Matthew 6:7 (KJV) But when ye pray, use not repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Some may consider the Rosary a repetition prayer. Yes, it is just like the bible, from Genesis to Revelation. For thousands of years people have died and gone and yet still the Bible remains, repeated. But that’s not what’s being spoken about here. It is saying that the repetition makes their praying for a longer period of time using a lot of repeating words when running out of things to say. Short prayer is just as effective, not theatrics. The world is a circle and certain things about it can’t help but be repetitive like the clock, new day starts at twelve midnight and ends, then repeats, day and night, Monday…Sunday, spring, summer, autumn and winter, life and death…all repetitive, but not for theatric.

I am not Catholic. I am non-denominational, but yet, Lord has placed it upon my heart to pray the Rosary decades ago. The Rosary was brought to my attention one day at church, by my then Pastor who said the praying of the Rosary, along with the people kneeling and praying to statues of Jesus on the cross, his mother Mary, all saints and disciples in the Catholic Churches are idols worshipping, and the praying of the Rosary is wrong because Jesus is the only way to the Father. John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the FATHER but through ME.

Luke 11:9-13 Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you. For everyone who ask, receives; and everyone who seeks, finds; and to everyone who knocks the door will be opened. So I came to Jesus, asking seeking and knocking, “is praying the Rosary wrong?” And His answer to me after a week of fasting and praying, just as he had given honours to John the Baptist at the hearing of his passing, Matters 11:11 “ verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” He also gave honour to His mother at the cross when placing her in the care of the disciple John 19:25-27 “woman behold thy son.” Then, he said to the disciple, “behold thy mother.” And then from that hour the disciple took her to his own. At that moment he entrusted Mary his mother, not only to that disciple, but to the entire world. Humble as Jesus was as our prophet and king, so was his mother as queen (Empress).

Luke 1:26-38 Mary was chosen by God to birth the Good News of salvation for all of humanity. Luke 1:39-45 Mary was led by the spirit right away to visit her cousin Elizabeth after the angel had spoken to her and she was confirmed to be the mother of our Lord and saviour by her cousin Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. She who was once barren and now pregnant in her old age. Two miracles came together to bear witness to each other of the unbelievable working power of the impossible being possible by God that no other on earth besides them at that time was to experience. Luke 1:46-55 The Magnificat, as it is call in which to me is consider the psalm, song, prayers and validation of Mother Mary through the working of the Holy Spirit within her. God was showing through her words her profound love and devotion to him in her life. Mary love God with all her heart, mind, body, soul and spirit. Mother Mary reciting the Magnificat, was revealing her intimate relationship with God on how she felt about him and he about her, a love story and a love song. To me her saying this to Elizabeth was like when Jesus took Peter, James and John with him on the mount of transfiguration where he revealed his true identity to them, and told them to tell no one until he had been risen from the dead, Matthew 17:1-9. This was only a conversation between Mary and Elizabeth, but some how Luke knew about for the same reason what happened on the Mount of transfiguration was known.

At the cross Jesus actions towards his mother for all the time there was silence were he never expressed his feelings towards her was now being proclaimed to the world especially those disciples closest to him. God love for Mother Mary as his work was completed shined in the midst of the darkest time for her as his mother. Mother Mary had to endured the unbelievable and impossible as a mother of God. The world now has to acknowledge her for it. Like Jesus at the cross was letting Mary know, he couldn’t of done it without her and thanking her and sending love, loving on her, unlike anyone ever could. Mary of all woman and mother in the world was diligent in her calling to the end.

The Rosary is honouring Mary’s obedience, sacrifice by her willingness to surrender her all to the will and purpose of God, by her acceptance when she said to the angel Gabriel, “let it be to me according to your word.” Mother Mary today would be recognized and excepted as the true Pope not Peter. Back then women would never be thought of for such a position, but with every eye opening of truth that has been revealed and proven today it’s not impossible. Unlike the disciples, Mary not only witnessed all that Jesus had done, she knew he was before conception.

It is not written in the Bible neither has it entered to the minds of men what life was like for Mary as Jesus mother, the struggle she had to endure from the time of his conception, his birth, life and then his death. There was no way divinity being within you wouldn’t have had some powerful effect on your being changing something about you within and without, spiritually. Especially being created in his image now having not just an image within you but the real deal connected with the image, come on now! Must be a powerful combination of both within, but I’ll write about it for another Blog. “Oh, speak Holy Spirit!” I have to believe just as Jesus and the father was one so was he and his mother, how else was sin to be in him and upon him to take to the cross. Remember Adam and Eve, flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones, Genesis 2:23. Mary’s womb was the tabernacle prepared for Jesus, but I wouldn’t get into that now, I’d save it for the another Blog. No one ever had to curtsy to them, but look what they had sacrificed for all of humanity together, Jesus his life and a mother her son(child) and to bear witness to the cruelty of it all.

When everyone abandoned Jesus due to fear of being prosecuted along side him, no matter what Mary was not fearful, but with bold assurance she stepped out as his mother and every where he went she followed and with no shame, but with love, tears and the understanding of his purpose. Yet Mary was not mentioned as one of his first leading disciples before he had ever said, “come follow me” recruiting disciples. She was his first teacher of humanity from within the womb until the wedding of Cana, John 2:1-11.

Look how we honour the royal family of England, Queen Elizabeth II and her family so much more are we are to give honour to the mother of our Lord and saviour Jesus. No where is it written in the Bible that Jesus, his mother, relatives or disciples were given the highest honour and respect as our earthly royal family, pope, movie stars, musicians, singer…famous and rich people of this world, “remember that!” instead they endured suffering.

