After thirty years of public school teaching my brother-in-law retired. His retirement brought peace, contentment, and renovations. The burden of endless regulations and parent teacher meetings faded into the wastebasket of old memories. The good times arrived with cruises and community good works. With a clear conduct record, the school board confidently assigned fill in teaching assignments. Until a phone call from the police department crashed into my brother-in-law’s perfect conduct record.
At thirteen years of age, the conquering spirit of my brother-in-law bounded over cancer. Even the loss of a leg due to cancer couldn’t stop the urge to achieve great things. Until an accusation about sexual misconduct shattered the dreams and a perfect conduct record. A former student from twenty years ago filed an accusation with the police department. The enemy’s tactics knows no limits. Satan is the ultimate accuser. Take heed about this sign of the time: "Fear none of those thins which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried…." (Revelation 2: 10 NKJV)
After the interview, finger printing, and photo, the charge of sexual assault shocked more than his family. The school board removed my brother-in-law’s name from any further fill in teaching assignments. If that wasn’t enough to instill a guilty feeling within my brother-in-law, the school board regulations hindered my brother-in-law from all contact with former students and teachers. Don’t be fooled! Guilty until proven innocent is another sign of the time.
Words of warning, if you are a teacher or youth worker, protect yourself. Never teach without a partner. Never be alone with a student. Piano teachers, file your lessons with all young students. You never know when or how an accusation shatters your future plans. Your enemy – Satan – seeks someone to devour.
If wrongfully accused, bring an attorney with you to the police station. Know you legal rights. Because of the sing of the time requires that all saints guard against any future accusations. Once a criminal charge is laid life never returns to a former innocence. The seeds of doubt cloud any former friendships. Heartache and misunderstandings invade your future plans and pleasant retirement. So, pray for protection for your family members, Sunday school teachers, or youth workers before this sign of the time destroys more perfect conduct records.
Copyright 2008 Patricia Charlton
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Times like These
Shocking! Absolutely shocking! The condition of our modern day prayer life stuns the Lord. With tears and heart felt words the Lord whispers to your and me, "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." (Ezekiel 22:30) All of us from time to time wish that our families, friends, and society changed their wayward habits. We even daydream about great adventures into the realm of faith. But, often our apathy or ignorance dictates our future.
Ignorance about prayer is no excuse for a fruitless life. A prayerless saint drops their guard when the going gets tough. The weapon that Satan destroys first is prayer. If the saints cease praying all hell breaks lose. The battle field levels and many warriors fall. Are you ready to stop this carnage? Are you ready to fight? If so, where do you and I begin?
Attend your church prayer meeting. Come prepared with a list of friends, unsaved family members and enemies. Pay attention to other’s requests. Start asking the Lord for a mighty movement of His spirit. If nothing happens, keep asking. Because, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7) Everyone needs prayer. Everyone needs deliverance from God’s wrath.
Make an appointment with Jesus. Show up on time and ready to fight. Christ often waits upon our serious pursuit of spiritual matters. The shallowness of our requests slaps the savior in the face. Jesus often escaped to the hillside to communion with His father. Christ never forgot his assignment.
Faithfulness is the first step into the battlefield of prayer. Satan never gives up our loved ones and friends without a fight. Neither should you. Learn to fight! Learn you weapon of prayer! Because sooner or later, your loved ones and friends will encounter this: "Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord God" (Ezekiel 22: 31)
Remember this, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a biblical scholar to enter the battle? It doesn’t take a pastor or deacon. Christ looks for anyone with a persistent attitude and a long prayer list.
Copyright 2008 Patricia Charlton
Ignorance about prayer is no excuse for a fruitless life. A prayerless saint drops their guard when the going gets tough. The weapon that Satan destroys first is prayer. If the saints cease praying all hell breaks lose. The battle field levels and many warriors fall. Are you ready to stop this carnage? Are you ready to fight? If so, where do you and I begin?
Attend your church prayer meeting. Come prepared with a list of friends, unsaved family members and enemies. Pay attention to other’s requests. Start asking the Lord for a mighty movement of His spirit. If nothing happens, keep asking. Because, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7) Everyone needs prayer. Everyone needs deliverance from God’s wrath.
Make an appointment with Jesus. Show up on time and ready to fight. Christ often waits upon our serious pursuit of spiritual matters. The shallowness of our requests slaps the savior in the face. Jesus often escaped to the hillside to communion with His father. Christ never forgot his assignment.
Faithfulness is the first step into the battlefield of prayer. Satan never gives up our loved ones and friends without a fight. Neither should you. Learn to fight! Learn you weapon of prayer! Because sooner or later, your loved ones and friends will encounter this: "Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord God" (Ezekiel 22: 31)
Remember this, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a biblical scholar to enter the battle? It doesn’t take a pastor or deacon. Christ looks for anyone with a persistent attitude and a long prayer list.
Copyright 2008 Patricia Charlton
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