Last Blog

THERE WILL BE NO MORE CHRISTIAN MESSAGES ON THIS BLOG,

DUE TO MEDICAL REASON. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU THAT ENJOYED

READING THEM AND SAYING SO. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR

FAMILY. LOVE AND PRAYERS FOR ALL OF YOU!

FROM EXILE TO EVERLASTING!

Hebrews 11:1-2, 9-10, 13-22  (KJV)

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

² For by it the elders obtained a good report.

⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

¹⁴ For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

¹⁸ Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

¹⁹ Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

Seeking and Desiring Another Country

In verse 14 the sojourners-are seeking another country. There is the key word “seeking.” A sojourner living by faith in God’s promises is “seeking” another country. He is not settling in here. He is sitting loose to things, and is unwilling to be conformed to this age.

In verse 15,  if the country the patriarchs were seeking were on the earth and obtainable by human means, they would have gone after it. But they didn’t. They lived in tents (verse 9), and refused to go back to Ur of the Chaldees. So he says, “If they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.” BUT THEY DIDN’T.  WHY NOT?   Verse 16 gives the answer, and here we meet that other great word, “desire.” Verse 16: “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one.”

The life of faith “seeks” a “country of its own” (verse 14) and “desires” a better country – a heavenly one (verse 16). He is not focusing here on the outward acts of faith, but the inward desires of faith. Faith considers this world and what it offers, then faith considers the promises of God what they offer – and faith “desires” the one over the other. Faith “seeks” another country. It sees the promise from afar, is stunned by it and greets it and begins to confess that to being a stranger and sojourner here.

Faith sees the promised future that God offers – some now, mostly later – and “desires” it. Dwell on this for a moment. There are many people who water down what saving faith is by making it a mere decision with no change of what one “desires” and “seeks.” But the point  is that living and dying by faith means having new desires and seeking new satisfactions. Verse 14: they were seeking a different kind of country than this world offered. Verse 16: they were desiring something better than what earthly existence, as we know it, could offer. They had been so gripped by God that nothing short of heaven – or what heaven could make out of earth by God’s presence on it – would satisfy.

What is faith? It is seeing the promises of God from afar and experiencing a change of values so that you desire the promises above what the world has to offer. It is a glad greeting of those promises from a distance and a heart- seeking  to know them and cherish them and be satisfied by them so that a new kind of life emerges that is out of sync with the world……. a life that builds an ark in the desert and leaves the securities of home or lifts a knife over your most treasured earthly possession.

Now I close by applying this to your life. For many of you right now – and for others of you the time is coming – obedience feels like the end of a dream. You feel that if you do what the word of God or the Spirit of God is calling you to do, it will make you miserable and that there is no way that God could turn it all for good.

Perhaps the command or call of God you hear just now is to stay married or stay single, to stay in that job or leave that job, to get baptized, to speak up at work about Christ, to refuse to compromise your standards of honesty, to confront a person in sin, to venture a new vocation, to be a missionary. And as you see it in your limited mind, the prospect of doing this is terrible – it’s like the loss of Isaac. You have considered every human angle, and it is impossible that it could turn out well.

Now you know what it was like for Abraham. This story is in the Bible for you. It is in this message for you. It is at the end of the message so that you will not easily be able to walk away from it. Do you desire God and his way and his promises more than anything, and do you believe that he can and will honor your faith and obedience by being unashamed to call himself your God, and to use all his wisdom and power and love to turn the path of obedience into the path of life and joy?

That is the crisis you face now: Do you desire him? Will you trust him? Will you seek to do His will, by breaking your will, to do His?  The word of God to you is: God is worthy and God is able.

LOOK UP, FOR JESUS IS COMING AT A MOMENT WHEN YOU THINK NOT!     BE READY!

God bless you and your day!

Love and prayers!

Your Sister in Jesus Christ, Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons

MOMMY, I’M AFRAID!

As a child I was afraid of the dark, even as a teenager. We lived up a holler, a dirt road off the main road. Sometimes we would have no electicity, because my dad got hurt in the mines and we couldn’t pay the bill. We used kerosene lamps until we run out of kerosene, then we would use candles. We would be sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast, in the early hours of the morning, with only a candle to eat by. If someone opened the kitchen door, then the light on the candle would blow and sometimes go out. I had some rowdy brothers who loved to cause it to go out. They knew it would scare the sisters, especially me. I would say, “Mommy, I’m afraid, make them quit.

One night we had a huge electrical storm, lightning and thundering, with downpours of rain. Everyone had gone to bed. Well, we only had an outhouse, no inside plumbing facilities, that is when we were all younger.

I needed to go and the only light to see outside was to light a match. Knowing that the match would go out in the rain, I waited till I got inside the outhouse to light the match. Naturally, I was afraid. I got up told my mom what I needed to do, she said, “Now go on Nella, nothing’s going to hurt you.” I started crying and said, “Mommy, I’m afraid.” But guess what? I had to go by myself, anyway.

I ran to the outhouse. By the time I got there, I was soaking wet, even the box of matches. You know when it’s dark, you can imagine all kinds of things are around you. I finally managed to light the match. THE LIGHT THAT SHONE IN THE DARKNESS WAS SO GOOD!

