Monday, September 16, 2013

Eviction Notice

This was dropped on my spirit at 12:30pm today.

There are some people who just need to be evicted from your life. What am I talking about? I will be talking about groups that might need an eviction notice.
1. The first group involves people who are intentionally draining you with meaningless conversations (not edifying you, but focused on the other person and them not having an important need).
2. The second group involves people who feel as if you don't exist provided you bring your stature to the relationship (whether business or personal) and provided that your money & time will better their lifestyle.
3. The third group is most lethal: this group consists of self-lovers. Their world revolves around them, you must bow down to them or they will drown you to save themselves. No sacrifice is required for this group.
4. The fourth group is the most hurtful. This group wants you to cater to them, but won't think twice to cater to you when you're going through. Sure, all we need is God, but is every man or woman on an island of their own?
5. The fifth group is the most laughable. This group involves people who love to brag about what they have going for them (along with their elite circle), and don't have any time who are actually needing a hand up instead of a hand out. They're laughable because the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
6. The sixth & final group for this blog is the depressing group: this group involves people who want to sap your resources (time, money, energy) for the benefit of them and not pouring into your life when you need it most. They will find every excuse in the book and take advantage of your generosity.

You have now been served!

The Mayne Man

Saturday, August 31, 2013

We've Fallen & Can't Get Up



During my shower this morning, I was praying (and repenting) of some things from my past. God showed me some dark areas that needed to be exposed to be set free from (mostly abandonment – when the truth of the matter is, I didn’t look to Him during my dark period in life that started in May 2011 till now), but surprisingly, He also revealed to me the hearts of some people.

  1. Many are aware that some of the people we’re following are false, but we still continue to do so (or we’ll close our ears and eyes so we don’t admit that we’re wrong). Translation: we worship the creature over the Creator.
  2. Many are allowing the economy, reputation and fame to cloud our judgment to where we follow after those who are false for that small piece of fame. Question: what profits a man to gain the world at the cost of your soul?
  3. Many are not even honest with God but more importantly, themselves as to why they deal with people. In other words, their world revolves around them and are just determined to get what they want or they will assist in crucifying you (Judas Iscariot was a prime example of this).
  4. Many just don’t believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Plain & Simple! If we still continue to follow after those who are offended of preaching salvation, then we don’t really believe the true message of Jesus. At the same token, there will be many who will turn away when they hear that Jesus is the only way to heaven.
  5. Many of us are just downright selfish. We want things on our terms when we want it (even if it’s not the will of God for our lives). Adding on: we’ll do whatever we can to protect our position or status in the world (and even in the church world).

In the natural, it appears that we’ve fallen and can’t get up. But the truth is, we can get up, we just have to be willing to swallow and repent of our pride!

I’ll share a little of my struggle these past two years. I saw a lot of things happen to me in my personal life, and it just got to the point where I went into total depression. I knew God was there, but it felt like He was silent to me. I can count on one hand the people, who prayed for me but the majority were telling me to “get over it,” or “I don’t want to hear your prayer request, but you need to hear mine.” And asking for people to pray for others who are lost was like twisting their arm, but they would come to me asking to “pray for my sick family member.” The two positive things that came out of this depression for two years are the following:

  1. I’m still alive
  2. My novels DDBS & Pieces of Me emerged

We can get up, we just need to surrender our pride and ask God to expose those dark areas of our lives. As you can see, this was dropped on my spirit within the past 45 minutes and felt pressed to type this up. Blessings!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Author Spotlight (Pam Funke)

I love learning about different authors, and I'm so glad to feature this author in my author spotlight. With that said, I present to you Author Pam Funke.

I am the proud grand-daughter of a pastor and have spent the majority of my life in the church. I am a Christian author who enjoys writing many different things. My love of reading and writing led me to write for the enjoyment of others.

Why did I choose Christian novels? Well, mainly because there are hardly any Christian novels out there anymore and the books that are filling the shelves and homes of adults, young adults, teens and children are not feeding their minds or souls with positive things. Now mind you there are some very good non-Christian novels out there that instill a positive message.There has to be something in a good book that not only feeds the mind with positive values and teaches the reader how to improve their life and give them some hope, then what's the point? A good book should have a lesson in it that someone can learn something valuable from it and not just an escape away from their problems in the real world~ because when the story is over the real world is still there and so are their problems. They should be able to come out of that story with something positive that they can use to help them in the real world.

