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constant

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This short offering stems from a recent social media post in my feed. Rather than engaging in a comment battle with the person who posted it, I decided to share my thoughts here. I hope it helps to shine a light on some of the current ideas in circulation.

As some of you may already know, I was a geology major in college. During my time in the geology program, I learned AMAZING things about the Earth, including the scientific fact that the Earth has always experienced natural periods of heating and cooling. The heating cycle leads to the cooling cycle, and this repeats as a natural recurring phenomenon — by design.

And since the enemy takes Truth and twists it for his own purposes, we now have the lie of “climate change” circulating in our bought-and-paid-for media outlets. The scientists who claim that climate change is to blame for this natural heating cycle have been deceived. Can we do things to make our environment less clean and cause harm? Absolutely. Can we change the design of the Earth and interrupt God’s plans? Certainly not. His sovereign plan cannot be altered by man.

Another noteworthy discovery from my geology studies stems from a conversation I had with one of my most-revered professors. During a discussion about carbon dating, I questioned the reliability of the “constant” we used in our equations to determine the age of organic artifacts. “What if the constant is wrong?” I asked. My professor appeared to be caught off-guard with the question, but after several moments had passed, she responded, “Then every date would be wrong.” Which would include the age of the earth and all of the artifact dates that have been recorded thus far.

You see, the constant we use for our carbon dating equations was determined by a scientist who wanted to make his theories work. And if we know anything about people, it’s that they’re not perfect.

I pray that your constant is immovable, infallible Truth that has no agenda except for your eternal wellbeing. He is the constant we all need.

“I For I, YHWH, do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you….” -Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭

Love and blessings,
Emily

should i vote?

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That is the question for so many Christians right now. When faced with choosing between two less-than-Christlike candidates, it can be tempting to take the Pilate route:

“So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” -Matthew 27:24

But I doubt Pilate excused himself from God’s judgement simply by publicly proclaiming his innocence. I believe Pilate will absolutely answer for his part in the crucifixion one day. Just as each of us will stand before God’s throne and give an account for the choices we made in life as well.

Scripture calls for us to be salt and light in the world:

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” -Matthew 5: 13-16

Salt and light both serve multiple purposes. But I want to focus on one in particular that both can work together to accomplish; salt and light slow decay.

If we take a look around, it doesn’t take long to see that the world is suffering significantly from moral decay. Hard as we might try, we can’t physically touch or speak with every person in need. But a vote in favor of policies that uphold the things of God will cast salt and light far and wide.

Family. Children. Israel. God has told us His intentions for men, women, husbands, wives, children, Israel, etc. Those are the things we vote for. It’s not about voting for a person. Everyone is a sinner. No one is worthy. If not for the grace of God, we would all be headed straight to hell.

Jeremiah 29: 4-7 says:

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But SEEK the WELFARE of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”

The best we can do is stay in the Bible, pray often, and seek the welfare of our nation. Look at the policies each candidate stands for, and vote for the policies that best uphold God’s Word and will for this world. We must be salt and light to help slow the moral decay of our society.

No one is neutral in a spiritual war. We’re either fighting for the things of God, or we’re standing against Him.

Dear Father, please, never allow me to stand in opposition to you. There is far too much on the line.

Be salt and light. And Come, Lord Jesus, COME! Amen.

Jeremiah 29: 4-7

Love,
Emily

speak now

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Brothers and sisters in Christ:
Don’t tell them about your church.
Don’t tell them about your pastor.
Tell them about your SAVIOR.

Be fearless! Share the GOOD NEWS! Tell someone why you need a Savior, and help them understand why they need one too. Lead them to Christ, and then invite them to worship service so they can hear the Word of God preached as much as possible. This is the Way.

The First Church (beginning with the Apostles), was not commissioned to invite pagans into their worship services. The first evangelists of Christ went out and preached the Gospel, led others to salvation in Christ, baptized them, and then welcomed them into the worshiping congregation as born-again followers of Yeshua (Jesus).

I believe that so much of the struggle inside The Church body today is because Christ followers have gotten lazy, scared, and/or forgot their calling — and I have been guilty of this as well. We haven’t read His Word regularly. We haven’t shared The Gospel with others. Instead, we’ve invited folks in who were not washed in the blood. We wanted the pastors (or someone else) to do all the work. And we are paying for it.

Those unbelievers who were not rooted in Christ have spread lies and half-truths throughout The Church, deceiving and causing confusion, which is never of God. And now The Church is sick, and nearly unrecognizable.

The Church is supposed to be the well body of Christ that goes out into the world with the medicine (The Gospel) the world so desperately needs. All followers of Christ are called to share The Gospel, and -insert PRAISE- we can do so in many different ways.

Some are called to go into cities or universities as street preachers, some stand in church buildings and teach, some travel the globe as mission workers, some write books and blogs, some create videos on social media, etc. There are so many ways to reach people in today’s world of modern technology, and for that I am so thankful!

Regardless of how we’ve been called by God to spread His Gospel (and if you’re not sure, PRAY about it), we are to SPEAK His Truth in love to everyone. He wants to include us so He invites us to actively participate in His ministry. And by choosing to do so, we are blessed.

But friend, our time is running out.

I heard a pastor say recently that we’re not at the “beginning of the end” in the prophetic timeline of events.. we’re actually at the end of the beginning. Meaning, The Church Age is coming to an end, and the great tribulation is about to begin.

Whenever I write my posts, I always pray they’ll find their way to whoever was meant to read them. So I pray this blesses you today, and fills you with a sense of urgency. I truly believe we are at the end of the beginning, and soon The Church will be taken up from this world. I pray you are not here when that light goes out. But if you are, I want you to know that there is still hope for you. His name is Yeshua (Jesus), and He died for us while we were still sinners, so that we might believe in Him, follow Him, and live with Him in eternity. Every day is one day closer to that fulfillment. HALLELUJAH!

Romans 5: 6-9

Love,
Emily

are you sure?

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“Are you absolutely sure?”

It’s a question I have asked myself countless times. I’m always analyzing and questioning. It’s just in my nature. It’s the reason why science has been my favorite subject to study since high school. I need the what, why, how, and when for nearly everything. Professionally, it’s to my benefit. I deal with risk management often, so I am wired to look 4000 yards ahead and see what might derail a project. This makes me a great fit for my job, but also feeds the “question monster.”

God bless my husband, because (most of the time) he deals so patiently with my questioning nature. Anyone else would have surely run away screaming by now. Maybe. 😂 I just can’t shut off my brain; it is hungry and wants to know all the things.

This is where my faith is often tested. While my questioning nature is an asset to my job, it is sometimes an obstacle to my faith. We aren’t meant to know everything about God and His plan right now in this life. There’s a beautiful verse in Deuteronomy that answers so many questions for us:

“The secret things belong to The Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” – Deuteronomy 29:29

Whenever I have questions that can’t be answered, I repeat this scripture to myself, and it brings instant peace and comfort.

But still, for the longest time, there was always one question that I couldn’t answer with 100% certainty or shake off…

“Am I truly saved?”

I mean, I knew the ‘how’ to getting saved. I knew the gospel. But doubt would often creep in and I wanted proof of my salvation. My mind used to question, “If I died right now, am I sure I would I go to Heaven?”

For a long time I didn’t know. I ‘hoped’ I knew, but I wasn’t sure. Even though I believed in Jesus as Messiah and shared the gospel with others, I doubted my own standing with Him. But then one day, thankfully, mercifully, I was reminded that even John the Baptist had doubts. Near the end of his life, when John was arrested and being held in a cell, he sent word to Jesus, asking if HE was the Messiah or if there would be someone else to come. John was afraid and needed reassurance. And Jesus did not rebuke John when he received his question. Jesus simply answered John with proof of His identity, according to the prophetic scriptures that John would surely know:

And He answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” – Luke 7: 22-23

Instantly, I felt better knowing that even someone as great as John the Baptist had doubts. Even after baptizing Jesus, John still doubted. Praise The Lord who understands our weak flesh and our doubts!

As time marched on and I began to seek after The Lord more fervently by reading His Word and listening to Bible-based sermons, I began to hear and understand that unless The Holy Spirit lives inside of you (which is the mark of salvation), lasting and continuous change will not occur.

So I started taking inventory of my life, and I was quickly reminded of all the worldly things I used to enjoy and take part in, that now completely turn my stomach. And the proof was right in front of me:

I am NOT the same person I was.

I used to be in love with the dark. I loved going out to bars with my friends and drinking the night way. I loved all the wrong music, no matter the lyrics. I watched whatever I wanted, no matter the rating or content. I said whatever I wanted to say, whenever I wanted to say it. I did whatever I wanted to do, regardless of the consequences.

But Praise God! I am not this person anymore, and the change that has happened within me is nothing less than the work of The Holy Spirit.

Is my transformation complete? Is this who I will be? Absolutely not. As long as I have breath in my lungs, I am continuously being transformed by The Holy Spirit. Our transformation is not instantaneous; it is a daily and lifelong process. We have to seek The Lord and His will first, placing Him above things that our flesh may want.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” – Philippians 1: 6

So if you have doubts about your own salvation, take a look at who you are today and compare that person to who you were before you heard the gospel. What has changed? Are you closer to God now than you were back then? Do you love Him more than you love yourself?

“…Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4: 21-24

We will never achieve sinless perfection in this life, but The Holy Spirit will never depart from us or stop working on us, as long as we seek first His Kingdom.

Love,
Emily

True Love

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Today I’d like to share something that a fellow sister in Christ recently wrote about her mom. It’s a beautiful, sobering picture of what true love really looks like, and I think the world needs to hear it. ❤️

My greater lesson from my mom’s battle with her cancer, her death and the redefined meaning of LOVE…

I often hear the misused phrase “judge not” or “who are you to judge” hurled by the world (and sadly many in The Church) at any one who would point out that something is wrong with their behavior or understanding. I have found that this really is just a disguise by the human flesh to really mean… “Just keep your mouth shut and let me do what I want to do. I’m not really interested in hearing what is right or wrong.” (I guess satan’s first temptation and promise to Eve was really a lie.)

