There are people who grumble, murmur, and complain about everything. They act like it’s their earthly assignment to nitpick and find fault. Abraham Lincoln said, “Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.” Only seeing error in things and people is a grim undertaking. In addition, this self-appointed task has grave consequences. For one thing, it’s a pathway for the devil to enter into our lives and deposit hopelessness. The Israelites learned that the hard way; all their murmuring and complaining stopped them from entering into the Promised Land.

Should God expect criticism after He answers a faultfinder’s prayers?

There is so much we can learn from analyzing the Israelites’ journey. In spite of God performing astonishing miracles on their behalf, they weren’t satisfied. Their disgruntled attitude prolonged an eleven-day trip to a forty-year wilderness experience. Do we lengthen our “wilderness” experiences, which I call tests, when we murmur and complain? There are people who always display a positive attitude of hope and faith; however, the rest of us can be challenged by some of life’s circumstances.

People can threaten our last nerve.

The Israelites’ journey shows us what not to do when we become anxious about our predicaments. On the other hand, Jesus modeled how we should handle undesirable situations without murmuring, grumbling, and faultfinding. He demonstrated humility and love in the midst of imperfect people and conditions. How did Jesus remain so stable? He prayed—alone—a lot.

When Jesus walked the earth, He attracted a great throng of people everywhere He went. Because of His compassion, He attended to their needs.

In Matthew 14:14-23, it describes the time when the people stayed so long that Jesus ended up feeding over 5,000 of them. Can you imagine the drain this must have had on His human body? Think about it, one person can wear us out. But notice what Jesus did, after such an exhausting day, He veered off alone into the mountains to pray—regroup, refuel, and reconnect with His Father.

We’ll be alright if we keep in mind: faultfinding, murmuring, and complaining are red flags.

Time to go to the “mountain” and refuel.  

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are created to do and finish the course that God designed for us. His good plans for our lives were established before the foundation of earth. In Jeremiah chapter 1, God told Jeremiah that before he was formed in his mother’s womb, He knew him and approved him to be His chosen instrument. But Jeremiah didn’t see himself as God saw him. Gideon didn’t think he could carry out the assignment God had for him to do either (see Judges 6:1-16). He, like Jeremiah, gave a list of reasons why he couldn’t carry out the mission. However, God gave those men everything they needed; He gave Himself. I will be with thee.

Have you given God a list of reasons why you can’t do what He has asked you to do? Rethink your list—then get excited with hope and possibilities! Because it can be done, by the power of the Holy Spirit. (See previous post: Step-by-step Blueprints.)

Oh, the plans I have for you!

God not only sees who we are now, but who we can become. We would be utterly flabbergasted if we could perceive the supernatural feats, we could accomplish through Christ. Once we accept the fact that He doesn’t need our abilities to get His plans done, we’ll be more inclined to give our deficiencies over to His will; let Him infuse us with His power.

When the Holy Spirit puts an assignment in our hearts, He has already taken care of all the details like: all the wrong paths we would take; the dumb ideas we would get involved in; the crazy people we would let into our lives; and all the other challenges we would encounter along the way. Even still—He will call us to the frontline to represent Him.

Our strength comes from the Lord.

If we think we can’t do God’s plans on our own, we are absolutely correct. Our help comes from the Spirit within us; not by any outside sources. We must use our faith because it’s not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God to see us through (see Zechariah 4:6).

Our adversary, the devil, made plans for our lives, too. His aim, in the process of trying to kill us, is to distract us from our godly assignments by overwhelming us with burdens. He wants us to feel trapped and downtrodden with a defeatists outlook on life. But in Zechariah, we’re instructed not to go it alone, but to lean on the Holy Spirit.

It’s natural to feel tired at times—taking a break to relax is healthy. However, it’s a different matter when you find yourself in this broken state for long periods of time; unable to get anything accomplished. That’s when you know you are being purposefully discouraged from being all that you were created to be. If this describes you, ask God to help you to live up to your full potential and finish your mission(s).

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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My pastor made this statement during one of his sermons: “Don’t break before the breakthrough.” That hit me right between the eyes—Umph! Immediately I started thinking: How many breakthroughs have I forfeited? Have I put my faith on a meter? How much time do I give God before I subconsciously take Him off the case?

How long does a breakthrough take?

Breakthroughs can seem sporadic by the way they suddenly appear—unannounced. It would behoove us not to break before one sporadically comes our way. But because of its unpredictability, it’s easy to become distraught while waiting for one to come smashing through.

However, if our faith is dependent on time, then that’s not faith. Faith requires us to hold on and trust God. When we receive a word from the Lord saying He’s going to take care of a matter, we have to believe that He meant what He said; He’ll do it in His perfect timing.

Christians are not immune from hard-times (see John 16:33). They face illnesses, they lose family members, jobs, and other woeful trials. But through it all, Christians, who have experienced God’s faithfulness time after time, might bend; but as soon as they become aware that they’re being pulled into a darken obscure zone, they understand the URGENCY—to call on God.

