Modern day Josephs in lean years ahead...

 

Modern Day Josephs in Lean Years Ahead

Mary Ann Wray

While Joseph was in Potiphar’s house God gave him a word of wisdom for Pharaoh after he interpreted his dream. The word of wisdom was that pharaoh was to take 1/5 of everything that was gathered during the seven years of plenty and store it up for the seven lean years ahead. In other words, during the time of plenteous seven years that was prophesied, they were to take 1/5 of the harvest and store it up for the coming seven lean years so that no one would go hungry or starve to death. Thankfully Pharaoh heeded Joseph’s words.

 

With all the words being released today about America and her future, where are the words of wisdom for the church to know what to do in the lean days ahead? I believe the church is going to have to shift the emphasis from giving to only build the local church to a wider harvest. Shouldn't we be just as concerned about giving without receiving anything in return in order to help feed the poor and the hungry and taking care of the widow? 

 

What about visiting those in prison and the sick? Didn't Jesus teach that when He returns to Judge the Earth there will be those who asked, "Lord, when did we see you sick, poor or in jail?" He said, "When you've done it to the least of these, you've done it to me." If our vision for church growth lacks seeing the less fortunate including "our own", our vision is incomplete. The Heart of Jesus sees EVERYONE as valuable to His Kingdom!

  

 His 'storehouse' includes giving to other non-believers as well. There was no spiritual checklist to go by when Jesus fed the multitude at the Sermon on the Mount. He told His disciples to distribute what He had miraculously multiplied through an unknown boy's lunch.

 

It may very well come to the place in our own country where we Christians might have to to start selling some things in order to eat and help others out. Would we be willing to do that? If we don’t do help now why would we do it later? God will always make a way for us but are we listening and paying attention to what we see Him do in the scriptures? And are we willing to follow that pattern rather than go along our merry way preaching and prophesying this and that but not doing anything practically to reach out to the lost and to prepare for the days ahead?

 

The church is not to be a mere referral agency sending the needy to food banks & other government agencies for help. Thank God for them but aren't we called to be the hands, feet and heart of Jesus who told his disciples that we would always have the poor with us and to be mindful of them? I just see this issue as a big concern to the Father. Government agencies are going to fail. Shut downs are already happening. America is experiencing some lean years. If this is happening now no doubt future years are going to be leaner. What is the church called to do?

 
Where are the Joseph’s of our day that have words of wisdom for our spiritual leaders (who will listen) to know what to do in the times ahead? In order to advance God‘s Kingdom which is about souls requires action not just talk. Do we understand that building for God goes beyond our building walls? The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of others! Feeding his lambs and feeding his sheep requires natural as well as spiritual food.

 

Jesus is not going to allow his church to be wiped out. The gates of Hell will not prevail against her but He is not going to allow the poor to go with out at the expense of unchecked lavish lifestyles and selfishness either. James, Jesus half brother, said that pure religion undefiled is to visit the widow and orphan in their affliction. Thank the Lord for secular organizations and para-church ministries that feed the hungry, cloth the naked and offer assistance to the homeless. But we need more.I see so many denominational churches including the Catholic Church, doing outreaches for the poor, and the afflicted, and taking care of the less fortunate while some non-denominational including Charismatic churches seem to be so engrossed in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and worship Services that they forget some important commands of the Lord.  

 

Some, not all of these types of churches seem to have forgotten the words of Jesus and the fact that we are the salt and the light. Salt is a preservative and without it the things decay and have no flavor.If we’re going to be religious about anything, we should be religious about taking care of the poor and the widows. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for being so legalistic about the tithe yet they forgot the weightier matters of the law such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They had lost sight of the widow, the orphan, and the poor. This irked Jesus to no end.What if churches took 10% of their treasuries and set it aside as a tithe for the poor? I wonder what would happen and what kind of increase, harvest, and growth we would experience in our churches then?

Proverb 19: 18 says that he who gives to the poor, lends to God and he will repay him again

Selah

Walls have Ears

Note by Mom (Mary Ann Wray)

 I found this hand written poem (please see below) in our son's personal journal the DAY AFTER I arranged some of his belongings on a shelf against a large wall in the finished basement of our home. At the time we lived in Pickerington, Ohio. I had been going through a box of his belongings that Bob retrieved from the trunk of his wrecked car. He had just passed away in a car accident a few weeks before. From the looks of his handwriting he must have written it more recently than many of his other writings.

