Get rid of the idols and false gods (9.16.25)
In the last few months, I have been going through my home and making sure that I do not have idols that crept into my house through thrift store visits or even gifts given to me. You know what I mean. You walk through a store. Any store and see things that are just so cute or would fit well on this or that shelf or in this or that room. No beloved, this is dangerous. Our enemy knows the word just as we do. He has infiltrated every part of our lives, and so things that one time you would never buy, like a Buddha statue or a demonic picture to put up in your home, or even a Ouija Board, are now being created or packaged to make Christians want them. The evil wants that garbage in your home. Why? Because it is a portal.
Now, several of you read that and said, There is no such thing. Well, I beg to differ. Check out doors in the Greek concordance. There have always been portals. They are simply 'a way through'. In fact, even things like your television can be used by the enemy to gain access to your home. The Lord took me to this wonderful scripture in Psalms.
Psalm 24:3-5 NIV
Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not trust in an idol
or swear by a false god.
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from God their Savior.
Psalm 24 is a well-known scripture that is often quoted because it is where we are told that the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. But most often people don't continue reading about the importance of not having idols or false gods that you put before Him. The Bible clearly says our God is jealous. In fact, several times in Exodus, we are told that we are not to bow down to false gods or idols and that God is a jealous God who even punishes the children for the sins of their parents. Thank you, Jesus, for the blood and a better covenant!
I started just throwing things away even if I questioned where it came from or its purpose. I mean, my normal would have been to take things to a thrift store, but on this, the Lord warned, saying, 'Do not take it to a store that will resell it to someone else.' In Ezekiel 8:12, we are told that Idols are not just carvings or images. He wants us to know that they are in our hearts. Idols and false gods become a part of us.
Isn't it interesting that there are countless Old Testament stories where someone hiding an idol brought great destruction upon God's people. In Leviticus 19, we read, ‘Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I am the Lord your God.
Ezekiel 20:7
Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’
Yet another warning in 2 Kings 17:12 says, for they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” It has always amazed me how clear the Lord is on things, and yet countless Believers just brush those things aside.
Throughout the Bible, we are warned that these things are an abomination, worthless & even detestable. These are the very words used by God about idols that man exalts above Him. In fact, again in Ezekiel the Lord literally says He considers it committing adultery to follow after other gods or the keeping of idols of wood, stone, silver, or gold.
Jeremiah 7:9
'Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know?'
Believers seem to forget that we each individually are the temple of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 6:16 shares with us what God truly desires. 'And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the Living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” We are even now at the battle of Ai, beloved. Joshua had just won the battle against Jericho. We won a huge battle getting Trump back into office. Our God was with us in power, but what happened next? They got lazy. In Joshua 7 we find that the battle with Ai did not go as well.
Joshua 7:1
But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.
They lost the battle, and the Lord burned against the children of Israel. Wow! Because of the disobedience of one man, they had their lunch sacks handed right back to them. We must be a people who not only say, 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord' but who actually do.
I hope that this will stir something within you to consider going through your own home and getting rid of some things you may have picked up or been given along the way, thinking they were harmless. No beloved, they are not harmless. God sees everything, and He knows if you are not discerning properly or are worshipping other gods and keeping idols before you.
We are coming into a time of complete freedom and surrender, and we can make that happen even faster by getting into God's Word and obeying Him because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. What does that mean? That means He still doesn't want you to have other idols or gods that you place above Him. Get rid of idols and false gods now so that He doesn't have to do it for you.
In closing I want to share one more scripture that you can take the negative side, meaning go ahead and keep your idols but you are choosing to ask them for help, or the positive which shares what you will be blessed with if you just love the Lord your God and only worship Him. It is found in Isaiah.
Isaiah 57:13
'When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land And shall inherit My holy mountain.”
Hallelujah!
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THERE'S NO COMEBACK FOR LOVE (9.10.25)
When reading Mark recently, I came upon an interesting conversation between Jesus and a Scribe.
Mark 12: NKJV
32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
But what caught my attention was a phenomenal statement in verse 34b.
And after that no one ventured or dared to ask Him any further question.
Wow! For some reason, that really spoke to me. He had countless teachers of the law and Pharisees constantly trying to catch Him teaching falsely. They pretty much always fell into a pit they'd dug for themselves, realizing that in their pride and arrogance, no matter what 'comeback' they had, they were never able to make Jesus look like a fool. In fact, it simply became impossible because He truly was who He professed to be.
Isn't it interesting, however, that when the answer to the question 'which is the greatest commandment' becomes LOVE, they finally have no comeback? They are like, It's over, it's done. We're not going to ask Him any more questions. We cannot dare to have this man teaching the truth of God's LOVE, and if we keep questioning Him, we are opening everyone around us up to the truth that pours out of Him.
