No one can make you keep a dirty wound. You must choose to let the scalpel of the Lord come in and cut away the infected tissue. You must allow Him to use His sutures, which may come in the form of Forgiveness, Love (which hides a multitude of sins), the Word of God (which is quick and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword), Hope (which makes us not ashamed) and Faith (which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen) to mend us back together.
Sessions in Pain, pg. 223
AUTHOR’S COMMENTS: This Christmas season give yourself the best gift and allow the Savior to mend you back together again.
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14 KJV
picture credit: Coree Sullivan
Leaving Babylon pg. 45
The problem that remained was that many of us had become so attached to the breasts of Babylon that we did not want to let go of her. Although she was abusive to us, at least we knew what to expect with her, and this brought us a strange sense of security. This is seen in children who have suffered from abuse. They do not know anything other than the abuser. Therefore, they have difficulty trusting in anyone different. Even when they are told that “this new life” is loving, healthy, and prosperous for them, they will still resist it.
In the same manner, the abused children of Babylon recoil and hide behind their walls of anger and fear as the heavenly Father reaches out to them. They take cover behind these walls that were erected early in their lives. Babylon had deceived us all into blaming God for the pain that she had caused in our lives. She convinced us to distrust and hate Him. This is why those of us who have come to know the truth and relief found in Jesus Christ pray. We pray for the lost in Babylon because we know it will take God’s Holy Spirit to break through the walls and reach into their hearts and set them free with the truth. As the love of God is fulfilled in our hearts, we pray for them, even when they reject us and curse us. We pray that their relationship with Babylon be broken by the power of God.
“…11He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12But to all who did receive Him,to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God” John 1:11-12 BSB
picture credit: exploringalura.wordpress.com
You cannot teach or lead anyone to conversion until He has created in you a clean heart and His Spirit is dwelling strong in you. Your intellect cannot do it; your years of experience or your degree(s) cannot do it—nothing but His Spirit. Therefore, beloved, do not despise the painful waiting; learn your lessons and prepare yourself to minister. David acknowledged that God had broken his bones but he also knew that he would rejoice in the end. Sessions in Pain, pg. 189
AUTHOR’S COMMENT: We are living in a season where it is critical that we focus on strengthening the Holy Spirit in us. We cannot effect change in this world outside of a strong relationship with the Holy Spirit. Too many of us “Christians” have the label but not the life. We must draw closer to our Christ and His Holy Spirit. As the Scriptures have taught us:
“It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies” (Zechariah 4:6 nlt).
Picture credit: dynamic-prayer.blogspot.com
Leaving Babylon pgs. 10-11
This book was not written to bring fear and uncertainty of the future but rather to encourage you to get up and move into the safety of God’s plan of rescue. Certain events are inevitable because sin is costly, and the Word of God cannot be changed.
However, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins. He put in place a plan of rescue for us. Unfortunately, many human beings continue to live bound by the chains of Babylon. Babylon, simply put, is this world’s system of living, working, and existing. It is the “bondage living” we inherited from our earthly father, Adam. When Adam sinned in the garden, the existence God intended for humanity drastically changed. Babylon entered into our lives and brought with her fear, strife, struggle, and greed.
Our choice to sin brought the dictates of Babylon into our lives, and it took the blood of Jesus Christ to forge the way out of her grip. Jesus said, “The thief ’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness” ( John 10:10, nlt). The choice is yours: to continue being robbed, or to live with purpose and fulfillment within the security of God.
I am so glad God remembers our value and worth to Him. I’ve experienced His sending someone that I had helped along my path when I felt discouraged, who reminded me of the work He has done in my life. Such reminders cause me to hope again, to recall His Word: “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
Sessions in Pain, pg. 58
AUTHOR’S COMMENTS: Beloved, in this day and time when so much is coming at us at once discouragement can evelope us very easily. But remember that your Lord has already won your battle! Your work is to hope again everyday and keep the “Shield of Faith” up until you reach the finish line.
picture credit: Bright Horizons
Leaving Babylon pgs. 15-16
Babylon is described as one who commits adultery with many kings. To commit adultery, one has to have a commitment and owe loyalty to someone. You may not commit adultery unless you have made promises to someone and owe responsibility (care and protection) to someone. Therefore, we see that the Word of God describes Babylon as a betrayer of the people to whom she owes commitments. She betrays them for her own selfish gain. She sells out the people in her charge to anyone that can pay her price. She leads the kings of the earth or those in authority— the CEOs, the presidents, the prime ministers, and even fathers and mothers, to betray those in their care. News stories explode with the deliberate acts of business and world leaders who cheat and exploit the people who have put their trust in them, for selfish gain.
Babylon is described as someone with whom the people of the earth were drunk. They lost control of themselves and neglected their responsibilities, because of her adulteries and her willingness to sell anything and anyone for a price. The people of the earth flocked to her ways of conducting business. They became intoxicated by her profits from the sell out of herself and the betrayal of her responsibilities. Nothing and no one is safe from being sold to and ravaged by the highest bidder.
Author: The Word of God remains true, “For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes” (Rev. 18:5)
picture credit: freakingnews.com
The strongman often lives not realizing that God’s glory has left his life. His fear and pain grow as he eventually recognizes that he is alone; but he remains too proud to admit his error and convinces himself that he won’t be like the others he has heard of who destroyed themselves. He is bound by the grip of pride and like so many great men, here he falls…Lucifer fell here.
Sessions in Pain pg. 194
AUTHOR’S COMMENTS: Beloved, why fall here at the feet of pride? The 
“strongman”can be that part of any one of us that thinks it knows better than God. He may have accepted Christ but fails to allow the Holy Spirit to rule. It is essentially our ego or our sense of self that we usually protect with a shield of pride. Humility is rejected as weakness in the heart of the strongman. But the Word God remains true:
“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” (1Peter 5:6 nlt).
Picture credits: Acuérdate de tu Creador, The Military Heart
Leaving Babylon Pg. 13 Leaving Babylon is about a constant abiding in Christ. It is about making daily decisions and even momentary decisions to abide in His will and His way over Babylon’s. The choice to leave will change your life forever, bringing you into the great purpose for your life, designed by your Creator. It will take love, courage, and an unshakable faith in your heavenly Father, but take heart. He is faithful to lead you out of Babylon!
AUTHOR’S COMMENTS: Leaving Babylon is an eternal journey paved by taunts and jeers to turn back. As Babylon continues to beckon to us on our journey we hold to God’s unchanging hand. The great songwriter Jeanie Wilson wrote:
“Time is filled with swift transition,
Naught (nothing) of earth unmoved can stand,
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.
Refrain:
Hold to God’s unchanging hand,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand;
Build your hopes on things eternal,
Hold to God’s unchanging hand.
You must learn to pay close attention to your daily decisions and remember to ask yourself, “Did I check it with God?” Remember, if you step out like the strongman without God, the stronger one will find you. Check the Bible and the history books—no one is safe outside of God—no one! Sessions in Pain pg. 198
AUTHOR’S COMMENTS: When we step out in faith it does not have to be pretty it just needs to be ordered by God. If He has said “yes”, then go forward in faith!
The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. (1 Thess. 5:24 BSB).
picture credit: original strength.net
That day in Eden, the conditions of our reproduction changed. “To the woman He said: ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children’” (Gen. 3:16a, nkjv). As we look at this change in the procreation of humanity, we see God placing a condition on pregnancy and childbirth, coupling it with sorrow and pain. Why did God change our biology in this manner? What do we learn in these conditions as we bring forth new life through suffering? Could this be a message from our Creator concerning the cost of sin and the coming sacrifice of His Son, Jesus the Christ, who would bring forth new life to humanity through His suffering?
God told the serpent that “her Seed” would bruise his head. We know that this is referring to Christ, but it should be noted that God sent Him through the human representative of suffering for new life—the woman. “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15, nkjv; emphasis mine).
Our God is ever loving and ever teaching us the way to life. Within our new biology, He sent us a message of love. The message that rescue was coming, that His Son would pay the price, and that one day we could leave Babylon.
“Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”(Hebrews 12:2b nlt).