  I emptied everything I had on this shelf and replaced them with some of Sam's personal belongings from infancy through adulthood. There was “one empty hallow space” that remained unfilled on this shelf at the time he referenced it in the reading of his poem. I was in shock an awe as I read it. Bob and I then placed the framed American flag that draped his casket in this special spot-the middle of the top shelf.

  The other American Flag pictured on the bottom shelf, was Bob’s Dad’s who served in the Army in WW II. It was already on the shelf. I believe the timing of this discover was ironic and prophetic.

  The lesson in all of this is that tomorrow is promised to no one. Sam knew Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior from a very young age and loved the Lord. His life wasn't perfect, none of our is, but he knew where he was going to spend eternity. Do you? 

Read the Gospel of John 3 to learn how if you're not sure. You don't want to gamble with eternity. We all will face it one day! 

Memories on the Wall

by Samuel Paul Wray

The walls I see do have ears
They come in frames, frames that hold captive, stories that can only be relived
With a child like imagination
There is a shelf on which past possessions lie
They speak of where I have been, where I have gone, remind me of what I have done.
There is an empty hollow space on this shelf yet to be filled
I now ask myself, "what" will I put in this hollow space?
Will I regret what may fill this space?
In the end I'll know it was my choice.
In dead silence, no one around, alone alas.
I ponder what my future may hold, the possibilities it can possess.
I try to imagine everything is over and the shelf is full.
As I sit dreaming of the days of old, will I feel satisfied?
Did I get what I wanted out of all of it?
Did I seize every moment, accomplish my goals?
Did I make enough goals or none hard enough?
In my dream of daylight pondering I see myself content with my shelf.
There is a smile on my face, accompanied by a small tear
For the days in which I was not so graceful in my step.
The walls I see do have ears, and as I tell them where I have been,
What I have done, and of the things yet to come,
I want them to speak of a legacy of a life worth living
And not just to be Memories on the Wall.

Jesus Reveals to Heal

                                   "He who the Son sets FREE is FREE indeed!" John 8: 36

After a series of extremely disappointing and unfortunate events at a church/ ministry we were part of and in leadership for a number of years, the Lord took me through a deep process of deprogramming from wrong teachings, repentance and healing.  He's still healing and dealing with me and will until He takes me home. It's a never ending process called sanctification.

It has been tough, but WONDERFUL at the same time. In this process He revealed areas of pride and self-seeking that were painful but necessary. He showed me how He used betrayal to bring me to a place of greater dependency on Him. As a result, a door of intimacy with the Holy Spirit was opened to where He continue a work of sanctification in my heart. You see, it doesn't matter how 'busy' we are for the Lord. He doesn't count up our good works as brownie points. It's a matter of heart motivation and obedience. That is what God is after.

After it's all said and done, I really appreciate small groups, conferences and workbooks for getting knowledge and some level of freedom etc., BUT there is no TEACHER better than the Holy Spirit. God is much more patient with us than ourselves and other people. There is NO QUICK FIX in the Kingdom of God regarding the heart of man. Yes, I believe in miracles and they happen, but I have come to realize that when it comes to our mind, will and emotions, God is very patient and kind. There is always tension between us and Holy Spirit's conviction to change. Everything in God's Kingdom happens from the inside out. It begins with thoughts, our heart motivations which in turn trigger our actions.

John the Revelator said in 1 John 2: 27 "And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.”

God has taught me through this process that in order get free in certain areas that have tripped you up for many years, it is a PROCESS that only Holy Spirit can guide you through-yes with some outside help at times, but He brings you to it to bring you through it. He is a our comforter, advocate, Paraclete, teacher and guide! He does for us what NO MAN can do for us. He REVEALS things we want to CONCEAL in order to HEAL us!

The more you study the Word of God for YOURSELF the more Holy Spirit can convict  you in areas where you need to change i.e., need more fruit of the spirit, wisdom, love and where you may have depended upon yourself and man much more than God! It's a WONDERFUL thing getting free from self-help, man's opinions, affirmation from others, approval of man, along with others’ views and judgments of you (step by step)!