Today Mother Mary should be and would be recognized as the true Pope, head of the church and not Peter. “Why!” Because with every revealing of the truth with wisdom, knowledge and understanding the closet is no long closed but open, secrets are coming to the surface to separate the goats from the sheep. Back then this truth would be considered impossible because women would never be placed in such a position, but yet she’s the one who carry, give birth and nurture man until he leave home. God was smart when he judge the woman and said “your desire will be for your husband and he will rule over you,” Genesis 3:16. Because one thing when God speaks directly to a woman at least she listens and obey and don’t blame her husband for making her go against God, “Adam!” The husband ruling over the woman changed when Mary had to tell Joseph God made me…

The Rosary is deep meditative prayers for the world of all that happened with with the life death and resurrection of Jesus and the importance of the power and role Mary was positioned in with all of it. First it was Abraham and Isaac and now Mary and Jesus. Who can compare? Because they are all in the Will and Purpose of God. If Abraham could be so significant to the Israelites people as Gods chosen how much so is Mary the mother of Jesus, our Lord and saviour.

The further we drift from God, who is truth and begin with our own narratives because we think to ourselves that we’re too intelligent in this day and age to need God, Revelation is to keep us reminded it ain’t over, so don’t get to complacent, there’s a enemy still yet to conquer within and without us.

The Rosary is truth in it’s power for us to concentrate and meditate on the authority, will and purpose of God working through both Mother Mary and her son Jesus as one, like when she was pregnant and carrying him, instead now he’s carry her within him. She became part of all he is. If we could look to the disciples, preachers, bishops, pastors…men and women of God with honour and respect; we can also know that God granted Mary all honour and respect when the angel greeted her and said, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among woman.” Fear not Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”Luke 1:28-30.

Mother Mary kept silent and humble allowing God’s will to be done and for this reason when I pray the Rosary I’m at peace within my soul. I find healing, comfort…but most of all love, joy, faith and peace especially in times of a storm. Praying the Rosary is access to the spiritual realm…

We must stop judging and condemning what we don’t understand or lack the knowledge of and stop crucifying good calling it evil.

When I was first received my encounter with Jesus, who said to me, “ I’ve been waiting on you.” I was led to Jesus by what I thought was a child; turned out to be an angel. He was waiting for me with a table set for us to eat together. After we spoke and ate, he then led me to His Mother Mary to understand my purpose. You see, I was once lost and confused about faith (religion)especially about the role of women in ministry. For ten years I’ve asked, seek and knocked on every door to find out why so many religions and what was the true faith to follow. I am trying to make a long story short, so bear with me. After being a true member of church faithfully for years, I would question within myself every time the pastor said certain things about other religions. When I found out the truth and was filled with the Holy Ghost like an innocent child having no guidance, but that of the Lord, I ran out to shared my story to the good, bad and ugly, anyone who would listen. I was rebuked out my church I had attended for years with my family and lost friends and family. Not knowing or understanding that demons would be set lose on me for knowing God truth, but the Lord protected me. It was terrifying as hell itself what I’d experienced. I can’t even begin to describe or elaborate on. Just think of what hell is describe as and that’s what I truly experienced in my soul.

I’d looked for help to spread this truth about what I had learned according to the moving of the Holy Spirit within me. I presented myself to heads and leaders of other churches whom I believe would understand my purpose, only to find out they wanted me to tell a story according to how they wanted to control the narrative of the truth. They didn’t want me to say what I was told by God, but rather twist it to fit their truth. I once was threatened if I have a family then keep quite about these things because people get killed for this kind of information. And now today everyone is speaking the same thing, with no holding back all over the internet. But then again decades ago all that is be permitted today wasn’t heard of, everything in the dark is now coming to light, shocking the world, and believe me there’s still more to be revealed that man still is not ready to hear, God’s truth!

You know you’re truly called by God when demons are constantly after you, implanting fear in your soul to stop you from your calling, beginning with attacks on your loved ones, the very things that you hold dear to you. Yes, everyone has struggles we go through, the kind of things that with faith in God helps us to get through it. And for those who don’t believe in God, sees it as part of life. But when you’re faithful, fasting, praying and meditating constantly and is woken up in what is called the witching hour with what seems like hands, black hands trying to pull you down through your bed, you know the struggle has just begotten real. “What have you done?” “What would cause me to be high jacked like this before the dawning of the morning by the enemy?” “Trust me, you learn the name of Jesus is powerful in any battle, more powerful that any weapons.”

I learned that I am neither Jew, disciple or gentile of the Lord, but a new creature in Jesus, like 2 Corinthians 5:17. I had to thirst and hunger for days to get a break through recently. The powers and principalities, spiritual wickedness in high places that had me bound for years finally came after me because I decided to face my fears. First time in my life in this Holy season as I prayed, fasted and meditated and had to be a warrior instead of a peace maker. I realize our world energy is in the negative because the scale is unbalanced. We are not possessing the true victorious positive power of God within us to turn things around, learning from our past mistakes, instead we’re repeating it, and calling it into existence. Faith we have to move mountains instead we prepare ourselves for the worst, using it to call negativity upon us, like world war three is coming, the antichrist is coming, the world is coming to an end…None of this has to happen if we if our faith is to prepare for the return of Jesus by living righteous according to the will and purpose of God, all that Jesus presence in the earth had taught us, the building of His kingdom. “Is the Kingdom built?” “Is it built up to withstand the enemy who’s trying to break it down?” “For we are the Kingdom! All who follow Jesus, putting God’s will first.” You may say, “But the Bible says, these things must first happen.” Yes, the Bible did also prophesy the coming of the messiah, that would come to save the world, but not according to what man had expected of him.

