Faith is TRUST!

Violence; evil; struggles; bribes; extortion; oppression; depression; evil people gain and good people lose; and then the question from the prophet Hababbuk; where are you God? Why are you letting these things happen? Habakkuk 2:4 “The evil nation is very proud of itself. It is not living as It should. But the just shall live by faith” Our verse today, first appeared in the Old Testament letter of Habakkuk plus It is repeated in the letters of Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews. It is an answer from God to the prophet Habakkuk to his question of; where are you God? and why are all these negative things happening? God’s answer is; “the answer WILL come, but be patient and wait for it, for it will surely come” (2:4) Then God says, “but the just will live by faith.” Or my translation: those who live in a right relationship with God will live a life of complete trust IN GOD even during all our doubts of what is happening around us. If you hang close to God, in the right relationship with Him, then you will trust Him to do what’s best in all situations AND in His time. Habakkuk 2:4, ‘the just shall live by faith’, or those who are close to God will live in a deep trusting way, understanding He knows best in all circumstances, even our daily salvation walk and even if it seems that evil is winning the day. So, when you read: Habakkuk 2:4 Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38 along with the context of that chapter, insert the word “trust” for faith and see if it gives the verse a deeper meaning.

Stealing our children's minds!

Stealing Our Children’s Minds Vladimir Lenin once said, “give me your child for the first 5 years of their life and he will be mine forever. Give us the child for 8 years and it will be a Bolshevik forever.” He also said, “give me one generation of youth, and I’ll transform the whole world.” Many may scoff at such boldness, but the evil one knows that if he can take over a generation of impressable children, he will have them for life. Such indoctrination in NOW happening within our public schools, colleges and even churches. The Bible says, “do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds to determine the holy and perfect will of God.” So the question is WHO has access to our minds and more importantly the minds of our children. I will be sharing some very disturbing things that are happening right now. Not only are we killing our babies through abortions but the evil one has a high agenda of indoctrination of our youth into the perversions of evil lifestyles. He is doing battle in the battlefield of our minds by perverting the teachings of our heavenly Father and twisting them into perverted gender and sexual identity. Listen up: this is not just a skirmish in a little war…NO, this is an ALL OUT ATTACH ON THE BIBLE AND GOD OF THE BIBLE! IT WAS PLANNED YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN CONTINUING FOR YEARS! Here’s a few examples that our children’s minds are under attach: • Starbucks announced that they will reimburse employees for travel expenses when accessing abortion or gender affirming when not available within 100 miles of their home. *Twitter – Starbuck News • A Florida church is hosting an event that is called “Youth Pride Conference” featuring a drag show, requiring children to list their pronouns, a talk on ‘inclusive sex education’. * Daily Mail – 17 May 2022 • Our schools and libraries are holding ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’ * Prague U • “Sex ed” lessons telling kids they can choose to be boy or a girl or something different. *Prague U • Stealing of our children’s minds thru altered “attention”. Phones, ipads, computers, t.v are all instruments to change our thinking and alter our attention in our minds. *Google engineer, James Williams • Powers of darkness immediately available through Psychic, Spiritualist, Astrologers, Mediums, Computer Games, Sci Films, Cartoons, etc. *Dr Pat Holiday Not only are these things being done in schools and churches, but the reality is Mainstream media networks like Nickelodeon and Netflix have kids shows about topics like gender fluidity and “toxic masculinity”. * Prague U Or how about Disney’s Magic Kingdom wanting to sexualize children. Here’s an internal quote: “our leadership over there has been so welcoming to my life, not at all secret gay agenda…no one was trying to stop me” – Latoya Ravenaeu, executive producer at Disney Television Animation LISTEN UP FRIENDS! Our children are caught in the crosshairs of the evil one and this evil political agenda to destroy Christian values, the very bedrock of our nation. The battlefield in all our lives is the battle over our minds. What we think about we become. The Bible says, “as one thinks in his heart, so is he” Proverbs 23:7 Ephesians 5:10-11 “try do learn what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do*with the things done in darkness which are not worth anything.” And 2 Corinthians 10:5 “casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Friends, these things that I have mention are just the tip of the iceberg of the indoctrination of our children AND our own minds. Please join me in praying for the cleansing of our minds. Let us pray fervently to bind Satan and build hedges of protection around our children and our own minds. Let it start with us. Let us rise and expose the deeds of the evil one. Jesus says, “it was better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he be cast into the sea than he should offend one of these little ones.” Across the country, kids from kindergarten to high school are being exposed to this early sexualization. The perverting of the word of God is rampant. Here’s a couple suggestions: 1. PRAY. PRAY. PRAY. 2. Seek and find what is being taught in your schools, with tax payer money by the way. 3. Be a voice for your children. Write letters, speak at school board meetings 4. Write your elected officials. If no one speaks up and speaks out these boards of education and teacher unions, locally and statewide, will continue with their agenda of indoctrinations. Eph 6:10 - 18 Finally, be strong in the Lord, relying on his mighty strength. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the devil's strategies. For our struggle is not against human opponents, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us, and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm. For this reason, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to take a stand whenever evil comes. And when you have done everything you could, you will be able to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and being firm-footed in the gospel of peace. In addition to having clothed yourselves with these things, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one, also take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times with every kind of prayer and request. Likewise, be alert with your most diligent efforts and pray for all the saints. I am praying for you and your family and especially our children, Leonard Navarre Lubbock, TX

Hindrances to Prayer!

HINDRANCES TO PRAYER! Jesus told His followers, "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Luke 11:9). Prayer is an incredible tool God has given us so that we may communicate personally and build an intimate relationship with Him. It empowers us to talk directly with God, worshiping His sovereignty, praising Him for His blessings, getting to know Him better, sharing our heart with Him, and asking Him to fulfill our desires and needs. However, in this verse the key words is ask, know and seek. But it’s not just once and done. The verb is “keep on”. Keep on asking, keep on knocking and keep on seeking. KEEP ON! Persistent prayer with fasting. Prayer is a privilege HOWEVER, there are hindrances to an effective prayer life. Here are some common hindrances to a healthy prayer life and steps you can take to overcome them. UNCONFESSED SIN Unconfessed sin can create a barrier between us and God in our prayer life (Isaiah 59:2). Our sin causes us to live according to our fleshly desires and not by the Spirit. But if we repent and confess our sins Jeremiah 31:34 “I will remember them no more”. First John 1:9 promises, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." SELFISH MOTIVES As humans we are very selfish and our prayer life is no exception. Often, we pray solely for things that we want without regard to God's will or the needs of other people. James 4:1–3 says, “when you ask, you do not receive because you ask for the wrong reasons.” UNFORGIVENESS In Matthew 6:14–15 Jesus says, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Harboring bitterness, grudges, hate and unforgiveness in our hearts blocks and hinders our prayers. UNBELIEF Doubt in God's ability to answer our prayers is a hindrance (James 1:6 “But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt.” Prayer requires faith. When we pray we are acknowledging God is capable of answering our prayer, yet at the same time submitting to God's will and understanding that He may or may not choose to answer the prayer the way we want Him to. MARITAL CONFLICT Paul tells us that conflict in a marriage can impede our prayer life. This is due to a lack of obedience in how we should act towards one another. He encourages husbands and wives to love and respect one another in obedience to God so that they can have a healthy prayer life 1 Peter 3:7 “do this so that nothing will stop your prayers” IDOLS When we make other gods or things a priority in our life before God it interferes with our prayer life (Ezekiel 14:3). It clearly states in the Ten Commandments, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Each time the Israelites chose to worship other gods, God chose to not listen to their prayers until they repented. They didn’t repent so the result: they spent forty years wandering the desert before entering the Promised Land and were later exiled from the Promised Land. When they repented, however, He once again answered their prayers and restored their nation. POOR There are several groups that God pays a close attention. The widow, the orphan and the poor. Our prayers are hindered when we hear the cries of these and do not respond and help therefore our prayers are hindered and go unanswered. James 1:27 “religion that God accepts as pure and without fault is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping oneself free from the world’s influence.” AND, Proverbs 22:22-23, “rob not the poor, because he is poor neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.” REMEMBER 2 Chronicles 7:13 “At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” KEYS TO GOD’S FAVOR: Repentance, remove the hindrances, return to God and God alone, respond to His discipline thru change of behavior (I Samuel THEN HE WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND RESTORE OUR LAND. I am praying for you and your families, Leonard Navarre Lubbock, TX

Is prophecy being fulfilled?

