freedom

Abolish Slavery

70% of North Korean women and teenage girls are being victimized and sold as sex slaves. When one family member tries to escape North Korea, 3 generations of that family are murdered.

Joo Ri was sentenced to over a year in a forced labor camp where she was barely fed, and forced to work more than half the day without rest. Experiencing such ruthless treatment only made her crave freedom more, and immediately after being released, she took to the border again. This time, however, she was unsuccessful. She was caught attempting to cross the border and sentenced to more than 3 years in a re-education camp.

There, she was stripped of her name, hit, slapped, punched, beat, kicked, hung by her wrists from the ceiling, and pushed into a water well, the water level sitting over her knees, where she was forced to stay for a month. In order to survive, she ate bugs and leaves, but she still lost all of her hair and all but one of her top teeth due to starvation.

After being released from the re-education camp, Joo Ri went back to her hometown so she could recuperate and gain back her strength. During this time she had more than seven people, from friends to secret police, spying on her at any given time. Unable to give up the desire for happiness, but now fueled by anger and resentment for the people who had done so much wrong to her, Joo Ri snuck out in the middle of the night, making her sixth attempt to cross the border. This time, she was able to make it into China, and by a stroke of luck, connected with LiNK’s network.

Help people like Joo Ri escape North Korean at libertyinnorthkorea.org

Yeonmi Park also speaks about her experience escaping North Korea:

Abolish Slavery

70% of North Korean women and teenage girls are being victimized or sold as sex slaves. When one family member tries to escape North Korea, 3 generations of that family are murdered.

I heard that if North Korean women refused to get married in China, then they could be sold to brothels or sex websites so that the brokers could receive payment. At that point, I realized that I was trapped and I didn’t have any other choice but to be trafficked. The second broker told me that I could escape after living with my Chinese husband for at least six months. If I escape in less than 6 months, the brokers that sold me would return my bridal money to the Chinese husband.

Every time I went to a town, many old Chinese men gathered around me to bargain my bridal cost. I felt so ashamed. I was being treated as an animal and not as a human being. The North Korean broker finally found a man who was willing to pay the amount the broker wanted for me as a bride. I couldn’t even communicate with him because I didn’t speak the language. I remembered looking at the broker’s face. She seemed to pity me. My whole being at the moment was filled with so much bitterness, hopelessness, and sorrow toward everything in the world. I felt like I was losing everything including my own body to someone I didn’t even know. I was only 18.

Help people like Joy at: libertyinnorthkorea.org

Please pray that China stop forcing North Korean refugees to return to their home country, that this dictatorship comes to an end, & that God releases His wisdom into governments around the world about how to approach freeing and protecting the North Korean people.

Reasons for Suicide

Matt. 27:3-5 – When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Judas was torn up over his wrongdoing. He went to church leaders who he thought could lead him to God, but they didn’t do their job. Judas should’ve taken a second step, going to his brother (Jesus) to make amends. If he had, he would’ve realized that Jesus would forgive him for the betrayal:

Matt. 5:23-24 – if you… remember that your brother has something against you… go and be reconciled to your brother

Instead Judas believed what the wicked church leaders had said. He accepted the lie that it was solely his responsibility, and right there he judged himself. We are not responsible for the final evaluation of anyone’s character, including our own. ‘He who judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes (1Cor.4:4-5)’. When it comes to judging a person’s inner personality, the only One who knows all the truth is God. And without knowing all the truth, we are not able to judge accurately or fairly–not others or ourselves. Only the Lord knows our motives. ‘He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives (counsels) of the heart (1Cor.4:5).’

Judas clearly stated that his motive wasn’t to see Jesus condemned, because he called that ‘innocent blood.’ The counsels of his heart were from church leaders, Judas perhaps thought he could trust, who deceived him with lies, and trapped him into their wicked ploys. Judas could not see clearly, making it the worse time to make a life altering decision. Sometimes we just need some time to sort things out and get a fresh perspective.

The whole point of Jesus is that we can now go directly to Him instead of to church leaders, who may have become corrupt, but in every case are sin prone humanbeings. We now have the Holy Spirit who comforts and counsels us. A leader who is close to God will be a great help however.

If you feel suicidal tonight, or are burdened by the weight of your own wrongdoings, have been deceived, have perhaps hurt or betrayed a loved one, or are suffering from a broken relationship–choose not to judge yourself. Accept what is wrong as wrong, and leave the judgement to God. Embrace God and He will forgive all your sin; ‘None of the sins that you have committed will be remembered against you (Eze. 33:16).’ With this clean slate, follow God’s lead in choosing not to remember your sins anymore. When we embrace God, accepting His son Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, we stand before Him on the day of judgement and the Bible says, ‘The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight (Ps.18:24).’ In HIS sight we are pure and His judgement is not to condemn, but to reward. Stop condemning your sins, and start asking Jesus to wipe them away, so you can focus on rewarding your righteousness.

Eze. 36:31 – You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations

Step 1 to being free from self hatred is: choosing not to remember what God chooses not to remember–your sins.

Eze. 36:33-36 – On the day I cleanse you from all your sins… the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, “This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins… are now fortified… those around you that remain will know that I the Lord have rebuilt what was destroyed

Give Jesus a chance before you give up. And if you’ve already accepted Jesus, keep trusting Him to bring you through by restoring and rebuilding you.

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Follow Desire or Prophecy?

Abraham tried to figure out a way to make God’s promise/prophecy work. Every time we try to help God out, we are in danger of producing our own Ishmael. It wasn’t what God had in mind! Abraham was deceived.
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Abraham believed God’s promise, however the prophecy was taking a long time. Abraham wondered if there was something he was doing wrong. He asked questions like: ‘Is there something that I need to do to make the prophecy come to pass? Is God waiting on me to do something? Shouldn’t I be co-laboring with God? What am I missing?’
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Deception means: to look for something where it’s not. Webster’s dictionary defines it as: fraud, double dealing, or trickery.
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I personally went through an experience where I gathered all the prophecies I had received through the years, looked over them, and tried to imagine what the fulfillment of those would look like. Suddenly, I found myself putting 30k toward a business I knew nothing about, plus going into debt for the first time in my life, all while unemployed, because I thought that was how the prophecies would all align. I found myself at the Red Sea waiting for God to part the waters, but I was too afraid to co-labor with the plan/prophecies anymore because I didn’t have money to survive. I later forfeited; I called the company, called it fraud and got a full refund (thank God). In my favor, they let me keep the books, allowed me to keep a few business start up mentoring sessions, and I found a local real estate mentor (for life instead of 6 months) for 1/30th of the price. Through all this, I learned that perhaps following our desires is the better option, than looking to our prophecies as a roadmap for our life. After all God isn’t controlling, so when He prophesied that I would have a business, knowing right well that I did not desire a business, I should have held the horses. Hmm, He did prophesy to ‘throttle back’; guess I missed that one! God tells us in Phillipians 2:14 that, ‘God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.’ So if you’ve ever received a prophecy that didn’t line up with your current desires, then sleep on it for a while; it may be for the future.
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As I started to look into the topic of ‘desire’, I found these gems too:
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Phil. 2:13 – it is I who gave you those desires

Prov. 16:26 – a worker’s appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on

If I didn’t have a desire for a business, that’s what I should have listened to–not try to force a prophecy to its fulfillment. God chooses to use our desires to lead us into the fulfillment of His plan for our lives. That’s what freedom looks like. God will shape and form your desires, and it’s at that point that you can co-labor with Him. And of course we aren’t talking about the desires of the flesh (Rom.13:13-14) here… we are talking about the desires to do His good, pleasing, and perfect will, which unfold as we continue to follow the path of righteousness.
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Any normal person would follow their desires… *self jab. Any normal person is following their flesh desires… right into the flames of hell. Put me down for trying something different! Antonyms for normal: abnormal, different, irregular, rare, uncommon, untraditional, unusual, exceptional, extreme (amen!), eccentric, insane (to the flesh)…  extraordinary! I’ll keep that last one tucked away for later. *self protect
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quotes_confusedBack to Abraham, we should take note that his desire was for his wife. It was his wife who directed his efforts from his desire, onto seeing the prophecy fulfilled and onto sleeping with the servant girl. We should also note that God was still gracious to his confused efforts by blessing Ishmael. However, God didn’t allow Ishmael, or Abraham’s efforts, to replace His original purpose and perfect will.

