L. Kathleen Cline

  There is life and death in the tongue. In the beginning, God created man to be in authority. Since the fall of man, many now see any so-called authority in our words, as crazy superstition or demonic. By perverting the concept, Satan has us speaking negative words in doubt and unbelief. We are literally cursing our own destinies because we do not understand that from the beginning, words were used to create. Now, evil uses words to destroy with constant negative, complaining, and destructive talk. It is everywhere, and the church is participating. Jesus has taken all authority from Satan and returned it to His children. Being ignorant concerning precisely what the blood of Christ at the cross has restored to us, we are still declaring ourselves destined for illness and great sorry on this earth. Many have confused trials and tribulations as one’s lot in life, so we then do not speak in authority against it because we believe Sovereign God wants us sick and hur...

  One thing I have learned in the almost eleven years of mission ministry is if someone believes a lie, there is nothing you can do or say that will convince them otherwise. Only God can reveal the truth and open the heart to receive it. Lies based on fear, I believe, take root at the core to shore up an eroding foundation. As Christ-followers, we tell our children the danger of building your house upon the sand. Ironically, Satan entered the Church and convinced God’s people that God does not heal anymore; therefore, the foundation of healing became sand for many. So for the last two years, fear has struck the hearts of God’s people with one medical fear after another. The results became leaders of the Church proclaiming secular practices and bragging they had done their part and the trust in God eroded a little more and more. Those that can see the truth that has watched secular spiritualism invade our church family are at a loss as to what to do. Maybe becaus...

  I have been mulling over the part fasting should be playing in the age of grace. For two weeks, I have questioned my friends about why they fast. Most of my friends said the same thing: to get close to God or hear God. My friends are kind and allow me to challenge their thought processes or debate them concerning their answers. Yesterday at church, God finally brought a complete response to me about fasting. Imagine yourself on a date or having an intimate dinner with someone, and they took out their phone and started scrolling. What if you were talking to a friend and they walked away from you to do something else? How would you feel if someone you loved screened their calls and refused to pick up the phone to talk with you? All three of those scenarios are how we treat God. God looks at the relationship with His people as a marriage. There is not one marriage that can survive without intimacy or that special closeness withheld for only one. When we read ve...

  Was fasting a foretelling of repentance and dying to self? Everything in the Old Testament Jewish faith was the "first to establish the second," meaning the religious acts were a foretelling to set up the death and resurrection of Christ. The practice of circumcision is not a sacred act anymore, nor is sacrifice. Why? Because in the New Covenant through Jesus, circumcision is now of the heart and not the flesh. The book of Romans reminds us that every religious act of the flesh has been replaced by living under grace through faith. So why are we continuing the practice of fasting for repentance or sorrow? Is that not an act of flesh? Do we not believe that if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us? Why do you have to starve yourself to get God to move or hear Him? Don't we believe that He has heard us if we ask according to His will? Do you think God is motivated more by our acts of humility or our acts of faith? Does He not kn...

  The other day, God reminded me of a story. When I was teaching in the old mission building, my classroom was the library. I loved the big tables that we could join together as we discussed God’s word. Then I had to move over to the men’s side of the building and teach in one of the classrooms. It was your standard room with conference tables. At the time, I felt the setup cold as I was way upfront from the ladies “teaching.” My director permitted me to join the tables together to make it more intimate. Since I was having trouble with my legs, she told me I could leave the tables joined together for the guys to put the room back together. She forgot to tell the guys. One day, a man came storming into my classroom and yelled at me. “You will put those tables back,” he demanded. I looked up and slowly said, “No.” He screamed again, “Yes, you will.” I again replied, “No, and if you have a problem with that answer, you can talk with my supervisor.” The look on his fa...

  People who work with people with any type of addiction often wonder if they are making a difference. God informed me that my job often is to warn people and give them godly solutions. So, when they stand in front of God, they cannot claim they did not know. Today I listened to a sermon with great questions. I will ask them in a minute, but first, I want to remind everyone what God’s word says about our decision-making. See, every day, we decide decisions starting with whether to get out of bed or not. But, let’s face it, our character or nature is where most decisions come out. So, for most, it is only with the big decisions that we might ask God, “What do you think?” As a result, self-reliance has become second nature and thought to be sound if it appears godly. The religious spirit will deceive and convince you that what you are doing is correct because it appeases your fear, brings immediate comfort, or brings a false sense of peace to your situation. “Be...

  One of the most precious lessons I learned from my mom was watching her struggle with her faith. There was no pretending she had it all together or that she fully understood God’s ways. I greatly admired her for that picture of sincerity. Now that I am in the senior category, I must say, it is not a lot of fun on this side. With age, experience comes and the understanding of the impact of actions. Consequences are hard to swallow and hard to watch as they impact the ones you love. The other day I heard about a ministry called Speak Life. I will add the link below. Christa’s testimony is incredible but also very sobering. It was on abortion. How many just mentally ran for the door or wanted to stop reading? I get it. Abortion has become the nuclear bomb of all topics. People on either side get heated with the mention of the subject, and the rest of society tunes the noise out and walks off. So, as a sister or brother-in-Christ, I pray that you keep reading or j...

    A lovely lady named Tommy shared an incredible testimony with me. She has permitted me to tell you the story. Tommy developed a debilitating gastric issue. She could not even go to church due to her problems. After seeing specialists with only more tests in her future with no answers, she pleaded with God. “God, you have to help me because no one knows what is wrong with me, and I cannot go on like this.” Early morning, Tommy was awakened by someone spelling a word. H-P-Y-L-O-R-I. She looked around the room, thinking it was her husband, but he was asleep in his lounge chair. Again, the voice spelled out H-P-Y-L-O-R-I. What? she thought. The voice repeated H-P-Y-L-O-R-I. Then Tommy thought maybe I should spell the word with them . “H-P-Y-L-O-R-I,” she said out loud two more times with the voice. Then Tommy just went back to sleep with extreme peace in her heart. The following day she googled the word and found every symptom she had under this diagnosis. ...

