Tag Archives: Obeying God

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Women in Ministry

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The unhealthy church loves to sideline women labeling them as unqualified for God’s anointing. But the healthy church values God’s anointing on women and embraces their leadership qualities.

This subject is personally frustrating to me as a woman who has been hearing God’s voice daily for more than 23 years and one who has personally experienced every manifestation of the Spirit gifts delivered through me. I truly believe that women are generally naturally more receptive to receiving God’s presence then are men. (But don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!)

The Lord regularly speaks through me in tongues of angels and tongues of men. Like the apostle, Paul, I also speak in tongues more than most of you. Remember that Paul said “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” (1 Corinthians 14:18 NIV) However, with all the connection that I have to God, because of my gender, the unhealthy churches refuse those gifts of God through me and other similarly anointed women. Why?

There were women leaders recorded throughout the Scriptures. There were women prophets, women apostles, women evangelists, women teachers, women disciples, and women deliverers. What nonsense is the devil strategically placing in the unhealthy churches that causes them to intentionally wrongly divide Scripture away from God’s heart?

Let’s look at the Biblical texts to study about women and the roles they have held throughout generations as described in both the old and new testament manuscripts.

Female Prophets:
Miriam (Micah 6:4)
Deborah (Judges 4:4-5)
Huldah (2 Kings 22:14)
Anna (Luke 2:36-37)
Phillip’s Four Daughters (Acts 21:8-9)

Female Apostles, Evangelists, Deacons & Teachers:
Junia, an apostle (Romans 16:7)
Priscilla, a teacher and missionary (Acts 18, Romans 16:3, 1 Corinthians 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19)
Pheobe, a deacon (Romans 16:1-2)
Lois & Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5)
Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11)
Nympha, church in her house (Colossians 4:15)
Euodia & Syntyche (Philippians 4:2-3)

Female Disciples of Jesus:
Joanna (Luke 8:3, 24:10)
Mary, the mother of James and Joseph (Matthew 27:55, 28:5-7)
Mary of Bethany (Luke 10:38-42, John 11-12)
Salome (Mark 15:40)
Susanna (Luke 8:30)

Female Deliverers:
Deborah (Judges 4:8-10)
Jael (Judges 4:17-22 and 5:24-26)
Esther (Esther 4:14)

In some protestant Christian divisions of the church, women are forbidden from leading prayer or teaching if a man is present despite that we can clearly see in the Scriptures, that woman had leadership and teaching roles with men present. In some divisions of the corporate church, women are not allowed to teach doctrine or discuss doctrinal anomalies despite that there were women prophets, apostles, and evangelists mentioned by name in Biblical texts.

While there are a few texts in Paul’s writings that seem to exclude women from speaking, those are thought to be situational rebukes of specific heresies surrounding women “deities” rather than corporate doctrine. Who but the devil wins in devaluing half of God’s anointed vessels from ministry? How have the unhealthy churches fallen prey to such negligence against God’s heart?

The healthy church seeks God on these matters and doesn’t disqualify His ambassadors based on ethnicity or gender. It has been fewer than 100 years since the unhealthy churches disqualified black men and women from serving in ministry (or even attending church with white people). How does the devil keep blinding churches from truth and continuing that scheme seemingly without corporate church opposition?

Has your church visibly opposed the spiritual crimes against women being perpetrated in the unhealthy churches?

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28 NIV)

Additional note regarding elders:
I submit to you that 1 Timothy 3:11 and Titus 1:6 (in original context) also gave WOMEN of one-wife husbands leadership authority. Paul specifically calling for “husbands of one wife” proved that polygamy was an issue at that time. However, polyandry (one wife with two or more husbands) was rare or non-existent. Still Paul called out that women ministrants needed to be the wife of a one wife husband. In either case, for men or women, being married or single was not a deterrent from leadership authority. (Paul wasn’t married during his ministry.)

“Women — in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things. Ministrants — let them be of one wife husbands; the children leading well, and their own houses,” (1 Timothy 3:11-12 YLT) ~ Young’s Literal Translation

“ if any one is blameless, of one wife a husband, having children stedfast, not under accusation of riotous living or insubordinate –” (Titus 1:6 YLT)

Some will use these two passages with modern day language translations to promote that women cannot be elders. But the original language does not say that. But don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!

Note: “Polyandry is a rare form of polygamy, which broadly refers to any marriage involving more than two spouses. In polyandrous arrangements, multiple men are married to a single woman, often sharing responsibilities, resources, and familial duties. This contrasts with polygyny, where one man has multiple wives, which is far more common worldwide.” ~Ai assist

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Missions

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Warning: You are probably not going to want to hear what I have to say.

We are at war! We need to equip warriors! We need to train warriors! We need to defend truth with our best investment. Gone are the days when the church can afford to be passive on political matters. Gone are the days when the church can afford to ignore God’s specific leading. Gone are the days when the church can view missions as building splash parks and sending shoe boxes to foreign nations.

If the church doesn’t rise up here at home, we are going to lose our nation to the enemy’s schemes. I’m not just talking about homelessness. In fact, that is the least of my concern. Are we a nation that pleases God? If our churches are not training true Christians, those who are willing to fight against injustice with spiritual weapons and strength from God, we will be defeated.