Rom. 11:29 – for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable

When God decides to give us something, He doesn’t change His mind, no matter what we do. In light of this scripture, I could’ve stood firm and rested in knowing that even if I hadn’t gotten back all the money I’d worked so hard to save, I could still believe God’s promise to me that: You won’t have to worry about finances; everything will be paid for; you’ll travel in state, out of state, and internationally, and live over seas for a time while being reimbursed like a job’. O, throttle back my heart, and wait for God to turn desire into fulfillment!

A Pregnant Creation

A Pregnant Creation Awaits the Revealing of the Sons of God - Romans 8 // LOVEDISCIPLE

Figured I’d share some of my recent artwork with you today ❤

Psalm 139:11-15 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

John 3:3-4, 6-7

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”… Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’

Romans 8:14-39

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 1:13-14

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him (Jesus), were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Testimonies of LGBT’s

Danny Silk

Danny Silk

1. A boyfriend of mine had a mother who was openly sexual with many men. On top of that his brother found porn of her laying around. The brother raped my friend at a pretty young age. Though the experience was traumatic for him, and took him nearly 20 years to tell anyone, later in life he was gay for several years. As a child confusion sets in and we feel like we have to live that lifestyle to gain understanding. That was the case of the brother in finding the porn and for my friend in trying to understand why his brother would rape him. Traumas also become a cycle that repeats itself if we don’t deal with the initial hurt. Seeds are planted, and going unchecked, they will grow. He is no longer gay. He realized he never was, but that a painful experience stole his identity. He is now living as his true self.

2. A girlfriend of mine had a bad family situation. Her father was openly addicted to porn and her parents marriage failed. She felt unloved and unprotected. She thought that if she wanted to have a man that she had to act like the women in the pornos. Traumatic experiences can warp your views, especially when you are young and unaware. She vowed to become a pole dancer. She didn’t do so, but she became sexual active with the same type of men her father was. She ended up getting rejected by a few men; she felt worthless and not beautiful. She then turned around and decided to tape down her breasts, and wanted to cut them off. She wanted to be transgender, and was a lesbian for a while. She was trying to escape the abuse that sinful men had wronged her with. She eventually forgave the wrongs and looked for men that lived up to God’s standard. She no longer struggles, and is no longer allowing pain to alter her identity. She is not sexually active and is waiting for God to send her a godly man to marry.

3. A 2nd girlfriend of mine was lesbian for many, many years, because she was sexually abused when she was younger. She has now chosen a life of celibacy and is about the Lords work. She is happy and healed from the pain of the trauma.

4. A 3rd girlfriend of mine was in full throttle lesbian relationships for 6 years. Playing softball in high school and at the college level, she was surrounded by people who were LGBT’s, and straights who approved of LGBT relationships. She grew up in the church and desperately wished she had one person in her life willing the tell her that what she was doing was against God’s will for her life, so that she could find the strength to change. That person never showed up, but at her lowest moment she sought God out and a Pastor told her that LGBT was wrong. She dropped every relationship that day and began surrounding herself with Christians who were practicing and pursuing God’s ways. Years later, she is still going strong, and hasn’t relapsed. She carries a pure and gentle spirit, is dressing like a lady, and beginning to she her beauty for the first time through God’s eyes.

‪#‎gay‬ ‪#‎lesbian‬ ‪#‎transgender‬ ‪#‎testimony‬ ‪#‎KeepYourLoveOn‬

Medicine may cause

I posted these testimonies as a response to someone on Facebook today. They had never heard of people being gay or lesbian due to traumatic experiences. The media likes to push that people are gay from birth, and while I agree that we are all born in sin and have predispositions to certain sin, being predisposed is not the only way to become homosexual. These 3 friends turned gay from traumatic experiences and have since allow God to heal the wounds of the traumas. After God healed them, they no longer had a longing to be LGBT. 

God is the healer, not the medicine. Medicine helps ease a pain, but then causes a bunch of other ailments and potential death. Healing deals and gets rid of the pain entirely. We can focus on a wound, but unless we go to God we can only find medicines that mask the pain by causing other ailments.