Is prophecy being fulfilled? Russia vs Ukraine! The battle rages and many folks are fighting for their lives, freedom and country. I have a couple thoughts. First, foremost pray for this unrest and war. Pray for the Ukrainian people. They are congregating in church basements, subway tunnels and bomb shelters. Many many churches are becoming refugee stations providing food, shelter and clothing as well as presenting the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray: This Prayer for peace: Almighty God we pray for the situation on the border of Ukraine. We pray for those who live in fear, that you may grant them peace. We pray that the voices for discernment and peaceful solutions may prosper Lord, we ask that you raise up peacemakers on all sides, that war and violence might be averted Give diplomats wisdom, understanding and build trust. We ask for the church in the nations involved, may they be salt and light in a dark situation. Lord we lift this dangerous situation to you. We pray for you love and peace to abound and your will be done. In Jesus name I pray. Amen Also, there is a Christian organization that is sending relief funds for the refugees and even those cornered in the Ukraine. You can find out more about then and what they are doing at www.ides.org. I know them and can vouch for their legitimate efforts. Another thought: maybe just maybe this is God’s way of moving forward on His plan to return all Jews to their homeland. There are over 100,000 Ukrainian Jews. As I write Israel is receiving over 10,000 refugees to their homeland. To a Jew this is called, Aliyah – “the act of going up” (towards the Holy city of Jerusalem), moving to the land of Israel of Israel or “making Aliyah” is one of the most basic tenets of Zionism. Now I don’t know this for sure and God hasn’t given me a vision but it’s just me wondering if this is God moving His chosen people back to their homeland. Jeremiah 42:12 states, “and I will shew mercies unto you that he may have mercy upon you and cause you to return to your own land.” I know this was God’s prophetic voice to Jeremiah concerning the children of Israel’s return from Babylon. However, could it also have a double meaning telling us that as the we enter into the birth pains of the last days that God would be calling His people, the Jews, back to their homeland. I just wondering out loud. Today, Jews from all over the world are returning to their homeland where cities that were destroyed by their enemies are now being rebuilt where the soil is bursting with fruit, trees and flowers. Ezekiel 36:24, “for I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land’. Is this happening now? Is this a part of God’s end time actions moving us ever closer to the final end times? I’m just wondering out loud. God is in control. God is still on the throne. Plus God is still of nations falling and nations raising. History, all of it, is in God’s control and working according to His plan. Our job? Show people the love of Jesus and warn them of things yet to come. If you have noticed the world will move more and more to ungodliness and vanity. God’s Word says it will not get better (I Timothy 4:1-3) Let us be people showing forth the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and help all we can through both physically and financially. Those refugees will be finding food, clothing, shelter in the name of Jesus by Jesus followers. May they respond to this love that is being shown to them. How many conversions will be attributed to shelters, bunkers, tunnels and basements of churches? I am praying for peace in the midst of war. I am praying for conversions in the midst of suffering. I am praying for the Ukrainian people especially those who are fighting for their lives and those who have to be separated from their families. I am praying Psalm 46: 1-2, “God is our protection and our strength. He always helps in time of trouble. So we will not be afraid even if the earth shakes, or the mountains fall into the sea.”

Is God’s Anger just simmering?

In our Bible study we have been focusing on the little letter of Amos in the Old Testament. The blunt and outspoken Amos was not a professional prophet. He was from Judah, a sheep herder and a horticulturist who took care of sycamore trees. Yet, while he was tending the sheep the Lord spoke to him to go prophesy to the people of the northern kingdom, Israel.The lifestyles of the people of Israel were a stench unto God. They had not one leader that was good or obeyed the Lord God throughout their entire history. They achieved their prosperity at the expense of others. The sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes. They trampled impoverished people into the dust. A man and his father would share the same girl in bed and thus profane God’s name. Nothing religious was considered sacred. They lived in mansions and had both summer and winter homes. They reclined in beds of ivory and sang their own special music. They rubbed their soft bodies with special cosmetic preparations. The feasted on gourmet foods, and drank wine from goblets. But not once did they consider God or his laws. And because of this the judgment of God was about to fall upon them.Amos 3:7 says that God will always give a warning before judgment, “surely the sovereign Lord will do nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” Not only did God send Amos warning the people of Israel of the judgments to come, He also sent a series of “natural disasters” to sound the alarm and tries to get the attention of the Israelites. He gave them drought, famine, pestilence, and plagues. He overthrew some of their cities like Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet, they refused to repent and change their ways. They stared down at the dust of the drought and said “tough luck” when they should have looked to heaven and seen the “tough love” of God. As always, those who WILL NOT see are worse than those who cannot see. Their problems were not to be compared with the problems they were about to have. SO, Amos cried out with OUR BIBLE BOOST for today. It’s found in Amos 4:12, “prepare to meet your God, O Israel.”The message of Amos is tailored made for you and me AND or America. You know we are prepared for just about everything but meeting God. We prepare for school, graduation, work, vacations, retirement, and even our funerals and burials. But even though we have made all these preparations when have we prepared to heed the call of Amos, “prepare to meet your God”. The poet puts it this way:“When the great plants of our citiesHave turned out their last finished work.When the merchants have sold their last yard of silkAnd dismissed their last hard clerkWhen the banks have raked in their last dollarAnd paid out their last dividendWhen the judge of the earth calls…closed for the night.And asks for the balance…WHAT THEN!”Is God’s anger just simmering and ready to boil over in judgment? Remember, Amos 4:12, "Prepare to meet your God..."Are you ready?I am praying for you and your family, Leonard Navarre Lubbock, TX

A Christmas Devotional - Led by God!

LED BY GOD! It happened to Mary, Joseph, the wise men, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna. In fact, all through the first Christmas story you see and learn that all the main characters were led by God and His Holy Spirit.Many people use various means to find the way of God. Some depend on chance. “Well, that’s where the Bible fell open, that must be God’s will”, they say. One woman I read about was uncertain about whether it was God’s will for her to take an overseas flight. The next morning when she was awakened by her alarm clock, it read 7:27. That was the kind of plane she was scheduled to take. Friends could not persuade her that it was a shallow way to receive God’s will for her life. Proverbs 3:5-6 gives direction as to God’s will in our lives. It reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” One translation says, “He will direct your paths”.So, how does God direct our paths? There may be, occasionally, very dramatic and vivid ways but let us consider a few others. First, Psalm 119:105 states that our paths are directed primarily through God’s Word. God’s Word is “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path”. Someone once said, “to seek God’s will without being in His word is asking for error. God will never contradict His Word.” Remember, what a lamp does. It does not give light to the entire journey. It only shows us where to safely place the next step. Therefore, we WALK BY FAITH! Secondly, God shows us and directs us by opening or closing doors. Paul in I Corinthians 16:9 wrote, “a great door for effective work has opened for me”. A.W. Tozer suggested, “if God is in it, it flows. If it’s forced, it’s of the flesh”. When opportunities present themselves we move through the open doors. When circumstances become obstacles it would be best to pray and regroup and see exactly what direction God is leading. Thirdly, God also directs by closing doors. Remember, in Acts 16 the apostle Paul was kept from preaching in Asia because the Holy Spirit had closed those doors for evangelism. So, when we meet with closed doors, STOP. Let us not force our plans or desires over God’s objections. Fourthly, the perceptive and wise counsel of mature Christians can help us navigate through God’s will for our lives. Proverbs 15:22, “plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Godly wisdom from Christ centered mentors who are faithful in prayer helps us find that direction that we seek. The combined wisdom from Christian friends is worth more than gold.Fifthly, God will also work through the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. Everyone in the Christmas story was led by the Holy Spirit and MOVED when the Holy Spirit led. Simeon: Luke 2:25 "...and the Holy Spirit was upon him."Anna: Luke 2:36ff..."she did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer"Mary: 1:25 ..."the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you;"Joseph: Matt. 1:24 "when Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded"Shepherds: Luke 2:15 "let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened"Wise Men: Matt. 2:10 "when they saw the star that they rejoiced exceeding with great joy"These not only were in prayer seeking God’s will but when they had the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit they acted, they moved.God uses many ways to direct our paths, but we must know...He does lead. Someone once said, “do not ask God to guide our footsteps if we are not willing to move our feet”. “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Jeremiah 6:16 I am praying that we will seek God’s Word and Will and be LED BY GOD! Leonard Navarre Lubbock, Texas

