The Stickman's Understanding...

  And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. -Genesis 33:4 God bless you and happy Friday! This is the day the Lord has made, let’s rejoice and be glad!  In our nation today we need to heal. Healing has many components or needs. One of those needs is for an injury to occur, regrets overt actions, repentance to come, apology in sincerity, and finally acceptance.  Time though it does have a way of soothing the hurt, time is not an excuse for not apologizing. In the scripture above we see an excellent example of the healing components in action.  Esau whom his brother Jacob had stolen his greatest gift through deception, readily forgave his brother and I believe that time had its place, but Jacob had sent forth ovations of apology before they met on that fateful day.  So time may be required, yet do not excuse yourself from immediately apologizing when afforded the chance and whether immediately accepted or not....

  Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. -Exodus 32:26 Good morning and God bless you. As the morality of this nation continues to slip the question asked in the scripture above becomes more important.  Moses had just come from mount Sinai having attended his supernatural Zoom meeting with the Lord and what he sees angers him.  The people of God had made an idol (Actors, Athletes, singers) and had begun worshipping the piece of metal.   An inanimate object (cars, houses, bank accounts) had become their God and if you read the story you’d know it was due to lack of faith.  After 400 years of slavery where they still cried out in prayer and God delivered them to 40 days of not having Moses and they fold.  They were wretched with sin. Today many in the church are in such state whereas if God doesn’t move quick enough to suit them, ...

  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. -Psalms 119:11 Good morning it is hump day. As mid week has taken its toll many need that hidden word to make it through. But what good is that word if it is not hidden and the simple word “hidden” seems to conflict with the charge to tell someone.  Let’s consider what hidden means here. There will come a time when the word of God will be outlawed and what is readily available on every media known paperback, hardcover, computer, app and more will be no more.  It is then that even the hidden word of your heart, the enemy will seek to destroy. So hidden here means it is written upon the table of your heart in a place that no matter the method used to remove it, it shall not be removed.  David though he didn’t experience what we do and will further go through, the Lord used him to give us the most sacred advice for being in His presence eternally, that is the hidden word of our hearts.  Your co...

  Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. -Joshua 1:6 Good morning and happy Tuesday. It really takes strength to stand up against wrong. And I certainly don’t mean the obvious wrong such as taking what isn’t yours to take. But the hidden wrong.  The obvious wrong is on the surface and often physically discernible, but the spiritual wrong hides itself, creating contention, strife even within the body of Christ.  Joshua had faced challenges before to his authority and as did Moses, he stood when others faltered.  The same thing that the Lord told Joshua, we are being told today. It is so easy to fold to the pressures of our culture and many who haven’t broken before are folding, compromise is truly in the land.  Compromise is well needed on somethings, things of no consequence, God even gives us choices that the lesser has no ill intent but not when it come...

  Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. -Psalms 119:37 Good morning, God bless you and happy Monday. Yes it is Monday again and it is rainy in Memphis. Rain and gloom have always been closely associated.  I noted that last night and recalled a song about the rain hiding tears and another about someone looking out the window at the rain.  Into every life some rain will fall as it is necessitated for the functionality of the earth. But the one who is depressed is the one who watches the rain in hopes it’ll stop. Rain will have its due time but will never again destroy the earth.  The scripture above advises us to not constantly have before us things that steal our joy, the rain of life. Rain could also be and most likely are people, flawed imperfect, carnal self serving...these things are as the crux of what separates us from God, vanity.  Turn the TV off, turn the radio off, turn off notifications for social media, close the n...

  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? -Romans 8:31 Good morning and God bless you TGIF!!! The familiar character fret remains a huge challenge to those in Christ. As a kid I would often mock my older sibs.  From their mannerism to their speech. I wanted to impress them so there were no bounds to what I’d do. Many suffered at my hands often knowing “they’d better not or I would tell.”  Fret and fear are siblings. Fear being older opens the door for fret and fret sits around reminding you what fear has said. Fear would drop off this brat and would want a report on your every move, especially your efforts to be set free.  If we ever grow weary of babysitting there is a release. It is hinged upon your accepting your position as adopted in the family of God.  Your big brother is the Christ and having a name above all names means fret nor fear wants to cross His path.    Given that what can you say expect of God b...

