB) went out of business). My co-worker and I were on our way to an outing of after work bonding to include dinner and happy hour. Although both of us are females (women), she was white and I AM black. I was the driver and she was the passenger. Nonetheless, due to a medical condition since age 14, I AM completely bald and I have refused to allow people to dictate my life regarding how I should embrace my baldness. Therefore, I sometimes do not wear a wig, a hat or a head wrap in acceptance of the person God has created me to be. Believe it or not, some may find my look or appearance to be somewhat offensive and intimidating to include militant as once told to me by an employer before they terminated me for not having any hair.
Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God.
~ 2 Timothy 1:8 [Amplified] At any rate, on this particular day, I AM sure what the police officer saw from behind was a black male driving around with a white female. So in this case, I guess what they say about “looks can be deceiving” is absolutely true! Especially, if through an inappropriate or dirty lens and seared heart! As the Officer approached the car upon getting my attention to pull me over, I asked: “Officer, can you tell me the reason for pulling me over?” Trying to regain his composure from the shock of now realizing I was a black female and not a black male which looked extremely obvious from his facial expression to include him trying to choose his words very carefully while stuttering. When it was all over, of course no ticket or warning was given to me as I was dismissed and told to have a nice day. My co-worker looked at me in amazement as she started to cry while asking, "Does this sort of thing happen all the time?" I indicated, “More often than I care to admit or count for some. But, yes and perhaps you were meant to see it for yourself to understand my reality and many others like me! It is called racial profiling. Can you imagine the fall-out if I were a black male being stopped by a white police officer who wanted to impress you while attempting to punish you and the black male the police officer thought you were riding in the car with?” Can you truly imagine how hard it is to let not my wrath to entice me into scorning chastisements; and let not the greatness of the ransom [the suffering, if rightly endured] to turn me toward iniquity? (See Job 36:18) So, for God, I must push onward and not backwards in allowing my hurt to harden my heart! Because there is no room for bitterness in the Kingdom of God; however hard, if God’s favor is what I seek to avenge me and bless me on my journey toward spiritual prosperity.
Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders — he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin. But you, God, will throw the others into a muddy bog, Cut the lifespan of assassins and traitors in half. And I trust in you.
~ Psalm 55:22-23 [The Message] As I encounter ignorance, what keeps me going is knowing, no matter the hardship, the heartache (pain and long suffering) or the trial and tribulation, God sits up high and looks down low upon all that is happening in the world. My pain may come and go, but it never lasts for far too long. Especially not as long as I keep my focus on the LORD and HIS WORD to see me through! So you see, I understand all too well the pain of the Martins and their will to endure ‘til the end. I AM not a mother who has given birth to a child and I AM not a father whose name sake was slain. But, I AM a SPIRIT who has been blessed with the compassion of CHRIST to feel the pain of another. An individual who loves God with all her might! One who is committed to making what matters to God matter to me in attempting to see as HE sees regardless of the obstacles and hurdles!
Thou [art] my battle axe [and] weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
~ Jeremiah 51:20 [KJV]) CLOSING
Each of us was created by God for a purpose with a purpose and destined for greatness. We are ALL Children of God who HE loves unconditionally. God is a jealous God and when one of us hurts, God feels our pain and HE hurts too. Upon birth, we were entrusted one to another on earth in the flesh to parents to nurture and care for us. But we are HIS first! As a mother and/or father lose that child on earth in the flesh, God welcomes the SPIRIT of HIS child back home to be with HIM. So, although the Martin family is grieving a loss of a son whose life was shortened by a broken system in the name of darkness in the world, they know God intimately as their ultimate protector and redeemer.
God is my ultimate protection and redeemer! HE is my strength and my hope. When things seem to go astray, it is HE who encourages me to call those things that are not as though they were in believing and trusting HIS every WORD regarding HIS PLAN for my life. HE shines upon me in reassuring me of HIS favor on my life. HE continues to offer confirmation after confirmation of HIS presence in my life. HE tells me not to fret or give up in right doing as HE also encourages me to forgive those who have trespassed against me. For it is my duty as well as my need to forgive them 70 times 70; however, challenging or difficult it may be! It is important for me to know who I AM and who God is in me to include the confidence HE has in me even when I fail to see the confidence in myself. Standing on the covenant promises of my LORD and allowing no one to come between thee and our relationship!
Mark 4:14-17
The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. SEED FOR THOUGHT: God tested the faith of Abraham! Read Genesis 22.
Written on July 39, 2013
Posted on August 3, 2013
By: Ann Gwen Mack
Posted By: Ann Mack
Saturday, August 3rd 2013 at 11:47PM
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