The teacher of the law/scribe who asked the question was getting it. In fact, Jesus actually says, 'You are not far from the Kingdom of God.' For them, a compliment, I am sure. Everything truly is about LOVE.
It has always amazed me how in 1st Corinthians 12, Paul starts sharing about spiritual gifts, but then he does something amazing. It seems like he is going to continue teaching on the gifts, but then in chapter 13, he dives deep into love before telling us to eagerly desire the gifts. Why would he do this? Because everything is rubbish without LOVE, and he wants us to know that Love is truly the most important thing. Do what Jesus did, beloved, and answer every question with LOVE.
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ANOINT A SUCCESSOR (9.9.25)
There are a few more things to see in 1 Kings 19 that no spiritual leader should miss. Sadly, I think that quite a number of spiritual leaders become so focused on themselves or what they are called to do that they fail to comprehend that they are supposed to be raising up others to succeed them, so that the ministry, church, or whatever it may be, doesn't just fall apart or stop altogether.
In verse 16, God sends Elijah back the same way He came, which is probably a whole other blog, but He sends him to anoint kings that He can use and trust. However, He doesn't leave it at kings.
1 Kings 19:16 NKJV
16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.
God specifically tells Elijah to anoint a prophet to replace him. This is where Elisha comes in. He wasn't just some random guy who started following Elijah. No, like others before him, Elisha was chosen by God, and when the time came for his mentoring and training, God sent the prophet to him to call him to walk alongside him and learn. When I read this, I think of all the men and women who run around from church to church or leader to leader, hoping for their anointing. They want someone to throw a mantle on them, but they are rarely willing to walk through the training and discipline that God requires of those whom He calls. Beloved, you must learn to recognize these people. The Lord is looking for the humble and teachable. He isn't laying hands on people or throwing mantles on those who promote themselves or their ministry. Elijah NEVER promoted himself. He did what God told him to do. He said what God told him to say, and yes, he even anointed whom God told him to anoint.
There is one more thing that I want to address in this blog. There is a separation in a prophet's life that must happen. He or she cannot be moved or swayed by others. This separation can bring loneliness to a man or woman of God who, although they love the Lord and would do anything for Him, find themselves rejected, mocked, slandered, and called false because the things the Lord speaks come in His timing and not ours, which feeds the unbelief of many. I've always found it interesting that Elijah thought he was the only prophet left. Of course, that must be what he saw as he took down the prophets of Baal alone, but God does not let Elijah's statement in verse 14b go. The Lord ends His conversation with Elijah, making sure that he understands something significant, which I believe we must understand and realize even today.
1 Kings 19:18 NKJV
18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Give God thanks for the prophetic voices that He is using in this time. Even though there are many, they are still alone. They cannot sit and watch YouTube all day long or read every prophecy that is released because they have separated themselves to hearing the voice of God so that they can share His words with us. They are lied about, called false, mocked daily, and some have even gone through tragedy and betrayal.
Do not take God's prophetic voices for granted. It is because of God speaking through them that you are at peace, beloved. Unlike many in the world who are going to be shocked when God makes His big move here in the near future. You are a part of His remnant. You are a called-out one who God has chosen for such a time as this to not only know Him but to know what He is doing in the earth today for His children and for the world. I encourage you to make a list and pray over the prophetic voices that you listen to or read from. Praise the Lord for choosing you and, of course, for choosing them. He loves you, beloved, and none of us is alone. The truth is, there are still many that God has reserved who have not bowed to Baal. Trust Him because He knows the end from the beginning. He's got this!
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THAT GENTLE WHISPER (9.8.25)
It takes me weeks to pull together my 'It's Going to be Biblical' mailings now because I have begun doing them in themes, which means I have to ask the Lord for the theme, create the image, find 5 to 6 songs to go along with that theme and also look for scriptures that would magnify the theme the Lord has given me. I have lists upon lists... lol Already for weeks away as I hear new songs or go through the Word of God, and so throughout the weeks I add to my lists here and there. One that impacted me greatly was when I did 'Sons & Daughters'. Having two prodigals is rough, but that one really hit home. For some reason, this weeks theme has done the same. I am simply calling it 'Elements', but it is so powerful how God uses them to speak to His children, to the world, and how He uses them supernaturally in our lives in His relationship with us, His children. I heard yesterday that we need to be reminded that we are not called the 'Adults of God'. No, He makes it clear that no matter what our age, we are the 'Children of God'.