Put your faith on LIFE support.

As soon as you detect your faith is fading, put it on LIFE support; let the Holy Spirit replenish it. You don’t have to pretend like you have it altogether when you know, and the enemy knows, and God knows that you don’t.

I’ve learned to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lift me up before I break; give me a ray of encouragement to keep me holding on. I can’t think of a time that the Spirit didn’t give me “an appetizer” to munch on while waiting for the main course of victory to breakthrough.

Yeah, you might bend—just don’t break!

Important note:

Some breakthroughs are unrecognizable. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Have you read Exodus 26:1-36? If not, skim the verses below to get an idea of how God gave detailed details as to how He wanted His Tabernacle built.

Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. ⁸ All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide, ⁹ Join five of the curtains together into one set and the other six into another set. Fold the sixth curtain double at the front of the tent. ¹⁰ Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. ¹¹ Then make fifty bronze clasps and put them in the loops to fasten the tent together as a unit. ¹² As for the additional length of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over is to hang down at the rear of the tabernacle. (NIV)

Pretty thorough would you say? After I read those instructions, I started thinking: I sure would love for the Holy Spirit to give me detailed details for my life. I know His universal plan for mankind is found in His Word; I also know He’s not going to lay out the whole floor plan of my life at once (wouldn’t want Him to); nevertheless, I want detailed directions for the step I’m currently involved in; decisions I must make now. After I had finished thinking, the Lord put this into my spirit:

“I still give detailed details; but not everyone is willing to listen and do.”

The more we listen and do—the more we hear.

Okay, I get it; not everybody wants all those details. Maybe it’s because the more they know to do, the more they’re beholden—to do. As for me, I want every detail the Holy Spirit is willing to share at this time. I will prayerfully follow them the best I can. Being a Christian, I know I’m traveling through a crazy world. I know there’s an enemy trying to entrap me and waste my time on foolishness. The way I see it, I don’t have to play the devil’s games when I have the Holy Spirit to guide me through.

We respectfully listen when we know the value of God’s instructions.

When we have a revelation of the value of divine instructions, we are willing to do whatever it takes to receive them. The enemy knows it’s in our best interest to follow God’s blueprints; that’s why he will do whatever it takes to distract our attention. Therefore, when our flesh doesn’t want to obey the Spirit’s plans, instead of us giving in, we must pray and ask God to give us the desire to do His will. As we wait for that shift in attitude, we must press through by faith until the change comes. That push signals how serious we are to do it God’s way.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Blueprints are specific; we may not understand or agree with every point, but every point has purpose. There’s no flexibility for alterations; selective hearing/disobedience not an option if we’re following the Spirit’s plans.

If you want God’s best, follow His blueprints step-by-step.

 © 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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When meteorologists tell us to be on watch for severe hazardous weather conditions, we become frantic—wasting no time to prepare. Grocery store shelves are stripped as everyone stockpiles food, water, and other vital necessities. As conditions mount and become life-threatening, highways become jam-packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic as people evacuate the area altogether. These storm watchers do a pretty good job tracking these systems so we won’t get caught off guard.

Nonetheless, there’s a perilous threat in the atmosphere meteorologists can’t detect even with all their sophisticated technological know-how. Regardless of their inabilities to inform us of this pending threat, we have been warned (see Matthew 24:44; Luke 12:39-40). But the panic to prepare for this evil seems to fall far short as compared to when natural disasters are in the forecast.

It’s not a comforting thought, but Christians are the devil’s main focus; he doesn’t need to waste time on sinners who he already has. Believing-believers, who stay prepared are his challenge. It’s only when we let down our guard of defense, we become vulnerable to his ploys.

Stay ready!

Having a close intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit is how we stay prepared. There’s no other way to safeguard our lives from the enemy other than by the Spirit. The more we read and do the Word of God, and the more one-on-one time we spend listening to Him speak to our spirits—the more threatening we are to the kingdom of darkness. But we aren’t to fear, as long as we stay on God’s narrow path.

And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left (Isaiah 30:21, AMP)

The way to hear the Spirit’s directions, is to purposefully pay attention. Even though believers are to rest in the Lord; giving Him all their worries and cares doesn’t mean to start removing pieces of the armor of God (see Ephesians 6:13-18). Why would soldiers lay their weapons down in the middle of warfare? Despite what the devil will say, there’s a spiritual war taking place.

The devil doesn’t blink; he winks!

The adversary never takes his attention off believers as he finds ways (some pleasantly alluring) to entice them to make certain compromises with the Word. He’s hoping they take on the mindset that it doesn’t take all that holy living to be in right standing with the Lord.

Consequently, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us discern the enemy’s sly winks of approval as he plots to remove our armor. We must ask the Spirit to give us the desire to pray even when we don’t see the need to do so.

Even though meteorologists can’t warn us to take cover from approaching spiritual storms, Psalm 91:1 tells us exactly where to take cover.