Man looks on the outward appearance but God sees our hearts: the good, the bad and the ugly. What's so glorious about it is that He convicts us WITHOUT CONDEMNATION. Holy Spirit shows us things in such a way that you really WANT to work out your weaknesses, sins and flaws. Better yet, He gives you the grace to change and when/ if you slip up He's always there to dust you off and encourage you to keep on keeping on! Tomorrow is another day! There is always tension and struggle between our soul and Spirit man, but when you YIELD you can HEAL! There is NO SHAME in healing!

Preaching & teaching isn't designed to take the place of Holy Spirit. The Word of God is a mirror. If preachers/ teachers minister the pure Word of God in context void of their personal opinions and biases, then Holy Spirit can use anointed messages to reflect His truth into our hearts through conviction rather than man's judgment. Once a preacher, prophet or teacher steps over the boundary from messenger to a harsh judge and critic of others, they are treading on thin ice with God for beating the sheep and position themselves for the same judgment too. "The measure you mete will be meted back to you."

God didn't call us to be a wrecking balls in people's lives. "Man's religious systems" need to be wrecked so GOD can do what only HE can do! We ALL need to walk in HUMILITY. HE is GOD and we're NOT!

What ifs...

 Originally from November 20, 2020

What if?

 These "What if" thoughts came to me while finishing dinner tonight...

 Maybe God was trying to show me something. I don't know, but I believe we will certainly find out in His time. While some declare certain victory of their political candidate and others are still theorizing and prognosticating over what will take place, bitter words and divisiveness is being sown around daily like wild seeds.

Meanwhile, I think the Father sits back on His throne shaking His head and even chuckling at our human efforts to make things right and/ or figure out the way things ought to be....

Scripture says that "God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways our higher than our ways!"

 Here are some thoughts that came to me this evening.... I don't claim they were necessarily from God-maybe so, maybe not. On the other hand, these ideas are definitely not comfortable to my way of life!

Here goes....

What if the election doesn't turn out the way prophets and political pundits are predicting?

 What if your favorite candidate doesn't win after all the dust settles?

What if your favorite candidate does win and things don't turn out the way you hoped for our nation, world, economy and your idea of "The Great American Dream?"

What if the country keeps going south and things get worse for all of us, especially Christians who believe in the infallibility of Scripture and may lose the right to freely worship the way we want? What if, what if, what if????

Then what?

While these 'what if's' were coursing through my mind, it occurred me that when Jesus showed up as Messiah over two thousand years ago, the Jews were really looking for a King that would change the political climate of Israel and save them from Roman oppression. Instead they got a God man that healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, preached repentance and forgave people of their sins. Meanwhile, they continued to suffer great persecution while the Gospel spread like fire throughout the known world of their day. Since when can man stop a move of God? Is He not Almighty?

Jesus came as a King of a different sort and it upset the culture of their day, politically and most of all spiritually. It resulted in a move of God that has continued to this day to one degree or another. History repeats itself.

Could it be that God is going to allow our nation to suffer more trouble as never before in order to usher in the greatest revival and outpouring of His spirit that we've seen since the day of Pentecost?

 Could it be that the Lord is grieved over Christians looking to a political answer for a spiritual problem and He's not pleased?

 Could it be that what He wants to do in His Church and in the earth has absolutely nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the human heart and our relationship with Our Creator that is being disrupted through our idolizing ideologies, man, prosperity, and earthly pleasures? Could it be that we are elevating all of the above higher than our Worship and love for Jesus? If so, is this not a form of idolatry?

Could it be that God has something planned for us that is far above our human intellect and reasoning?

Could it be that God is going to allow His Church and our nation to suffer great disappointment politically and socially even more, in order to get our full attention spiritually and cause our hearts to turn to Him like never before?

Like I said, these are thoughts that came to me at dinner today while mulling over yet another theory about the current election and how certain prophets are standing their ground while others are celebrating a certain victory for their candidate of choice.

Could it be that we are looking to man rather than Jesus Himself for the answers to questions in our hearts, minds and social ills and God is weary of it? Could it be that God is after inward change that will result in a world wide impact that only His Spirit can bring?

Didn't Jesus say that the Greatest Commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and the second is likened to it that we would love our neighbor as ourselves? How is this even possible apart from His Holy Spirit?

 Since when is a Spiritual awakening and revival dependent upon a political outcome?

Selah...

