HOW TO KEEP OUR MINDS FROM GETTING A TWISTED PICTURE

My friend Tina, from work, went to a paint and wine event the other night. Each person got a small canvas and had the opportunity to paint a picture as the leader gave some instructions. Tina explained that she had a little trouble with the waterfall and that her painting looked better from a distance.

We all examine things and people too closely sometimes and don’t see them in their true light. Our foreheads wrinkle up and our minds get a confused and possibly twisted picture.

I did that with a faux wood sample I was working on. I got up right next to it and was seeing a really light tan color as the base color. I tried to make my copy by starting with that color. But no matter what paints and tints I mixed, I just couldn’t get my copy to look right.

The next day I sat eating lunch across the room from my sample and it hit me: I was looking at it too closely! I needed to back up and see the big picture. When I did, I saw that the overall base color was much darker than I’d originally thought. I started with the new base color and finished my copy.

When I lived in Chicago I liked going to the Art Institute and looking at paintings by Ivan Albright. He is “noted for his meticulously detailed, exaggeratedly realistic depictions of decay and corruption” (Encyclopedia Britannica). In his portraits he painted every wrinkle, every hair, every pimple, every mole. His paintings were fascinating, but kind of ugly and gruesome. He was looking too closely.

I’ve noticed that this principle of narrow and intense examination can work negatively in real life as well as in paintings. If we start looking too closely, we’re more likely to see flaws and things we don’t like. If we back up to see the bigger picture, and make more of an effort to see people the way God sees them, then we won’t see all the little uglies that get our minds going in the wrong direction.

We only have the right to see others as God sees them. We can’t make ourselves critical examiners. We don’t know a person’s whole story. Our job is to be meek to God. If He shows us some ungodly characteristics, it’s because He trusts we will at least pray and perhaps do more as the Lord directs us to help them or even just get away from them.

Jesus said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” (Matt 7:1-3).

These are really powerful words. If we are sick, or are upset about some problem at home and we come to work or school and speak harshly to others, do we want them to judge us and think horrible things about us? No. We want them to accept us, maybe pray for us, forgive us and still think the best of us.

Jesus told us “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). If we can go to that place within and tap into the big picture of how God sees us and others, that’s where we want to be. Our pictures will be true.

When Tina showed me a photo of her painting, I was very impressed. I found out that it was her very first painting. She did an awesome job.

When my wood-grain sample was finished, the head designer came to look at all the samples we’d completed. When shown the piece I did, the designer asked, “Is it real?” Well, in my business, that’s the biggest compliment you can get.

I’ve tried to remember this lesson at work as well as in relationships: Always take the time to step back and look from a distance to see the overall picture. Treat people like you want to be treated. Try to see people from the Lord’s point of view and let Him deal with the dirty details. It’s not always so easy, but it’s what God wants for us. This way of thinking will keep us humbler, healthier and happier.

Love, Carolyn

My sample books with 6-7 chapters each, are always ON SALE for only .99 cents. Parts 1-4 and the holiday section (each with about 14 chapters) are only $2.99. I would love for you to have a copy of some of my writing. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=WINGS%20Carolyn%20molica&linkCode=ur2&tag=jmbcsds-20&linkId=XQMVLVZYNBLYAGEM

COMING TO CROSSROADS

Two friends told me similar stories of being on the operating table and knowing they were dying. Both came to a very serious crossroad: “Do I stay or leave?” Fortunately for me and for many others, they both made the choice to stay.  But was this the only crossroad or life-changing decision they’ve faced in life? I don’t think so.

They say cats have 9 lives. But I think we have several lives too, here on earth, as we come to those crossroads, those precipice points where we have to make the hard choices that alter the future: career choices, marriage, divorce, where to live, children, medical choices, religion, and so many others. Not every choice may be a life-altering one, but as we look back on our lives, we can see the ones that really did make a big difference.

I had one of those in college.

Carbondale University of Illinois May 1970. I stood in the crowd of protesters chanting, “Ho Ho Ho Chi Minh, NLF is going to win.” I picked up a rock and threw it as hard as I could. The minute it flew from my hand I was jolted! “What am I doing?” I’d gone too far.