Jesus is a game changer, being so good at it he was killed. If he had came doing exactly as the man wanted according to their regulations, age-old traditions, legalistic and human-made regulations influenced by the devil, then they would have no need to had crucified him. But yet, He came as was meant to be, doing the Will of God, not man. Man being so fragile and easily influenced by the devil is so predictable, at the time Jesus stepped out of heaven to come down to earth the devil started to bruise man’s heal and man step wasn’t strong enough to damage his head as it should, Jesus life was in danger. His life, death and resurrection not only stepped on his head, but destroyed his hold on man, the hold on me. If only we can truly get this that we’ve got power and authority over the enemy if we truly believe in the resurrection. When we truly believe, “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28. Fear can real cripple us mentally, but faith in God can empower us take back control when the meltdowns of fear has held us captive.

I sat one day contemplating on my disobedience to the Lord and the consequences to my actions; suffering physically and mentally as I cried and pleaded to God for His forgiveness. Sometimes we believe it’s all about the devil attacking us when it’s we ourselves, due to disobedience to God for our own protection, giving way for the devil to enter in. God allowed me to search within my spirit as to what caused my disobedience. I recognized it was fear; fear of man and what they’d think of me concerning what I was called to do. When God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, 2Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. My insecurities of believing I was not good enough, and who am I that the Lord sees it fit to call me. I’m a nobody, uneducated…like Moses who said, “ I’m a man of slow speech.” Giving myself and God an excuse, as to why I am not capable of doing what he called me to.

When I first got my calling, I was steadfast and powerful in His authority and then the devil bit me where it affected my soul: my loved ones. The venom was very poisonous. Being close to physical death, instead I suffered a spiritual death, I believed, at that time. What I had thought was a punishment from God, believing God has withdrawn His power of authority, guidance and protection, was God placing me like Jonah in the whale belly. I had to come out of this knowing who God is and will always be in my life. The power of authority, guidance and protection that no other but Him the creator of my being, lover of my soul who has pulled me out of all kind of evil, nurtured and healed me back to life in an isolated place. God is and will always be in control of every aspect of my life, whether I’m kicking and screaming, calm or just resisting Him, Learning to trust, not my will, but His will be done!

I was lead by the Holy Spirit to find in the Bible and where Jesus was preparing and teaching the twelve disciples how to serve in the kingdom of God. And with a stern disciplined voice I heard “write out everything you’ve learned.” So I wrote, First: I learned Matthew 4:19 “come follow me I will make you fisher of man.” Second: Matthew 10:16 “sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.” Third: Matthew 17:20 “Faith the size of a mustard seed.” Forth: John 13:1-17 “Jesus washes the feet of the disciples.” and Fifth: Jesus says, “if you love me, feed my sheep.” I meditate day and night in prayer on what this could mean. In my spirit one day as I was praying the Rosary which I’ve done daily five times, sometimes more when I’m fasting, for the last twenty-eight years ever since I had an encounter with the Blessed Mother. I heard a voice said, make this your fifth mystery to meditate on in helping you to serve without fear. My heart was overwhelmed as my spirit rejoiced. I couldn’t help but believe from that moment on something good was going to happen. I thought of calling it the provocation to serve mystery, stewardship, reconciliation through service…mystery and then one day I heard it clear as can be a voice that said, “it’s a mystery that should be defined by one word.” And it made sense because it wasn’t anchored within my spirit. One Sunday morning as I woke up getting ready for Sunday service, I looked up on Google “what’s another word for service?” and Servitude showed up boldly. I felt in my spirit, it was the right word/name to be used.

Everyone of these five mysteries is so important. But the two that resonates within my soul to strength me is the second mystery: Matthew 10: 16-40 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.” It gives me such fresh courage because I know that God has me covered. Nothing I do is within my own power or strength; neither will I suffer through any evil without His protection and guidance, because I will. I have no fear now, especially concerning those that I love. Matthew 10:21-22 “Brother will betray brother to death, and father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Verse 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. I didn’t stand firm in my mission, but I stood firm in my faith regardless. I didn’t ever stop crying out and praying to the God of glory, faith, joy, hope and peace. It took a long time, but I have reached the place of His restoration a new beginning in Him the one who died that I may have life in a new beginning through Him, Jesus. How? By the third Servitude mystery I was given: Matthew 17:20 “ Faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountain.” And my faith is in Him, Jesus my salvation and intercessor, who knows who I am.

The Servitude Mystery, is for me in my disobedience that is now share with you. Like me, have you been disobedient? For those who would once be my greatest adversaries sent by Satan, “who do I think I am?” For once in my life I can now answer with bold assurance in the acknowledgement and understanding and now know, “I am a child of God, rooted and grounded in Him. I may stand strong today and tomorrow stumble and fall, “He, my God! Has proven that regardless, He’ll always be with me, lifting me up.” The times that I’m at my weakest, His strength is made strong in me to overcome.”

I am nondenominational, not Catholic, but why the Rosary? The Rosary is not just for the Catholic, even though they’re the only ones known for praying it. The Rosary is about Jesus, giving you wisdom and understanding. There was a time I questioned and resented the Rosary as I was taught to be ignorant against, ‘why the Rosary and the Blessed Mother Mary?’ While on a retreat she revealed herself to me in my ignorance towards her, acknowledging to me that she was me, “woman” worthy to be in God’s presence and to do His work that He called me to and like her to say, “do to me according to thy word.” The Rosary is for all humanity, especially women because like Mary being faith in Him can lead you to be called highly favoured and blessed to bring forth His will.