While Operation Dark Angel: The Rise of Nicolaitanes is my first published novel, it is but one of many novels that will be available. This is the first installment in The Apocalypse Series. There will be a total of seven books in this series. I have a few other series that I will be writing to include one for young adults and children. There will also be several single books.


Book blurb:


The World at War  is the second installment of The Apocalypse Series.
Join General Alexander Ludlow as he continues on his mission to save the world. At least that is what he thinks that Operation Dark Angel is all about. He is however starting to suspect that this mission is not all that it's cracked up to be. The world is in complete chaos as major nations wage war on each other and on the verge of World War III.

The Group is secretly continuing Operation Dark Angel with much success. Unknown to the rest of the world they are the ones who are behind the strange and devastating attacks on Israel and elsewhere around the world. What is it that they are really after when they are supposed to be bringing peace to an out of control world?

Italian President Nicolaitanes Balac is steadily gaining political power and recognition. The entire world is watching this one man and wondering if he will be the one to save them from the chaotic spiral that the world is headed towards. Is he really who he appears to be or is he something more sinister? Can he save the world? Do we even want him to? Is this who mankind should rely on for help or will this be the worst mistake that mankind has ever made?


Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/4HorsemenSeries
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Pam-Funke/400956839999492
Website: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00949V7KK
Blog: http://authorpamfunke.blogspot.com/


Purchase the book here: http://www.amazon.com/The-World-War-Apocalypse-ebook/dp/B00DC25C38/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377007186&sr=8-1&keywords=the+world+at+war+pam



Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Vain Talkers & Deceivers (In Church)



Titus 1:10-11 says this, For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

As I think about this passage in today’s church world, these verses may need to be eliminated in many churches. To say that certain ministers, motivational speakers (who are proclaiming to be preachers of the gospel) mouths must be stop would be considered blasphemy, and you’d probably run the risk of being an outcast of your respective church. In fact, many would defend these ministers by saying “thou shalt not judge” and get scholarly in their voice as they say “touch not my anointed.”

Sadly, we’ll rebuke those who are actually preaching the truth, but will cheer on those who are itching our ears. Now let’s go back to verse 11, Paul was adamant when he said that these false teachers are teaching things they ought not for filthy lucre’s sake. Lucre is another term for money, and to think they’re not receiving it honestly considering these ministers are teaching things that are not of God. People today will listen to leaders (claiming they are of Christ) who are intermingling other religions with Christian views, will pass it off as Christian, and people will blindly accept it.

Let’s slide over to 1 Timothy 6:5. Paul was saying that false teachers were teaching that “gain is godliness” and that we are to withdraw ourselves. Sadly, the minute we hear from the pulpit, “money come unto me now” or “increase” we jump from our pews and cheer. Still trying to understand how wealth is a sign of God’s favor (if that’s the case, then I guess Hugh Hefner would be favored by God due to his wealth). Of course that’s ludicrous, Hugh Hefner is rich by the world’s standard, but truly poor in spirit (keep him in prayer and for many in this world who are poor in spirit). What profits a man to gain the world but lose his soul?

Can we get our priorities back in order?

Monday, August 19, 2013

An Assignment Greater Than You



The title came to me as the Lord was showing me something about what you’ll be reading. The text will come from 1 Samuel 16:1-13. I know this will be familiar to a lot of people, some of what I’ll say you might’ve heard before, or this will be brand new. Either way, I’m letting the Lord lead.

The second half of my dream was this: I was at my job and I had an altercation with someone and I just walked off the job. I went to my therapist and told her that if I go back to the job, I’m going to hurt somebody. Initially my dreams are a shock, but as the day progresses, they get revealed. And actually, my dreams over the past 3 months have a common denominator, and it’s that I have an assignment greater than myself. And I know a few of you reading this have an assignment greater than yourself. I’ll talk about the pros and cons about this later in this post.

Now 1 Samuel 16:1-13 was during the time when Saul was rejected as king and a new king was to be anointed. The Lord sent Samuel to Jesse to anoint one of his sons to be king. Now what struck my interest was the fact that Jesse didn’t even consider David to be the one. It wouldn’t surprise me if Jesse didn’t call David because he was not only the youngest, but he had an assignment (tending to the sheep), and Jesse wanted to ensure that David was on that task. But the Spirit of the Lord had a different plan. In verse 11, Samuel was like “do you have any more?” Jesse responded like this, “there remains the youngest AND (my emphasis) he keeps the sheep.” It wouldn’t surprised me if Jesse didn’t want Samuel to bother David, but again, the Lord had a different plan and told Jesse to get David. And of course, David was anointed to be king. During David’s anointing, he wasn’t groomed like his other brothers when they were presented. He was pulled from the sheep when he was anointed. The beauty of this scenario was that God doesn’t look on the appearance, but the heart. People can look good and put up a front, but their heart can be so dark!

