A LOG TURNED INTO A CABIN

I used to love watching Home and Garden Television on cable. One show in particular, Log Cabins, portrayed how a beautiful lavish log cabin started out as one simple beam of wood. The show revealed the process of building the cabin which was relatively slow because of the interference of weather, materials, etc. Although each episode was only an hour, you could travel through the four seasons as you watched them fully complete one house, which began as a log. I was reminded of this show during a brief encounter with a woman.

As I was speaking with her, I realized how her speech was very negative. She looked for and found something negative in everything, especially people. When she did acknowledge that she had some issues, the blame went to someone else or had excuses attached. Later that evening, as I was thinking about how she irritated me, I thought of the scripture: Matthew 7:3-5 that says, “3Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother's eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? 4Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother's eye. (Amp)

A beam of timber…a log.

Still irritated, the Holy Spirit reminded me of how I was delivered from this same issue. He gently reminded me of how I used to blame everyone else too, had a tendency to find the negative in others’, but never accepted that I was a negative person. My mouth was negative, my thoughts were negative, my actions (or reactions) were negative. I spent most of my time, like her, being negative. I thought about (because of my own experience) how this type of behavior blocks the flow of God in our lives.

I recalled what brought my deliverance about and what God had done for me. One evening, as I was in deep meditation, the Holy Spirit spoke, saying that in order for me to grow and become all God has called me to be, there were some things that needed to be admitted and addressed. So, I began, “I am judgmental, a manipulator, a slanderer…” and it went on. I cried so hard that I thought my heart was going to pop out my chest! He revealed to me this type of behavior was displeasing in God’s sight no matter how I tried to previously justify it

(1). I heard the small still quiet voice say, “I’m here.” I cried uncontrollably as He continued, “I love you”. I knew then God loved me enough to help me and I needed His help! “Don’t leave me like this!” I yelled in tears. I had a desire to have permanent change because my actions didn’t line up with Truth. I was then reminded of His promises of deliverance (2). I immediately began regimens taught by my spiritual father including biblical fasting, prayer and just shutting up! Again, I admitted that I needed to change, so that my Father in Heaven could help me change. Next, I sought practical ways to implement those necessary changes including changing my thought pattern, speech, friends and surroundings.

When I finished pondering upon my own deliverance, I had an understanding of her current situation. It is difficult for her to be delivered because her log had turned into a cabin. She has been saved for many years but because she built her log cabin of slander, discord and judgment, one log at a time, it was now (not luxurious) a cabin full of negativity. Along the way, just like me, the weather of life aided in building her cabin, so much that she can no longer see what is within her, but only the “specks of sawdust” in others’.

My immediate prayer was, “Lord, how can we help her?”

The response: "Be transparent."

(3) So here today, I’m “write” [right] before you because I too had that same problem. I encourage you today to not allow each log of negativity through your speech or thought, turn into a cabin that blocks the flow of God in your life. Wake up! Arise! Become all God has called you to be! He can deliver you, just like He did for me! It may take time to crush the house that you’ve built around yourself, but God is a wrecking ball ready and willing to destroy that old cabin and give you a new luxurious one! Change is necessary to receive a consistent flow of God’s blessings in your life! I look forward to hearing your testimonies as I was just transparent with mine!

Praise be to God and With God’s Love,

Dee-Dee McDuffie
003
6/6/2011

Scripture Meditations:

(1)

Proverbs 10:18 (AMP)

18He who hides hatred is of lying lips, and he who utters slander is a [self-confident] fool.1 Corinthians 6:10 (AMP)
Nor cheats (swindlers and thieves), nor greedy graspers, nor drunkards, nor foulmouthed revilers and slanderers, nor extortioners and robbers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God.
Colossians 3:8 (AMP)
But now put away and rid yourselves [completely] of all these things: anger, rage, bad feeling toward others, curses and slander, and foulmouthed abuse and shameful utterances from your lips!
(2) Psalm 32:7 (AMP)
You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Psalm 35:9 (AMP)
Then I shall be joyful in the Lord; I shall rejoice in His deliverance.
 (3)
Revelation 12:11 (KJV) 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death