He Who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadows of the Almighty [Whose power no foe an withstand] (Psalm 91:1, AMP).

Don’t get caught off guard!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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After I prayed the other day, God gave me this thought: Don’t be surprised when it happens. That caught my faith OFF GUARD! It was as though the Holy Spirit splashed iced water on my face—Whoa! God knows my faith can still be challenged when facing “big ticketed” issues; so, the Master Teacher mercifully took me by the hand and gave me that word of encouragement to jump start my faith.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:20)

To borrow from my title two weeks ago, “Guard Your Nest,” I knew to hurry up and immortalize this divine message (date and time) into my journal before the devil had a chance to weave threads of doubt. If I don’t carefully guard my faith, the enemy will tell me: God didn’t say that.

If you read my blog on a regular basis, then you know me well enough to know I’m not suggesting God is some celestial being under obligation to grant our every wish. But I am saying, when we live our lives the best we can according to His Word; and when our prayers are according to His will, then we should expect our prayers to be answered—without being shocked or surprised.

Being on one accord with God is key to getting prayers answered.

It says in Matthew 6:33 to first seek the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto us. In Psalm 37:4, it says to delight ourselves in the Lord; and He shall give us the desires of our hearts. When we seek and go after the things of God, and when we delight ourselves in Him, then we’ll want what He wants. Therefore, when we pray, He will bring it to pass. … I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12b, AMP).

Don’t lose heart—God is able!

Now here’s where you come in: If the Holy Spirit is tapping your heart to apply this word (Don’t be surprised when it happens) to your circumstances, then by all means receive it by faith. Because I doubt very seriously, God only speaks these weekly posts to me; after all, He is the One who inspired me to write on the Internet—released to the world.

Expect God to do it!

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

© 2019

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Giving all glory to God; I’ve been truly blessed by numerous replies from people who are encouraged by these weekly posts. They say things like: it’s a timely word; it’s confirmation; it’s exactly what my pastor taught in Bible study. Some have even reached out and asked for prayer during difficult trials. I read all comments; and I do my best to respond.

On the other hand,

I’ve heard from people who characterize Christianity as foolish make-believe nonsense—devoid of facts and reality. They see Christians as the simple-minded weak—who cling to an imaginary friend—they call God.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit will tell me exactly how to respond to their misrepresentations; then there are other times when He doesn’t give me the words to say. As much as I would love to come to His defense, I’ve learned not to allow contrary spirits to lure my flesh into making comments when the Spirit has not anointed me to do so. Without the power of God, my words will fall flat on deaf ears.

The nonbelievers who read this blog are a small percentage of a vast population who are lost and have no desire to be found. Some of them will give you their last dime; will bend over backwards to offer a helping hand; good people, but when it comes to Christ—No thank you!

Buried alive!

One day the Holy Spirit revealed to me that many dissenters are speaking out from layers of pain and disappointments. They walk around and function in society; nonetheless, they have no idea they’re buried alive without Christ in their lives. No one is belittling or criticizing them for being entrapped in these graves; we were buried at one time; we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23).

Blasting through harden ground!

It’s difficult for anyone to hear Truth from under heaps of skepticism unless drawn out by the Spirit. All God wants believers to do is have the faith to love and respect the nonbelievers. Believers must be ready—on call, when the Holy Spirit needs them to intervene. At the appointed time, the POWER of God will blast through the harden-crusted ground.

No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day (John 6:44, AMP).

God conveyed this to my spirit:

For the most part, it’s the same skeptics who keep commenting on your blog; they read it—frequently; they read it so often that you know many of them by name. They might think they’re attracted to the postings only to find fault, poke fun, and criticize. However, the main point is they’re reading it! So, as long as you allow Me to write through you, I—will be the One to respond to them. All you have to do is tell them:

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

© 2019

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You can pray high-powered prayers, but praying is only part of it; after you say Amen comes the hardest part to getting your prayers answered. The other day when I finished praying, the Holy Spirit laid on my heart not to wavier; the devil was on his way to fill my head with doubts and fears. God used the analogy of a bird guarding its nest from predators to explain how my prayers had to be protected from the evil one (see 1 Peter 5:8).

… If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23).

The strategic warrior

A close relationship with God is essential to believing His truths over the lies of the devil. The more intimate we are with the Holy Spirit, the better we can discern the enemy’s intentions to shift our position of faith in God, to his avalanche of fears.

The emotions derived from fear is too disruptive not to take seriously. Its purpose is to tear down our faith and leave us vulnerable to evil plots. Instead of succumbing to the wiles of the adversary, the strategic warrior suits up with all seven pieces of God’s armor (see Ephesians 6:10-18).

• Belt of truth
• Breastplate of righteousness
• Shoes of peace
• Shield of faith
• Helmet of salvation
• Sword the Word
• Prayer

All the pieces are indispensable in in a spiritual warfare; we can’t name a piece that is dispensable. However, depending on individual circumstances, some pieces of armor may be used more than others at any given time, nonetheless, we must be clothed completely at all times.

After Amen . . .

I use the shield, the sword, and prayer mostly. As soon as I notice the devil has slipped me one of his illegal suggestions of doubt, I lift the shield of faith to block the inrush of lies; I weld the Word of God as a defense. If a Scripture doesn’t come to my mind at that given moment, I call on the name of Jesus; then I pray for strength and encouragement to keep me in the fight.

This back and forth exchange last as long as the devil pounce out fabrications. The good news is—he will eventually leave; however, the bad news is—he will return; I can’t get relaxed in his departure and start removing pieces of armor.

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time (Luke 4:13).

In the meantime, I write it down what I’m believing God for; when I do that, I can see exactly what the enemy is after, and what I’m guarding.

After the Amen is just the beginning—guard your nest; the predator is on his way.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

Do you want to pray the kind of prayers Heaven can’t refuse? If yes, visit the Boston Collection Bookstore and order your Paulette Talks Faith book(s) and other products to promote faith growth. Click the flyer below to visit the bookstore today!

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Back when I was a toddler, I learned how to skillfully yank and pull folk’s strings to get what I wanted. Of course, I felt it was my duty to share this vital information with my peers so they could get unshackled from all the unjust “stop—NO—don’t do that” rules. For example, one day my mother overheard me giving my sister (who was two years older) some of my valuable advice on how to get whatever she wanted: CRY!

Strings—invaluable!

We might be able to put a spoiled-bratty kid in check, but what happens when we are being controlled subliminally? Who’s controlling those strings? Who bought those controlling rights? It’s no surprise the advertising industry invest million plus dollars to study subtle ways to dominate our actions and other factors to enrich their bottom line.

On the other hand, some of their techniques are overt; we know exactly what’s going on, but being controlled subconsciously have the most damaging lasting effects if coordinated by evil intentions. If we’re not paying attention, we can find ourselves acting in ways that’s against our convictions for no apparent reason. It makes one wonder: Are these my independent actions and thoughts, or am I being controlled by some unknown entity? Who or what influences are governing my behavior?

Manipulated?

The root of evil is not from those who selfishly compromise our well-being for their personal gain; for sure they play a part, but they’re not the root. The venom is being generated and pumped out of the principalities of darkness; underground worlds of wickedness as described in Ephesians 6:12.

Those who are unsuspicious, unaware, or don’t care that these principalities exist, make the best targets. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase: “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” An unoccupied mind makes the perfect workstation for evil to set up shop. Left idly unattended, the enemy will wrap your strings around your throat and choke you to death.

Help cometh from the Lord!

We don’t have enough information on how these conspiracies work; and since wicked supernatural forces seek us, then by faith, we need to put our trust in the Supernatural Council of the Holy Spirit to guide us. In Proverbs 28:26 it says, He who leans on, trusts in, and is confident of his own mind and heart is a [self-confident] fool, but he who walks in skillful and godly Wisdom shall be delivered. (AMP)

Who legally purchased the rights to our strings?

Jesus Christ bought the rights to our strings when He gave His life so that we are not bound by the kingdom of darkness (see John 10:10-11). When Jesus gave His life on the cross, [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over in Him and in it [the cross]. (Colossians 2:15, AMP)  

Ephesians 6:11 tells us to put on the complete armor of God; while Colossians 3:1-2 tells us how to stay safeguarded all the time against these evil forces.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Question: Who or what is controlling your strings?

© 2019                            See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Whew! This is Paulette Talks Faith’s 312^th post; resulting in six Paulette Talks Faith books—five of which are published. I owe it all to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Without His help, I could not have written one single word—worth reading. He kept this blog going consecutively all these weeks in spite of a few: grammatical glitches, punctuation—Opps, a couple of meltdowns, and two computer crashes. Whew!

Get back to work!

If God inspired you to do something that you laid aside due to frustration, disappointment, or whatever—don’t you dare call it quits; dust off your faith, take a deep breath—splash some water on your face—and get back to work.

[You] can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth [you] (see Philippians 4:13).

It doesn’t matter what obstacles come your way; if God is the originator of your desires, He allowed the obstacles. He can turn it around for good if you love and trust Him (see Romans 8:28). However, you, have to actively use your faith and do whatever the Holy Spirit tells you to do. (See James 2:17.) Even if the enemy meant for those obstructions to stop you; let God use them to make you stronger and wiser.

As far as Paulette Talks Faith is concerned, I have no idea what plans God has for this blog as I finish book 6; I’m taking it week-by-week. In the meantime, in commemoration of the 312^th post, I would like you to visit excerpts from past writings:

Book 1: Devil, You Went Too Far—Now I Gotta′ Cut Cha!

Sometimes when the devil shows up in your life, he will do little pesky annoying things that will cause you some kind of inconvenience, like hiding your car keys. BUT THEN! There are those times when the predicaments you face can be catastrophic. What should you do when disaster knocks on your front door? What should you do when the enemy has your child by the throat? Just simply tell the Devil: You went too far—now I gotta′ cut cha! Cut him down with the Word of God. The Word is your Sword (Ephesians 6:17). The devil can walk around roaring like a lion (1 Peter 5:8). However, you have the Lion of Judah inside you. Sling the Sword; he can’t stand up against the Word when spoken in faith, by a believer.