Now David didn’t become king over Israel immediately. He would wait until Saul was dead. BUT, there were some things that David had to do before becoming king over Israel (and he would be the only one equipped to do it – such as take down Goliath). So, what can we take from this? Some of you reading this know that you have an assignment greater than you, and that’s truly a blessing from God.

I’ll start with the cons first: some of you know that you have an assignment greater than you, but you jump ahead of God by jumping into your assignment on your own strength. That’s dangerous and you are of course, out of order! Some will become prideful in that assignment and they will start parading in it for self-aggrandizement (or for bragging rights to look spiritual to others or perhaps to get the kudos from man). Again, you will be out of order!

The pros of having an assignment greater than you: you have been chosen in such a time as this. That means God has His hand over your life. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy, you will be tried. At the same time, you may not have time to prepare for the call (in other words, things that God is doing in your life which are a blessing to you and to others are happening at a pace that you’re not expecting – and that’s actually a good thing). All you have to do is remain humble (and obedient), and be able to adjust your life (as to how you see it) to the will of God.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Are You Being Exploited?



Unexpected Intro: I didn’t plan this introduction, but God just showed me something that is very crucial (so if you’re reading this post around 6:30pm tonight, what I was shown occurred within the past hour. I had written the actual lesson earlier today, of course minus this paragraph). I have found that most people who are being exploited live under the banner of “You Can’t Judge Me!” In fact, they will take that a step further and say, “not only you can judge the person (which we actually can’t do), but you can’t judge the actions (which we can do).” Exploited people will never want to own up to the fact they’re being exploited, so they live in a constant defensive state. They will defend those in the pulpit (who are actually living foul), they will defend those who are not even Christians and say they are Christians, and lastly, they will defend whatever belief system they believe knowing there’s a strong chance their beliefs are wrong.

The focus passage will be 2 Peter 2:1-3. It says: But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

I like the KJV’s term for sensuality, they use pernicious ways (translation: sexual immoral).

I remember when I was a baby Christian reading this, and I thought about this one man who came on the radio and he was constantly begging for people to send $500 or $1,000 and that would eventually drive me away from listening to his show. But as I’ve gotten older, I would see ministers and gospel music artists who have pernicious ways, exploiting Christians with their false words. I’ve said it on multiple occasions that we Christians can be so gullible at times. We’ll buy into anything or anyone that says God or Christian, not even thinking a second that a person is NOT a Christian, but actually a Yoruba priestess (translation: an astrologist). And yes, there are supposed Christian ministers following people who are not Christians for the sake of unity and/or coexisting. Now you can say, oh, this is outreach and don’t judge! Are you serious? It’s easier to pull someone off the table (especially if your faith was wavering since day one) than it is to bring someone up to the table (of course, all things are possible with God).

Let’s talk for a minute about what Yoruba is about (since many of us have our heads stuck in the sand). The Yoruba believes that all human beings possess what is known as destiny/fate and are expected to eventually become one in spirit with the divine creator and source of all energy). The thoughts and actions of each person in the physical realm interact with all other living things, including the Earth itself. Each person attempts to achieve transcendence and find their destiny in the spiritual realm of those who do good and beneficial things. One’s spiritual consciousness in the physical realm must grow in order to consummate union with one’s spiritual self. The Yoruba believe in reincarnation within the family. The names Babatunde (father returns), Yetunde (Mother returns), Babatunji (Father wakes once again) and Sotunde (The wise man returns) all offer vivid evidence of the Ifa concept of familial or lineal rebirth. There is no simple guarantee that your grandfather or great uncle will “come back” in the birth of your child, however.

How dare we Christians allowing someone who believe what I just typed to FIX OUR LIVES! If we feel they can actually fix our lives, than every other religion should be able to fix our lives. Jesus is the only one who can fix our lives, if we humble ourselves and give Him our hearts!