This morning, the Lord specifically led me to 1 Kings 19, which we've all read over and over, I am sure, but I noticed something I never had before. We all know that God uses elements to speak to His children. He spoke to the world through water when He allowed the flood on the earth in Noah's day, wiping out all of mankind except Noah and his family. He spoke to Moses through a burning bush. He spoke to Ezekiel through a whirlwind. He spoke to Daniel countless times through Angels. He spoke to countless people through dreams. He spoke to Peter through visions. Jesus spoke to the Apostle Paul directly after knocking him off his horse. My point is God uses what He uses when He wants to use it. I just recently wrote a blog called 'Balaam's Talking Donkey' because He even chose to speak to Balaam through an animal.
God does the unusual. His ways are far above our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Be very careful around people who put God in any kind of box and say He won't do this or that. His Word proves that He does things we'd never expect but what I love about the story in 1 King's 19 is that although there were many signs that Elijah could have taken as God speaking to him what blows me away is how much wisdom Elijah had. Not much is told to us about Elijah. It's like he comes upon the scene out of nowhere one day in a great time of evil when Jezebel and Ahab reigned. By this time, Elijah has proven that his God is the one true God, and he has killed all the prophets of Baal, but then word gets to Jezebel, and although not many understand it, Elijah becomes fearful and runs. He is then cared for by Angels for a few days as his strength comes back to him, and then he is told to go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.
1 Kings 19:11-13 NKJV
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He didn't hear the voice of the Lord in the noise or the loudness of all that was happening around him. He also didn't allow fear to come upon him about what he'd just seen. He didn't hear the voice of the Lord in the wind or the earthquake or even the fire, but in a still small voice. The NIV translation actually says he heard the voice of the Lord in a gentle whisper, which I love.
Sometimes I think we don't give enough credence to relationship. How close to the Lord would you have to be to recognize when God is not speaking? Let alone shutting yourself away from all the noise and not simply accepting natural events to speak to you. Elijah knew the voice of the Lord so well that he waited until he was certain it was the Lord speaking to him. I love that it says, he wrapped his face in his mantle. Wow! What does this mean? A mantle symbolizes authority, anointing, and one's divine calling. It represents the task or purpose that God has called someone to fulfill. The mantle also serves as a multifaceted symbol of God's presence and spiritual power in the lives of His people. Elijah knew when God's presence and power were near. Many events took place around him that tried to capture his attention, but Elijah didn't fall for the distractions. He waited (Isaiah 40:31) on God, and his strength was renewed in doing so.
Beloved, we can learn a lot from this one story. If you are feeling disconnected or that God is not speaking, then you must tune out everything but Him. Don't automatically believe God is speaking through every weather event. Pray and discern because He is not. In fact, our enemies have invented things that manipulate our weather. Many of the earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes we are experiencing are our enemies speaking and not our Father at all. Because of this manipulation, we must become a people who will sit in silence and listen for that gentle whisper or still small voice, because if we are truly filled with His Spirit, we have the ability to hear our Father in Heaven, and don't let anyone tell you that you can't.
John 10:27 NKJV
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A NAME (9.7.25)
This morning, I was finishing up my reading in Mark 15 about the burial of Jesus, and I noticed something I'd never seen before. Or at least hadn't taken the time to meditate on. The name Joseph comes up many times in our Bible. Most remember Joseph, the son of Jacob as the dreamer who lived a terribly difficult life, yet the Lord had plans for him all along and what his brothers meant for evil actually put Joseph exactly where God needed him to be to save His people knowing that there would be 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine coming and that He had to raise up someone with wisdom to get them through that time.
In looking up the name Joseph, I found an article called BIBLICAL MEANING AND ORIGIN OF THE NAME IN THE BIBLE, linked here
Joseph: Biblical Meaning and Origin of This Name in the Bible, in case you'd like to read it. The name Joseph in Hebrew means
to add or to increase, but the article also said, In the biblical context, the name Joseph symbolizes God's intention to bless and add to His people.
This I find amazing in itself. I think we often read the Bible and don't take the time to look up names and their meanings, but God Himself was very much into names. He changed names if they didn't fit a person or He needed them to think differently, like Abram to Abraham or Jacob to Israel. Even Jesus did this in His ministry by changing Simon's name to Peter. Simon, meaning 'to hear', and Peter, meaning rock and strength, stability, and faith. Something that Peter did not appear to have until the name change, which changed him forever.
Isn't it interesting, though, that when God decided to bring Jesus to this earth, He chose a man named Joseph to become the first Joseph He would ever know as His stepfather and the one who would teach and train Him up alongside Mary? This Joseph gives us even more light on the name Joseph. The article I shared above then says, 'This Joseph, like his Old Testament counterpart, embodies the biblical meaning of Joseph as someone who responds to God's call with unwavering faith.' It is also worth mentioning that the Bible shares a number of dreams, and of those, at least two of those that God spoke to through dreams were named Joseph.