  I teach a 9 th and 10th-grade girls' Sunday school class with one of my dear prayer warrior friends. Our Church has it, so each child's class has two adults present. My partner and I have both been feeling an extreme urge just to call it quits. Sunday was an extremely rough spiritual battle. It was odd that when I shared my overwhelming temptation, my partner also got the same message, which was self-pity. See, as I entered that sanctuary, everyone was having a great time socializing. Immediately I heard, "Because you teach in another building, no one knows you, and you are missing out. You could have fun like them if you quit because, look, it's like they are at a party and you are not invited." Crazy message, huh. Because my friend and I have been doing this for years, we are missing out on things, but joining the social fun would mean we would have to quit the calling of God. This morning when God and I were mulling over the crazy temptat...

  I have the most interesting story from my prayer partner. Miss Frances has allowed me to share. Two Fridays ago, she was up at 4 a.m. preparing to teach several chapters from the book of Daniel. Suddenly she heard piercing screams coming from outside, which sounded like her outdoor cat being torn apart. Miss Frances being a tiny woman and knowing a panther was spotted on the property, she went to get her husband to go outside. He quickly turned down this request since it was early and stated he would check when the sun came up. The screams were so intense that the dogs busted from their pen to chase whatever was making the noise. In the morning, the chickens were plastered to the back of their coop in sheer fear. Odd thing, though, they found no hair or blood, but kitty would not respond to the usual call. Saturday went by; then Sunday till Monday Miss Frances decided to pick up the cat’s bowls. My friend was confused and felt violated because she faithfully wal...

  The fear of the Lord is a good thing. You may ask me why. Well, Isaiah 11 teaches us many reasons why. First, the fear of God acknowledges the good intentions of God and motivates and delights even Jesus. When you read God’s word, it produces the fear of God. You know someone is walking in the fear of God because their life displays God’s wisdom. The fear of God restrains people from sinning along with giving confidence to the one walking by faith. Rulers and judges will act justly when they fear God. Here is my favorite benefit, it can result in rest and good sleep. When applied with humility, the fear of God can lead to riches, honor, and life. Finally, when we honor and obey God, His displayed protection will remind the enemy to fear God. So, the fear of God is a good thing. #whoisyourgod #livewithintent #faithoverfear #keepfaith

Free will prevents God from randomly acting in your life. You must invite God by your faith that He will. If you are a visual person, look at faith as a trigger. There is power within your grasp, but it's nothing more than an expensive paperweight until you set off the device and pull that trigger. God paid a high price through His son Jesus so that anyone could call upon His name and be saved. Until you pull that trigger of faith and proclaim Him God of your life, then He is nothing more to you than a pretty thought or wishing star. The mamby pamby approach to God makes God appear weak. Stop waving His name around in vain while you seek other means to follow. Rise up, siblings and boldly pray in faith and declare Who God is by standing in the power of His name. The world is watching, and some of the church does not look much different than the world. Sad because the God of the universe is inviting you to exercise your faith and watch Him set the captive free, he...

  Please stop for a moment. If your voice has joined the secular choir, then what does that message say about God? When you do anything to please man but won’t risk getting your feelings hurt for God, what does that say about your faith? When your sentences are full of justification for your choices or actions, who are you trying to convince? These questions are for you and God to encourage a deep conversation of what is going on? I asked God, and he answered me with 1 Samuel 8. Israel rejected God and wanted a king, so God gave them what they wanted. So God’s yes to your prayer may not be because He happily granted your request but instead because you rejected His authority! It May sound like crazy talk to you, but these questions are worth investigating either way.

Please note, I wrote this post for my fellow followers-in-Christ. My middle sister has retired in a community that is set up specifically for older citizens. The one-story-brand-new home has everything you would need to provide safety and convenience. They have made many friends with the same interest and most of all; they feel safe. Last night I had a dream my sister and her husband decided to sell this home. They bought a dilapidated home. As I walked up to the house, the yard was grown up past our head. You could barely see it had a fence around the yard. When I went in, the walls were filthy and worn. Everything in the home was so old it was falling apart. Here is the funny part. They were so happy and proud of this old home and kept referring to the brand-new home as disgusting. In my mind, I was pleading, “Please tell me that you did not sell your home; you will not be happy with this old house.” Suddenly I woke up, very upset. Immediately God spoke to me to tell me what the drea...

  Putting on the Armor of God using Judah’s Battle 2 Chronicles 20:1-25New American Standard Bible (NASB) Judah Invaded 20  Now it came about after this that the sons of Moab and the sons of Ammon, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat [LC1]   . 2  Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi).” 3  Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the Lord [LC2]   , and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4  So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord [LC3]   . Jehoshaphat’s Prayer 5  Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court, 6  and he said, “ O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not God i...

  A phrase I say to the ladies I teach is “Follow your actions to the end.” What I am trying to teach is for them to stop and ask themselves, “What am I trying to achieve, and will my actions help bring it about?” So, today I will ask you, the reader, to do the same concerning your words, prayers, and proclamations. Do your words line up with the Word of God? Do your prayers sound like words of faith or fearful cries of pity? Are you proclaiming God’s ability or your fears? Our faith that God can is the shield that will protect us against Satan’s attempts to distract, defeat and destroy us. If you don’t know what God’s word teaches, how can you have faith in God’s abilities? If your prayers actually sound like doubt, how can God move on your behalf? If fear affects every decision you make in your life, then fear has become the god of your life. Our military understands their mission and stands firm in what they are doing to achieve that mission. But, unfortuna...