One of the reasons why we’re being exploited is because our flesh is being satisfied. The minute someone hear words such as declare, decree, increase or money, we near drop our sanctification cause we now have goose bumps. Never mind if the person speaking it has pernicious ways (or is “fruity”). A leader is to set the example for the church. But of course we don’t hold leaders accountable, we pacify them instead (hence we have the cycle of the blind following the blind).

Of course, this brings me into the next passage from 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The reason why many of us don’t hold people accountable is because we have heaped to ourselves teachers having itching ears and have turned unto fables. Why haven’t we rebuked leaders and/or ministers who go on National TV and say that Jesus is not the only way to heaven? And why haven’t we rebuked those who don’t preach salvation from the platform because I don’t want to offend people? I’ll tell you why we haven’t done it. We’ve been exploited by these false ministers and false gospel artists, our flesh is getting immediate gratification, and we have goose bumps. And as a result, we give to what we know or might not know is false! When we’re in that exploited state of mine, we say what the children of Israel say in Isaiah 30:10 to those who are exploiting us, “prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.”

Now you know when the world glorifies Christians that constitutes a major problem! James 3:1 says clearly that there should not be many teachers for they will receive the greater condemnation.

In closing, 2 Peter 2:3 (in the KJV) says “and through covetousness shall these false teachers with feigned words make merchandise of you.” This is saying that these people will do what they can to steal your money! Do you get this? Just because your flesh is being satisfied by certain words they say, doesn’t mean they’re legit. They could use the Christian lingo all day long, but you could be giving to someone who’s just a hireling or is part of a religion that’s not even Christian. Try every spirit, not every spirit who says God or Christian is part of the body of Christ, not every spirit in your church is a true to the bone Christian, not every spirit who sings gospel is a Christian. Seriously people, we need to heed 2 John 10-11 when it says “receive them not into your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Monday, July 29, 2013

Out of Order



Late last year, my sister Kelly Turner & I were listening to a lesson by Tera Carissa Hodges and one question that a woman asked Tera drew our attention. The gist of the question was this, “I’m a pastor and should I overstep my husband to do what I want do if God is telling me to something?” Tera responded with 1 Peter 3:1-6 and this will be the focus of this blogpost. She broke this verse down and after the lesson was over, Kelly & I had a discussion about it because it’s so prevalent today especially in ministry.

What Kelly & I have found (which Tera also explained to the woman who asked that question) is that many women have that tendency to overstep their boundaries just because they feel they can. 1 Peter 3 talks about how women can lead their husband via her conduct. Tera stated that women need to stay in prayer (if they got a word from the Lord about something they’re supposed to do) even though the husband can’t see what she sees at that moment in time; also, if the husband and wife are on one accord, it will be revealed to the husband in due time. This actually applies to men & women, we all seem at times to go ahead of God and the next thing you know, we’re out of order. When a man is more committed to his ministry over his wife, he’s out of order; when a woman tries to overstep her role in ministry to put down a man or be puffed up, she’s out of order. Humility is required and submission to God’s Word is required. Satan thrives on when we step outside of God’s will because then, we’re out of order!

Now I’m going to turn it over to Sister Kelly Turner.

REALLY! THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF CONTROL IN OPERATION which is A FORM OF WITCHCRAFT; one need not usurp authority unless protocol is given for one to proceed. But do with caution.

I know many won't like me after this; but I wasn't put on this earth to be liked; but to speak the TRUTH as GOD gives it to me. When it's all said and done, man DOES NOT have a Heaven or Hell to put you in....The ONE who has the keys to both....BUT GOD. You better STOP letting folks intimidate you; saying you can't do this and that. GOD has the final say. Learn to submit to the authority GOD has placed over you, whether spouse or not.

When reading the Word of God ask yourself which time and arena was it being said?  Dissect the Word and Read. Not just one verse but the one before and after. Stop skipping verses so one can't get what GOD is saying.

The Word is something you can't afford to play with when dealing with sheep. I've heard so many people tell me they're scared to wear this and cut this or that....Here's the answer...2 Timothy 1:7 which says, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Philippians 2:5 says: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Many believers have been taught this from childhood without reading and dissecting the TRUTH of the WORD for themselves. They believed Momma & Poppa, but as my son said: “Who's your Daddy?” When individuals take the blinders off and start seeking GOD wholeheartedly asking HIM to remove barriers and man-made doctrine watch what happens. GOD is about to blow the top off that Religious Legalism spirit.