IS IT INTERNAL????? Around the world we see persecution on the rise. Or, maybe its just that we are looking more closely at the progression of indifference and apathy here in America. In the countries I have served, especially India, persecutions of Christians has been around for a long time. I have read of great persecution and abuse in China. India, China, Africa and North Korea have the greatest persecution. However, it is in those countries where there is persecution that you find the church of our Lord Jesus Christ growing and growing exponentially. WHY? What is going on in the “church” here in America that we don’t see exponential growth. Why is there so much division. When I served in India I realized that there was no Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal...it was black vs white, good vs evil, God vs Satan.. AND, Satan and his demons were very evident. The light of believers was very evident. Darkness stood to oppose the light of those Christians. Henceforth much persecution of the believers. One of the letters in the New Testament, which is called ‘one of the most neglected books in the whole Bible’, is Jude. Jude (or Judas the brother of James, both half brothers of Jesus), sets out in his letter to build up Christians and write about their salvation in Jesus Christ. However, the Holy Spirit directs in a different direction. The apostasy, corruption and tainting of the church of Jesus Christ according to Jude, comes from the inside. Internal rather than eternal persecution. Wherever there is persecution from the outside the church of Jesus Christ, it grows. When the attacks come from the inside, the church, slowing eats itself and eventually dies. It suffocates itself. There is lack of spiritual oxygen so the church suffers asphyxiation. Jude gives us reasons for the stagnation of the church of Jesus Christ in his day. I believe we can apply those same reasons to the lack of fortitude and strength in our congregations today. Let’s look at those mentioned by Jude. 1. Teachings: The infiltration of false teachers began almost immediately after the start of the church in the book of Acts. In Jude, they were teaching that God’s grace allows us to do whatever we want and His grace will cover. Forgive and forget attitude. God wants us to be happy, right? This is the attitude in many today. I have a “right” to be happy. So, I can do whatever I want just as long as it makes me happy. Jude 1:4, “...they are against God and have changed the grace of God into a reason for sexual sin...”. Jude reminds them, as we can also learn, that God punished the Israelites for their sins, kicked the angels out of heaven, and cites the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Jude says, these suffered punishment because their constant and continual sin. God doesn’t overlook sin, He deals with it as He will in our age. Paul reminds us that grace is not a license to sin in Romans 6. Plus, in their teachings, they spoke against the lordship of Jesus Christ, Jude v. 4...’they refuse to accept Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.” 2. Behavior: Once you corrupt the Godly teachings of the apostles and teachings from Jesus himself, ultimately your actions begin to follow. Beliefs dictates our behavior. And to that end Jude levels his most severe condemnation to their behavior. He uses Cain, Balaam and Koran as examples. When we forsake Godly teachings, we follow in the footsteps of Cain (jealousy), Balaam (greed) and Koran (desire for power - overthrow Moses). In all three of these examples given by Jude, show forth in “selfishness”. When people become selfish and think only of themselves the desire for power begins to raise its ugly head in divisions within the body of Jesus Christ. Most of the division I have witnessed within the body has come from one of these ailments: jealousy, greed and selfishness i.e. power. Rather than dive into God’s word for leading and obedience, they regress to their own selfish desires and wants. All 3 were guided by self and caused death to others. 3. Conversation: Once conduct is changed then it begins to express itself in our words. Jude writes, “people complain and blame others, doing the evil things they want to do. They brag about themselves and the flatter others to get what they want” v.16. We must watch what we think and what we say. Our words convey our mindset and eventually into our behavior. Jude says, “these people will divide you, those whose thoughts are only of this world and not of the Holy Spirit. So, what are we to do to overcome this inside this internal church disease. Jude’s answer is, “dear friends, use your holy faith to build yourselves up, praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the Lord Jesus Christ with his mercy to give you life forever.” Stay in the Word of God. Stay close to Jesus. Keep your eyes on the eternal not on the temporary. Obey the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us stop quoting and following others. Ephesians 5;10, “learn what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the things done in darkness, which are not worth anything. But show that they are wrong.” Empty ourselves of selfish desires for power, greed and jealousy. Stand for what is right. Oppose that what is evil. Let our lights shine and let us be salt in a depraved world. Persecution arises when we Christians do these things. When we don’t. When we fight, devour and eat one another, Satan allows us to desecrate that what God has called holy. Satan allows us to suffocate ourselves. Let us rise up and BE THE LIGHT and reveal the false teachings. “WAKE UP sleeper! Rise from the death and Christ will shine on you!” Ephesians 5:14. If not us, WHO? If not now, WHEN? God has no other plan. He is depending upon every Christian to be “Christ like”, live and show the world JESUS! WILL YOU? How about ME? Praying for you and your families, Leonard Navarre Lubbock, Texas