Today, we live in the country and we have quite a few electric outages in the winter. I still don’t like the dark. I feel like I cant breathe when it’s pitch black. BUT AFTER I FOUND JESUS, DARKNESS DOESN’T OVERWHELM ME ANY MORE! There is not enough darkness in all the world to put out the light of even one candle, WHEN I FEEL OVERWHELMED BY PRESSURES OF LIFE, AND I FEEL THE DARKNESS OF THE DEVIL IS HOVERING, I CALL OUT TO JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

Darkness and light do not mix. We as Christians have the light of God, we shine in the darkness. NO CANDLE LOSES ANY OF ITS LIGHT, WHEN IT LIGHTS ONE ANOTHER. I love the light and the light of the Lord. I hate darkness, where the devil dwells. Satan hovers in the darkness, in the shadows, he hates light, BECAUSE HE HATES JESUS AND HE HATES YOU, IF YOU HAVE THE LIGHT OF JESUS IN YOU!

Please come to the Lord today, give him your life, before the devil takes you so far into darkness that you are lost forever. Come into His marvelous light, JESUS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD! Unless we serve God, we are living in darkness. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

HE IS COMING SOON, BE READY!

God bless you and your day!

Love, prayers and blessings to all!

Your Sister in Jesus Christ, Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons

God Bless America, Land That I Love!

The song says, “God bless America, land that I love…” And I’m convinced that God has blessed America. But the Bible teaches that to whom much is given, much is expected. If so, then God must expect a lot from America.

I. AMERICA‘S PAST

Let’s think back this morning about America’s past?

History tells us that in 1620 a group of Christians, who called themselves Pilgrims, made their way from England across the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of this land. They had received permission to settle in the northern part of the region known as Virginia to establish a colony & erect a church that they hoped would be free & independent of the Church of England.

But late fall winds battered their little boat, pushing them northward. And when they finally sighted land it was at a place we now call Cape Cod, Mass. The date was Nov. 21. They didn’t want to land there because it was a cold & forbidding wilderness.

So they debated for a while. “Should we try to get to Virginia, or just go ahead & settle here?” Finally, they decided that their little boat would probably not make it to Virginia. So they came ashore at a place that we know as Plymouth Rock.

But before they did, they wrote what is known today as “The Mayflower Compact.” It began with these words: “In the name of God…, we whose names are underwritten… Having undertaken, for the glory of God, & advancement of the Christian faith…, a voyage to plant a first colony in the northern part of Virginia, do… solemnly & mutually in the presence of God, & one of another, covenant, & combine ourselves together…”

Did you hear what they were saying? “We have come here in the name of God.” “We have come here to glorify God.” “We have come here to advance the Christian faith.” They were saying, “We are unashamedly Christians, & we search for a place where we can worship God the way we feel the Bible teaches us to worship Him.”

ILL. Someone has said, “The difference between North & South America is that the Spaniards went to South America in search of gold, but the Pilgrims & Puritans came to North America in search of God.” There is enough truth in that to explain some of the differences in the history & development of our two continents.

The earliest foundations of this new land were spiritual foundations. We are a nation built upon faith in, & commitment to, God.

II. AMERICA’S PRESENT

A. Secondly, think about America’s present. Are you proud to be an American? I am. I still get chills when I sing the “Star Spangled Banner.” I still get tears in my eyes when I say the Pledge of Allegiance. I love this country, & I’m proud to be an American.

There are so many things you can do in this land that you can’t do anywhere else in all the world.

B. There are many wonderful things about our country that we could mention this morning, but I’m concerned about America.

Listen to this warning found in 2 Chronicles 7:19-22. God is speaking to Solomon & to the people of Israel. He says,

“But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. 21And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.”

The Bible very clearly teaches that if we love God & obey Him, then He will bless us. But this passage teaches that if we forsake God, if we serve other gods & worship them, then God will remove His blessings. That’s what happened to Israel. And I think that’s what happening to us today.

Did you hear about the New York elementary school teacher who was fired from her job? It was not because she was immoral, not because she abused the children, not because she used vulgar language, but because when one of her students died tragically, grieving classmates asked the teacher, “What happens when you die?”

She answered, “I think she’s gone to heaven. But if you want to talk about this, I’ll be glad to meet with you after school is over.”

Twenty-nine of the kids met with her after school, & she told them about her faith in God & His Son, Jesus Christ. She told them she believed in heaven & that their classmate was with God now & happy for all eternity. Then she prayed with the students.

But one of the kids in her class who had not stayed after school was upset with what she had done & went to the administrators. The teacher was fired immediately, & told to clean out her desk. Before crying students she cleaned out her desk the next day & went out into the world of unemployment.

Someone has said, “You know, it’s ironic. They tell us about guns & the danger of guns. They pass out condoms & say, ‘Go home & have safe sex.’ But when we want to talk about the One who created us, we can’t talk about Him.”

We have slid a long ways down that slippery slope from where we started, haven’t we? And if we don’t stop that slide, we’ll lose everything that God has given to us.

