Did you go to church yesterday? I did. I really enjoyed myself. Living in Columbus, GA, home of one of the largest military post, fosters such an eclectic group of people that attend the church I go to. Yesterday, for the first time I heard the youth pastor preach. He is Mexican. He was fabulous. He wasn’t the best speaker I have ever heard. He wasn’t the most charismatic I have witnessed. He wasn’t the most gifted I have observed. But what he did better than anyone I have seen in a long is, get his message across without leaving any bases uncovered or any grey areas left to question.

He used a prop. He used a flashlight. He kept saying, this is a simple illustration and it was. A flashlight. He showed us how a flashlight was a flashlight but could not do what it was created to do without having batteries in it. He told us we were created by God but could not do what we were specifically designed to do by God with having Him in us. He stopped to put batteries in. You know the metal coiled spring inside? It gave him a little problem. He had a little fight with it. He got the top half way on and the flashlight didn’t work. Then he got the batteries in it and it still didn’t work. Why? There were two possible reasons: #1. He could have been using the wrong batteries (power source) or #2. He didn’t have them in the right way!

He knew eventually the flashlight would work. He knew eventually the flashlight would do what it was designed to do. He knew eventually the flashlight would have POWER! And it did! But not until he put in the right batteries and not until he put them in the right way! That is what we have to do! We have to put the right thing into our souls and spirit in order to have the power we were each customized to have! There is a plan and method to what God instructs us to do and empowers us to do! Once we follow that plan and have sought the power only He can bestow upon us, we will work!

Just like the flashlight, there are many things in our lives and in our core spirit that work against getting that power instilled within us. We might have family, friends, jobs, co-workers, husbands, wives, children, addictions, preoccupations, etc. that are like that spring in the flashlight! Things that won’t allow easy insertion of the device needed to make the flashlight function properly. Identically we have things that fight and hinder a quick and easy infilling of the holy-spirit into our vessel. The outside part of the flashlight we hold in our hand and see with our eyes is only a pretty case. Nothing on the outside is capable of enabling power. Nothing we do to that flashlight on the outside can make it work and bring light into darkness without the necessary power within! With us, no matter how good we think we are and how well we look or are put together on the outside, until we have the proper mechanism (Jesus) on the inside, we have no power! We have no power! We have no power!

The flashlight is one of the most powerful things you can have in the house when the electricity goes out and everything around you is pitch black. But what happens if you don’t periodically check the power/batteries? What happens if you don’t occasionally change the power/batteries? What happens if you don’t continually use the power/batteries? Acid/ugliness builds up! The light/witness goes dim! And eventually the flashlight no longer works/you are backslidden!

Once you get your flashlight to work/once we have the power within, just like the flashlight, we have got to renew, refresh, maintain and give due diligence to our power within, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I don’t know about you, but I enjoyed myself at church yesterday, did you?

Holla back!

Sweet Monday to you!

Daily, I receive a devotion written by a local pastor here in Columbus, GA, J.H. Flakes II.  To be honest, I don’t read every one, every day but I read this one and it spoke to me and I wanted to share it with you!

______

Good morning, our devotion for today will be coming from Proverbs 27:6 “The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.” Remember; wherever you are today meditate on this.

Notice in the devotional verse how the “enemy” is seen as the one giving the “kisses.” We still use that same terminology today, only now we call it “kissing up.” That’s an enemy for you. God’s not saying that we shouldn’t look for opportunities to be encouraging, that we shouldn’t be quick to say nice things that build each other up. But the person who’s always effusing these wonderful things non-stop is being cowardly in the matter of real friendship.

I’ll admit to you, this doesn’t really sound right at first. We think the Lord would be most pleased with us when we dish out the kindnesses, when we’re gushing with positive things to say. But no, the compliments or “kisses” of a friend don’t even get discussed here. The highest friend, the best friend according to God’s word is the friend who’s willing to be wounded. Yes, wounded. “The wounds of a friend.”

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of an honest word from someone who truly cared for you, then you know how “trustworthy” those wounds can be. Sure, they can sting for a while, but one day we find out just how valuable they are. On the other hand, the friend who does the wounding must be prepared to be injured as well. If we tell someone something difficult, even a good friend is liable to respond with, “I don’t really want to hear this from you. What right do you have to point this out to me? Who do you think you are?” The answer is: “I’m a friend who loves you enough to tell you this hard thing even if you’re going to hate me for saying it.” That hurts. The friend who’s willing to be wounded in order to get a piece of information through to you is a real friend.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friends.” This is not two friends sipping milk shakes at McDonalds. This is intense. There’s friction involved. Backs stiffen. Muscles flex. Sparks fly. But the result is growth and character, depth and purpose, richness and beauty. It’s all the things a friend really wants.