  To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. -Proverbs 21:3  Good morning and God bless you.  It is a rainy Thursday here in Memphis, called the bluff city. Thank God it is a balmy 43 degrees.  There are far too many instances of injustice, prejudicial behavior and these often come from the highest seats of government.  As injustice is revealed a cry comes up from the uninformed saying “Why has God let this happen?” or even “Why has God done this?” Beloved those statements though given in distress, would suggest that God is unjust.  This is contradicted strongly in the Bible as in it we know God is loving, merciful, patient, kind and just!  Along with the statements comes a call for change. What we fail to understand is that God has given it to us to be the change we want to see in the earth. His intent has always and will always be that mankind manage the affairs of this planet as good stewards should.  When man fai...

  Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. -Psalms 37:1 Good morning and God bless you! It’s Hump Day! Psalms 37 has always been one of my go to scriptures and I suspect many would give it credence in their walk of faith.  It would seem impossible but In this world full of evil, it is getting worst. The depravity makes it easy to become frustrated.  We see those we know are not living right seeming to succeed and those that literally mock Christ doing quite well.  Evil will have its season and it will be cut off but until that day come, we are called to not allow ourselves to fret and certainly envy is one of the by products of fret.  Fretting is not a synonym for frustrated but it is more of an adverb as it expresses an elevation, active form of frustration.  I am sure that is why the word fret is found here because many actively worry about today that is, and tomorrow that will be.  The Lord give...

  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. -Psalms 1:3 Good morning and God bless you. Happy Tuesday. God is still good. Thought life is so important to the Christian.  Because the longer a thought stays in your mind unchecked, the more apt you are to act on it. Further that thought that causes you to act on it is key in generation of future similar thoughts. And those thoughts are purposed and sequenced to destroy.  It is tough enough dealing with the things the enemy brings to mind, but when you keep poor company, spewing poor water then the strength of your tree is further sapped.  The strength of a tree can be traced to its water source. The depth of the roots and the purity of the water impacts the tree, it’s very life source being water, because nothing would grow, the roots would never grow deep without water, moreso the seed f...

  In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. -Daniel 5:5 God bless you and good morning! Yes it is Monday again! If you are still among us breathing and able to read, it is an indication of the goodness of the Lord.  This morning during prayer one of the intercessors prayed that we not only would be given sight, but revelation.  To be honest that jumped onto me so that I wanted to write about that this morning. Sight and revelation...differences?  In the scripture above is a great example of sight, that is the natural sense of perceiving what can obviously be seen by anyone, versus what is perceived and understood.  A toddler can identify that words are on paper, but if that child has not been taught how to read, they will not know what is being said, further if that same child has been taught the phonics of pronu...

  10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:  11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? -Jonah 4 Good morning, TGIF and God bless you. For some reason the Lord is keeping me in the micro book, by the Minor Prophet Jonah.  Yesterday we found a reluctant Jonah trying not to take the message of salvation to Nineveh. His action was selfish, prideful, and sad to say common among many today.   Yet the saddest thing was when the city repented from King on down, the attitude of Jonah was anger.   This is yet another symptom of “Chosen People Syndrome”. Determining the worthiness of someone else to hear the salvation message directly conflicts with the great commission of Matthew 28... Though i...

  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. -Jonah 1:3 Good morning and God be praised. One of the most astounding prophecies given by Jesus is found in Matthew 24:14 saying His return is contingent upon the gospel having been preached to the whole world.  As astounding as it is now, imagine a world without technology and mass media capabilities. And though these medians are great nothing supersedes person to person interaction.  This in demonstrated by the Lord telling Jonah to go to a foreign land, with all things being foreign to him and evangelize.  But as the story goes Jonah not only refused but tried to escape. Escape-God? Jonah was of the linage of Jacob and therefore of the chosen people.  His position in the community among his people as a prophet to ...

  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. -Isaiah 40:31 Good morning and happy hump day.  I heard a song recently that described the previous year as four seasons of winter  In it we had Winter, SPR-INTER, not spring, SIMMER, and Fall-INTER. Adding to the pandemic has been the societal and political unrest.  The prophet Isaiah knew of such unrest as in his days Israel went into captivity. Their captivity wasn’t the first warning they had received.  Several Prophets had warned them and tragedies had occurred leading up to the final judgment which was captivity.  Usually after a grievous judgment repentance takes place and once again a calling upon the Lord for relief begins.  In this low place is where the scripture above sits. Isaiah encourages us today that after the 4 seasons of winter we’ve just had it is now time to w...