Praying the Rosary for decades has empowered me as a woman of faith, and my love for all humanity has grown with such wisdom, knowledge and understanding. When Jesus said to his mother Mary, “behold your son” and to the disciple, “behold your mother.” If she was a good enough and faithful in the sight of God to be chosen to the mother His only begotten son, the salvation for all of humanity, she’s good enough to be mother of all God’s children.

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What really is the mark of the beast? Is it really a mark or psychological manipulation by the enemy? I believe it to be whatever is our deepest desires, for example like money, fame, power, greed…anything against God. Anything we view as being nothing in our eyes, but not acceptable to the will and purpose of God the deception by the enemy, pulling at our soul to make us sin unknowingly. We must be aware of our thought (mindset) of what we view as being right and acceptable to the Lord. We might be deceived into thinking it’s okay to be vengeful; without forgiveness, angry…sinning, justifying our sinful ways. We must choose to follow Jesus and draw nearer to God to remind ourselves who we are and to whom we belong. Recognize when we’re under attack, knowing when you’re slowly drifting from the path of the Lord righteousness and truth because the temptation is so great. It is becoming harder to be in the world and not of it, finding ourselves lusting after the things of the world and our minds being like minded of that of it. If we’re not on praying grounds to be full of the Holy Spirit to discern the mark of the beast will be upon us all.

Let’s see what the Bible says about the mark of the beast, Revelation 13:16-18 He causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand(your works) or on their forehead,(mind) so that no one may buy or sell, except he who has the Mark or the name of the beast to the number of his name. Here is a call for wisdom: Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast. It is the number of man. His number is six hundred and sixty-six. The mark of the beast is link to the Antichrist and his followers. He will come and be positioned with authority and power in the world. This will be the time for us all to choose a side the Antichrist or Jesus. You must choose and if you refuse the mark of the beast you’ll surely be killed. Remember what was said in Matthew 10:28 “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

This Antichrist situation remind me of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 3:9-27. He had issued an order that everyone was to bow down and worship a golden statue, and anyone who didn’t would be thrown into a blazing furnace. And there were three Jews put in charge of the province of Babylon- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who refused and was thrown into the furnace. And much to the king’s amazement he leapt to his feet when he saw the three men untied and a forth who looked like an angel walking around in the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar went to the door of the furnace and called out to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, “ servant of the Supreme God! Come out!” And they had not been harmed by the fire at all. Not their hair was singed, clothes were not burnt and there was no smell of smoke on them.

So let’s meditate on this for a minute Jesus hadn’t been born yet for the salvation and redemption of humanity, but yet their faith sustain them in their time of need to survive. So think for a moment unlike these men, we are reborn in Christ through water baptism and the fire of the Holy Spirit. We are in Him and Him in us as one; as He also was one with the Heavenly Father, John 10:30. No mark of any beast can lead us away from God. We have the power and authority to resist the devil and he will flee. The mark would only be of our choice. Would Jesus life, death and resurrection prove to be all in vain? No! We who are in Christ, His followers, should know better than to give into the wickedness and whiles of the devil and put on our armour of God. Giving into our weaknesses and choosing death rather than life as Adam and Eve did in the garden of Eden, by not being obedient to God is the only way to fall prey to the enemy. Adam and Eve had chosen after being warned. We also now have a choice and prophetic warning.

So God seals and the Antichrist marks. The first seal God had ever placed was on Cain in Genesis 4:11–15 Cain killed his brother Abel, God declared to Cain, “now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opens its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. Cain was petrified he’ll be killed now that the Lord had driven him out of the land and His presence, so God put a seal on him that no one who found him would kill him.

The seal, represents legitimacy, certifies something is real or authentic, ownership and grantees safety and protection. You are God’s possession. And a mark: an impression made on something, a distinguishing trait or quality, a symbol used for identification or indication of ownership, to take notice of: observe, register, record, grade, characterize, distinguish, signalize, chart. Antichrist can only copy what God does, not create his own thing.

To me the Antichrist is a man who want to be honoured, worshipped, respected like a God, but has the form, but doesn’t possess the true nature or power of the truth and righteousness of God. It’s the sin in man that has plagued us since the garden of Eden that would manifest itself once and for all to be destroyed. Like God coming to us manifest into the womb of a woman becoming flesh. The Antichrist is now sin manifesting itself into flesh becoming man so it can finally be judged and killed. Sin itself has taking on its own presence aside from man. An out of body existence in the form of a man, (demonic possessing spirit) When we think about what sin truly is define as which is everything against God’s will and purpose for man. It will finally rise up and take it place, no longer a serpent, but man a physical manifestation of all evil masquerading as man, the devil himself. Becoming one like us to deceive us, because now that Jesus is believed on in the entire world so whole heartedly, he’s now going to show himself like prophesied the returning Jesus, that we even who are inChrist would dear to believe he’s truly Jesus. So many in the days of Christ had rejected him as the messiah, now we are going to trust and believe in Antichrist to make up for our past unbelief. Fighting over man interruptions of scripture as being God’s honest truth to follow without a doubt. God’s truth is given by the Holy Spirit written in our soul, sometimes clouded by the world, but can only be clear up through faith in the truth and power of God in our lives, following of Jesus will to be obedient. It’s all about our choices.