How big of an investment have you been making lately in the lives of your friend? What could you begin doing to strengthen, sharpen, and challenge your friends? Have a blessed/wounded day!

Your brother in Christ,

J. H. Flakes II

_____

Do you think a true friend should be able to tell us ANYTHING, as a friend, or do you think there are boundaries, even for friends? 

Holla back!

So here’s the thing… why is it that we as people who say we love the Lord and are Christians, actually disbelieve God so much? That was a generalization and blanket statement, I know. Let me break it down.

Yes, most believe a Christian person should be a good person. Most believe if you don’t: rob a bank, murder somebody, steal from your job, drink alcohol (oops…), cuss people out (oops), do drugs (a baby oops), cheat on your taxes and a variety of the more obvious sins/wrongdoings, we are good! However…

My girlfriend and I hold the same conversation periodically. We talk about how we ignore and live against the parts of the bible we don’t like. We exclude God’s word from our lives if it goes against the prick. An example is: she had a coworker who had children but always put her husband before her children. My girlfriend couldn’t fathom that because her way is to put her children first. Since this thought just came to me and I began typing and am not with my study bible, I can’t tell you where, but I am pretty sure there is scripture to back her friend. But how many of us women would publicly admit, our babies are number one and everybody else comes after that? (except Jesus!!!) (I said that in a preacher’s voice. The one he uses when he has gone to the mountaintop portion of his sermon/message )

Example #2: The bible tells us how to handle a situation if someone has offended us.  Matthew 18:15-18 – “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church”. Have you ever seen this plan followed by an offended Christian? I haven’t.  Instead we swivel our necks and talk big time trash to this person and that person, (third parties who ain’t got nothing to do with it!) compounding the issue, and obscuring what could just be a misunderstanding, that is now blown out of proportion. All because we didn’t follow the plan and our character is not the character God outlined.

These might not be good examples but my point is; what in the world are we doing when we do that? Although I might not want to put my husband first because I think my kids will feel neglected or if I don’t want to go to my brother with my ought because I am scare of his reaction; neither displays full belief in God. If we fully believe, regardless of how the situation appears, we can’t ever go wrong, even in apprehension, doing what God wants us to do.

EVERYTHING that God has promised is within our reach and capable of being an integral part of our life. But we have to believe Him enough to follow all of His words and not just the cozy “feel good” ones. The bible says you reap what you sow. We love to place that on obvious indiscretions and outward offenses and clearly visible disobedience to God’s word. How often do we see people who we deem good, upright and a “living the word” Christian, struggling through life? Have you ever asked yourself, Lord if they are going through that and they – come to church, pay their tithes, teach Sunday School, have no tattoos (lol), don’t drink, don’t cuss, sweet as a piece of pie – how will I ever survive as many mistakes as I make! But the question is; are they applying all of God’s word to their life or only the part that fits their personality and carnal character?

This is a hard question for me. I struggle with this. I know there are parts of God word that are easy to obey and there are parts of His word my integrity and dignity make me obey but then there are parts I am oblivious too because it doesn’t fit me. And just because it is not one of those more visible “going against God’s word” things, it is still going against His word. So… just like I rob a bank and face the consequences, not conforming to Him/His word completely will also bring about consequences and repercussions. He is good to be patient with us as we grow up and into Him but when we know to do better, we must do better. I am challenging myself to do better. I am challenging myself to live the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God! I know ignoring parts of God’s word and not working with the whole truth in all aspects of me, I will suffer consequences! What do you think?

Holla back!

Today I am reposting comments from Larry W. Robinson’s Facebook page. My Pastor, Bishop John Fonzer, shared this with me and encouraged me to share this with my kleverkathy readers. Honestly, it didn’t take much convincing as I, a PK and church goer all my life, have heard every single one of these statements, and have experienced each and every one of the thoughts and emotions regarding the hyped up, sparkling promises preachers make to their eager audiences that Larry W. Robinson speaks about. I’m sure this will spark controversy as we all come to revelation and faith different ways and at different times in our walk. Sometimes popcorn and pink shoelace dreams are all that gets us through the hard times and valleys, but when reality of God, His methods and fulfillment of His promises sinks in, maybe we will all jump on the Larry W. Robinson bandwagon and require more of ourselves and less of God! (don’t take that the wrong way. Read on and you’ll understand what I mean)

Has this Preacher been “Seducing the Flock”? By Larry W. Robinson
Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 9:46am
Ok, is it just me or are we hearing the same old sermons with different titles. Recently, and reluctantly, I went to a revival and for 5 nights I felt as though I’d heard the same sermon, but with different speakers and titles. And like clockwork people danced and shouted at these same old phrases:

“Your breakthrough is coming”

“You are next in line”

“Deliverance is on the way”

“You are going to the next level”

“Your blessing is on the way”

“Your money is coming”

“Your miracle is on the way”

“God is about to bring you out”

“Your delay is not a denial”

“God is getting ready to turn it around”

“We are getting ready to take back everything the devil stole from us”

Now don’t get me wrong, I love good preaching just like the next person, but my question is WHEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Exactly WHEN will God do all that? I have been to literally thousands of conferences, crusades, revivals and breakthrough services; and truthfully, I felt as if they were all the same.

Now is it me, or hasn’t God already DONE what He said He was going to do? Could it be that WE are holding back our own progress? Could it be that WE have been in the wilderness because of our own disobedience, poor planning, and not being a good manager of the gifts, talents and resources that God has given us?

Most recently I was invited to a breakthrough service, and I declined the invitation. When the person inviting me wanted to know why, I simply said, “I am ALREADY blessed! And if you really want to know the truth God has already blessed YOU! Now the question is what are YOU going to do with the blessing?”

But hey, these are just my thoughts. What do you think?

Striving to please an Audience of ONE,

Larry W. Robinson

PS. I am not saying that “every preacher” is doing this. I am just stating my experiences. And of course this is my face book page, so I thought I had the freedom to express myself. LOL. Thank you for your feed back. And remember you are ALREADY blessed, now walk it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you think about this?  We’d LOVE to hear how you react to being told over and over your blessings are around the corner and no matter which way you go, life continues status quo.  You ask yourself, was I on the wrong street to begin with or are MY blessing avoiding me for a reason?  Holla Back!

It’s been a while since we’ve had Christianity 101. Here we go.

I grew up in church all my life and was pretty sheltered and still today; some things are so surprising to me, after all these years of serving God.  I am always amazed when I hear people put everybody that dies in heaven. It is absolutely amazing! How do people claim to be Christians their entire life and believe that ALL people are going to heaven, and the only criterion to get there is dying?

What is really amazing is the people who do all manner of wrong and evil and sin and anything they want – not even trying to serve God – but then go to church on Sunday, clap their hands, bounce to the music, get an emotional/spiritual high, feel good about what is going on around them and then…because of that one “good time in God”, consider themselves saved! It doesn’t matter what they have done during the week, or what they have said during the week, or who they have hurt/offended/disrespected/etc. during the week, once they walk into church and pay their pittance to God for 90 minutes, they feel they are entitled to be a part of that group that, if they were to die, would go to heaven. Doesn’t anybody, especially those claiming to serve God and know the truth, believe there is a plan to salvation? I liken it to school. Here is my analogy.

If I go to school, kindergarten through 12th grade, and claim to be a student, can I just go to school everyday without anything being required of me? Can I just go and sit in the classroom and enjoy the interesting parts the teacher talks about and interact during the fun activities in class and reject the rest? Can I opt out of tests, and projects, and presentations and writing papers? I think not! Yes, it would be a normal statement for somebody to say: if you go to school for 13 years you will, not only learn, but get a diploma. Just like the scripture says, if you believe on me, you will be saved. However neither of the above statements are stand alone statements. The truth of the matter is, you can’t just go to school and learn and get a diploma without following the academic plan laid out for you grade by grade, in order for you to accomplish the goal of graduating and receiving a diploma! Same holds true for salvation. How is it so many believe all you have to do is attend church on Sunday and heaven is automatically your home! Seriously? Yes, many believe, but that is all they do, just sit and believe. They don’t participate in the plan a true believer must complete to inherit the Kingdom!

Just like there is a plan to any natural thing that offers some sort of reward at the end of the course/journey, same is true with heaven! There is a definite plan of salvation, just like with school there is a definite academic plan. Spiritually, at the end of the plan, heaven is the reward! In school at the end, graduation and a diploma are the rewards!

It doesn’t matter how “good” we think a person is, accomplishments are not achieved by being ‘good”. In school you could be the most well behaved, well manner, helpful, courteous, team-playing student but…if you don’t fulfill the academic requirements set by the administration, all those “good” qualities will fail without completion of 13 years of homework, tests, papers, projects, etc. “Good” will not get you a diploma nor will it get you to heaven. You could be an exemplary person and have great qualities and morals and scruples. You may not hurt a fly, but until and unless the plan of salvation set before us by God is fulfilled, you won’t gain the reward at the end of the journey! Because you are so “good”, sticking with his plan might not be as challenging for you as for the one that doesn’t possess the “good” qualities and traits, just like in school. You may be born the brainiest and school might come easier to you than the next guy, however, the same curriculum is still required of you both. One may have to work harder but in the end, the reward is the same. You both are allowed to graduate and take the diploma. The only stipulation is you complete each and every unit of work that is required. One may have done it with straight As while another may have done it with all Cs and yet another with a combination of As, Bs and Cs.

Some Christians may come to God with an exemplary life of well doings and good deeds while some may come with a closet full of skeletons. Some may come with addictions, and felonies and demons battling them daily, but I tell you, His plan will work for us all! It is designed for the lost/the sinner! And we are all sinners! Some saved by grace and some about to be saved! No matter how deep in sin you are or how close you are to already fulfilling God’s plan of salvation, we all have to embrace it to be eligible for the Kingdom/heaven!!!

Thankfully God loves us all and is extending His hand and His plan of salvation to each and every one of us! I know me and you know you. Attending church for 90 minutes 2, 3 or even 4 Sundays a month ain’t gonna cut it! We know our dirt. We know our inner demonic nature. We know we are all but one thought away, one action away, one desire away from needing a full blown laying on of hands and 2 hour altar experience! We know the only way we will ever become subject to a life of spiritual holiness is to become doers of the plan!

My only challenge for you today is: the next time somebody asks you where someone went when they died or the next time your lips are set to automatically put someone in heaven, think about it, do you know for sure they followed the curriculum laid out for all mankind by Christ? Before you put your sweet Grandmamma in heaven (as much as we love them) ask yourself, was she at the Kingdom graduation and did she receive her spiritual diploma or was Grandmamma like the teacher’s pet who slid through life smiling, and being friends with everyone without ever completing the core requirements, passing one test/trial or accomplishing any of the crucial steps toward heaven/graduation?

Maybe my analogy wasn’t a good one and you didn’t understand what I was saying, let me just clarify and say; bottom line; heaven entrance is contingent on working the plan, adhering to the plan and completing the plan God set before us! There is no other way to get in! Period…

Holla back

…continued

I am still not sure on this one. Ronnie Deane is what sparked me to ask this question one more time when he said love is dishonest and then explained why love is dishonest and, from his explanation, told us why it is alright to be dishonest. Although I know what the word says and what I have been taught, many of the comments I have heard on kleverkathy.com have me confused. So I must ask again in a very point blank manner. Is lying among Christians alright?

Before you emphatically say “No” (the correct moral and spiritual answer) go back to my article You Can’t Handle The Truth, (it is no longer on the front page, scroll down and then go to page two) and then read What’s Love Got To Do With It, and then read Ronald Deane’s comment, and then leave your comment, even if you commented before.

Here’s the thing, I have been lied to SOOOOOO much lately. I don’t know if I would know the truth if it bit me on the nose ) And listen, I am not perfect. I too have done my share of lying. But I try not to and pride myself in not lying. I don’t pride in it in the aspect of thinking I am better than you or the next guy.  I pride myself in the fact that I am trying to adjust my Christian walk to be pleasing to God and whenever a situation comes and I could lie and don’t, I am proud! That is really what not lying for me is about. I won’t sit here and  say I haven’t or still don’t abuse the truth at times. I can’t say the devil hasn’t caught me off guard and a lie/untruth/deceit comes out of me. But I can say, I don’t ever intend on flat out lying, just to lie. And hear this, IF I DO IT, IT IS WRONG!!!

I know blogging is all about one conversation leading to another and so on, but I hope we can stay somewhat focused and not get into: what is the greater sin or all sins are the same or you’re so arrogant talking about others lying. I’m saying upfront, I am not judging you or anyone, I’m trying to find out the viewpoints of Christians I identify with and, I think, believe the same way I believe. So my question of the day comes from the feeling I get that many Christians don’t believe lying is wrong, if you have a good reason. Is lying wrong? Is lying a sin? Are there situations and circumstances that make lying ok?  Do you lie?  lol.  (you know mother Allen said, if you’ll lie, you’ll steal and if you’ll steal, you’ll lie)

Bear with me. Again I say, I have been lied to so much lately and have the feeling, those who lie to me still plan on making heaven their home! Really??? Ok, I’m a prude! But I’d rather be safe than sorry on judgment day!

Please holla back!

I am too old to become disillusioned with life, but I think I have, or at least with some parts of life.

I like it that I have a song in my spirit almost every morning. I have songs in my spirit so often that at one point, whatever song I woke up with on my mind; I would jot it down on the calendar. It’s was amazing to see how often the song of the day would minister to whatever was happening in my life at the time. 99.9% of the time, they were/are gospel songs with a message or something uplifting to my spirit. Yesterday, the only song that played and played in my head all day is “What’s Love Got To Do With It”. Then today on my way to work I had on the Steve Harvey show and they were playing an old, old school song, “It’s All About Love”. Not another love song coming at me! This is not what I intended to write today but I knew I had to write about this and ask you; is it all about love, what’s love got to do with it and does love really conquer all?

I have always told my girlfriend, there are just some things love will not let you do and there are some lines love will not let you cross. Here is my take on that, seeing that I have been a recipient of having the unacceptable and unspeakable done to me and I have been on the other side of that line when it was crossed; either the person/s doesn’t love me or love really has nothing to do with our actions.  And I am not perfect.  I have done my share of unlovable things, I’m just saying…

I grew up in church and know what the word says about love but there are times when life seems to contradict itself and the word doesn’t seem to properly fit situations. I always wait on God’s revelation because I know He is going to either lay it all out for my understanding or give me a nod to let me know, He’s got this one and there is no need for me to know why or what He is doing. Gosh, it’s all too much at times!

So here is my question today: once your boss, or your child, or your significant other, or your best friend, or your neighbor does something that cannot be triggered by love and the pains hurts you at the base of the lowest point of your soul, is there any coming back from that and could they have possibly loved you to do such a thing? You tell me because I don’t know! And one more thing, when you know they are doing it just to hurt you/for revenge, and they know you are a Christian and them saying I’m sorry is what they do best, is there a Christian/human alive that can just say thank you, I accept your apology and move on???

I really want your input on this one. If you love me, holla back.

This is the first of our Christianity 101 series.

He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.  Psalm 101:7 (King James Version)

I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.  Psalm 101:7 (New Living Translation)
 
… and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone…  Revelation 21:8 (King James Version)

Recently I was asked the question, what would make me tell a lie? I was a bit taken aback, I mean, being a Christian, is there any reasonable answer for that question other than: nothing? More than once I have been considered prudish because I view lying as detrimental to a Christian’s walk with God. I am not saying I am perfect nor am I saying I have never lied, but I do work very hard at telling the truth! Lying is still considered wrong, isn’t it?

The other day somebody told me that they fear God when it came to adultery and fornication but He understands lying! Kid you not!!! Why does lying come so easy to Christians? Let me ask you. Is it wrong to be at work and a caller to be told I am in a meeting just because I don’t want to talk? Is it wrong for a bill collector to be told I am not home because I don’t want to deal with them? Is it wrong for me to tell someone I haven’t seen in years that they look 10 years younger than they are; when in reality they look like the last rose of summer just to make them feel good? Does it not matter what the scripture/s (there are many) says about lying? Is it one of those things we see in the bible and ignore because certainly God could not have meant for us to tell the truth when lying comes so easy?

Here’s the thing, most of the time for me, when I have a personal relationship or daily contact with a person who lies, I get to the place where one of two things happen, #1. I can tell when they are lying and it makes me mad that they do it so often, FOR NO REASON or #2. I don’t know when to believe them because they do lie so often, therefore I have no trust in anything they say and that becomes a hard relationship to maintain. Once any relationship becomes contaminated with lies, for me, it is not really a relationship. And if they are a liar, I have found, no one is exempt from their dishonesty.

Apparently for many, heaven is not predicated on truth and honesty. A dear sweet woman I have known my entire life, that recently passed, would declare: if you’ll lie, you’ll steal and if you’ll steal, you’ll lie! Why are so many Christians liars and thieves!

One more thing, is deceit the same as a lie? I grew up witnessing, and in essence being taught, the art of deceiving. It was literally part of the course on “How To Be a Christian and Lie Without Actually Lying”. Is letting a person walk away believing something different than what is actually the truth deceit or a lie or both?

Can you tell I am troubled today? The magnitude of lying that goes on around me on a daily basis is monumental! What can I say? Isn’t telling the truth Christianity 101???

Holla back and tell me your TRUE feelings on this subject! Please don’t lie to me…