I was throwing a baseball-sized rock into a line of policemen, not even thinking who or what it could hit. I quickly backed out of the crowd of protesters and retreated to the trailer. I waited for my friends. I was silent on the trip home.

When I got back to my dorm, I had some real soul searching to do. I’d come to one of those crossroads. If I stayed with the friends I had at the time, my whole life would have been a totally different story. I was afraid of the person I’d become. I didn’t recognize her. I had to abandon my protester friends and began to look inward and to the Bible for answers. The next semester at school was awfully lonely.

At some point we all come to crossroads where we honestly have to ask ourselves, “Why am I doing this?” And then we have to answer ourselves just as honestly.

Second Kings 7 tells us about four lepers who were in that predicament. The enemy was coming from without the city and there was a great famine within the city. They just sat there. Finally they woke up and “they said one to another, ‘Why sit we here until we die?’” They realized they were being foolish just sitting there and waiting to die. Instead they were motivated by a tiny spark of hope.

They decided that they’d make a move toward the enemy camp and just maybe there was a very slight chance something good would happen. As it turned out, their hope was rewarded. As the lepers went out, the enemy thought they heard a great army coming against them and they fled.

“And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment” (2Kgs. 7:7). There was so much food and wealth, the whole city was able to prosper from it.

The lepers’ action was motivated by hope and they were rewarded.

Hope is a great attitude to have.  Psalm 146: 5 tells us a person can stay happy if he stays in hope. “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord.”

Even if we don’t always make the right decisions, we can pray like David did, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51: 10), because we know that “the Lord looketh [is looking] on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

When our hearts are right with God, we can be assured that things will work out, no matter what they may look like now. We can smile with hope, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).

And we do like it says in Philippians 2:12, “work out [our] own salvation [wholeness] with fear [reverence] and respect toward trying to do our absolute best for the Lord” for we have to trust it really is, “God which worketh [is working] in [us] both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).

We are loved by God Almighty, the creator of all things, and we can trust Him to help us, especially at those life-changing crossroads.

Like me, when I decided to drop my protestor friends, or like the four lepers who made the scary move toward the enemy, if our heart is cleansed and our hope in the Lord, the future is a very bright and happy one for us.

Love, Carolyn

One reader said this about my WINGS book:  “It’s like reading a spiritual reality show!” My stories are entertaining and reflective at the same time.

Take a look:

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THE WEALTH OF THE SINNER IS LAID UP FOR THE JUST - WHAT'S THE WEALTH?

My boss came back from the designer’s office, “She said it was too pink. I know she didn’t bother to look at it in the usual place. She just looked at it at her desk, where the light is different.” Because of the designer’s laziness, my boss had to make new samples and the trickle-down effect made it so that I got more work days, which got me more money. Then I started seeing similar things happen; things that had been there all along, but now God was showing me a different way to look at them.

When people made errors, I got to fix them. When details weren’t carried out, I got to finish them up. When things got sloppy, I got to clean them up. All these things used to get me irritated, but now I realize it’s not my job to change the way people are; only God can do that. So instead of getting irritated, I take it as a blessing because it just makes my prosperity grow.

I’ve heard lots of teachings on Proverbs 13:22, “The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” In Hebrew the word “sinner” is defined as “one who misses the way, misses the goal or path of right, one who wanders from the way, forfeits something good, misses the mark, like an archer missing the goal.” I always thought it was only talking about cash money that a sinner might have stored up, that would eventually, miraculously come our way. I’m sure it can happen, but God showed me another way of looking at it.

The Holy Spirit prompted me, “What else can a sinner be wealthy in?” I answered, “Laziness, sloppiness, little attention to detail, fear.” There are many other things included in a sinner’s wealth. Try to name a few. But keep in mind we all sin, so others are going to make extra cash off our mistakes too. It’s a universal thing.

We don’t want to sin, but it’s great to know that the Lord has already provided a rather nice circle of fixing up each other’s messes. This circular process makes for the distribution of prosperity.