Paper Lies versus the Law of Love

Paper Lies and the Law of Love

Mary Ann Wray

I  had a dream a while back where I was at a church listening to a sermon, when all of a sudden, little yellow pieces of paper (similar to post it notes) with legs began running out of the church towards the foyer door then out of the building.

As the little papers with feet ran out of the building, people were being set free from bondages and the place was emptied out as the Holy Spirit washed over God’s flock with the word of the Lord. I asked the Lord what these pieces of paper were and He said, “Lies”. 

You see, when God’s word is declared, that is free of ad-mixture, people can get liberated. The lies of the enemy, are like post-it notes.  They stick to our thinking and declare and decree things over us and to us that are untrue. They are half truths about God, ourselves and others. These “paper lies” seek to rule and dominate our thinking frustrating the flow of God’s grace and power to us and through us. Once a lie in thought form is conceived it births sin (hamartia-missing the mark). Sin births pain, separation from God, confusion, and displacement from God’s best while offering ‘temporary pleasure’. When sin is fully developed it results in death which is a serious wage to pay for its cheap thrills.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, yanks these paper lies from our thoughts! When lies get exposed and dislodged from our thinking we begin to live again in those areas where the enemy held us captive! Jesus house (you and me) gets cleansed and emptied out - free from Satan’s dominion and the result is freedom from fear and bondage by the truth! Jesus said as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.

The biggest battle ground is the mind and the enemy of our souls knows this. Therefore, he uses lies and negative thoughts to ultimately defeat us. There’s nothing new under the sun. The same thing happened in the Garden with Eve…”Did God really mean what He said?” He adds to the Father’s Words and intentions bringing us into a place of mistrust and suspicion about His goodness.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10: 3-6

After it was all said and done, God “de-feeted” the devil when He cursed him to crawl on his belly. Satan is a ground dweller but you and I have been risen with Christ and seated with Him in Heavenly places. You’ve got to think like that: think high-not low, using the Word of God as your shield and buckler! If the enemy can keep us ‘earthly’ minded he knows we are at his level…easily defeated. Walking by faith is taking God’s Word as it is and waging war with it against the enemy of our souls…DAILY!

The lies of the enemy are the handwriting of ordinances that demons constantly accuse us and God with. If he can’t accuse us directly he will get us to depend on them for a sense of self-righteousness. The truth is, none of us can never ‘measure up’ to the laws demands. That’s why Jesus died for us! Only Jesus could fully measure up to God’s Holy and High standard because He was and is SINLESS! The good news my friends, is that the ordinances against us such as ‘touch not, taste not, handle not,” were nailed to the cross! Pride, on the other hand makes us think we’ve arrived by fulfilling some measure of righteousness on our own and have certain things figured out; whether it be life or our ministry things. Once we depend on anything other than Holy Spirit we set ourselves up for a gradual fade from God's Glory. The moment we start relying on our own good works to justify us before God in any way shape or form, we’ve fallen from the place of grace into a trap of pride, the same as Lucifer.

“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,  having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” Colossians 4: 13-15

Following ordinances, rules, laws and regulations can’t get you to heaven and keep you out of hell any more than washing a pig will convert it into a different animal. The blood of Jesus was and is enough to wash away our sins and give us the power to live free of sins’ dominion. The greatest dominion and authority you and I have my friends, is the freedom to live free of sin, its wages and Satan’s influence. When you fully accept Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for your sins He exchanges your old sinful nature with His nature of LOVE!  Jesus is THE WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. Regardless of your past, present and future, Jesus blood and grace is more than ENOUGH to give you the desire and power to live a sin free, overcoming life. When you and I truly get a revelation of that, we become a nuisance, hindrance and terrorist to the devil’s domain!

If the enemy can get you to believe his lies, he can get you to cross back over from the bridge of faith and grace into laws, regulations and doubt. As such, these lies bind you back to fear rather than the love of God. God’s perfect love casts out ALL fear. Fear has torment i.e., “Am I good enough; Does God really love me? Am I doing enough? Am I giving enough? Do I have a demon?” “Will I even make it to Heaven?” “I am rejected and not good enough.” etc etc etc. The enemy captures you in a ‘lie’ that keeps you in doubt and out of God’s light and love.

Jesus said, “You will KNOW the TRUTH and the TRUTH will make you FREE.” The current church wrestles with the same kinds of ordinances against us that the early church did. There were Judiazers and those who tried to add the law back into salvation rather than depend on grace through faith. Grace is not a one-time event nor a Card Blanc’ to live carelessly. Grace’s influence upon the soul makes you careful so as not to offend God or man through recklessness. Carelessness is not in your spiritual vocabulary. Before Christ you didn’t care who you offended, what you did, what you said or what you did. Grace is God’s power to change day by day and live the life out loud that Christ died to give us. The early church apostles opposed the ad-mixture of law and grace vehemently. There were only four ordinances the early church was admonished to follow after salvation. They were/ are: 1. do not eat meat that has been from a strangled animal; 2. do not drink blood; 3. do not eat meat offered to idols and 4. Abstain from fornication (See Acts 15: 29; Acts 21: 25; 1 Corinthians 8). That’s it!

Any other rule or regulation imposed by religion is not included in these ordinances mentioned and only bring men back into the bondage of fear rather than faith that works by love. There are still religious leaders who want to build a system of man-made security rather than getting people to fully rely on Jesus, The Holy Spirit and God’s grace. As such, they seek control and keep church revenue for their “businesses”. When we value people based on what they can give us and or contribute to the ministry rather than whose they are and meeting them where they are as Jesus did, we are in business not ministry. If we would exert as much energy preaching Jesus crucified, risen from the dead and teaching people to seek and walk in the Power of the Spirit as the disciples did, we’d turn our communities upside down-but with persecutions of course! How can I make such a bold statement? Just read the book of Acts and see how it’s done.

As New Testament believers, we are to be filled and led by the Sprit. He said He would write His commandments on our hearts. That’s the work of the inward witness of the Spirit living on the inside of us. That is the wonderful privilege of sonship (John 1: 12).  If ever we needed teaching about anything these days, it is learning what it means to be a son of God rather than a slave to fear and to learn how hear His voice  while being controlled by the Spirit! That would get a lot of pastors off the hook with dealing with the same sin issues over and over again with people while trying to counsel demons out of them. I’m not saying counsel and deliverance from demons isn’t needed but we do way too much talking when we should be praying and fasting first to get the mind and heart of the Spirit in the matter. When ministry becomes 'automatic' it becomes dogmatic. Why not point people to the wonderful counselor and teach them who they are in Christ, bless them in prayer and trust Holy Spirit to do the rest? Can I get an Amen?

It’s exhausting work ruling over people with a lot of talk and regulations. All it does is lead to strife, debate and divisions. Look what it did to the Pharisees. We are to lead by example, preaching/ teaching the Word of the Lord and a deep prayer life. Miracles follow! Paul told Timothy:

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,  and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.  But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

The best safeguard against false doctrine is to preach and teach the truth. Bashing other ministers and ministries only leads to negativity. Jesus said, “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me!” When you teach and know the truth you can begin to recognize the counterfeit. Best yet, teach and live in a way that will develop more of a hunger for more truth and revelation! It’s contagious! Have you sat under good teaching and revelation that made you want to go home and search it out and get even more from Holy Spirit as you did that? That’s what a delicious satisfying steak will do for you. You will only crave more!

Jesus didn’t die to control us. We have a free will and wants us to desire and delight to follow Him. He died to set you free so that through the knowledge and revelation of His love you will want to love Him and others in return. Freely you have received; so freely you will give! The greatest commandment is LOVE!

The Pharisees saw Jesus was a revolutionary reformer and as such very subversive to their current religious system. So one of their attorney’s asked him a question one day as if to trap Him:  “Master what is the greatest commandment?” (see Matthew 22: 37). Without blinking an eye, Jesus quoted the very commandment out of Deuteronomy Chapter 6 they were accustomed to hearing. The first portion of the prayer Jesus omitted is referred to as the “Shema”; “Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” This was and is a prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. It seems the religious scribes, lawyers and Pharisees, left off the very important second part of this decree that Jesus quoted in context. It was the part about loving God with your whole heart! Perhaps the law of ‘love’ had become obscured to them through all of their 613 ‘fence laws.’ Fences keep people off your property and make it difficult, if not impossible to enter.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6: 4-9

Jesus tore down the wall of partition that kept men out of His presence and opened the way for you and me to come boldly before Him to find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4: 16)! In Luke 10: 27, Luke added a bit more insight to this account between Jesus and another law maker who must have overheard His verbal exchange recorded in Matthew: