" And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you , that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them." {Matt.10-12}

The scribes are the perfect example of people in the Body of Christ.They have awareness of the scriptures, but do not understand the flow of the Spirit.

The scribes were religious men that tried to always comprehend the mysteries God with their carnal mind.

Sometimes we miss God's blessings and deliverance.

We sometimes try to comprehend God with our head knowledge, until it's too hard for us to see His mysterious manifestations when they presently unfold before us.

Our carnal minds go against the will of God, and therefore are subject to the enemy.

However, it is recorded in God's word that Christ died for all.

And if he died for the scribes, the very ones who missed Him, so that they too could have equal access to The Kingdom of God...

Then those of us in Christ can have a second chance by simply repenting.

And He will grace us by restoring that which the enemy stole from us, and nudge us in the right direction so that we may obtain it.

"And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" {Matthew 16:3}

Lord, help us to continue to worship you in spirit and in truth, and come to grips that your ways are not ours. Help us to remain updated with what you are currently doing, so that we can remain in the flow of your blessings. In Jesus name...Amen.

May God bless you according to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

In Him,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

Months ago I asked myself...

"God I'm waiting on promises that you have spoken, but how come I haven't seen the manifestation?"

Then I realized, it wasn't my time.

I had to be made. I still had dangling flaws that needed to be chisled away.

I had to go through a process of pruning before I stepped into the promise.

No one pours new wine into old wineskins.

Have you ever nailed a sin to the cross, or broke a generational curse, and wonder why that spirit still lurks about you? Why that bad habit still roars within? Why your flesh won't remain subject to that which you know is right in the eyes of God? I've come out of a long and tremendous season of pruning, and during that season brought rapid growth. I grew so quickly until I wasn't able to completely process that which God wanted me to learn. I grew so rapidly until I became super sensitive to a lot of my surroundings; I felt nude, vulnerable, and everything that would happen around me I became susceptible.
Just like a new born's fresh skin is sensitive to the new environment, I became transparent, where I couldn't hide anything. I felt as if God persistently stripped layers of old wineskins that were holding me back from worshiping Him like I should have worshiped Him, obeying Him like I should have obeyed Him, and hearing Him like I should have heard Him. I became so sensitive until I crashed. And when I crashed, I reached a plateau of rest.

And within this season of rest, things are becoming more clear to me. The wounds that came during that process are being healed, the sensitive spirit that developed throughout the process is being thickened and made stronger, and revelations from God of my sinful nature are being revealed. I realized I had fear of falling back into a sin that I wanted nothing to do with, and I would battle within so hard, til I would slide right back. And now that I've crashed and reached a place of rest, I feel it no longer lurking. My weak areas of resistance are becoming hard, not because I'm scared of falling back, but because I know I won't go back. God has me, and He loves me. Because He knows what I'm running from, and sees my heart persevering towards righteousness. By faith I know that He won't let me slide back because He's my daddy, and I love Him.

I've realized that God will grow me rapidly during a massive season of pruning, then I would reach plateau of restoration, then another massive pruning season, and then give me another quick season of rest. And during those seasons, the tribulation would be so immense until I would try to cover wounds, and hold myself together, and think that I learned a lesson. Thinking the tribulation had ended, God allowed it to overtake me until I got tired of doing and fixing things on my own. I'm officially broken, there's nothing I can hide. And now that I've been completely stripped and made new, doors of opportunities for singing, dancing, and marketing that God has promised are now flooding my way. He's now pouring in the new wine.

"And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." {Mark 2:22}

God help us to remember that sometimes your promises do not manifest right away simply because we are not prepared; we are an unfinished product. And it doesn't mean that it won't come to pass, it means that it's not our time. But before the time comes, help us to appreciate the season of pruning. Because after pruning we are able to handle the promise when it manifests.

May God Bless you according to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

In Him,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." {I Corinthians 14:33}

As individuals made in the image of God, what are we made to do?

Communicate.

We communicate with God and we communicate with one another.
Communication is simply the exchange of information, e.g., writing, speaking, or using a system of signs and behaviors.
We communicate to explain, uplift, and even tear down.

So if communication is meant to bring understanding, why is there so much confusion in the Body of Christ, when God clearly is not the author of confusion?