Now granted, scripture directs us on not judging those outside The Church, nor to involve ourselves in their affairs. (1 Cor 5:11-13 and 2 Tim 2:4-5) Why? Because they are already judged and condemned. Instead, scripture exhorts us to judge those inside The Church.

So what exactly does that look like and how does warning someone and protecting them from destruction not turn into “you’re judging me”? And more importantly, how are we really loving our neighbor?

The truth is, I loved my mom dearly. And as family, I not only loved her, but had a deep desire to see her happy. With that said, there came a day when I had to carry my mother into the doctor’s office for a surgery. During this time the doctor informed me that my mother had stage 2 breast cancer.

Now…..if you have ever had someone you love diagnosed with a terminal illness, you know it is not a very “positive” experience. BUT, here’s my question. What if the doctor and I had this information about something this horrific that was leading to her death and destruction… and what if I had then said to my mother’s doctor, “Please just keep quiet. This type of news or information will really hurt my mom. It’s not productive to keeping a positive, joyful outlook on life and really, who are you to judge how this will affect her or what her outcome will be……You’re not God!”

I wonder, would I be a “loving” daughter?

What if the doctor chooses to give her the information anyway and my mom accepts the reality of her condition… and then he tells her that there are some steps that can be taken to cure her, but it will require obedience to the instructions for treatment. She agrees and then leaves to pick up her prescription. What if it says to take take twice a day orally, but she decides it is now more comfortable to dissolve the pills in water once a day and soak her feet in them instead. It’s relaxing, doesn’t require as much effort or remembering, and certainly doesn’t cause her to feel uncomfortable.

Am I obligated to remind her or share with her what the doctor really said, or is it more loving to just let her do what she feels is best for her? Regardless of whether I tell her and she ignores me or I keep quiet, the outcome is still death. The question is, in which scenario am I genuinely loving my “neighbor” (my mother in this case), and in which one will I be held accountable to God…(herein lies the REAL meaning of being your brothers keeper)?

Ezekiel 3:16-21

Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.

~ Shared with permission, from Seeds Among the Soil.~

I hope this blesses you today.
Emily

i was the one

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I’ve claimed to know and love God our Father and Jesus His Son my whole life. I was dedicated to The Lord as a baby. I was raised in church and knew right from wrong. I was confirmed at age 12. I prayed the sinner’s prayer. I was active in youth group. I sang in church, I prayed often, and I thought I was covered — even in the midst of my repetitive, high-handed, deliberate sins.

Y’all, take it from me – ignorance is only temporary bliss.

I didn’t truly belong to The Lord as I had proclaimed; I wasn’t really saved. I didn’t obey Yahweh’s laws and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit; I was willfully disobedient. I was a worker of “lawlessness” according to Yah’s Word, but I didn’t know that because I was not READING His Word.

And for that, I have no excuse.

It wasn’t until I began reading His WHOLE Word for myself, from the beginning, that I truly realized the full weight of my sinful depravity. My eyes have now been flung open by His Words, and I have discovered that there is no such thing as a secondhand relationship with God.

Yes, Grace covers a multitude of sins. But we are not supposed to be willfully disobedient in living our own lives apart from Yahweh, ignoring His laws and taking wrongful advantage of His Grace. That is not true repentance.

Yahweh is compassionate but not condoning of sin. He brings conviction and change to humble hearts. He loves us with an everlasting love; but He hates sin.

Hear these warnings, spoken by our Messiah:

The Parable of the Banquet
(recorded in Matthew 22:1-14 and Luke 14:15–24)

Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. (They all had different excuses as to why they couldn’t come.)

Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

But they paid no attention (to the servants’ invitation) and went away, one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.

The king was enraged, and he sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the crossroads and invite to the banquet as many as you can find.’

So the servants went out into the streets and gathered everyone they could find, both evil and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’

But the man was speechless.

Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Another stern warning from the Messiah:
(Matthew 7:21-23)

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

These warnings tell us that even some people who KNOW Who Jesus is, and who expect to be welcomed at the wedding feast, will instead be ejected from The Lord’s presence and cast into hell. What a sobering reality for all of us.

But why are believers surprised by this? If we’re reading His Word, throughout scripture we see that even satan and his demons know Who Jesus is and shudder in His presence. They have to flee at His command. But this obedience is forced; they are not willingly following Yahweh’s commands out of love.

Friends, for the majority of my life, I thought I was one of the 99 sheep that was safely grazing on the hill. But I was the one Yahweh had to come after. I was lost. And I only discovered this by reading His Word for myself, rather than relying on others to read it for me and then relay the meaning (which is pretty dangerous, especially considering the number of false prophets running rampant in these last days).

If you don’t currently have a Bible study plan, I highly recommend seekingscripture.com. Christy Jordan does a beautiful job of leading this study on the whole Word of God in such a loving way. Yahweh is calling His Remnant to come home to Him in these last days. Seek Him through His Word, and enter into His everlasting and perfect Peace. Fall at His feet and be FREE!

Matthew 18:12-14

Blessings!
Emily