In Honor of His Promise

To our daughter's.... My mother passed away when I was 9 1/2...I thank God for my spiritual mother...but I sincerely miss "My Mommy." ..... Don't take yours for granted, you never know when God may call her home.
  I heard the words you said to your mother today
It hurts me to hear the things that you say
Why are you angry and why are you mad?….
It hurt me to see your mother so sad
Tears rolled from her face as she didn’t know what to do
Matter of fact, she’s not sure what’s wrong with you

You treat her with disrespect and dishonor her name
But you claim you love her just the same
Did you forget how much she does for you in the day?
Why do you hurt her in the things that you say?
Tears rolled from her face as she didn’t know what to do
Matter of fact, she’s doesn’t know what’s wrong with you

You slam the door as if you were right
But I am here to say, no more going back the same way
God’s Word is all too clear
Honor thy mother and father…do not dishonor… what part did you not hear?

It’s all for you to live your life long
No need to cut it short
So I love you enough to say - don’t go back the same way
What good will all that anger do?
Maybe today, try a different way
And love her just like she loves you!

Praise be to God and with God's Love,
Dee-Dee McDuffie

Scripture Meditations:
Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV)
Ephesians 6:1-3 (NIV)
Galatians 5: 22 (NIV)
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)
Proverbs 15:20 (NIV)

Hell is a Curse Word

In my profession as a pastry chef, one thing I’ve noticed working in the “back of the house” is a profound amount of profane language. As a co-worker and I were talking one day, he stated, “It’s the nature of the business.” As I reviewed the thirteen plus years I have spent in this industry, it was then I realized it was commonplace to curse, drink and smoke amongst chefs due to the high level of stress. Well, at least that is the excuse most would give, including me. 

Even after I was saved, God had to address the stronghold of cursing the Enemy had on my life. Curse words rolled off my tongue with ease for many years and because of this, it would take extended times of prayer, fasting and constant repentance to break this stronghold. Initially, I tried to do this on my own without God's help and to no avail, began by spelling the word out so that I wouldn’t say it. Next, I would say words that rhymed with the curse word and finally I would say the first letter with ‘in’ on the end of it. God revealed to me that no matter how it came out of my mouth, it was still dishonoring to Him (1).

During the process of my deliverance, every curse word I would hear began to cause me to be extremely uncomfortable. As I reviewed what seemed to be a lifetime of cussin', many people that I encountered would tell me how “un-lady like” it was to speak profane language. It’s almost as if it brings the ugly out of us and the natural beauty (being created in the image of God (2)) disappears.

One of the most used words that I would hear whether in conversation or in the media was the word “hell”. During my meditation in the Word, I began to ponder upon these types of profane words. I contemplated whether they were actually profane because they were used in the Bible too. As the Holy Spirit spoke to me, He revealed to me it is in the context that we use these words that cause them to be profane. So, saying “__ naw!” is still displeasing in God’s sight. Have we become so complacent in our lives or Christian walk that we believe God is not concerned with how we use the words we speak as much as the words themselves?

One morning, I found myself using this word as I recalled an interaction with a co-worker. I immediately reminded myself (as I repented) that “hell” is a curse word. Then, like a ton of bricks - it hit me! Hell is a curse word! A curse is defined in the dictionary as follows: 1. swearword: a

swearword, obscenity, or blasphemous oath 2. evil prayer: a malevolent appeal to a supernatural being for harm to come to somebody or something, or the harm that is thought to result from this 3. source of harm: a cause of unhappiness or harm i.e. the curse of poverty. 
The latter definition is what hit me like a ton of bricks - Hell is the source of harm; a cause of unhappiness or harm… i.e. the curse of Hell.  Nothing good comes from a curse! I immediately thought of the place where Satan resides and the curse of spending eternal life there! Hell is a curse word! There are no blessings that come from using the word with our mouths and definitely not in residing there!

If on the other hand, Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly 

(3), why do we call to (speak it out (4)) “Hell” every chance we get? What if we decided today, not to allow any curse words that destroy and dim our beauty to roll off of our tongues and decide that Heaven is where we would rather reside and call to it? Heaven cometh! In Jesus Name! (5)

Praise Be To God and With God’s Love,

Dee-Dee McDuffie
5/24/2011
002

Scripture References:

(1) Ephesians 5
(2) Genesis 1:27
(3) John 10:10
(4) Proverbs 18:21
(5) James 3: 3-12

(1) Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.