Now, instead of getting irritated or disgusted at people’s errors or perceived faults, I see them as a way the Lord is getting me more prosperity, and I’m thankful to receive. I have a friend who works in auditing. Her entire income is based on her ability to find mistakes and problems. It’s great to see ourselves as the ones who search for and find solutions.

I’ve always believed Philippians 4:13, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Jesus has always been in charge of my work, but now that I’m able to see others’ mistakes in a slightly different way, I’m a much happier person.

I hope this will help some of you who may be struggling and need to see how God is already blessing you with prosperity by allowing you to be the one to clean up, fix up and find solutions.

Love, Carolyn

QUESTIONS AND EASY CHALLENGES

1. What things can you list that you might consider part of the “wealth” of sinners?

2. In what ways have you benefited from the wealth of those who miss the mark?

3. What mistakes have you made, that others may have benefited from, without hurting you?

4. In what ways have you been a problem solver where others maybe couldn’t find a good solution?

WISDOM FROM JACOB AND THE "BAIT AND SWITCH"

The spirit that controlled Laban in the Bible, is rampant in Las Vegas and it takes wisdom to know what to do about it in various circumstances of everyday life here. We call it the “bait and switch.”  Unfulfilled promises everywhere. “Spend your money in the machines and at the tables and you can be a millionaire.” “Pay the exorbitant money to go to the night clubs and you’ll meet the hottest girl or the greatest guy.” These promises rarely get fulfilled, yet people are lured in by the thousands.

But it’s not only in the casinos that this bait and switch happens. It’s in the construction industry as well and probably exists in more places than I even know of. You’ve probably seen it in your own towns.

Only wisdom will keep a person out of the trap of these spiritual jaws. The key is to ask the Lord for wisdom, like it says in James. Then expect that He is giving it.

Knowledge is information, but wisdom is how to use the knowledge, how to apply it for successful results.

God says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth [scolds] not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (Jas. 1: 5-8).

The way to keep from wavering in and out of faith for the wisdom, is to act on it as quickly as you get it. Don’t give yourself time to doubt. Just act on the first thing, then stop there. If you need more wisdom later, then ask for the next thing, then act on it, then stop again. It’s a step by step process. We don’t give up until the results come.

The story of Laban and Jacob in the Bible is a great example of both the spiritual power of the bait and switch demon, and the amazing, life-changing wisdom of God. The record starts in Genesis 29. Jacob came to his relative Laban’s place and began to work for him. “And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel” (Gen 29: 16).

“And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, ‘I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.’ And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, ‘Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.’

“And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

 “And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he [Jacob] said to Laban, ‘What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?’” (vss.18,20-23, 25).

There it is, the spirit of the “bait and switch.” Laban knew all along the scam he was going to pull off on Jacob.

“And Laban said, ‘It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will give thee [Rachel] also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years” (vss. 26-27).

So Laban got 7 more years of work out of Jacob so that Jacob could have Rachel as his wife. But Laban, controlled by the demon, wasn’t about to stop there. Jacob stayed in Laban’s service until he had many children by both wives. Jacob cared for Laban’s cattle, sheep and goats, and they had increased in number. But Laban had never given Jacob his own cattle or other means of supporting his own family. Jacob was still under the power of Laban’s control, until finally, he told him, “Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee” (Gen 30:26).

Laban was planning to just use him and take from him. When he saw that Jacob was serious about leaving, Laban offered to pay him wages for his work, but Jacob was on to him by now. He didn’t want wages, he wanted to leave and have his own life.

Here’s where the great wisdom of God came into play. Jacob told Laban he didn’t want wages, he wanted cattle and sheep and goats. Inspired by God, he told Laban he’d take the weaker ones, the ones who were speckled and spotted. Laban quickly gave in to that idea. He figured Jacob wouldn’t be able to prosper enough to leave if he only was taking the feeble animals. The feeble ones would die for sure and Jacob would have to stay.

But the wisdom of God always works for His people, no matter how crazy it may look to others. God told Jacob to do some odd things that I don’t understand but it worked.

“And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.  And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.  

“And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted” (Gen. 30: 37-40).

God’s will prevailed: “But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's. And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses (vss. 42-43).

An angel came and told Jacob to get out with all he had and it was three days before Laban discovered he had gone.

Jacob escaped as a prosperous and happy man because he had relied on the wisdom of God to show him how to righteously and lawfully take from the “bait and switch” spirit in Laban, rather than the other way around.

In Las Vegas I’ve learned from the wisdom of God, how to be Jacob. I am able to enjoy the best (for me) of what’s offered, without giving Laban anything. I have to totally rely on the wisdom of God to direct my ways.  

I hope this will be helpful to any of you who may run into a similar situation. God’s wisdom will always get you around and out. Ask, act quickly without doubting and wavering, and receive.

Love, Carolyn

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BAD BLOOD

What would make three brothers kidnap three girls, lock them up in ropes and chains, and torture them for ten years?

The devil and bad blood, that’s what. When Adam sinned and turned his back on God, the bloodline of all mankind was affected. The tendency toward sin literally got into his blood and was passed from generation to generation.

Adam sinned and his son became the first murderer. It’s hard to imagine some of the horrible things we hear about. Many of these evils come about because of generational curses. “The guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation” (Ex. 34: 7).

There are lots of different kinds of generational curses, some more notorious than others. There is a way we can recognize them.

Recognizing a generational curse is the first step to deliverance from it. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 lists many of the generational curses that are still in existence to this day. Take time to read it this week.

When we read the Bible, we can see certain bad thinking and bad habits passed from father to son, mother to daughter, etc. Sometimes you’ll see that a curse skips a generation and comes roaring back to a grandchild. The Old Testament is full of examples of generational curses:

“And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God” (1 Kgs. 15:3).

“And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father” (1 Kgs 15:25-26).

King David lusted after Bathsheba and even had her husband killed so he could have her. Then Solomon, his son, “loved many strange women: of the nations concerning which the Lord said, ‘Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods:’ Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord” (1 Kgs. 11:1-3, 6).

In our own times we see molested children sometimes becoming the molesters when they get older. We see children of alcoholic parents becoming alcoholics themselves. Other examples of generational curses are stealing, uncontrollable lying, drug abuse, eating disorders, other addictions, erroneous thinking about finances, irrational fears, physical sicknesses and diseases, inexplicable early deaths, mental problems, just to name a few.

But every evil can be overcome. God made a way to supernaturally cleanse the sin that causes bad blood.

The answer is Jesus. Because He shed His perfect blood, we receive redemption when we accept Him into our hearts. Our spiritual blood flow is without the curses that came before. It is up to us to accept it. We have to get strong against the devil’s forces that want us to accept our lives with all the bad we seem to be stuck with.

But we’re not stuck with it; God sent Jesus as a savior for us. He can supernaturally wipe away all generational curses.

We have to first read God’s Word to convince ourselves, and then tell the devil and his evil forces what we now believe the truth: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse” (Gal. 3:13).

We keep reading the scriptures and let the truth enter our hearts and change them from the inside out. Only the spirit of God can get in between the cracks of our brains, our other organs, our souls, to repair, heal, restore and create the new being God intended for us to be.

Every change is a miracle at the cellular level, no matter how long it takes. And God is a miracle-working God.

Love, Carolyn

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REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF WORDS SPOKEN AGAINST US

REMOVING THE EFFECTS OF WORDS SPOKEN AGAINST US

“Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” When my brother and sister and I would fight as kids, we’d retort using that phrase. But in looking back, I think you’d have to be a super human to not have spiteful words affect you. In fact, many of us as adults are still being effected by the things spoken against us. We can reverse and eliminate that baggage.

In many Pagan religions, when they got together to put a curse on someone, they totally believed that spirits went out with the curse to make sure they got the results. Curses were powerful in the old days, but are still very much in effect today as well.

The story of King Balak and the Israelites in Numbers 22 gives us a prototype of what curses do and the antidote. The principles still apply today, over 3000 years later.