Take every traumatic experience to God for healing. It’ll get rid of a lot of other symptoms in your life.

Porn

There are quite a number of reason to become gay/lesbian. One reason why our generation has seen an increase of lesbians is because they don’t feel like they are beautiful. Mens sin of lust, and addiction to pornography, has fueled more than just broken relationships; it has fueled rejection of relationship. Women often feel like they have to become masculine to escape this abuse, or go to a woman to have genuine love.

God wants to heal your hurts, not your sins. Sin is only a product of pain. He wants to speak lovingly to you and doctor the wound

Citizens of Heaven

– Phil. 3:20 – But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ

If you are born in the United States then you are a citizen of the United States. If you are born of God, then you are a citizen of heaven.

– Luke 10:19 – Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

– Acts 22:2-3,22-29 – When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city… The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

Things to notice:

  1. Paul was a dual citizen, just like we are dual citizens. We are born on earth, but our citizenship is in heaven.
  2. The Jews wanted to kill Paul and the Romans were going to carry it out for them. Whether we choose to admit it or not, there is a spiritual realm, and demons are there to carry out what we want. We pray and God sends angels to help. But if we curse then Satan sends demons to harm. Life and death are in the power of the tongue.
  3. Paul knew where his citizenship was. He knew his rights and he quoted the law, and his rights, to the authority sent to flog him. If a demon is sent to harm you, you can do the same. God has given us authority. We can quote the law (scripture) to the demonic authority, and they will not be able to flog or imprison us.
  4. The commander of the centurion questioned Paul to see if he knew the law. Satan would be that commander. He questioned Adam & Eve, and Jesus during the desert temptation. He will question all of us. Satan knows the word and will quote it to us, but we have to reply with wisdom and remind him of the rest of the law. Paul had another truth for every truth the commander used to try to trip him up.
  5. The commander said he had to pay for his citizenship. Satan has had to earn and work for his citizenship in heaven, and he still hasn’t been able to get it, but all who are born of God, are children of God and citizens of heaven by birth.
  6. The commander could not harm Paul once he saw that Paul knew the truth about his situation. When we can see the truth, and refuse to be tricked by Satan, then Satan has to relinquish authority. Paul said, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” Likewise we need to tell the demonic realm, “Is it legal for you to torment a citizen of heaven, who has been found innocent in the blood of Christ?” The answer is no. Once you have repented and asked God’s forgiveness, you have the right to be free. If you aren’t experiencing freedom, then you need to remind the enemy of your authority as a citizen of heaven.

– Luke 10:17-20 – “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Satan falls like lightning every time you plead the blood of Jesus.

Satan falls like lightning every time you plead the blood of Jesus.

You have the authority to cause make Satan fall like lighting. Job says he’s before God trying to accuse us, but our Judge knows we are innocent as Christ our attorney gives evidence of his blood shed for our sins.

Worship: Enemy’s Camp

I went to the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me. He’s under my feet. Satan is under my feet. Look what the Lord has done. He’s healed my body, He’s touched my mind; He saved me just in time. Praise Him!

Creativity

Creative Christians: If you are totally abandoned to the will of God for your life, your abilities are just expressions of yourself to God. The stuff you don’t do out of strife, or competition, or as a discipline, but you do out of passion and desire for God – if someone rejects that, they are rejecting the Father.

God isn’t impressed by man, talent, or form; He is impressed with your heart. Maybe your worship style will become the form one day. You played the banjo and the fire fell, and now everyone plays the banjo; forms start from people seeking God. He’s not impressed with cds, music industry, art sales, or forms; He is impressed with the heart of His sons and daughters. Has strife and competition broken off of you, and are you free? Has rejection shut you down or do you still have a unique fingerprint?

We’re so independent in our culture, most of us can’t even choose what we like. Most people have to be told what they like. Break out of deception and realize that Father God is pleased with you, gave you freedom, creativity, and uniqueness. He loves those things, and you are not rejected by Him. Flowing, in the creative gifts He gave you, has purpose. Don’t let man shut that down. Flow creativity flow #JasonUpton

Jason Upton – teaching & worship session