Category Archives: MUSINGS

Inward Truth

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Truth in the inward parts. In the darkness of morning my husband spoke this light to me. This was his meditation before sunrise and mine today ever since he told me. He mentioned being in Ezekiel yesterday, chapter 33 about the duty of the watchman seeing truth and speaking it. These two passages, along with my pastor’s two sermons on the church at Sardis living by reputation and not in reality, have confirmed for me that we must get beyond the deception and into God’s truth.

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.—Psalms 51:6

So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.—Ezekiel 33:7

Destroying deception takes inner work, a deep soul scrubbing to lift the crusts of latent and active lies that cover our core. This is where we learn wisdom, in the parts that others can’t see, that affect the parts that others can see. And with wisdom comes truth, and this brings God joy.

He wants us to know His wisdom. We need it for us; we need it for others, to be watchwomen for suffering souls that believed what seemed good to all the senses. The feels, tastes, smells, sights, and sounds of sin can seductively deceive and have us living in a created reality. But when we hear the truth from God we can heed His warning and shout the same to others.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

I’m counting on this.

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

Deceived from Desperation

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Young, vibrant and healthy, my life took a turn in an instant one night. I was 24 when I was defiled and diseased and suffered depression that most never suspected. Daily I put on my strong black woman face to face the days, but my heart was weak, gasping for new life. These are times of desperation when we take measures that mirror the same. And in the depth of my desperation I turned to a method that I had only read about and seen in movies. I heard that this African root doctor, a Muslim Imam from Senegal, had cured people from AIDS. I figured surely he could help me.

I went and received counsel and concoctions fit for a fantasy mystery novel. The root mixtures—distilled water and various tree bark from the Senegalese bush country, and macrobiotic diet didn’t cleanse my blood from disease, but this dark period did shine light on my poor spiritual and physical health. From witnessing some spiritually spooky practices and eating really good food, I learned I needed a savior and to change my eating habits for good. I may have been deceived about who could help me, but I understood clearly what I needed to do. Immediately organic and other health food store items became staples in my diet and a year and a half later I became saved. Even with the truth of the Gospel I still fumbled in the spirit and fed my flesh junk. And from time to time, I still do.

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.—1 Corinthians 3:18

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.—Ephesians 5:6

Sometimes I fumble in spirit and flesh because I have deceived myself. Other times men have deceived me. Either way the onus is on me not to be deceived. The same is true for you, and I want to help. In the next series of posts I will examine deception to build our spirits, minds and bodies. The plan is to continue to lay a foundation this week then set aside Mondays for a lesson to feed our spirits, Wednesdays for a thought to strengthen our minds and Fridays for food and other products to nourish our bodies. I look forward to you journeying with me from the harm of deception to the hope in truth.

Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith

The Healing Truth

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I’m not pretty.

This is the lie I believed growing up.

You may think it’s not much, that a lot of girls believed this, but I couldn’t see beyond the pimples and plump and stubby pigtails. I couldn’t see that complexions change and weight and hair can, too. One day when I was overwhelmingly blinded, I struggled through my faucet of tears and jerky heaves to tell my mother “I’m ugly.” She almost laughed, but pulled that in and me onto her lap, wiped my tears and cuddled me, and I suppose she told me how ridiculous what I said was. I don’t remember. I just remember that when she loved me I didn’t think of pimples and plump or pigtails; I thought about my mother’s love and that cradled me. Whether I was pretty or not or could change or not wasn’t the real issue (though most girls do want to be pretty). It was the ‘therefore’ that caused my fountain to flow.

  • I’m not pretty therefore boys won’t like me.
  • I’m not pretty therefore I won’t have as many friends as my sister.
  • I’m not pretty therefore people will tease me.

    • When we embrace a lie we live in the therefore, which often is the lie or a bigger lie than what we initially believe.

  • Gideon lived in the therefore. I’m too small. I’m too weak therefore I can’t defeat.
  • Naomi lived in the therefore. My family is deceased therefore I must cease.
  • Elijah lived in the therefore. I’m the only one therefore I can’t overcome.

    • And in each instance someone was there to give them another ‘therefore’ to push them on to defeat and to not cease and to overcome. We need those mamas and daughters and angels and God to minister to us to help us forsake our ‘therefores’ and live in the truthful ‘therefores.’

    I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) therefore

      1. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).
      2. I can stand against the wiles of the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-18).
      3. I can redeem the time (Ephesians 5:15-16).
      4. I can mature to the full stature that Christ intends for me (Ephesians 4:13).
      5. I can walk in the Spirit so I won’t fulfill the lust of my flesh (Galatians 5:16).
      6. I can love my husband and my children (Titus 2:3-5).
      7. I can lay aside anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:6).
      8. I can witness to others (Acts 1:8).
      9. I can love my enemies (Matthew 5:44).
      10. I can forgive (Matthew 18:15-35).

    The time is now to forget our ‘therefores’ and believe God. Happy New Year as you seek to live in God’s ‘therefores’ and make 2011 a year of healing truth.

    Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith

    Harmless Lies

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    “There is no Christmas without Santa Claus.” This I heard an 8-year-old girl say after a little boy told her he didn’t believe in Santa Claus. They went back and forth a bit, trying to reason with each other as only innocent 8 year olds could do. I was silent, pondering the conversation and seeing how easily she, even knowing that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth, could be drawn into the myth of Christmas. Continue reading →

    The Feast

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    Our Ethiopian Feast-Before


    Our Ethiopian Feast-After

    We came together to feast, me and a former cop and soldier now mother and multiple business owner; an office manager and former divorced mother of three big boys, now a married mom of four; a former entrepreneur turned married homeschooling mom of six; a rapper who showcased skills on 106 and Park who now sparks the spiritual into the secular; and an engineer married to an engineer and mom of a boy and girl. We came together to feast, all ministry leaders and me the top ministry leader leading them into something different, something good, and they ate it up, this, my favorite, Ethiopian food that none had tried and one didn’t like after having the same four times before.

    Throwing Down

    We feasted on something different, food never touching their palates, food transforming their palates into something new. We, a table of used to be’s and wanna be’s now wanting to be whatever Jesus wants us to be and we are open. We are willing to consume the feast He has for us, no matter how different or how many times we did or didn’t like it, we will try, knowing it could even be yummy like our Ethiopian meal.

    Standing: Taivia; Nicole, Charyse and Chevelle; Seated: Helena & Me

    Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith