Sue&#039;s Pen 2 Paper Blog

June 23, 2018

True Freedom

The roar of helicopters fill the air over the jungles as soldiers stomp through the marshes. Their lives are at stake and yet they continue to move forward protecting those within their country.

The sacrifice, they say, is well worth it, as they crawl among the trees and brush. Bullets whiz past and they return fire. So far none in their squadron has been hit this morning. They lift up silent prayers that they achieve what others are unwilling to do.

Back home their families make due on the little the government gives them. Mom’s hold the household together and pray fervently that their loved one will come home safe while others are screaming, cussing, and protesting.

The battle field is treacherous and as one soldier dives towards his fox hole a bullet rips through his body and he falls bleeding in the dirt and mud.

“Dear God, oh Jesus, help me,” he whispers as his life blood stains the dirt. A Man steps down into the fox hole and kneels beside the soldier. The soldier looks at him through the sweat and dirt on his face. “Who are you?” the soldier whispers.

“I am the I Am.”

The soldier whispers, “I give you my soul,” and slowly closes his eyes. The darkness turns to a brilliant light engulfing him in a peaceful dimension of pure love. The Man holds his hand and looks up to heaven.

(Sue’s version) Psalm 31:5

February 26, 2018

Angel? Not Me!

I posted this a few years back and now it has come up again – hence time to set the record straight, again. ~~~~~~~~~~

ISN’T SHE BEAUTIFUL?

Unlike the Cherubim that have four faces, four wings, feet like a calf’s foot, and sparkle like burnished brass, (Ez.1:5-7) she resembles a beautiful woman. She doesn’t look like the Seraphim with six wings, either. (Is.6:2-3)

I have told the truth but yet I have been chastised and condemned. I’ve been told I’m a “lousy Christian,” “you don’t represent true Christians,” and a “flat-out liar,” because I wrote that we as humans do not become angels when we leave this earth. I was shocked! It still amazes me that so many Christians are ignorant as to this truth. Not just Christians, either. Many believe the lies Satan has put out there.

“THE ANGEL OF THE LORD ENCAMPS ALL AROUND THOSE THAT FEAR HIM, AND DELIVERS THEM.” Ps.34:7

“Those that fear Him.” Every Christian has an angel assigned to him or her and we like to think it’s a beautiful angel with flowing silky hair, satin wings, etc. And it’s wonderful to imagine our loved one that has died is now suddenly a beautiful angel.

But is it true? NO! (Don’t scream at me yet.)

Angels were created by God, for God, and to be His messengers and serve Him. “… for He commanded, and they were created. Ps.148.5

They are not to be worshiped. Only God through His Son, Jesus Christ, is to be the focus of our worship. (Rev.22:8-9)

This little ceramic angel has been created by some talented person. It’s purpose is determined by its creator. That is the same as with God.

He is the Almighty Creator of all things and He had a purpose for creating angels. He made them not only as His messenger but holy, (Mk. 8:38) and they never die like we do. He created humans also with the same purpose. He wants us to be holy and to be His messenger of the gospel throughout the world. We have the choice to be holy or not to be; to believe in Him, through His Son Jesus Christ, or not to believe. Many state they believe in God, well so does Satan! God had a purpose for creating His angels and for creating every human being; to serve and glorify Him!

As Christians we do not die, we just leave our earthly body behind. “nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God being sons of the resurrection.” Lk. 20:36 (emphasis mine) DID YOU CATCH THAT? EQUAL TO THE ANGELS, NOT TRANSFORMED INTO ANGELS BUT EQUAL TO.

So why do we not suddenly turn into angels when we leave this earthly body? “…we shall be like Him.” 1Jn.3:2

“For our citizenship is in heaven…the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body…” Phil. 3:20-21 (emphasis mine)

Jesus is not an angel!!!!

Once we enter heaven we will judge the angels. “Do you not know that we shall judge angels?…” 1Cor. 6:3 If we become an angel when we die then we would not be above the angels. Right now we are below the angels, they watch over us.

There are many scriptures that speak about angels but there are none that say we humans become, are transformed, into an angel when we die. We live on, in heaven or in hell. If we are in heaven we are living in and with a love greater than anything we have ever known or can even imagine. There are no more tears, no more suffering, illness, hurt, or pain. We have been released by the grace of Almighty God. We do not sprout wings nor buzz back to earth to protect those who are left behind. That is what the angels do. We bask in His presence. If one is not a believer, well I’ve already shown part of that life in my post, “Been there-not going back!”

There is only one way to be guaranteed a seat near God’s Throne, ask Jesus into our heart. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:5

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”‘ John 8:31-32

Author Sue Cass –“Dawn’s Light” – “Pursuit” – “Laying Down my Net-A Walk of Faith” – “Sacrifices of a Saint” – “Seek My Face.” “The Narrow Road” (Being released in March 2018)

Like us: http://www.facebook.com/elahministries

e-mail: elah501c@bellsouth.net

Blessings to you. 🙂

December 5, 2017

From the Throne Room of Heaven

I hardly know where to begin on this “rainy day in Georgia” to explain a moment of enlightenment straight from the Throne Room of Heaven.

While watching the last few minutes of a Hallmark Christmas movie on the TV, my little dog, Sassy, insisted on joining me for a scratch and a warm place on my lap to curl up and sleep. We enjoyed her request and my mind started remembering a statement given to me recently about this little dog. “The bonding between you and that little dog is remarkable.”

Why was this comment profound in my mind? You see, Sassy, is a little 8 ½ pound rescue dog. No personal knowledge on our part of her life prior to her coming to be part of our family, but the results of that life was evident to all that came in contact with her. She was a Survivor!! She was skin and bones. Had been given a good grooming and we were told she was matted to the skin, full of oil and grease. She had a fondness for parked cars and hiding beneath them. She snarled, and broke out in defense mode whenever there was any indication on her part she was about to be hurt. Fearful of everything around her and she sharpened her teeth quite often on human flesh. No one would have her, except us. Several had tried, which is why she was groomed, but they ran out of time, and patience and she was discarded and the days were being counted off for her removal from this earth. She was headed back to a shelter that would keep her only a short time. She was very much in the snarl and bite mode, who would want her?

It took 3 years and today she is curled up in my lap, sleeping. That statement about our bonding started rolling around in my head and a question came to mind. How, if said to me again, would I answer it today? The one asking the question had observed our little bundle of fun in the beginning days and was making a today observation.

A today observation, hmmm, “Father how would I respond?” My communication door had been opened and Father started speaking to me in that wonderful, calming, soft voice that I have grown to love. “She, my child, is not unlike you humans. You are all so loved by Me and yet such a daily challenge. Just like she was hiding under cars, man hides behind many things not as obvious as her hiding places but hides just the same. And the hiding places are a result of fear. What, this day, are you fearing? How are you any different than our little friend nestled in your lap?”

I thought about that question and He discussed my thoughts with me. I agreed with the change in her and then was asked another question. “What are you running from and where are you wanting to get to?” Another question only He can ask and one I will listen to. I don’t often ask that question of myself as I scurry from one needed project to another and try to care for those around me. Little dog Sassy showed signs of doing a great deal of running. She was very hungry, lost and not sure of a destination but running hard to find something different and hopefully better than where she was. Initially she was watched to great lengths as we did not want to have her try to escape the home we were trying to provide because we had learned that she not only was needing shelter and love, food for her worn out body and soul, but she was also very sick.

Three days after she came to us, she started having serious Epileptic seizures and they were serious beyond anything we had ever seen. A week in the doggie hospital resulted with a discharge of “Maybe.” Doc, at the time, did not hold out much hope for her survival let alone her having years to function and be happy. At this point all seemed so against her. Personal tears flowed for something so small and innocent and so terribly abused by humans that were created to care for the animals. Love, care, sharing and happy days had been taken from her and all she knew was pain, hurt, great grief and unbelievable fear.

Discussion continued between Father and me and answers on my part started coming forth. Like all of us, there are pockets of lacking emotions in all of our lives that may have once been there and tragic moments in life either destroyed or were never recognized. Sometimes those hurts and lacking have a way of truly destroying today and tomorrow. But, an example of something He was trying to tell me was curled up in my lap!!

I found myself being more and more quiet and more and more in the listening mode. “Father, there is a message here in our discussion and I have a strong belief this is a message of importance, at least to me.”

His response back to me was slow coming and I determined that was preparation for my giving Him my full attention. I waited and I listened. He then spoke, “Child, what has happened between the then and now of this little dogs life? Name steps along the way where you remember change in her and what was taking place to cause that change.”

Out came the Kleenex once again and I was beginning to see where I thought He was going with our conversation and I could not believe before my opening eyes what He was teaching me and the door He was opening before me. His timing is so “on time” and I so want to sharpen my awareness edge in my life to not miss His timing. Here I sat, in my own home, quiet and safe from the changing season outside and a cold rain to receiving a message straight out of the Throne Room of Heaven.

I chattered like a small child excited about a new direction and that child having a small piece of insight heads out with strong emotion and a lot of “I see, I see, Lord”. Well, like that little child I quote, in His world “I see” little!

However, His grace gave me the freedom to tell Him what I was seeing and where He wanted me to go. Of course I was pretty much wrong, but that was OK with Him because He was going to straighten my thinking out. No time to waste with my personal insights I so easily grabbed and started telling Him about, with much wisdom and assurance, of myself. As I said above, I was pretty much not as far on board as I thought.

He showed me patience and love. Kind of like that Fatherly pat on the head.

Then we got down to the message for the day. “Child, I too care, watch over, and love. I love way beyond anything you can even imagine. You have heard a statement for many years about being able to know My love for humankind and most particularly how much more love there is to tap when you are one of Mine. Now, True love requires abandonment. True love requires trust, True love requires commitment. True love wants to be with one another. True love wants to share. Examples of True Love are many but are you starting to realize just a little what I am speaking to you about?”

“Yes, Lord, I do.” “Sorry, child, not sure you do. I have not given you a beginning list of things necessary for you to have a relationship with Me. Understand this!! I am telling you the opposite. These are some of the ways I LOVE YOU. All that is necessary from you is acceptance. Your little dog asleep on your lap has now accepted the love provided to her in her home. Accept, child, that no matter where you are, no matter what you are confronted with, no matter what happens in this fallen world, you cannot get away from My love for you any more than that little dog can. She is healing from her days of abuse. She is being cared for and all she knows is she feels better and that the old days and her ugly past are not here today. Your love for her is solid. So is Mine! She is accepting more and more each day the love provided to her in the home she lives in. You and your husband show her what her life can really be while with you and I show what your life can be for Eternity with Me. How is there any difference between relationship with that little dog and relationship with Me? It all starts with Love and it all ends with Love. There is no measure of dialed in acceptance of love and you are done. No way to see that you measure up. No way to cause you envy when you see others further down the path than you are. All this Love thing needs to super charge your life is acceptance!!! The defiled world about you can cause ugliness. I can give the very self-same world beauty and hope. Sassy just accepts!”

It takes a bit of time to get over a gut wrenching. I went back to the statement given to me by an observer. “The bonding between you and that little dog is remarkable.” Is bonding with the Almighty beyond your understanding? Is it a foreign language to you? Are the horrible cares of this world tearing at you and you find yourself wanting to scream, “God, where are You?” Are you wanting to find a parked car of your own to hide under? Are you so like me filled with “yes, but”? And, oh, so many more mountains of questions. How would I answer my question today. I would gently scratch behind the ears of the little one asleep on my lap and smile and say, “She just learned to accept.”

(Anonymous)

September 28, 2017

Thursday’s Pen Tip #2

We seem to have a need to depart from this plain called earth. We continually pray for death, yet when we truly think He will take us, a fear courses through our veins.

Be careful what you pray for! For your words grow weary upon the ears of our Master.

Death – oh how we cherish the pain. The thought of how no suffering, no tears, no heartache. But, instead of looking for release from a world filled with sin and evil, why not try to change it.

Instead of relishing a freedom from it, which is not always the answer, change the one you live in.

Instead of passing away and leaving pain behind, why not remove pain where able and it will not be so painful for others who are left behind upon your departure.

Your pain was handed to you from those who knew pain also. And so the story goes.

No one seems to want to stop the pain, just leave it! Leave it for others to deal with, suffer through, and want the same as you – leave it.

November 10, 2014

Dealing with Betrayal

Betrayal can come in many and various forms. It can be as simple, if you want to call it simple, as someone betraying your trust through telling another what you thought was told in confidence. There is the betrayal within marriages through adulterous behavior. Betrayal can come through domestic abuse. Maybe someone at your job betrayed you by lying to the boss. There’s many examples of how we are betrayed.

In my opinion (and many psychiatrists) the most damaging, deep, and most heartfelt betrayal is through a parent sexually abusing their child. From within the womb we are totally and completely dependent upon our mothers and fathers. Upon birth that dependence grows even more for the child. The child depends on the parents for nurturing, education, love for God, not to mention clothing, food, and housing. God instilled in us love. We are created to love and we do it naturally as a child. We love our parents regardless of anything they do.

Children are taught to hate, to distrust, to be suspicious and to take the blame. They were not born with that negativity. We’ve all seen cases where a child is horribly abused and yet they will protect the parent. It isn’t always that the parent/abuser has threatened them to keep quiet, it’s because of that God-given love instilled within us toward those who God chose to be our parents.

I was asked recently if after having been sexually abused if having my Dad admit to the abuse, if that was emotionally more difficult than the actual abuse. My answer was no, not for me. For me it was confirmation that the abuse really did take place. It stopped all the mind wrestling of whether it happened or not and put an end to the lies that were being told about it didn’t happen. But not everyone can answer that way. It is always very difficult to admit we have been betrayed. Especially if that betrayal was from someone we love.

Sexual abuse/incest is the most damaging of all abuse to a child. It attacks the body, soul, mind, and spirit of the child. The issues that are left from it are so vast it can take years to heal from the devastation. Most abusers will not admit their guilt. Many mothers will blame the victim or deny it happened or choose the husband over the child. Hopefully with disclosure becoming more prevalent that will change.

Who of us want to have to admit to ourselves that those who were given to us by God could do such a thing? Who wants to admit that the man we chose to love for the rest of our lives would sneak around behind our back in an adulterous affair? Or that our best friend would reveal a deep secret we shared, with someone else?

Betrayal will leave deep wounds. Whether they are bleeding wounds that we ignore, or ones that we continue to pick at is our choice. In the case of sexual abuse it may take years to heal those deep wounds. In Psalm 27:10 The Lord says, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.” Betrayal through abuse , by a parent, is forsaking the child! They have forsaken their God-given responsibility to care for, in a Christ-like manner, for the child that was placed in their care. Mothers and fathers that do nothing to protect the child, a co-conspirator, has emotionally, and in some cases physically, abandoned the child. Christ is there to receive you!

With any betrayal it is hard to “wrap our minds around” what was done. There is hurt, anger, denial, and eventually acceptance. We have a big choice to make. Do we forgive or do we continue to bleed? It can be mind-boggling to think that our own parents could betray us in such a way but if we do not release that hurt, through forgiveness, the betrayal will be like a gunny sack filled with rocks on our back.

With any form of betrayal do we choose to live with a heart filled with hate and bitterness toward those who have betrayed us or do we turn to Christ and give Him our pain? By holding onto the pain, not forgiving, we are bringing God’s judgment against us. (Matt.5:22) We are hindering our prayers, (Matt.5:23) we’re causing a root of bitterness to take hold, (Heb.12:14-15) we’re allowing demonic strongholds to take hold, (Eph.4:26), and halting our healing (James 5:16).

Freedom from the heart wounds inflicted by an act/s of betrayal is obtained through our ability to seek Christ’s forgiveness and to offer our forgiveness to others.

~~~~~