We started down that slippery slope not 7 or 8 years ago, but 35 & 40 years ago. When our government said, “You can’t pray in school,” many of us stood by & watched with folded arms. When we were told that we could no longer read the Bible or honor God in school, we stood by & didn’t say a word.

When abortion was legalized & millions of babies were aborted, we didn’t do anything. We have been on this slippery slope for a long time.

We’re the most materially blessed people in all the world. In fact, if you’re at the poverty level in this country, you’re in the top 5% of the wealthy people of the world. God has blessed America!

III. AMERICA’S FUTURE

And finally, what about America’s future? What does God expect of America? We have already said that God expects a lot.

A. What will America be in the future? What does God really expect? You tell me. Listen to what Micah 6:8 says, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

1. First of all he says “to act justly,” which means to do what is right. God expects our country to do what is right, to do the right thing even though the wrong thing is the easiest & maybe the most pleasant thing to do. It means to take care of the poor & the elderly, to minister to the sick & the unborn, to protect them, to tell the truth.

2. Secondly, he says “to love mercy.” That means to extend mercy & forgiveness to others. We have received it ourselves. We all know that we’re the recipients of God’s mercy. We have been forgiven by Him. We have done nothing to earn our salvation. God has saved us by His grace & by His mercy.

3. Thirdly, we are “to walk humbly” with the Lord. Now that may be the most difficult of all because, you see, the natural tendency is to be proud & arrogant & overconfident.

B. One of these days God’s wrath will overflow, & God’s going to say, “I have had enough. I can’t take anymore.”

May God bless you and your family this 4th of July holiday, and may He bless America. Praying that American turns back to God before it’s too late.

Love and Prayers,

Sis. Nella Rhea (Dudley) Sammons

SFC Sharden (Rock) and Sis. Nella Sammons

E-7 Army Retired

WHEN ANXIETY AND STRESS IS GREAT WITHIN ME!

USING DESSERTS TO HELP WITH STRESS

It’s only natural that stressed-out people eat more desserts, because “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts.” If that’s true, there’s a lot of stress between Thanksgiving and New Year.

“What does the Bible say about stress?”

The dictionary defines stress as “physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.” Some stress is necessary and even good—such as the physical strain we put on our muscles in order to make them stronger. But when we talk about “stress,” we are usually referring to excessive or negative mental or emotional strain or tension. While “stress” is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, Scripture does speak to things such as anxiety, worry, and trouble—things we often associate with stress—and gives us clear answers on how we should deal with them.

Everyone suffers from stress at one time or another. How we naturally deal with it depends in large part on who we are. For some, emotional stress causes physical illness. Others might become hyper-productive. On the other hand, some people under stress shut down mentally and emotionally. And, of course, there are a variety of other responses. Stress is a common human experience, particularly in a world where the demands for our time and attention seem to be unending. Our jobs, health, family, friends, and even ministry activities can overwhelm us. The ultimate solution to stress is to surrender our lives to God and seek His wisdom regarding priorities as well as His enabling to do the things to which He calls us. He always gives enough, so we need not be defeated by stress.

One common cause of stress is financial. We stress over money because we never seem to feel that we have enough. We worry about being able to pay all our bills, many living paycheck to paycheck. Or we become consumed by materialism and, in turn, stressed-out about maintaining our lifestyle. Some become stressed over finances because they don’t trust God to provide the basic necessities of life. But Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? … And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:25, 27). It is true that we are called upon to be good stewards of money and to provide for our families, but we must never forget that God is ultimately our Provider. If we are His, we need not fear that He will abandon us. On the other hand, there are those whose financial stress is caused more by materialistic greed than it is by true need. Materialism inevitably leads to stress because, when we seek the world’s goods, we have fallen for the “deceitfulness of wealth”, the lie that such things relieve stress and lead to happiness, contentment, and joy. They do not.

No matter the type of stress in our lives, the starting point for dealing with it is Jesus Christ. Jesus offers us great encouragement in John 14:1: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” We desperately need Him in our lives. We need Him because He is the only one who can give us the strength to cope with the troubles in our lives. Believing in Him does not mean that we will have a trouble-free life or that we will not feel overcome by stress in our lives. It simply means that a life without Jesus Christ makes coping with stress an impossible and often debilitating task.

Perhaps no passage in Scripture better captures how to handle stress than Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The Lord tells us not to be anxious about anything, but rather to turn everything over to Him in prayer. Lifting our burdens and concerns to a holy and righteous God daily will mitigate or eliminate the stress in our lives. Psalm 55:22 tells us to cast all our cares on Him because He will sustain us and never fail us  (1 Peter 5:6–7). Jesus Christ offers peace if we come to Him with our worries and concerns. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

Stress of all kinds is a natural part of life.  But how we deal with it is up to us. If we choose to try to do it on our own, we will not find lasting relief. The only way we can consistently and successfully deal with stress is with Jesus Christ. First, we must believe in Him. Second, we need to trust Him and obey Him. We should trust Him to do what is right because His ways are always best for us. Disobedience and sin can produce stress and cut us off from the only means of peace and joy. By obeying His commandments we reap the blessings of true contentment from a loving God. Finally, we need to seek His peace daily by filling our minds with His Word, lifting all things to Him in prayer, and sitting at His feet in awe and reverence. It is only by His grace, mercy, and love that the stress in our lives can be managed.