Book 2: Return to Sender!

Suppose everyone in the world selfishly kept their gifts, talents, and blessings to themselves. If that were the case, there would be no art galleries to tour, no orchestras to hear, no books to read, no plays to enjoy, and no pretty smiles to inspire. God gave us these gifts so that we can bless others. Faith will help us to confidently walk in our call. God is the Sender. We return to Sender when we use our blessings to bless others.

Book 3: Trust God or Go Stone Crazy

Okay, here are the choices: We can either put our faith in God to lead, guide, and protect—or we can go absolutely stone-crazy with fear, worry, and anxiety. When we look at it that way, the only wise choice is to trust God.

Book 4: Guided by Circumstances and Situations

Since my prayers can’t override a person’s free will, I pray for God to arrange incidents, maneuver movements, control conditions, and synchronize episodes that will suggest the right path for them to take. Some of His guidance will come in the form of open and closed doors, favor, timing, and even dead ends. In other words, shine a super-natural light that overshadows all the confusion so they can see clearly. Now—it’s on them to make the right choice.

Book 5: Haters Need Prayer, Too

I know it’s not always easy to extend a helping hand to someone who just might bite it off—I get that. Nevertheless, there are people who are drowning in their own hateful ways. We could leave them out there to sink; after all, they’re getting what they deserve—right? But it’s the believers’ job to pray for the haters. They need God’s love, mercy, and grace, too. So, go ahead and throw them the Life Raft! 

_________________________

Until God says differently, it’s time for me to get back to work and start on Paulette Talks Faith Book 7.

I would like to take this time and give a heartfelt THANK YOU to all my faithful Readers!!!!! Your participation to read and share my post encourages me more than you could ever imagine.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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I cannot recall a time when a rainbow was visible and no one pointed it out; its majestic splendor captures attention. I hope the attraction isn’t because of the connotation that the world has attached to it: leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and big pots of gold. I like to think the attraction is because of the spiritual connection we have with God. His rainbow doesn’t offer meaningless platitudes of luck and fortune; instead, it’s a reminder of the covenant He made with Noah and to the generations that follow. I believe we can parallel that covenant to the promises He gives us when perilous times fog our lives.

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: (Genesis 9:13-14)

God is in the storm

If you want to have a close intimate relationship with God—walk with Him through a personal storm. When you get tired of being hunted and chased by the devil’s hellhounds, and your response to the Holy Spirit is: “Yes, Lord,” trust me—you’ll get to know Him.

When we embrace the covenant of God through life’s storms, we are welcoming the Holy Spirit our: Comforter, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby (see John 14:26, AMP) to guide us through.

He knows everything there is to know about us and the smog we find ourselves in. If God is for us who can come against us? (See Romans 8:31; Psalm 118:6.) He has given His angels charge over us (see Psalm 91:11-12).

When we dwell with the Holy Spirit and obey His Word, we become sensitive to His nudges; we begin to recognize His voice when He speaks to our spirits.

Yes, storms are frightening; and yes, the enemy will bombard our minds with gloomy thoughts of hopelessness. That’s why it would be a foolish mistake to focus on the storm and miss the beautiful majestic splendor of God’s rainbow:

• God’s Rainbow of Comfort– Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me (Psalm 23-4, AMP).
• God’s Rainbow of Hope– May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peaceas you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13, NIV).
• God’s Rainbow of Peace– Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27, NIV).
• God’s Rainbow of War– For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, (2 Corinthians 10:4, AMP)
• God’s Rainbow of Rest– Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28, NIV).

It doesn’t matter how challenging things may be, view it with a positive eye of faith, and experience the  radiation of God’s Rainbow.

© 2019

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze (Isaiah 43:2, NIV).

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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The only way to cultivate your spiritual ear—is to use it! In other words, do as you are told. When the Holy Spirit prompts you with instructions, obey them. Sure, there will be times when you think He wants you to do this; when He really wants you to do that. But that’s how you learn—by trial and error. God needs His people to be able to discern His voice and obey His commands. The more you try to listen and obey—the more faith you’ll have in your ability to hear what He wants you to do.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).

God has a plan.

Since the fall of man, God has involved people in His restoration plan to restore mankind. Some declined, some wilted, and some fearfully stepped up to the challenge.

Apprehensive—but did as told.

God has always challenged His people to stretch beyond their apprehensiveness, and do as told.

• Moses’ lack of self-confidence was evident when God asked him to go before the Pharaoh on behalf of the Israelites. Moses responded: I don’t speak well.

However, he did as he was told.

• God asked Gideon to confront the Midianites. Gideon responded: I’m the weakest of my clan.

Nevertheless, he did as he was told.

• God anointed Jeremiah to be a spokesman before powerful leaders. Jeremiah responded: I’m too young for such a task.

Even so, he did as he was told.

Those were ordinary people who didn’t allow timidity or excuses stop them from doing extraordinary feats through the power of God. One thing is for sure, we all have a part in the plan.

What will be said about you?

Even still, ___________________ did as he/she was told.

 

God’s plan still unrolling . . .

It’s good we can read how those trailblazers’ faith overcame their insecurities; but now we have the baton; it’s our turn. For that reason, we should ask the Holy Spirit:

1. Where do I fit in the plan?
2. What’s at stake if I wilt or decline?
3. Am I doing what You told me to do?

Sometimes we are waiting for God to move in our lives, and His waiting for us to—

Do as We are Told!

  © 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Are you, like many of us, waiting for God to answer your prayers? Have you been praying relentlessly for weeks, months, or perhaps even years about the same issues and concerns—never seeing any signs of a breakthrough? If you are walking in God’s will and doing your best to stay hopeful, then the only thing left for you to do is—Wait! God is secretly working on things you know nothing about.

Stay in faith—————————————————this might take a minute!

In our minds, our prayers are straightforward, but they could be more complex than we realize. For instance, when our prayers involve other people, a whole chapter in their life might have to be played out before we see any answers to our prayers. There could be lessons that they have to learn and experiences they must experience—first! These things take time.

The lessons and experiences could start an avalanche, a chain reaction in other people’s lives connected to the person we are praying for. The situation in those other lives might have to be dealt with, and so on, and so forth. (Excerpt from Paulette Talks Faith Book 1: “This—Might Take a Minute!)

Can you think of a better way for God to develop our faith than to make us wait?

God cares about our spiritual growth; therefore, sometimes a delayed prayer is more about: molding the fruit of the Spirit in our character (see Galatians 5:22-23); drawing us nearer to Him (see Matthew 6:33); transforming our desires to reflect His will (Psalm 37:4); and developing our faith to trust and obey (see Proverbs 3:5-6).

In the meantime, as we wait,  

• Look for unexpected answers and blessings along the way;
• View waiting as a time to grow spiritually;
• Meditate on a good outcome;
• Draw closer to God;
• Trust Him to do what’s best;
• Be kind and do good in other people’s lives; and
• Praise Him before you see anything.

God isn’t going to give us a play-by-play of His actions; we wouldn’t understand it even if He did (see Isaiah 55:8). We might not be able to trace His every step, but in the end, we’ll know—only God could have pulled it together so masterfully.

 “So, that’s why it took so long.”

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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God can do more than we can ever ask or think. What are you believing God for? Is the scope of your request smaller than what He wants to do in your life?

Disclaimer: I am not talking about serving God just to get everything we want like spoiled children; absolutely not. I’m talking about when we have a revelation that loving Him, obeying Him, and being in His presence are blessings by themselves; anything else—are added pluses. (See Psalm 27:4.)

I don’t want to miss out on anything that the Lord wants for me; or miss what He wants me to do for Him. Therefore, after I pray, I’ve learned to ask the Holy Spirit to pray for me. He knows the Father’s will; and if my prayers are too small for my earthly assignments, He will give me the desire to believe for more.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal:

• Are your requests in His will?
• How far is He willing to extend your request if you had the faith to believe for more?
• What does He want you to do with the blessings?

. . .We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God (Romans 8:26-27, NIV).

There’s Kingdom work to be done!

God empowers and equips us to perform certain tasks. If our faith is too small to believe for more, we could possibly be limiting ourselves for His use. Think about the outcomes if Noah, Moses and others didn’t have the amount of faith that it took to do the jobs that were set before them?

I’ve heard people say they don’t want more faith because of the responsibilities attached. They’re right; much is given—much is required (see Luke 12:48.) But it’s not all about us. We have to get our minds off ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to use our lives for His Kingdom. People are watching when God miraculously heals; supernaturally provides; and when He gives comfort during the worst of times. Let’s not limit the Creator of all creations with our lack of faith.

It’s our turn on earth; there’s a lot of work to be done and impacts to be made. Misusing our lives will have bitter results. On the other hand, when we walk in God’s will, the results are glorious and far reaching.

Do you have the faith—to have the faith to believe for more?

 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us (Ephesians 3:20).

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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Our heavenly Father has put this world on notice: Come together and BEHAVE! Look around and see how far we have strayed from His Word. Do you honestly think God is pleased? He is especially displeased with how we treat one another. Some people treat their pets better than they treat human beings—you know I’m right. We can’t claim to love God who we have not seen, and mistreat our fellow man.

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister (1 John 4:20-21, NIV).

You might disagree with my post this week; I might even lose a few followers; I do understand. But by faith, I write what the Holy Spirit gives me. And He is saying: Behave! On the other hand, if you agree with this message, please share for others to read.