Each member of The Body is born into a different social group and system. We each hold a different worldview, and take on a different form of communication. When we communicate with eachother, we sometimes forget about the underpinnings that fall behind our spoken thoughts. From this we take things out of context and misinterpret eachother. Where there is a lack of understanding, Satan shows up and plants seeds of misleading thought structures in our minds...creating massive strongholds of decepiton. Before you know it, confusion and division occurs in The Body. This is why there's division and strife.

We do not understand eachother due to language and cultural barriers. That is why it is our duty to persistently walk in the Spirit, to take no offense, quickly forgive, and be of the same mind towards one another. Let God be the judge. By this we will stay within His will, and not give into the enemy's seeds of discord, retribution, and fulfill the lust of the flesh.

"And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." {Matt 12:25}

The same applies to communicating with God. God speaks a universal heavenly, language that our carnal minds cannot comprehend. Our modern philosophy of Christianity places God in a system, a box. God will never fully be comprehended. It is up to us to always walk in the spirit, run after, and discover the mysteries of God. A lot of us walk around claiming that we are confused with what God is trying tell us where to go or what to do. If you claim to be confused, please understand that God is not in the midst of confusion. God is truth, and His absolute truth clears all matters of gray area. It's not God, it's us. It is our duty to understand what He's really saying, and to not misinterpret God and take things out of context. God doesn't change, His word remains and will not pass away. And His will comes to pass regardless.

God help us rid the spirit of confusion so that the enemy will not linger. In Jesus name...Amen.

Be a Blessing,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

" From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any many will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." {Matt. 16:21-24}

Peter didn't understand that it was the will of God for Jesus to be crucified. People in the world always question why bad things happen to good people.
Sometimes it takes going against the grain of natural living in order to follow Christ and understand His ways. Our society is based on feeling. Whatever feels good must be right. But God has a different plan that goes against social norm. And though it's God's will for us to prosper and feel good, we sometimes forget that it's also His will to allow us to suffer. For with everything there is a time and a season. There is a time to mourn, kill, rejoice, etc.... What season are you in? Remember that just because it doesn't feel good, or looks right to the natural eye doesn't mean that it's not the Will of God. For without suffering we cannot authentically appreciate who He is, and we cannot truly rejoice. Some mountains are not meant to be moved right away, but are meant for us to climb. Whatever season you are in, whether it's a season of mourning, remember to always go through with triumph and rejoice in divers temptation for it's only the Father chastising His children for the good.

May God bless you according to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

Be a Blessing,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

Never in my life have I met anyone who has absolutely no spiritual endurance. Last semester I have ran into followers of Christ who try their hardest to avoid all drama, not understanding that SOME tribualtion God allows for you to grow. I'm a total fan of ridding unnecessary drama. However, when God speaks something...it's sealed and written in stone. The rest is up to you to have the patience to stick it through to find out the outcome.

Time after time after time again I've ran into Christians claiming things to be so hard, and thinking that this possibly cannot be God because there's too much pressure. How can we complain about anything when there are Christians in developing countries that are going through much more hardship? My life consisted of many times where God allowed tribulation to test me, and I came out much stronger and physically healthier.If it's God ordained tribulation, he will preserve you. Going through trial after trial is like a athlete who fights for the victory, God's tests require patience, endurance, preserverance, longsuffering, and you name it and more. If Christ endured pain for us, how come we whine and complain when it's our turn to do His will.

Athletes are strong, disciplined, patient, strategic in thinking, fit, and healthy, and if you feel that you cannot endure through anything....than you are not fit to run this race.

Though Christians in America live in a individualistic society, Christianity requires us to be collectivists. Therefore we should encourage others in the body to continue to run, but after the encouragement and many planted seeds, it is our own responsibility to get up and run. I ask you kindly to please move out of the way of those who are trying to press to the top, and jump back in when you are absolutely sure that you are ready.

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; " { Romans 5:3}

"An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end."
{Proverbs 20:21}

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. " {Ecclesiastes 5:7}

Lord, give us the mind of an athlete and patiently endure through tribulation. In Jesus name...Amen.

Be a Blessing,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

God: Ashley, Jump!

Ashley: WHAT?! NOW?!