LOOK UP, FOR JESUS IS COMING AT A MOMENT WHEN YOU THINK NOT!                         STAY READY!

God bless you and your day!

Love and prayers!

Your Sister in Jesus Christ,  Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons

SITTING AT THE FEET OF JESUS!

Luke 10:38-42 King James Version (KJV)

³⁸ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

⁴⁰ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

⁴² But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Jesus is asking us to do what Mary did. Come and sit at His feet. Never mind, all we think we need to do. Never mind what we think we should be doing, or what anyone else wants us to do. Come and sit at His feet. Stop all your planning, stop all your running around, stop all of your complaining, and come and sit at His feet. 

Listen to what He said about Mary: “Mary hath chosen what was good.” Jesus did not ask her to cook; Jesus did not ask her to entertain. That was what Martha wanted to do. She thought that would please Jesus the most. Mary needed something from Jesus; she needed to hear what He had to say, and she needed to sit at His feet. She needed to hear what Jesus had to say before she did anything. However, this was not all. Jesus applauded her for her wisdom. She has chosen the good part. She chose to be with Jesus, to take her part with him. She chose a better way of honoring Jesus than Martha. Mary chose to please the Lord, by receiving His word into her heart. Instead of providing for His entertainment. 

Those who choose to do what Mary did shall not only have what they choose, but shall have their choice commended in the great day. Mary’s choice will be justified, and all those who make that choice, and abide by it. Has there ever been a time when you did not ask Jesus for anything? If we are honest with ourselves, most of us will say no. 

Have you ever had a day when you wanted nothing more than to be in His presence? Just to be with Him, just to sit at His feet? Remember, when you were small, you played all day, but when the evening came you were exhausted. All you wanted to do was rest. 

Finally, you see mama sitting down on the porch; possibly shelling peas; and you wanted to sit at her feet. You try to rest your head on her lap; then mama stops shelling the peas for a moment, and begins to stroke your hair. Wasn’t that the best feeling in the world (I am reliving my childhood)? That is what Jesus is calling for now, for us to come and sit at His feet, be intimate with Him. Just be in His presence. 

He longs to hold you, and comfort you. However, He cannot, because we will not stop long enough to sit at His feet to be filled, to be restored, and to know Him in a personal way. Come, take the time now, abide in His presence, and sit at His feet.

Yes, Mary chose the good portion, and when I have a choice, quiet time with the Lord is a priority to me. But when that is not possible, I’ve learned that “sitting with Jesus” is still his desire for me, it can happen when there is no time to sit, and when there are too many voices interrupting the quiet.

The key, for me, has been fostering an attitude of discipleship in the midst of the chaos, and an eye to search out the community of believers who can help me. If my heart is teachable, if my ears are open to hear truth, I can learn from Jesus in many different ways—as can you, my friends!

WITH MY MEDICAL AND ORTHOPEDIC PROBLEMS I HAVE, I CAN NOT KNEEL, GET IN THE FLOOR AT ALL.  OH, BUT WHEN I MAKE IT TO HEAVEN AND I SIT AT THE FEET OF JESUS, THAT WILL BE THE BEST BLESSING I EVER RECEIVED!  I WILL BE WHOLE AGAIN, WITH A NEW BODY! ETERNAL REST!   PRAISE GOD FOR THAT PROMISE! ETERNITY IN HEAVEN, WOW, HOW I LONG TO BE THERE, NEAR MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST AND TO SIT AT HIS FEET!

LOOK UP, FOR JESUS IS TRULY COMING AT A MOMENT WHEN YOU THINK NOT!             BE READY!

God bless you and your day!

Love and prayers!

Your Sister in Jesus Christ,  Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons

THE DESERT PLACES!

So many episodes in the bible occur in the desert. IT IS THE DESERT that God speaks to Moses from a burning bush, and sends him off to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. IT IS THE DESERT that these Israelites spend forty years wandering, directed by a cloud during the day and by fire at night. IT IS THE DESERT that Elijah, fearing for his life, hiding inside a cave, hears God’s quiet voice.

The prophets speak often of the desert. Isaiah says that the desert will blossom, that there the chosen will find their way home. Hosea promises that in the desert God will again win his people’s loyalty, and open for them a door of hope.

And finally there’s John the Baptist, a voice heard in the desert, who calls for the Lord’s path to be prepared. Spiritual faith is born IN THE DESERT. THE DESERT IN EVERY LIFE EXISTS, AND IT APPEARS TIME AND AGAIN. THE PHYSICAL DESERT, with its apprearance of unlimited godforsaken emptiness, is a symbol of the human experience of the absence of God in our life, and the feeling of being abandoned by Him, and left all alone. THE SPIRITUAL DESERT, a desert experience is the feeling of inner emptiness that comes from being somehow cut off from the divine presence of God, where we once felt satisfaction and fulfillment.

Wherever we are, we are in the desert when we feel God’s absence, when we believe that God has abandoned us. In Luke 4:1-13, Jesus had just been baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, was tempted of the devil. The devil though he offered Jesus a deal. But Jesus could not be tempted and cannot be tempted. The devil offered cheap solutions and still does if we’ll listen. But Jesus said, “IT IS SAID, THOU SHALT NOT TEMPT THE LORD THY GOD.”

THE DESERT WHERE WE SOMETIMES FIND OURSELVES FORCES THE SAME QUESTION ON US: WILL WE BE FAITHFUL OR WILL WE NOT? Temptation comes in an attractive wrapping. OUR FIRST TEMPTATION, LIKE THAT OF JESUS, is to satisfy our hunger at any cost. What happens is we shrink to nothing more than a desire. OUR SECOND TEMPTATION is the replace God with something else. What we put at our center in the place of God can never give us satisfaction, only God can give us fulfillment. THE THIRD TEMPTATION is we turn away from God. We throw away the responsibility God give us, and demand that God do nothing but care for us. We make God meet our needs. We ignore his will for us. This temptation is the most popular one inside the Christian life.

THE DESERT FORCES A QUESTION ON JESUS! THE DESERT FORCES A QUESTION ON US! OUR ANSWER NEEDS TO BE THE SAME AS JESUS’: WE WILL NOT BE TEMPTED OF YOU DEVIL, BECAUSE WE SERVE GOD, I WILL REBUKE HIM IN JESUS NAME. Out in the desert, where God seems absent, we will seek His presence. Once again we will hear His voice. And like Isaiah said, The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing; the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Isaiah l3:1,2

IF YOU ARE IN A DESERT PLACE AND YOU FEEL THERE IS NOT HOPE, THE DEVIL HAS YOU ENTRAPPED? GO TO GOD, LET HIM STRENGTHEN YOU. BE STRONG, FEAR NOT, GOD IS WITH YOU!!!!

LISTEN TO HIS VOICE, FIND YOUR WAY BACK HOME, OUT OF THE DESERT!

GIVE THE LORD YOUR LIFE AND SERVE HIM! DON’T WAIT, IT MAY BE TO LATE!

God bless you and your day!

Love and prayers !

Your Sister in Jesus Christ, Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons

GET OUT OF MY PEA PATCH!

I WANT TO SHARE THIS ARTICLE THAT WAS IN THE CLEVELAND, TN NEWSPAPER, THE CLEVELAND DAILY BANNER YESTERDAY.

79°, FAIR

JUNE 27, 2019
CLEVELAND, TN
THE CITY WITH SPIRIT

LIFELINES

Posted Friday, February 6, 2015 8:46 am

Bettie Marlowe

A sermon I heard recently by Michael Jernigan inspired this column for today.

2 Samuel 23:11 (KJV): “And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.”

This Scripture is about a land grab. The Philistines army saw an opportunity when the men of Israel were away to swoop down and steal the harvest of the field of lentils (the pea patch). This harvest was important to the Israelites. Lentils were the mainstay of their diet. Not only did the harvest provide meals of lentils, but lentils were made into bread, also. So the Philistines were trying to take away their food supply.

But there was a man, Shammah, a Hararite, who “stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it … the Lord wrought a great victory” (2 Samuel 23:12 KJV).

How many times has the enemy encroached on your territory, which was given to you by God? How many times has Satan tried to take away the blessings of the Lord or made you doubt? When was the last time your enemy tried to intimidate you into thinking you are weak and cannot stand up to him?

But praise God, through His power, we can stand, knowing without doubt, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4 KJV). We can rejoice in the victory of Christ, who has overcome the world. (Satan, get out of my pea patch.)

Paul encouraged the Philippians (Chapter 4) when he said “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” As you read the entire chapter, you will see that Paul speaks from experience — from things he has learned. And, in Verse 13, he shares with them his personal assurance that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

Let’s look at what Paul is saying. “I can do all things through Christ,” he says, and goes on to explain that believing and depending on that wonderful truth is what gives him strength. What gives him courage is the unquestionable knowledge and assurance that “I can do all things through Christ.” His strength comes from claiming that power through faith in Christ. Can you see Paul rejoicing in the victory that comes from believing the promises of God and standing on His Word? (Old Satan, get out of my pea patch.)

God, give us the courage, faith and boldness to be like Shammah — to stand in the midst of the battle and claim victory in the Name of Jesus. We can take a cue from Paul and testify to the greatness of our Lord.

I heard a song once that said “Take back what Satan stole from you.” For many, the enemy has invaded your home, your family, livelihood and your community. He wants to steal your values, your successes, your victories, your children, your health and your faith.

But, thank God, he is defeated already when, in the strength of Jesus Christ, you stand on His Word, saying, in essence, “Get out of my pea patch!”

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO VIDEO WITH LYRICS OF “ENEMY CAMP.”

LOOK UP, FOR JESUS IS COMING AT A MOMENT WHEN YOU THINK NOT!   BE READY!

God bless you and your day!

Love and prayers!

Your Sister in Jesus Christ,  Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons

ON EAGLES WINGS: GOD’S MESSAGE IN THE SKY!