God created people in all different shapes and sizes with varying degrees of intelligence. They have different likes and dislikes. Some people are full of love; some full of hate. Opposing ideologies will cross over into someone’s comfort zone. Diverse religious interpretations are as vast as the capacity to comprehend.

There are different races, customs, cultures, and social standings that give innumerable perspectives on how the world is seen. And what seems clearly simple to some is muddied and mysterious to others. The recognizable differences are far more than what I have just listed. Yet, with all the dissimilarities, God lumped us all together on earth and said: Love thy neighbor!

This directive digs deep into the depths of our hearts. It reveals everything the Holy Spirit needs to know about us. Though, many fail this test every day with prejudice, hate, greed, jealousy, and unforgiveness as they walk around with a false sense of superiority. Nevertheless, some will arrogantly argue that they are Christians—followers of Christ. (Excerpt from Paulette Talks Faith Book 3.)

We’re all connected!

Technology has connected the world; everyone is everybody’s neighbor. God has given man the skills to pull the inhabitants of this planet together—as one. Distance and language barriers can no longer separate us; the world is accessible for all to enjoy and share. No one is better than anyone else in the sight of God. Anyone who thinks differently, show your certified papers of pedigree bearing the seal of the Holy Spirit—signed by God stating: You are above His mandates. If you don’t have this document, then you must take the test and be judged like everybody else.

The test!

My background is in education. When I was a teacher, my students were tested on what was emphasized in class. Along that line of thinking, God put a lot of emphases on how we are to treat one another. It’s sad, but a lot of people have gotten side-tracked from their earthly mission in order to obtain temporal “things.”

We can get so attached to the “things” of this world that we forget we’re only here for a brief moment—just long enough to take God’s test; and loving our neighbor is a major part of the exam.

A well-constructed test will have a few brainteasers that will make the students stop and go—Hmmm! Brainteaser: Do you value your possessions, position, and money over people? If yes, how will you explain your answer to God?

What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done (Matthew 16:26-27, NIV).

To ignore the poor, the sick, and hungry is to ignore God (see Matthew 25:34-40). Who are we to discriminate—if it hadn’t been for God’s grace on our side where would we be? (See 1 Corinthians 15:10.)

Our Father wants us to Behave!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

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Everybody knows you can’t get rid of dandelions just by chopping off their yellow obnoxious heads; they’ll be right back with a vengeance. The only way you can fight this menace is to attack it at the root.

What works with plants—works with people. Hmmm!

There are people whose essence is drenched in negativity; everywhere they go they drag a vile stench of discord and hate. We know everybody isn’t going to be warm and fuzzy, and everybody isn’t obligated to like us; after all everybody didn’t like Jesus—still don’t. But the problem comes when these people occupy our space: supervisors, co-workers, family members, churchgoers, or a kid bullying children at school; the list can go on-and-on.

Don’t fan the flames!

What can be done when the situation becomes overwhelmingly problematic? I’ve learned not to fan the flames by snapping off at the mouth; that’s like snapping off the heads of dandelions. Also, I’ve learned tit-for-tat doesn’t work either; they’re resilient; they will be right back just like those dandelions.

Get to the root of the matter!

You have to deal with the underlying cause of the problem. And to do that, you need faith that God, through His Holy Spirit, will guide you and strengthen you. He will let you know the hate is stemming from the root—the devil. If your main focus is on what people are doing to you, then you have done nothing but cut off a few flower heads. Be opened to hear what the Spirit has to say about you; He’ll let you know if the enemy is using you to contribute to the dissension in any kind of way. You want to make sure you attack the entire root; no matter where pieces might be hiding.

Spirit vs. spirit!

This is a spiritual war that must be fought using spiritual means. It says in Ephesians 6:12 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities in high places. The battle will take place in the root. Therefore, don’t be so concerned with what you see, the action is taking place where you can’t see.

When you are fed up, I mean—really fed up, you’ll stop cutting off the flowers and attack the root—the evil spirit inside that person. The enemy is counting on you to be too afraid to confront these spirits. Don’t be afraid, if you are a born-again Christian, the devil is more afraid of you than you are of Him. When you have a revelation of who you are in Christ, the Holy Spirit will fight for you; all you have to do is be obedient to His instructions.

How to remove unwanted roots:

1. Get to know God intimately; develop an ongoing personal loving relationship with Him. Spend quality (daily) time in His presence by reading His Word, praying, and listening to His instructions.
2. Not only listen to His instructions, but obey them! God speaks His instructions in many different ways including but not limited to: His Word, peace, an inner gut feeling/an inner knowing, other people, wisdom, and visions. If you’re having problems discerning His voice, ask for the Holy Spirit’s help.
3. If God so instructs, get a prayer group and form a spiritual invisible chain (see Matthew 18:18-20).
4. Submit your flesh under the obedience of the Holy Spirit; react and respond to this person the way the Spirit wants you to. The Fruit of the Spirit is a perfect guardrail. (See Galatians 5:22.)
5. Overcome evil with good (see Romans 12:21). Personally, I find this to be a whole lot of fun. The enemy doesn’t know how to respond to love; it makes him as helpless as a fish out of water.
6. DON’T LET UP!!!!
7. If the Lord so instructs, fast (see Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:16-29).