The Israelites were on their way to the blessing, the peace and the good life God promised them. They met up with two very renowned kings and asked to pass through their domain. The kings said no, and came against the Israelites. Everyone figured the Israelites would get wiped out, because these kings were very well equipped and strong, but instead the two kings were defeated. This shook the world around them. When King Balak heard this, he was afraid for his land and his kingdom because the Israelites were coming there next.

“Balak saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: [He] said ‘Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field’” (Num. 22:2-4).

Balak and the people back then believed more in the power of the words spoken by prophets and soothsayers than their own armies. They believed in the spiritual powers backing the words these people spoke. There was a very famous soothsayer named Balaam. He was not an Israelite. In fact, he lived over 400 miles north of where the Israelites were now travelling, and where Balak’s kingdom was. Balaam could be likened to a current day phychic, who may have some truth, but bad stuff as well. In Balaam’s case, God wouldn’t let him say anything bad about Israel.

King Balak sent his messengers up to get Balaam and bring him down to where he was. Balak was willing to send his men over 400 miles one way and then also pay Balaam a good amount for the curse, because he knew it worked. This is the message he sent to Balaam, “Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot [know] that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed” (Num.22:6).

We can see from this verse many things about curses. First we see that curses are directed not toward weak people, but against “mighty” ones. Next we see that the purpose of the curse is to “smite” them. This word “smite” in the Hebrew is a powerful word and has many synonyms including: “to strike home, strike deep, to wound or kill. It means to “beat, to overpower, overcome, crush, stop, ruin, plunder, suppress, lay waste, attack and destroy.” This word “smite” also refers to being smitten like a plant is smitten when it begins to wither.

King Balak believed that just the words of Balaam in a curse (with the attached devil spirits to go with it) would “drive them [the Israelites] out of the land.” The word “drive” in the Hebrew implies violence, power, anger and hatred. It means to expel or cast out, like mire is cast up by the sea. It carries with it the idea of shame and disgrace. It is a sentence of banishment.

Even today, when negative words and phrases have been spoken against us by people who believe in what they are saying, the same motivation and intent is behind it.

The Lord says we are His people. We are mighty in His sight. If you ever feel like you are on the right path with the Lord and you are being beaten at every turn or stopped or any of the other definitions of what it means to be smitten, then it just may be that a curse has been spoken against you.

Yes, there are groups of Satan worshipers that get together in our villages, cities and suburbs for the exact purpose of speaking curses against God’s children. But often it’s much subtler.

Curses can come in the answer to the simple question, “How’s so and so doing?” Answers like, “Oh she always has problems with her finances.” “He can’t seem to make a marriage work.” “She is sick all the time.”

But what’s sometimes more insidious than what other people say about us, are the curses we speak over ourselves, “My father died of a heart attack, it’ll probably get me too.” “I probably won’t ever get a better job.” When we say things like that, they can keep us in a state of being cursed, smitten, withered, or even violently spewed out of our own promised lands.

BUT THERE IS AN ANTIDOTE. On Balak’s second try to get Balaam to come and curse God’s people, Balaam did go. King Balak took Balaam up to the mountain top where he had a good view of the Israelites, but when it came to time to speak the curses, Balaam opened his mouth and blessing words came out! After three tries from three different viewpoints, Balak was furious because Balaam could only speak what the Almighty God gave him, and that was words of blessing over the Israelites. Finally, on the last try, an amazing thing happened:

Balaam not only did not curse the Israelites, but he prophesied the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the one who would cut down and annihilate every possible curse ever! “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star shall come forth from [the descendants of] Jacob. A scepter shall rise out of [the descendants of] Israel and shall smite [remember the definition of “smite”] the princes of Moab and destroy all the sons of Sheth. And Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city” (Num. 22: 17-19).

Balaam says this is a parable. It is really a prophetic speaking, talking about how Jesus, the King of Kings, will come rise up out of Israel and “smite” the princes (devil spirits that instigate the curses) of Moab and Jesus shall have dominion and destroy any and all curses that remain to this very day. And that “day” includes the present day, 2016!

Galatians 3:13 tells us the truth about curses: “Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us.” All the things spoken against us, including the things we have recently said about ourselves are wiped away when we believe what Jesus has done for us, not only in the spirit, but in our hearts, our minds, our emotions, our decisions and our bodies.

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 lists curses of the Law of Moses. In the King James Version it says God brings them, but actually God only allows them if people aren’t able to accept redemption from them, or maybe don’t know that they can be free or know how to get there.

That’s why we have to get more of Jesus, and less of us, less of our intellect and reasoning, and more simple believing and receiving. I am right there with you on this.

Among the curses and their effects in Deuteronomy 28, are:

Vs. 20 – despair, confusion and rebuke in every enterprise you try to do

Vs. 22 – consumption (emaciation, anorexia perhaps?), fever, inflammation

Vs. 27 – tumors

Vs. 28 – insanity, blindness

Vs. 29 – oppression, not prospering, being robbed

Vs. 30 – adultery, failure in business

Vs. 32 – sons and daughters turning away

Vs. 35 – problems with knees and legs

Vs. 61 – every sickness and every disease

If we take a look at some of these verses and see those things in ourselves, we’ve probably been cursed by words from our own mouths, words from others in our lives, or even curses that have come down into our lives through our ancestors, down into our blood and even physical makeup.

We rebuke those curses in the name of Jesus Christ. We call on the King of Kings to crush the powerful spirits who backed King Balak, and we accept new freedom and release as we both meekly and boldly follow the leading of Jesus Christ, the curse breaker, to our victory in Him.

Love, Carolyn

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BLESSED ARE THE FLEXIBLE

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about movement in the aspect of staying mentally flexible. Jane does my promotional work and I call her a river; every time Facebook blocks her from going one way, she believes for the Lord to show her a different way around. Our “dance with disappointment” is brief. We believe, “God will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). He always does.

We weren’t going to give up on reaching people with my writing, but we knew we had to yield to the Holy Spirit, and be open to going in a divergent direction if necessary.

When we feel that we’re on the right track and it’s God’s will, nothing can stop us, but we may have to be a little flexible in our ideas about how it happens. We can’t be making all kinds of our own rules about how we think things should be done. We need to open our hearts to God and let Him direct our steps.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” In other words, we can get to know what’s really in our hearts, what we truly want, but only the Lord can help us get there. If we try to direct our own ways, without asking for the Lord’s guidance, it’s not going to work out as well. The Lord knows the end from the beginning and we don’t. Jesus Christ is the leader; we follow. He is very concerned about each individual’s path.

When we make too many rules for ourselves, we can become too brittle and even break. When something new comes up, we halt and get mad or scared or both. We get even more determined to defend our rigid beliefs, instead of being willing to look at something in a new way. Instead of staying tender-hearted toward God, we get hard hearted and refuse to budge.

That’s what happened to the Pharisees. They knew it was God’s will to heal people but they also knew that The Law of Moses said they weren’t supposed to do any work on the Sabbath. They became overbearingly inflexible about not working on the Sabbath, to the point that when Jesus gave them a new way, and went to heal a man on the Sabbath, they couldn’t take it. They were not going to be flexible about their rules, even when it came to someone who desperately needed help. They wouldn’t even listen to Jesus.

“And he [Jesus] entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.  And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.  And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness [blindness] of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.  But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea” (Mark 3:1-7).

I know none of us would want to be as rigid and ridiculous as the Pharisees. We don’t want to lose sight of the bigger picture. When obstacles come up against the traditions and rules we’ve set up, we want to let the Holy Spirit take us around some new bends in the stream and teach us some new things. It may be more thrilling and more satisfying than we ever imagined.

Let’s keep our hearts tender and flexible, open to Lord’s leading, even if it means going in a slightly different direction as the Lord opens new doors.

One very exciting scripture is Isaiah 48: 6 “I have shown thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.”

Let’s keep moving forward. Let’s be willing to be flexible. Don’t stop.