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.The eagle is compared to Christians maining our spiritual strength. The eagle is portrayed as an example for us of a creature who is able to maintain its strength. WHY WASN’T OTHER BIRDS USED? WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT AN EAGLE, AMONG BIRDS, THAT WOULD GIVE US HINTS ON HOW WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH?I AM GOING TO LIST ELEVEN TYPES OF BIRDS THAT COMPARE TO MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.Let’s take some time and find out just what type of Christian we are today.

1. THE CHICKEN…..The chicken is generally afraid of life; seldom flies or reaches its potential in life, it basically flaps around the chicken yard. Most of us spend our lives just flapping around rather than soaring. When they get upset-they only get about 6 inches off the ground. They just flap around stirring up a bunch of dirt. He flaps around and never gets anything done. They live inside the confines of a fence and are satisfied to stay there. When a storm arises, the first thing they do is RUN for the chicken house to huddle in fear with all the other chickens.

2. THE MAGPIE…..This is an overly aggressive bully who swoops down and harasses the other animals and people.This is the type of Christian who is abusive to others. He is selfish, arrogant and self-centered to the point of rudeness.

3. THE KOOKABURRA…..is from Australia. He is loud and sounds like he’s laughing. They live around 20 years. This is like Christians who think life is one big party – one big joke.

4. THE VULTURE/BUZZARD…..This bird is a scavenging bird that rarely attacks and eats live animals. It feeds mostly on the carcasses of dead animals. This bird enjoys the filth of life – everything corrupt, rotten and stinking.

5. THE PARROT/COCKATOOS…..There are 353 varities of parrots or cockatoos. These are the talkers of the bird kingdom. These are the super spiritual Christian who can talk the talk, but not walk the walk. They mimic someone else. The parrot Christian have the head knowledge but not heart knowledge. They are all noise and no action.

6. THE CUCKOO…..This bird does not like to work and is happy to “sponge” off someone else. It does not even want to build a nest, but looks for one that is already finished by someone else, leaves its eggs there, and then leaves the other bird to raise its babies. They do not want to work.

7. THE PEACOCK…..He is the “flashy, showy” bird.This is the Christian who is overly ambitious, worldly and full of pride. He loves to impress himself. He feels superior to everyone else. He loves to strut his stuff and is self-centered.

8. THE PELICAN…..This big, old, fat , jolly bird is only interested in eating – seeking whatever he can find to fill his belly. As a Christian – if he would turn this ravenous appetite toward the Word of God – He would then become a spiritual giant.

9. THE CROW…..This bird is also a dirty bird of life. This bird enjoys destroying the young of other species. This bird loves to rip and maim; he is out for himself.It is like the Christian that nothing or anyone else matters in life – only his selfish desires. This bird thinks nothing of ruining someone else’s reputation. This bird is one of the most cunning and dangerous birds in the kingdom.IT’S INTERESTING…THE CROW SPENDS A GREAT DEAL OF TIME PESTERING THE EAGLE! THE WAY THE EAGLE GETS RID OF THIS PEST IS TO GO HIGHER AND HIGHER. IT GOES SO HIGH THE PEST CAN’T BREATHE ANYMORE.

10. SPARROWS & FINCHES…..These birds fritter about from place to place chattering away – rarely having anything to say worth listening to. They are a constant social whirl.

11. CANARIES & OTHER CAGED BIRDS…..These are beautiful birds with a lot of potential – but they are content to spend the rest of their lives locked behind the bars of a cage – whatever the cage might be: religious tradition; inferiority, insecurity, an unsuccessful marriage, or an unhappy childhood.These birds live and die behind the bars of their cage without ever really having lived.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EAGLE: OUR CHRISTIAN WALK SHOULD BE COMPARED TO THIS!THE EAGLE’S SOLITUDE* Eagles live on the rock – Jesus.* And eagle doesn’t live in a hen house, with it’s constant bickering and disturbance, but chooses the solitude that affords it the opportunity to hear the voice of the Creator.THE EAGLE’S SOURCE* This magnificent bird is almost completely dependent on the winds for it’s survival. It cannot reach its home, get its food, or fly above its enemies without the marvelous wind.The christian moves and flows with the spirit of God and depends on Him to lead them.

THE EAGLE’S COMMITMENT* The eagle is committed; they make a reliable mate and a devoted parent. Eagles share the duties of parenting. They mate for life.

THE EAGLE’S CONFIDENCE* The eagle is confident even in storms. When other birds hide among rocks and trees, afraid the venture into the air, then the eagle’s grandeur shines forth. It changes the fury of the winds into his chariot, to carry him into the highest reaches of the sky. He is unafraid of the turbulence, but rather exults in the glad gusts.The “Eagle” Christian is also confident in the face of storms of life and spread his/her wings of faith and soars upon the chariot of God, into heights only He can propel them to.

THE EAGLE FLIES HIGH AND DOESN’T GET TIRED BECAUSE THE LORD IS THE ONE WHO CARRIES HIM.THE EAGLE’S COMPANIONS* Many types of birds coexist in the same tree or the same field, but not so the eagle. It lives apart from the other birds. It sticks to its own mind.What kind of company are you keeping? Old saying, “Bird of a feather flock together.”THIS WAY THE EAGLE IS OUR EXAMPLE!Let us follow in the way of the eagle, as God points out in Isaiah 40.