God: Yes! NOW! …Why are you hiding in the back, when I’ve called you to the forefront? JUMP and I’ll catch you! Trust me.

(I stand up…I hesitate…contemplate…analyze, and I sit back down. Like a Doubting Thomas, I question if God will really catch me, if he really spoke.)

Ashley: Nah! That can’t be God. It surely can’t be my time…not now. Hahaha lol! God you are so hilarious! That’s a good one! Hewww!

(God looks at me with a straight face.)

God: MOVE!!!

(I tremble.)

Ashley: But, but, I’m undone! I’m not prepared! Let me sit under a mentor for just a season…Just one season. Please.

God: Nope. I’ve already invested all that was needed to be invested, the rest requires that you have the faith to transact that which I’ve deposited.

So, I take one step. And then God THRUSTS ME!!! The rest of the time remaining, breathing hard, I panic while flustered to find something to float on, something to keep me stable, asking God to send me some assistance. And well... he sends me nothing, but clues, messengers along the way. He lets me continue to doggy paddle, until I swim, and then from swimming, I finally began to float. My lungs expand; I breathe smoothly; and my body releases tension…the kind of tension that gravitates on my flesh; and well…I unwind.

This entire year has been an assessment of my faith. I’ve never grown so rapidly, so beyond how I actually felt, as if my spirit up and ran, and I had to chase after it. I enter into a land of the unfamiliar, mentally holding a conjured up vision of purpose with unanswered questions, and a curse that was yet to be broken. I walk with a blind fold matted to my eyes. Pitch black, I run…walk…run…walk…patting the walls of grace that God uses to surround me so that I will not be completely knocked off course, in error. Seeking…running…hitting walls, and finally I stumble upon an area called solid ground. I’ve reached a place of permanence, a far-reaching transition that I thought I would never be able to attain. And I’m no longer chasing it and allowing it to drag me, but I’m on solid ground holding it in the palm of my hand. I never knew I could be this whopping huge, this strong, and this sharp. God knew what was inside of me, that which I could not see, pruning me, and birthing it from within me. After taking a quick vacation to run a six mile marathon run, I finally reached a place of stability, and I clearly can see the evidence. God is beyond good, He’s magnificent! :)

John 2: 1-9a
“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.” His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.” And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, “Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast.” And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine. ”

Lord, thank you for seeing our potential and having the faith in coaching us until it buds, unfolds, and fully manifests. In Jesus name…Amen.

May God Bless you according to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

Be a Blessing,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

God...I'm so wretched and full of flaws!
Either I can continue to fester with grievance, or perpetually seek you and run under your blood and be kept by your grace. Sometimes I wonder how long it will be until I reach the ultimate level of perfection. If only I could walk out the word wholly just as Christ was the walking word. He did no sin. When will I reach that level? Then I remember...I'm only human...

I'm a human striving to emulate this Spirit that I cannot see by worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. And it's his grace that keeps me from falling; His patience that allows me to grow at a healthy pace that I may be established; His forgiveness that releases His grace and mercies; And his love that affirms me. And though I'll never be perfect, my heart will continue to strive. And though I will fall along the way, He will always catch me.
That is Love.

As followers of Christ we either walk around with facades of perfection or put so much effort into being perfect. We appear invulnerable. But in God's eyes we have a loooonnngg ways to go. So why are we so scared to be vulnerable to each other along our journey? Because man's love is conditional. But God..your love is true and unconditional.

Lord, I don't want to love conditionally. I want to love unconditionally and be loved unconditionally. But who will love me for me? Though I'm sure I'll be judged by man at some point along the way...I will try my best to be authentic and open.

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." { Colossians 3:12-14}

Lord, Help us to slash the walls of our facades. Continue to perform a life long operation on our hearts until it is an exact reflection of your truthfulness and unconditional heart: pouring out our weakenesses into the open for the world to see, and yet still being loved to perfection unconditionally. In Jesus name...Amen.

May God bless you according to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

In Him,
Ashley
Phillipians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

Be quick to forgive. I know it sounds like a breeze, but it’s a lot more in depth than the four short letter words. Forgiveness will take you a long way. Unresolved forgiveness will push you back in time.

Every minute, second, and millisecond, someone has made up in their mind that they want to change, and has repented in secret of their flaws. Therefore in the spirit a man might be forgiven, and God approves. However because it takes a while to condition one’s heart, renew one’s mind, and outwardly appear repentant, man is constantly not forgiven by man. Man can only see the outer appearance of a man, but God knows the heart. When you first become saved, your heart is conditioned towards seeking truth, but your mind must consistently be renewed and your actions must be reconditioned. So on the outside you may not appeared to be saved at the moment, but in the spirit God has written your name in the Lamb’s book of life. Like an alcoholic who has just made up in their mind to abstain from any alcoholic beverage, his mind is saying no, but his eyes are still blood shot red, and his veins may still be full of the remnants of alcohol. You never know what’s going on in the spirit of a man.

If not healed from unresolved forgiveness, our wounds will sometimes speak louder than the voice of God. And we think we may be hearing the voice of God in regards to someone, but really it’s our mind stuck in the past on an issue that God has thrown in the Sea of Forgetfulness a long time ago.

Forgiveness is not:

-the denial of emotional hurts
-does not repress or hold down feelings
-does not surpass the fulfillment of pain
-not pretend that everything is fine, and acts nice as if nothing existed

Dr. Dexter Easley of New Life Christian Fellowship Church stated, “Forgiveness is an act of faith, pressing past the pain. By faith you are forgiving someone, and by faith you are claiming to be healed.”

We should wake up each morning, and though we may feel like the scum of the earth, we should claim that each day is a new day. Rejoice! God sees our faith and blesses it! And before you know it, forgiveness has manifested in your heart, and you are healed. Embrace it quickly or you will be stuck in the past.

I believe God deals with us based on the conditions of our heart. Some of us, God causes us to stay close to the ones that offend us because He knows that we are spiritual and emotional strong to endure the pressure and grow. Some of us he causes them to depart for a season because He sees that our heart is not strong enough to take it. Either way, it is our duty to quickly forgive despite how we feel for their sake and for ours. If not, it is impossible to keep up with God’s new seasons.

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespasses against thee seven times in a day, and seven time in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”
-Luke 17: 3-4 (KJV)

What if they don’t repent? My opinion? I would rebuke them, and then forgive anyway knowing that they are man, simply so that my slate will be clean and I can move on.

A wounded heart distorts your hearing from the Lord

A wounded heart causes unnecessary tribulation

Everyone is a piece of flesh that is bound to do fleshy things. The Bible says walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Know this, that it is hard to keep up with our spirit man on a consistent basis.

God, may we have the spiritual maturity to forgive a man the way you literally intended for us to forgive. We’re only human. In Jesus name…Amen.

May God bless you according to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

In Him,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

Our worldviews distort our perception of God and the spiritual world. Each one of us is born into a system, whether it is political, social, or spiritual. We are bombarded with man-made, indoctrinated, and monopolized views of who God is. Little do we know that our worldviews and our perceptions have been skewed by this gray layer of false information that has been decoratively packaged to look like it’s the absolute truth of God. We believe and embrace the counterfeit spirituality thinking it’s the raw truth, but have no idea that it has been stained by the head knowledge of man. Before you know it, our ability to hear God accurately has been dulled. When will we come to grips that carnal, head knowledge and divine wisdom will never coincide, but will forever remain parallel? What might look right to the natural eye is totally wrong in the spirit. The spirit is what’s more important, because the spirit is the foundation of natural things. Before God spoke this world into existence, everything was already established in the spirit realm. If God approves of something in the spirit, how much more strong will it be in the natural? No one has God fully figured out, not even the most influential motivational speaker and prophet. I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to know the rawness of God. God, what is your absolute truth? Remove this gray layer that clutters my mind and taints my spirit, being full of the southern doctrine and traditions, and any systematic man made law that has been embedded in my natural and habitual character. Pour in me your spirit, your untouched, raw and uncut, absolute truth! This way, I can understand you better, hear you clearer, and be able to tell when it’s you speaking to me, or my carnality, my head knowledge that I have gained from the world. In that way, I can see your full manifestation.