  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. -Psalms 91:14 God is good and is good all the time. Happy Tuesday. During Tuesday morning prayer I was reading in Psalms 91 and took note of a distinct voice change in the writing.  Verses 1 thru 13 are a prayer and declarations of the Psalmist speaking of how good, strong, faithful and awesome    God is and how we can count on Him.  Then a distinct change in who is speaking takes place in verses 14-16 for example verse 14 above; The Lord replies to the ovation (standing handclap) of the psalmist. In God’s reply of love assurance is given that the previous declarations are acceptable to Him. Please read verses 15 and 16 today and hear what is afforded to us.  If we respect and respond God does the same and His r/r leads to that perfect peace.  Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com...

  14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.  16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.            -Proverbs 4 God bless you on this lovely frosty morning. Happy Monday. A good way to start your week is to shake the tree of your life so that your tree doesn’t contain fruit that has rotted.  Let’s face it, your salvation draws the attention of the unrighteous. 1 Peter 5:8 says that the enemy seeks those who he may devour. He seeks you using the willing wicked to pull your strings and push your buttons.  Doesn’t it seem that some can’t sleep unless they have stirred up something, either in gossip or deed? The writer of Proverbs confirms our suspicion spoken even in jest, that some live to cause trouble.  But the wise are full of the needed discernment which is used ...

  Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. -Psalms 20:7 Good morning and TGIF.    God bless you. I don’t think I’d get much opposition if I said that we are living in some tumultuous times.   Yes the institute of the church is facing things that laughably threaten the existence, though those who would destroy the bride of Christ will fail, fear is gripping many in the body.  Not understanding that trouble has to come and as it comes it further exemplifies how much we need the Lord, many embrace mans failure as proof that the impossible is impossible.  And as a point of contention many argue what they see as proof...There are these tiny things called germs that we can’t see but daily they prove there are things we can’t see that cause us many problems.  You can’t see the wind but it is blowing, you can’t see thoughts but they occur.  The writer of this Psalms points out how foolish it is to...

  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. -Matthew 24:6 God bless you. Get rapture ready. When the Lord Jesus spoke of these things I can imagine how many sets of bulging eyes were affixed upon Him; at least 12.  After all these things were unheard of; the great temple destroyed, parents at odd with their children to the point of betrayal and earthquakes in places such as oceans?  How could these things be? Fast forward to the events around the nations capital on yesterday. How could any of these things be? After all are we not the crown jewel of a civilized world? Aren’t we the wealthiest and most philanthropic nation ever? Aren’t we freedom exemplified?  So how could such things be? Scripture speaks to us of hearts waxing cold after so much wrong, what’s right becomes foggy.   When the sins of a nation becomes so great that you can’t tell who is really on t...

  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. -2 Timothy 3:5  Good morning and God bless you! Denying the power thereof. Though denying will give God pause, it in no way prevents His will.  Denial is a denunciation of faith.    It is divisive and undermines authority.  Denial is the sin Lot’s wife was guilty of, denial is what Judas did to Jesus and denial is a sin which finally crushed self in Peter.  Witchcraft like perversion is not well understood. Perversion is misuse and witchcraft is manipulation.  Though the average carnal saint may not intentionally practice witchcraft fully aware of their doing so, many practice it by constantly contradicting righteousness.  To emphasize the point and truly this was not a lightly given thought, in verse 8 Paul compared the infamous magicians at Pharaoh’s court to show the intent of denial in this instance.   Hostility towards righteousness is nothing new...

  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. -2 Timothy 3:5  Good morning and happy Tuesday. I was meditating on Sunday morning on the scripture above and the phrase “denying the power thereof:”    jumped off the page. The word denying is usually seen as preference, but in this case it is actively resisting the truth.  In the amplified version of the KJV in captions behind denying it says “not really believing”. Which that is merely saying that skepticism does exists.  Yet if you follow this scripture down it references practitioners of dark magic working contrary to righteousness.  Denying the power displays either a lack of faith or evil intent. Denying the power of God to do what He said or says is like high treason and unfortunately many are in full rebellion and if they don’t change will hear depart from Me...  Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can ...

  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. -2 Timothy 3:5  God bless you on this Monday morning. I am going to examine 2 Timothy 3:5-7 over the next few days.  Let’s start with the first part of the verse. “Having a form of godliness”. A form of godliness in today’s world is seen more often than we care to acknowledge.  This form was created by what we call the spirit of religion. It attempts to steal worship by cheap imitation.  There are imitations of holiness in pure jest, I’ve seen young people who can imitate every dance, tongue, shout and more. I’ve also seen those in serious error which includes some who have been taught in error and those who perceive wrong.  Those wrongly taught might be the most sincere but false teaching results in confusion. Until that person submit themselves to the Lord and allow Holy Spirit to redirect them and their study of the word they will have “a form of godliness.”  And there...