One thing that after all these years from a youth till now, that troubles me about the hearing of the mark of the beast is the conflict of it being money or powers and principalities. At one time I believe it to be money, because one thing in our world today that give power and authority for so many; money and credit cards. Maybe back in the days long ago it was crops, farm animals, land, territory, slaves…but today it is money. We cannot live or die without it. Imagine even if you’re dead today your estate whatever you have left after you die have to take care of what you still owe. After you die what you owe shouldn’t count, but in today society money is everything. You get a terminal sickness you need money to try and survive longer. When your health is compromised by not having money then you know it’s bad really bad, because money can’t and shouldn’t be able to buy health, neither love, but today it truly can in some ways. It can even buy the only heaven we are guaranteed in this life, an beautiful mausoleum to be buried in,lol. One thing guaranteed is that it cannot get us into heaven or make us more spiritual or connect to God.

I believe the mark of the beast also to be the power and principalities…because we can’t see it, but it is a possession that takes over us. If you possess what I call the Cain mentally God has sealed Cain and that is what Revelation is talking about. Cain is being lifted out of hiding to get his just reward for killing Abel. Jesus is finally going take Cain life and all those under the Cain mentally will be destroyed along with the devil who started all this evil in the world. The blood of Abel crying out in the earth, “ listen it stopped!” Jesus’s blood silenced the cry to rejoicing. All flesh and blood through acknowledgment and following of Jesus, like Abel all the injustices of evil will seize and the crying will finally stop. Peace has already been given if you have faith trusting and believing in Jesus.

This mark of the beast as spoken in scripture seems to have taken place on many of us in the world today, separating us according to our mindset. Some of us is looking evil in its eyes and calling it good and good, calling it evil; seeing absolutely nothing wrong with our views that common sense, logic and investigations has brought about proof exposed nothing but truth we refuse to except and acknowledge.

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

We celebrate Christmas every year as a constant reminder of how much God do love us, John 3:16. But what are we doing with commemoration of Jesus birth is so wrong. Instead of letting it be a reflection of freely given, freely receiving with love, big company businesses are capitalizing on making profits, people are spending excessive money especially those who are trying to make ends meet and hardly can afford it on gifts in hopes it will be appreciated, playing Santa Claus, when instead the gift is rejected and sometimes regift unknowingly, feeling obligated to give gifts to others who has given to us…the greatest misleading of the meaning of Christmas is in how we all celebrate it. We promote a very negative and corrupt meaning of Christmas. For some the giving or receiving is not even sincere.

If we can’t take the name of the Lord in vain, how dear we take His the meaning of His birth in vain. No wonder so many has fallen away from faith. We are to be the salt of the world and some of us as Christians has lost our saltiness, Matthew 5:13. Jesus is returning and we are to be the trumpets blowing, prophesying and proclaiming the the kingdom. Instead we are consumed by the worldliness trying so much to fit in, that we’re in the world and being of it, when scripture declares we should be the opposite, John 17:11-15 and 1John 2:15-17.

What are to be doing, especially for Christmas? We are to be following Christ, not making it about ourselves, but the less fortunate, those that are in need, like the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick and prisoners, praying for them, find the lost sheep…sacrifice yourself in service to the Lord almighty. To give with love without counting the cost. The Lord our God has sent His only begotten son as a saviour to us a great example of how we should be towards one another. When come to Christmas also all wars in the world, bickering, arguments, fighting, hate, vengeance, bitterness…should come to an end at Christmas. Love, forgiveness, healing, restoration of all broken relationship and unity should be the greatest gift we can give to each other in making our world better.

We praying for the return of Jesus to make everything to be made right. But what if it all begins with us? We have to start by resisting the devil that he will flee from us, James 4:7. Instead in our weakness we are lured into his lies, seductions and temptation…which all stem from us not truly knowing and understand who we are in Christ. Our weakness (sin) makes us dependent on God, that why we must do all things through Him, who’s power is made perfect in our weakness, 2 Corinthians 12.

Humanity are rechargeable in our mind, body and soul by the power of God, if only we reach to Him, our Father, who’s arms are stretched out wide to embrace us. Let’s run into the loving arms of the Father, rather the paths that leads us astray, that broad path, Matthew 7:13-14.

“Oh Joseph, how often your role as a provider, protector, stepfather to Jesus and husband to the Virgin Mary has been overlooked and unrecognized for its importance, by man. You were not even mentioned by the prophets when they prophesied of the coming of the Messiah. And sadly, when the prophet Simeon was in the temple on Mary’s day of purification, when both her and Joseph went into the temple to offer a sacrifice, because every male child who opens the womb is to be presented to the Lord, according to the law of Moses that shall be called holy to the Lord. Simeon mention to Mary only, that a sword will be pierced through her own soul, Luke 2:22-35. What about Joseph? He didn’t mention anything to him. Making it seem as though he would not by no means, be affected by what will happen to the child, or in that statement was a prediction of Joseph not going to be around at that, by not mentioning the effects on him? After all that Joseph went through with both mother and child, how could he not be affected by the love and bond they all shared as a family. It has always been about a virgin who shall conceived and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, Isaiah 7:14.”