We point the finger at Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Holiness denomination for preaching false doctrine, but we must understand that every pastor has the ability to preach a false doctrine. Each pastor is a piece of flesh that is bound to distort God’s truth. However, whatever you do, don’t judge the pastor. Pray for the pastor, that his flesh may be crucified so that the word of God may be taught accurately without any form of manmade doctrine. Dr. Dan Backens, pastor of New Life Providence Church, stated that we must be self feeders of the word of God. Church is a power house, a place to be empowered and to serve. The rest of our Christ walk consists of us seeking God on our own in who He really means to us, and individually walking the predestined path that he has in store for us.

I write all of this in reference to the fact that I have realized that I have drawn many conclusions and made drastic decisions based on my ignorance in realizing that I was indoctrinated by a false doctrine.

Lord, may we pray for pastors that you will literally continue to increase in them as they decrease…In Jesus name, Amen.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." {Colossians 2:8}

May God Bless you According to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

In Him,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©

If you are reading this…drop what you’re doing…. Draw close and take heed: Pay more attention to the spirit of God. Listen to what he’s really saying, and see what He’s trying to show you. After he reveals to you the truth…STAND ON IT!! Grab hold of it and guard it with your dear life. Please…don’t let the deceits of man and the enemy seep it from between your fingers.

I emphasize the point of being sensitive to the spirit because for the past months I have gone through a crazy season of hearing the voice of God. God would show me the spirit of man that’s pure, who everyone labels as wretched. Then God would show me the spirit of a man that’s tainted with the obsession of self, but on the outside appears to have everything in place, but everyone else would want to cling to. I asked God, what is it that I’m seeing that they aren’t seeing? Why am I getting something different from what they are telling me about certain individuals? And God revealed to me in my spirit and whispered, “Because you see the spirit and heart of a man…and their heart is gold. What others are telling you are mere observation and head knowledge, but not divine wisdom.” Suddenly, my spirit rested, I smiled, I exhaled, and I laughed because finally it all made sense. Many Christians today have the heart of a Pharisee.

We view people with our natural eye and carnal mind. We cast stones from our tongues with words of slander, judgment, and gossip. We don’t see that the spirit of the man is actually pure, and their heart is geared towards truth. We only see the outer state of a man, the mistakes of their flesh, and subjective behaviors that can be misinterpreted in every way. Jesus was a just man…He knew no man after the flesh. Like God, he saw the spirit of a man and who they can become in Him. Jesus preserved the life of the harlot from the condemnation of the Pharisees, attempting to cast stones upon her. He simply told her to that her sins are forgiven, and to rise and sin no more. Jesus saw her spirit, while the Pharisees saw her flesh. Just as the Pharisees, being Jews and chosen children of God, condemned someone of their own nationality, the harlot also being a Jew and child of God, God’s modern day children judge not only sinners, but each other within the body of Christ.

We are the Pharisees. The Pharisees viewed Christ with a natural eye and natural mind, and never once tapped into the spirit and viewed Christ with a spiritual eye. Never once did they receive the revelation of the Holy Spirit that He was the son of God. They missed God, all because they, with their indoctrinated, finite minds, could not come to grips with the fact that this quirky looking guy with bad facial hair, a jacked up hair dew, and no class could possibly be Son of God. Look at Him, he looks like a bum and he operates like a bum. For crying out loud he heals the blind with dirt from the ground and his own spit…yuk! He can’t be royal, he doesn’t look royal.

As Christians we scorn at the Pharisees for how they treated Jesus, but we are blind in realizing that we condemn Jesus as well. How? We condemn his very children. Those who may seem to struggle with their flesh on the outside, may have a heart of gold, a heart of repentance, and a heart of perseverance, but because we view man with a natural eye and carnal mind, we surpass and override our own siblings in Christ. Before you know it, they have entered the kingdom of Heaven before we have.

Lord I’d rather be viewed as an outcast, and go against the odds of social tolerance and popularity, than be out of your will. May I never overlook an individual based on their past history, or present struggles.

“Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.” – II Corinthians 5:16

Lord, may view people with our spiritual eyes, and fall in love with the spirit of a man. For a man’s spirit is his/her true identity.

May God Bless you according to your faithfulness and obedience to Him.

In Him,
Ashley
Philippians 3:7
Ashley Card 2008 ©