THE OTHER BIRDS I MENTIONED ARE COMPARED TO LESS THAN PERFECT CHRISTIANS. The 5 characteristics of an Eagle is God’s example of believers, and how we need to be like them.IF WE WAIT UPON THE LORD, HE’LL RENEW OUR STRENGTH, WE WILL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY! WE’LL WALK AND NOT FAINT!WE WILL FLY LIKE AN EAGLE!

God bless you and your day!

Love and prayers to all!

Your Sister in Jesus Christ, Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons

LOST AT SEA!

 Here is a  story which is both amusing and relevant. 

This family lived in the Northeast part of the country. In the bitterly cold part of winter their car had become especially dirty, what with road salts, frozen slush, and other wintry deposits. Conscious of the condition of their car, this family was driving down the road and came across an unusual sight. Water was gushing into the air from a broken pipe, beneath the surface of the road. A work crew had arrived and was just getting set up. Simultaneously, the family concluded that this was the perfect occasion for a car wash. They pulled the car far enough forward to park under the shower of water. The road crew watched, somewhat puzzled, and a little amused.

Since it was still bitterly cold, they left the engine running, and kept the heater going as well. In a short time, a rather unpleasant odor began to dominate. It was about this same time that the family noticed that the water which was running down the windshield was not clear, not clear at all. Finally they understood the problem—they were not parked under the shower of a broken water main, they were under the shower of a broken sewer main. Quickly. they departed, watching the filthy matter freeze to their car in the bitter cold of that day.

Things do not always turn out the way we expect. One can surely say this with regard to the Egyptian soldiers, who were pursuing the Israelites in the Egyptian desert. They left Egypt hastily, expecting that it would take but a little time and effort to round up the Israelites and drive them back to Egypt. Confidently, they pursued them into the midst of the Red Sea, only to discover, too late, that God was fighting for Israel and against them. In spite of their best efforts to escape, the entire army was wiped out that day, drowned in the Red Sea.

Israel’s passing through the Red Sea is one of the most exciting events recorded in the Old Testament. It was an event of great importance to the nation. It rid the Israelites, once for all, of Pharaoh’s dominion. It also released them from their obligation to return to Egypt, after traveling three days journey into the wilderness to worship God. This was, in fact, the birth of the nation Israel.

While this story is an exciting account of Israel’s escape, it is also the awesome account of the destruction of the Egyptian army who pursued them.    The destruction of the Egyptian army was pursued into the sea. It is one of the vivid accounts of the judgment of God which we dare not neglect.

There are times when it feels like checkmate- But the King has One more move!

Exodus 15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.

11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation

We see throughout the scripture time and time again that God’s people often found themselves in precarious, impossible, odds stacked up against them positions. Enemies on one side and graves to be made on the other side. Out numbered and by all appearances their demise was coming soon.

No- they were not always the most skilled warriors, no they weren’t always the strongest men- no they weren’t even always the bravest men. It always seemed like God would take them to positions in their journey where it would seem to most that there was no way of escape.

We read the account of the Crossing of the Red Sea and often times lose the gravity of this event and how the odds are insurmountable. You have a mighty army of men covering the hillsides with swords, shields and chariots glistening in the Egyptian Sun. Closing in on a multitude of unarmed and untrained men, women and infant children. When Pharoah’s army captured them there was not going to be a friendly discussion encouraging the children of Israel to come back to Egypt and be our friends. No they would have been utterly slaughtered that day.

The children of Israel knew this because they even cried out to Moses “What since there were no graves in Egypt- you brought us out here to die??”

They were ready to surrender and give up-

YOU SEE THERE’S SOMETHING YOU CAN DO THAT GOD CANNOT DO-

YOU’VE BEEN TOLD ALL YOUR LIFE THAT GOD CAN DO ANYTHING – BUT THAT’S NOT TRUE.

WHAT CAN YOU DO THAT GOD CANNOT DO? – YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN!

YOU SEE SOMETIMES THE DOCTOR SAYS I’VE DONE ALL I CAN DO

SOMETIMES THE COUNSELOR SAYS I’VE DONE ALL I CAN DO

SOMETIMES THE ACCOUNTANT SAYS- I’VE DONE ALL I CAN DO

BUT GOD CAN NEVER HAS NOR WILL HE EVER SAY- I’VE DONE ALL I CAN EVER DO!

Habbakuk 3:3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

May I tell you when the heavens begin to shake and the earth tremble, lightning flashes- GOD IS HIDING HIS POWER

WHEN STORMS ARE CEASED, DEAD ARE RAISED, BLIND EYES ARE OPENED, CHAINS ARE LOOSED WALLS COME DOWN—GOD IS STILL HIDING IS POWER.