What did I see this morning, though? Well, in Mark 15:43 the Bible says...
Mark 15:43 NKJV
43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Amazing! Jesus began His life cared for by a man named Joseph, which meant to add or to increase, and also symbolized God's intention to bless and add to His people. Joseph, His stepfather, alongside Mary, who was chosen by God to bring this gift into the world, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and placed Him in a manger. But then, even at the end of Jesus' life (before they understood the resurrection would come) it is, yet another man named Joseph who asks for the body of Jesus so that he can bury Him. This Joseph wraps His body in linen and places Him in a tomb. One Joseph was there bringing Him into the world, and God trusted yet another Joseph to care for Him after His death. Another scripture just came to me...
1 Corinthians 15:55 NKJV
“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
There was no sting. God knew all along that the death of His Son was not final. It was in His plan before the foundation of the world, but when you understand the meanings of names, you can at times pick up on something that God is speaking very loudly to us, His children, yet in some cases, we just don't always hear Him at the time. In life and in death, Jesus was kept and cared for by men whose names meant to add or increase, and He wanted us to know that even in what we perceived as darkness (the death of Jesus), His light was going to shine. His intention all along never changed. It was always to bless and add to His people. Death and darkness would never win or rule over our God.
I will share one final quote from the article that I believe speaks volumes...
The name Joseph carries rich biblical meaning that transcends time and culture. It embodies themes of divine favor, redemption, perseverance, and forgiveness.
Is anyone pregnant right now? Do you have a daughter or daughter-in-law who is pregnant? Consider the name Joseph because names are of greater importance to a child than we seem to believe. Just ask Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10). Pay attention to the names as you read the Word of God. Search them out or look them up if you can. I actually have a running list of names so that I can refer to it when I read things, and especially for my writing. It really opens things up in a way that you never considered before. My lists are ongoing because I have found through the years that with God, there is meaning in everything. Numbers, places, times, seasons, feasts, and yes, beloved, even in names.
Sheryl York 🕊️
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WORDS CAN BE A SNARE (9.4.25)
While reading Mark 14 I immediately heard the word snare. Mark 14 is about several things. One is the Alabaster jar of ointment that was broken and poured out on Jesus and a few of the disciples being indignant about it saying, it should have been sold to help the poor. Jesus immediately rebukes them saying, 'You will always have the poor with you but she has done a good thing for Me. She has prepared Me for My burial.'
First of all, you have to wonder if the disciples truly listened to Him. He has told them countless times by now that he will be killed and even rise again and yet they seem to avoid His comments all together. Isn't it interesting, though, that Judas was so upset about the money being spent on Jesus that he got angry and left and went and asked for money to betray him?
I looked up the word snare and it is a spiritual entrapment. It references Proverbs 18:7...
Proverbs 18:7 NIV
The mouths of fools are their ruin;
they trap themselves with their lips.
indicating that foolish speech can lead to one's downfall. Mark 14 is also about the Last Supper, and while they were reclining at the table, Jesus tells the disciples that one of them will betray Him. They are all shocked by this statement, as if it were impossible, and every single one of them says, Surely it's not me, Lord.
Mark 14:31
“No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the others vowed the same.
Another thing I feel to mention here is that I have heard it taught that Judas did not go to Hell but made it to Heaven. Beloved, this is hogwash. First of all, Jesus had not died and risen again so that the blood could be placed on the mercy seat, so there was no forgiveness for what Judas did. He made a choice that day. Jesus clearly says in Mark 14:21 that it would be better for the man who betrays him if he had never been born. That does not sound like a trip to Heaven. This is false teaching, so don't even consider it.
We must be more cautious of the things that we say out of our mouths because they can become a snare to us, meaning a trap. I remember several years back, we were a part of a church, and my husband promised the Pastor $1,000. We did not have it at the time, and many years went by. The church had moved, and we weren't even a part of it. In fact, we'd been treated really badly, but we had some money come in, and my husband searched for that Pastor. I thought he was crazy but he found him and drove all the way to visit with him and shocked the Pastor by giving him that $1,000. He knew he'd been awful to us and probably knew he didn't deserve it, but my husband wouldn't go back on what he said, so once that money came in no matter how long it had been it didn't matter how things had gone or that we were no longer with that Pastor or that church. He had told the Pastor he would give $1,000, and so he did.
Beloved, watch your words and the promises that you make to others and even to God. God watches over our words, our promises, and even our intent. He is ever watching our heart attitude. Don't snare yourself with your own mouth.
Sheryl York 🕊️
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