Since you turned the battle over to God, the next time you see this person smile and think:

 You have no idea!

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

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You do know, there are people who don’t want to see others favored by the Lord. Sad to say, there are even church folks guilty of this. Their reasons can stem all the way from envy to—they feel the person doesn’t deserve to be blessed. Beware, not all smiling faces come from happy hearts; not all wishers are well-wishers. To put it bluntly: Haters simply don’t like others being favored over them.

Honey draws ants—favor draws haters.

If you are a recipient of God’s favor, people will wonder: Why do you always get the best jobs; make the best deals; and get the last turkey on sale? These are innocent questions that will intrigue the average person’s mind. On the other hand, if the person’s spirit is vexed, the devil will turn those harmless questions into something sinister. The enemy will draw these people to you, and use them to pull you away from your blessings.

Deception in plain view: The haters think you are their problem—when the devil is their problem.

Don’t trip on a hater’s hate!

Keep in mind—if you trip over their hatred by retaliating in an ungodly manner, you could miss what God has for you. Thank the Lord for His bountiful favor; and leave the haters scratching their heads in bewilderment.

If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b)

God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. (See Isaiah 55:9.)

Don’t waste your time trying to understand the omniscient mind of God. He chooses to favor whomever He wishes; whenever and how He pleases. Maybe a person is favored because they’re walking upright before God. Or, maybe He’s using favor to draw them closer to Him. Or, perhaps He wants others to see His goodness through them. Whatever His reasons are, they are His reasons; for His glorious plan.

God bestows favor for His purpose.

In Genesis 6:6-7, God said He regretted that He created humans because of their sinful ways; therefore, He decided to wipe them off the earth. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord; as a result, Noah was used for God’s purpose. In Ruth 2:15, God favored Ruth, and led Boaz to her. God had a purpose because this union became a part of Jesus’ lineage.

When we are favored, we are to view the advantages it brings as tools to be used for God’s overall purpose. It will be to our detriment if we allow anyone to deter us from the mission that we have been assigned.

On the flip side . . .

However, we must make sure we’re not one of the ones doing the hating. No one is above being deceived by the enemy. We might think we don’t have a jealous bone in our bodies, but he will try us. Paul said when he wanted to do good, evil was always present (see Romans 7:19-21).

We have no control over evil thoughts zooming into our minds, but we do have control not to take them under consideration.

In closing, don’t take your blessings for granted. Instead, praise God, honor Him with your obedience; and use your faith to humbly accept the fact that you have been favored by the Holy One; and haters can’t do a thing about it.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

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At this point in my life, I don’t have time to miss my target goals by guessing and supposing; done with that! I want to be taken by the hand, and literally led to where I’m supposed to be at every pivotal juncture in my life’s journey. Now, when I said I wanted to be led, I didn’t mean with just anybody. Truth be told, this “anybody” person needs to be led, too. I want to be led by the One who custom designed the path that I should take; I’m talking about the omniscient Holy Spirit. The One who leads with precise precision; no mishaps, missteps, or wasted time. I want to reach my destinations, and accomplish all my remaining dreams; on time—every time.

Led by precise precision—can’t miss!

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised all those who accepted Him as Savior, that the Holy Spirit would come to live inside of them. Even today, the Holy Spirit dwells in those who accept Christ. Though, it takes revelation knowledge to understand the awesome gift the Father has given to His children. Think about it, His Spirit, with all His power, wisdom, creativity, strength, and discernment, just to name a few attributes, abiding on the inside of every believer. Have you grasped what all that means? As for me, I’m still trying to take it all in; however, I am making tremendous progress.

How to get precisely from point A to point Z?

In John 16:7 (AMP), the Holy Spirit is described as: Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, and Standby. Everything that we’ll need in order to navigate through life successfully is living inside us—all the time. There’s no reason for us to be confused or afraid about anything when we have the Spirit of God willing to lead and protect us. He knows precisely who we should trust—or not; He knows precisely what we should say—or not say; He knows precisely what’s behind doors 1, 2, 3. . .  He knows precisely where all the skeletons are buried, and who buried them.

Supernatural help available!

I can see cause for us to rely on each of the Holy Spirit’s characteristics all day—every day.

• Which ones did you rely on yesterday?
• Which ones are you relying on today?
• If you didn’t rely on the Spirit, then who did you rely on?

Jesus didn’t promise us a life without tribulations (see John 16:33). The roads along our journey will have bumps here and there, splits and snares, dark creepy valleys paved with clawing demons, but the Holy Spirit is not moved by any of it. He’ll interpret and console our moans and groans, all the while fighting our battles. If we keep in step; listen and obey His instructions, He’ll get us to where He wants us to be—every time—on time—hitting every target with precise precision.

© 2019

See you next week on Paulette Talks Faith.

 

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