WHEN PARALYTIC LEGS BEGIN TO LEAP, MUTE MOUTHS BEGIN TO SPEAK, LEPERS ARE CLEANSED, DEMONIAC MEN ARE LIBERATED AND DEMONS FLEE—GOD IS STILL HIDING HIS POWER

WHEN CANCER IS CURED- PEOPLE ARE DELIVERED FROM ADDICTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS ARE INSTANTLY RESTORED- PEOPLE DANCE AND REJOICE WITH HIS PRESENCE—GOD IS STILL HIDING HIS POWER!!

“A HIDING OF HIS POWER…” IN OTHER WORDS GOD HAS HID MORE THAN HE HAS REVEALED TO US

It’s in life that many of us have found ourselves in a dilemma at one time or another

During a chess tournaments a player found himself perplexed in a tense match, pushed himself away from the table, walking around the room, he stood gazing at a 1700 Chess tournament painting, studying and looking at every detail. With a voice that startled the quite room, racing with dull whispers, he cried out

“IT’S WRONG…IT’S WRONG…THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE!!”

That’s a word for somebody —God is not finished!

You may have given up, thrown in the towel, surrendered, and heading for the hills. But there is a mighty God that is standing up from His throne proclaiming- YOU MIGHT BE DONE- BUT I’M NOT DONE

It reminds me of the woman “caught in the very act of adultery” this account has often amused me because I believe there are some glaring questions we have to ask ourself.

1. If she was caught in the act- why was she brought by herself

2. Why was it the religious, devout holy men were the ones snooping around enough to catch her IN THE ACT OF ADULTERY

3. These Pharisees run to Jesus with the law in one hand and stones in the other hand…Can I tell you if you ever want judgement, condemnation on a guilty person’s life- DON’T EVER THROW THEM AT THE FEET OF JESUS! YOU MIGHT WANT TO THROW THEM AT THE FEET OF A BUNCH RELIGIOUS, SELF-RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THROW THEM AT THE FEET OF A BUNCH OF PIOUS PREACHERS WHO THINK THEY’VE NEVER MESSED UP- YOU MIGHT WANT TO THROW THEM AT THE FEET OF CRITICAL CHRISTIANS—BUT NOT AT THE FEET OF JESUS

4. THEY THREW HER AT THE FEET OF JESUS AND SAY “THE LAW SAYS…CHECKMATE”

THEY TOLD JESUS- THE WORD SAYS—JESUS WAS THE WORD

WHEN THEY SAID CHECKMATE- JESUS STOOD UP WITH DIRT STILL ON HIS FINGER POINTED IT THEIR WAY AND SAID I DON’T THINK SO —THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE—HE THAT IS WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE!!

You may feel like you have gone too far—BUT GONE HAS ANOTHER MOVE FOR YOU

I’ve messed up to big—I can never be restored—God is not over in your life

Life is too much for me to bear—God is getting ready to do a great thing in your life!

Compared to a chess game- if I were to put a Biblical figure on the other side of the table from satan playing chess, one that comes to mind would certainly be Job.

Satan was testing him and trying him- took all his family, his wealth and prosperity, friends forsook him- his body was covered by blistering boils

TRULY SATAN MUST HAD LOOKED AT JOB IN HIS DEMISE, WITH A GRIN ON HIS FACE, HE NODDED WITH CONFIDENCE AND POINTED HIS FINGER DOWN AT JOB AND CRIED OUT CHECKMATE!

Job 42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.

17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

SOME OF YOU ARE STANDING ON THE EDGE OF AN AFTER THIS MOMENT

AFTER THE BANKRUPTCY

AFTER THE FORECLOSURE

AFTER THE DIVORCE

AFTER THE JAIL

AFTER THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE

AFTER THE DRUGS

AFTER THE SICKNESS

AFTER THE SURGERY

AFTER YOU LOST THE JOB

AFTER THE PAIN

AFTER THE HURT

AFTER THE DEPRESSION

WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT—-BUT AFTER THIS—JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING!!

Genesis 9:28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

YOU MAY NOT SEE IT RIGHT NOW—BUT THERE IS LIFE AFTER THE FLOOD

THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE—HE IS NOT DONE IN YOUR LIFE!

WHEN YOU STUDY IT—NOAH LIVED MORE AFTER THE FLOOD THAN HE DID BEFORE THE FLOOD!!

CALVARY—-THE KING HAS ONE MORE MOVE!!

DEATH MAY LOOK LIKE CHECKMATE!

THE EGYPTIANS THOUGHT THEY HAD WON AND WOULD SLAUGHTER THE ISRAELITES BUT GOD HAD ONE MORE MOVE.  YES, THEY FOLLOWED THEM INTO THE RED SEA, BUT ALL OF THEM DROWNED.  THE ENEMY WAS DEFEATED, THE POWER OF GOD WON!  THEY WERE LOST AT SEA! THEY NEVER GOT TO CROSS THE SEA!  

WHEN WE ARE LOST AND THE LORD RETURNS FOR HIS CHILDREN. YOU WILL BE CAST INTO (NOT WATER)  BUT A LAKE OF FIRE, FOREVER AND EVER.

BE YE THEREFORE READY:  FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE THINK NOT THE SON OF MAN COMETH!         Matthew 24:44

God bless you and your day!

Love and prayers!

Your Sister in Jesus Christ,  Nella Rhea Dudley Sammons