Love, Carolyn

If you’d like a pdf file of one of my sample books, let me know cjmolica@hotmail.com

DO YOU EVER GET IMPATIENT WITH GOD?

One day about a month ago I got a letter in the mail from the insurance company, saying they weren’t going to insure my house anymore because of the roof. As you can imagine, I was horrified. I prayed, but as the weeks passed and there was one delay after another, I got impatient with the Lord.

My “Imp”-patience let the imps into my situation and messed with my head. I was very bothered by this whole thing and worried that the insurance company was going to drop me. I let my mind get all wrapped up around this thing and I had lost my trust in the Lord, until one morning.

I was reading 2 Timothy 2:26 that says, “They may recover [awake] themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will,” and I said, “That’s me! I need to wake up!” I realized that after I’d prayed about the roof situation, I let circumstances of delay get in the way and I took the problem back on myself.

Instantly I got the picture in my mind of a little girl who had been horribly abused. She didn’t have the means to fight back. She was scared and had no idea what to do. Jesus took her hand and gently led her to safety, and away from the trauma. She went with Him. She knew to trust Him.

In that moment I knew to trust Him entirely too. I let go of all my consternation. I believed in the depth of my heart that even if they dropped my insurance, it would still work out the best for me somehow. I was able to release all my worry.

I was able to patiently wait and only do what the Lord Jesus told me to do and I was amazingly worry-free. Finally, my local insurance lady called me to tell me she could see on the computer that they were going to renew my insurance.

Once I released my anxiety and impatience about the insurance, to the Lord, the devil tried to throw several smaller worry “hooks” my way. But I wasn’t biting.

Now I pray, stay calm and patiently wait on the Lord and I trust Him because I believe He really does love me.

One time Daniel in the Bible was waiting for an answer to prayer and he was getting anxious like we do sometimes. When the answer came, the angel who happened to be bringing the answer, told Daniel that he had been delayed because of some very strong devil spirit in the area of Persia, “but Michael, one of the chief [of the celestial] princes, came to help me” (Dan. 10:13).

Did you ever think about the fact that the good angels bringing our answers can get delayed in battles with evil spirits who don’t want us to get our deliverance, or our healing or whatever it is that we are praying for? That’s another great reason to have a little patience.

Anxiety only makes bad things happen to our minds, our emotions, and our bodies as well. I’ve recently added Philippians 4:6-7 to the verses I say in the morning: “Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The Amplified Bible has an extended translation of these verses that is pretty awesome:

“Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].”

Lazarus’ sisters got very anxious and disturbed when Jesus didn’t come immediately to answer their prayers about their brother. Not only did Jesus not come right away, but in those days of waiting, Lazarus died. But Jesus was not being lax. He was just doing as His Father God was showing Him to do.

Sometimes Jesus doesn’t seem to show up to give us our answers either, but it doesn’t mean He’s not concerned. We still need to trust Him. When Jesus did come, not only did Lazarus come alive again, but it was a spectacular witness to some of the unbelieving Jews that were there. “He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’ Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him” (John 11:44-45).

I think that a lot of times the Lord just wants us to slow down our own bravado and let Him work. When we slow down our own works, he shows us His marvelous works, which also to build our trust in Him even more.

I love the record of Jehoshaphat in Second Chronicles 20. Jehoshaphat was about to be attacked by three nations at once. He prayed, “O our God, we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee (vs. 12). The word from God was, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you” (vs.17). Verse 22 tells us the people began to sing and praise, because they honestly trusted it would work out. We definitely need to do that more: sing and praise before we see the final result, just because we totally put our trust in HIM.

God worked an amazing miracle. The three nations began to fight each other, “And when Judah came toward the watchtower, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth and none escaped” (vs.24). Not only was there no threat anymore, but for some reason the enemy brought lots of rich treasure with them to the battle and guess who got the treasures? That’s right, God’s people who trusted Him.

Let’s not get impatient, but be more like those who sing and praise even before the results are final, because we totally obey and trust the Lord.

Love, Carolyn

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