Genesis 3:11-12 And the Lord said, “ who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, “ the woman whom thou gravest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 3:16 Unto the woman he said, “ I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

After reading Genesis 3 I realized it has always been about the woman. Eve was pivotal in the fall of man into sin, but she had done it with innocence, in a child like manner. It seems like she was more inquisitive, and courageous than Adam, just like Mary when the angel Gabriel came to her. Mary spoke up and even questioned the angel, Luke 1:26-38. Eve, like Mary, truly was the leader in the relationship because Adam followed her lead in what she had done, by eating the forbidden fruit; overlooking the seriousness of it; not even taking into consideration to be obedient to the warning God had commanded of them both and to remind Eve. He just went along with it all. Now here in the New Testament Joseph is just like Adam in following the lead of his wife, she said yes and now him. It seem like in the New Testament with both Joseph and Mary, God picked up where the story began with Eve and Adam in the garden telling them not to eat of the forbidden tree. And here goes Joseph like Adam playing a non-active role, but somehow getting caught up with all the drama.

Just imagine the outcome it would have been for the entire world if Adam had said something to Eve about the eating of the fruit and he, himself, had not participated. Adam called Eve flesh of my flesh and bones of my bones and he had, from the beginning, put her before God in his words. “Think of it, after all she was the only one like himself, not God or the animals he had been given to name.” Both Mary and Joseph, unlike Adam and Eve, were in one accord in their obedience to the will and purpose of God, without wavering, regardless what tribulations and trials the devil threw their way. God needed an incorruptible vessel to come through and both Joseph and Mary were the vessels needed. Couldn’t have one without the other to represent humanity. For this reason God had waited for the right time to send His son into the world. Man had to evolve from were they first fell and that is with being obedient to the will and purpose of God.

It took God some time to mold and shape man (humanity) after Adam. Adam had everything provided for him until the fall. The ground that has been cursed because of him; through painful toil he ate food from it and it will produce thorns and thistles. He worked hard just to eat; by the sweat of his brow. Genesis 3:17-19. For the sin of Adam and Eve earth has not been kind to him(man). Man has constantly been whipped and punished by the earth. And here we are blaming bad weather, storms, hurricane, earthquake, floods, tsunami…on climate change, toxicities, global warming…Man doesn’t realize it, but he has to be submissive to eat and live in the world where peace, harmony and tranquility exist not only with each other but nature and the entire earth. Submissive to God! Then and only then can it all be attained.

Joseph along with Mary went through the nativity story unlike what others proclaim are the new Adam and Eve. Why? Because they are the descendent of them, all human born into sin, not deity. But God, through the birth of Jesus, has once again renewed them both. He had renewed Adam and Eve when he sent them out of the garden and put coats of skins and clothed them. They, for the first time, had to learn to be independent of God and all the luxury they were accustomed to in Eden. They were thrown into what seems like the dark on their own with pain, suffering. Now Joseph and Mary are responsible for having thrown of humanity back into the light where Adam and Eve once were before the temptation and the fall.

Joseph, unlike Adam, was honourable, obedient and faithful to the Lord. He could have chosen another wife, put away Mary discreetly as he had planned. Poor Adam had to stick with what he had been given, there was no other. For Joseph, obedience to God in still marrying Mary, for this reason he had become very important. Joseph became Mary’s God-husband, a vessel that God could use for His will and purpose for His son entry into the world, without the devil being any wiser. For it was custom only a husband and a wife to have a baby back in those days.

Matthew 1:25 And did not know her till she had brought forth her first born Son. And he called His name Jesus. Yep! Joseph consummated their marriage, but only after Jesus was born. God isn’t cruel about his Will’s purpose by not taking into consideration to allow these to young people to be truthful in their commitment as husband and wife. It was not a pretend thing for God’s purpose. I believe God knew they truly loved each other and this experience would’ve brought them even closer in their relationship, especially having such a secret to hold on to. They became as one as Adam had first spoke of Eve, “ this is now bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh…Genesis 2:23

I believe Joseph and Mary consummating had to be important for us all to understand why sex is not to be taken lightly, that intimacy produces connection of the mind, body and soul. Mary carried what I call the power and authority of all creation in her womb and it must have affect her in some powerful way. And Joseph making love to Mary must have also affected within his soul. You cannot be touched by Holy Spirit and not be infectious to others.

A purified seed was planted into man (humanity) to make him clean. The devil messed with Eve’s soul, but the Lord renewed not only Mary’s soul but her entire being when she conceived by the Holy Spirit, Jesus. Through a woman sin came and now through a woman sin was conquered.

Why a virgin? I prayed and asked the Lord. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a virgin as: noun a). person who has not had sexual intercourse, b). a person who is inexperienced in a usually specified sphere of activity, c). an unmarried woman devoted to religion, d). an absolutely chaste young woman, d). an unmarried girl or woman, e). a female animal that has never copulated. Adjective meaning: a). Chaste, b). fresh, unspoiled, c). specifically: not altered by human activity…free of impurity or stain: unsullied.

Eve in the garden of Eden with Adam was the original, first and only virgin until satan appeared onto her tempting her to eat from the forbidden tree. Mary was created by God to withstand that same weakness and temptation that led Eve astray into sin. Like Job, God must have put a hedge around Mary to keep her from the wickedness and the wiles of the devil. In keeping Mary pure, sanctified and protected, she served God’s purpose in being chosen to bring forth His only begotten son.

Like so many of those men and women who had been born before Mary in the Bible that God had chosen to fulfill His purpose who were all born into sin, Mary like Samuel was born to her parents as a miracle child, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary meaning of a virgin not altered by human activity… free of impurity or stain: unsullied. Mary who was brought up by parents who love the Lord and was in service unto Him throughout all their generations brought her forth with the same spirit of love, service and faith in the the Lord. It was in her DNA to be who she was chosen to be, the mother of God’s only begotten son. Still in service unto the Lord.

Virginity! Mary’s virginity was more than just abstaining from sexual intercourse, but her mind, body and soul belonged to the Lord. She was innocent, humble, obedient, loving, loyal, faithful and trusting. God was her first love and her everything. Her focus was on all things pertaining to God and God alone in a child-like innocent manner. God was her best friend, confidant…her world. Mary loved God and all of God’s creations. She saw good even in the bad; because she was faithful God was going to make all things good. She was loving, kind, trusting, hopeful and faithful in all things to God. Mary was a praying soul who loved the Lord. Mary would speak to God like he’s standing in the room and she’s the only one who can see Him. Like an imaginary friend she spoke and God answered her. They had a relationship like no other from a baby to now adolescent Mary had been communicating with the Lord. Like an angel sent from Heaven is the best way to describe her character.

Her love for children was undeniable. She faithfully believe that all children was a blessing and a gift from God. A lover and caregiver of children from a very early age, Mary dreamt of having children of her own one day. Mary had a voice to sing and all the children in the neighbourhood loved to hear her sing from a crying baby to a falling toddler, they would stop crying at her voice when she’d sing to them. Her singing can put an unwilling child to sleep. She loved children so much as a protecter of them all. She grew up an only child and with her cousins, and friends as close to siblings as possible whom she spent time playing and taking care of, which she loved to do with such a natural nurturing instinct. Mary can’t be looked at as being just born that way, but she was specifically created, tested and tried from a very young age. Even the animals, like children, loved Mary, they would gather around at the sound of her voice, especially when she sings. The birds would leave from soaring in the sky to rest on her as she sings, especially the doves, like a bunch of white angels they’d fly in a circle all around getting everyone’s attention to stop whatever they are doing and listen.

Mary, this woman, God’s vessel for His only begotten son is an amazing human being. She may not have been like the all those famous men of the Bible, but her role, as simple as they try to make it out to be, was spectacular heroism and a sacrifice. They underplay the importance of Mary’s role as the mother Jesus. She had to represent all mothers and women of God for us all to follow. How many of us would have liked to be the one, but being the one you have to be strong, not just mentally and physically, but spiritually. You have to be willing to be, humble, faithful, trusting, obedient, with all your heart and soul. Letting go and letting God orchestrate every aspect of your life without wavering especially in the worst circumstances of your life when all hell starts breaking lose. When the fire begins to burn, the heat has been turned up with gasoline poured on the fire, can you stand your ground? Do you curse God to die or love Him still? Especially when it’s not about you, but your love child, His and yours only begotten, the blessing and gift you received, God has now taken and given as a lamb to be sacrificed. And now He says to you, a human being with emotions, that soul He has created you with, “ you knew it was going to be like this, stop the crying!” Instead of retaliation for His words, she cries out, “ cover me(protect me from falling into temptation, sin) Lord, I love, and trust Your will be done.” Still humble and innocent as she can be for the love of her life, and her everything, her God.

Are you a deep diver and I am not talking about putting on a wetsuit, diving mask, air tank, snorkel, fins…to go into the ocean. I’m talking about a spiritual dive like Jonah did in the belly of the fish, Jonah 1:17.

Some of us are created to dive in and go down pretty deep spiritually and some to stay shallow. God never gives us more than we can handle, one of the reason we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others is because a bad experiences in your life can make you stronger, but can traumatize and cripple someone else, especially if they’re not called and decides to just copy what they see others doing that looks so easy.

I like to dive in and go down deep, not because I could hold my breath for lengths of time, but because the Holy Spirit is my oxygen. When it’s power has taken complete control, falling fresh on me, opening my blind eyes so I can see, deaf ear so I can hear and dumb mouth to speak. Then and only then can I say, “ I do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” There’s no way I would be capable of doing certain things on my own or of my own strength without God’s help.

The spiritual wisdom, knowledge and understanding attained from being a deep diver can be too much for some to bear. So they judge and criticize when they’re only on the shallow end. Life is given to everyone by God with the ability for us to choose, and we’re ignorant in not using it wisely for good all the time. I guess destined to be balanced with evil we sometimes can’t help ourselves, goodness can’t last forever, not in this life. There’s the good and bad as long as we’re in this body, this thing called flesh covering the spirit. The imperfections of our existence will always remain, but we must have the balance. You can’t be good all the time, neither bad. It takes discipline to stand in righteousness and goodness unto the end for it is a battle, let’s face it. Ecclesiastes 7:16 “Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise- why destroy yourself?” 7:20 “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”

“Take a leap and dive in, go down deep, really deep, that’s where you’ll find God, and all truth and righteousness, when desire to be spiritual. To be shallow we’re in the flesh and to be spiritual you’re in the depth penetrating the flesh to the higher self the spirit, the image of God within; his breath he blew in us to make us a living soul.”

The flesh is shallow, but the spirit is deep. In the shallow we can see only the surface, but in the depth is dark and mysterious until you reach the light within.

Deuteronomy 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

The fire is burning, the consuming fire of God, because the world is burning and we’re too busy to notice. Preoccupied with worldliness, money, fame, lust, greed, power…Eyes we have, but don’t see, ears, but can’t hear, hear and see what’s really going on. Have we drifted so far that the Lord who is tapping us on our shoulders metaphorically, to get our attention, we no longer feels his touch? So we don’t see, hear or feel God anymore? While our spirit is crying out to our Lord, who’s answering. We are walking around heavy burden with worries about our future and our present should be with the Lord to carry us through to our future.

The consuming fire is purification for sin in the world. The world is bleeding because we’re being cut, pruned. Whatever that’s going on in our world God has to cut, trim, so the new can come in. “Why fight it?” “Don’t you know bleeding is good!” We speak of the blood, the blood! It’s been poured out and now has a demand for reciprocity. We sing, dance praise and worship on the victory of the blood (Jesus crucified) and what a privilege and honour we are blessed with for our salvation. Now what sacrifice can we now offer in return? We don’t have time to think about it. The plague (Covid) is our pruning. Blood for blood, life for life. So many for one life, Jesus’s life he give for the lives of the world.

Our greed, our lust for the worldly things has taken over for what was once our true desire, God, Him and him alone, first in our lives. God who can deliver us from the burdens of sin, sickness, trials and tribulations, fears, doubts…death. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. We shall not want or desire anything, our God shall provide. But today power, authority and control, pride, fame, wealth…has crept into us unknowingly. We believe we’re going about life normally, but we are far from normalcy.

The fire is here to consume the worldly desires. The Lord needs for us to be focused on our life everlasting. The world is temporary, but his kingdom is everlasting and with no suffering and pain. We must stand our grounds and don’t lose sight, continue to build it up and be prepared for the return of Jesus. And the blood, the bleeding is the reminder of what’s more important for our salvation to be free from the bondage of sin, sickness, fears, hopeless, doubts…death, knowing from where comes our help when all else has failed us.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things God works for good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

My husband and I were travelling for his work and this thought of David popped into my head as I was praying and meditating on the word of God, “why would God call David a man after his own heart?” Acts 13:22 I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. David, this sinner who murdered Uriah one of his loyal soldier in his army for his wife, committed adulatory and was about to take credit for the success as king without acknowledging God’s presence with him for it all. Pride was creeping up on David having brought harmful consequences on himself as well those he’s responsible for, an imperfect man, a sinner.

2 Samuel 24:10-14 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” God sent the prophet Gad to prophesy to David about the consequences of his action and he was given three choices. David replied to Gad after hearing his choices of punishment, 1. Three years of famine in the land. 2. Three months of fleeing from his enemy while they pursue him. 2. Three days of plague in the land. 2 Samuel 24:14 David says, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the. Lord, for His mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.” Look at the privileged David has with God, that he can choose his punishment for his sin.

David, a man after God’s own heart? Though he seemed to have walked boldly into sin, doing it without a thought of the consequences. David always knew how to repent even before being confronted by God. It was like he knew he couldn’t help but sin when he wrote, “behold, I was sharpen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceived me, Psalm 51:5. To me he had this special relationship with God as plea for him to deliver him from his weakness to fall into sin. Maybe the reason David was cast away from his brother was because like a misfit he’d always stir up trouble. There are some of us in the world that have problems when it comes having relationship with others, especially if you have issues like mental illness. People judge and condemn, but mental illness is serious and to me it is responsible for a lot of people bad behaviour. As Jesus said on the cross, “forgive them for they know not what they do.”

I can’t help but believe David may have loved his solitude with God and the sheep because it seems to be where he stayed peaceful and out of trouble with man. He found a strong bond and relationship with God in an isolated place with animals as Adam did in the garden of Eden with God, before Eve came along. To me, David was a reminder to God of Adam and they had a relationship that was undefined. God was David’s everything unlike Adam, David was not alone once he had God and needed a help meet, Genesis 2:18. God was all David had as his (help meet) companion, friend, and lover of his soul. God was the only family David had that loved and accepted him just the way he was with his strength and weaknesses. They had an unconditional love between them that can never be severed.

Nothing could satisfied David and keep him contented except his relationship with God. The relationship with God completed David the reason having many wives was enough, brothers, sisters, mother, father, family and friends. I believe David did crazy things because God is truly what he was after and nothing in the world could ever replace the hunger and thirst; that zeal for the almighty that can’t be quenched by anything of the world, no amount of victory won, crown or wealth.

For my understanding David was looking for truth and righteousness. He was in the world, but not of it. He struggled and had problems connecting and being apart of the world and people. David had spent so much alone time with God that their intimate relationship and connection some how made him an outcast, set apart from others. He couldn’t seem to live a regular life outside of his relationship with God. Being God’s warrior, friend, companion, and his willing servant, yet a sinner who loved God more than anything. David, to me was perfect in the sight of God. But matters to his heart (emotions) as a king, husband, father, sibling, son and friend, he lacked the ability to be good at.

We see David as God fearing, but yet sinning, being crazy and so indifferent like not killing Saul when had a chance, running from his son who wanted to kill him and refusing drink the water he so desired from Bethlehem when it was brought to him. A misfit, but God is a good of mercy, love and understanding of humanity. David knew how to be in relation with the Lord in such a way only God can. Not Moses, Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Jacob…all other great men of the Bible no other had the kind of relationship with God like David. David revered God so much that strived to never do wrong by him and whenever he falls short he knew to right away to humble himself and repent. He had a love for God and a respect that is so unwavering pure and true and for his faithfulness God blessed him continually. David knew that the Lord understood his weaknesses as man, but loved him regardless and His mercy endures forever.

David, a man after God‘s own heart! He allows us to know that God’s mercy endures forever, a broken and contrite heart God never despise, day and night are the same to God, so He doesn’t judge us as good or bad in us because according to Psalm 139:14 “ fearfully and wonderfully made,” summarizing everything, David told us about what God feels about us, He knows and understands us, has me thinking, we must keep also in mind that we are all imperfect beings, but being conscience-stricken, respecting God’s will by being obedient is being after God’s own heart.