More and more, I see anti-Semitic leadership developing in this nation. Tucker Carlson, once a MAGA warrior, is now spewing anti-Israel garbage. If someone with his viewership can highjack the narrative seemingly overnight, how fast could we lose God’s favor on our nation? Tucker is just one of a growing number of media influencers gaining traction towards tainting our nation’s stance against the devil’s schemes.

I’m begging you to SEEK GOD about this. Please, for the love of God, STOP doing stupid things with God’s money. Really? You’re going to send shoeboxes of meaningless stuff over to other nations when we are in a war to maintain our nation’s sovereignty? Listen, those countries would much rather have God’s favor on them, like we have experienced.

God’s heart is going to turn from us if we don’t start seeking Him with real sincerity. We must invest God’s money in God’s missions. We must stop using missions as a way to advertise “generosity”. We must, instead, start equipping our nation for true revival back to God’s heart. Invest in training people to hear God’s voice. Make it your top priority! Quit turning people into drones that worship religion, and start building a nation who actively listens to God. If you can’t invest in that, get out of the pulpits before God comes against you personally. Because the day is quickly coming when the Lord will no longer put up with your apathy towards His heart.

In the last few decades, our country has imported a nonsense theology against life, liberty, and truth. We import third-world religions and think that we must somehow assimilate with their ungodly values. We have imported a growing neglect for righteousness. If you are blind to it, then please open your eyes. Stop giving God advice and start seeking His counsel.

“‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you. If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.” (Leviticus 26:14-18 NIV)

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Politics

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Recently we were called to civic duty to vote in a primary election. Do we also have a spiritual duty to seek God about how to vote? Do we need to seek Him for His specific will? Does God want government leaders who know Him in office? If you answered “yes” to those questions, did it occur to you that none of that was mentioned from the pulpits of the churches?

I purposely listened to many sermons to hear if they mentioned seeking God on how to vote. Not one of those messages included an encouragement to seek God for voting instruction. Not one! Why?

God sent the prophet Samuel to intentionally find and anoint one person, a shepherd boy, to be the future king. He chose David, not one of his brothers? Why?

God has a very specific will that we should not ignore. But did you vote in the primary election without seeking Him? Will you seek Him for how to vote in the general election? For candidates? For Amendments? Do you think that God doesn’t want you to know His exact will for you regarding politics?

Ask yourself this too. Why was I allowed to post repeatedly the names of exact candidates that God told me to vote for (always with the instruction to have your own conversation with God) but your church was not? Why might that please God or anger Him?

And, I ask you to consider if the above lack of seeking God is the same reason that the churches can invest tens of thousands of dollars in Christmas shoe boxes or to repave a church parking lot, but cannot invest in paying teaching ministers to equip congregants to hear God? Are all of their public works aimed at pleasing someone other than God? Which is more appealing to God teaching truth or sending dollar store play things to foreign nations? Ask Him!

“For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.” (Isaiah 30:9 NIV)

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Stands Strong Against Injustice

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Does the church even know what justice is? Can it be trusted to want God’s will against injustice? Individually or corporately are we reluctant to understand God’s need for justice? If we were the one who was falsely accused, would we then desire God’s justice? If we were the one who was abused, would we want God’s justice against our abuser? Is the church afraid to discuss God’s justice because they fear it being directed at them?

“And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. (Psalm 50:6 NIV)

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6 NIV)

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’” (Matthew 25:41-43 NIV)

The healthy church understands that God sees right from wrong, good from evil, and every heart motive. We know that He is sovereign and delivers discipline and punishment as only He can. King David was confronted by the Prophet Nathan for conspiring to kill Bathsheba’s husband and to coverup the affair that produced a child. God’s punishment was to kill their firstborn child. That wasn’t karma. That was God’s justice.

“Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 HCSB)

So, understanding that God sees injustices, does that make you want to pray differently? Could you be praying contrary to the will of God when you pray for healing or provision for someone who God is disciplining and punishing? Do you not think that God is sovereign and can do as He pleases? Or do you instead think that the devil is somehow more powerful than the Lord making it impossible for Him to heal if the enemy were the one delivering the trial?

God is not waiting for you and one-hundred of your closest friends to convince Him how to make His next move. If God needed our advice, He wouldn’t be much of a God. Would He?

“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. (Isaiah 46:10-11 NIV)

To be clear, I am not saying that every trial is a discipline or punishment. Trials can be used to equip us or position us. But God surely doesn’t need our advice in any case. So, wouldn’t it be best to seek God for His will in how to pray? Seek God rather than advise God. Maybe there is something that God would like to explain to you.

The Healthy Church Vs. The Unhealthy Church: Hospitality

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Hospitality is a service gift from God. There are people who just exude this gift and then there are others who don’t have a clue. Who do you know that has a strong gift of hospitality? Now, consider which places that you go to where you always feel welcome. Is it church? Do they know your name? I feel more welcome at local coffee shops than I do at most churches.

Recently, I attended a church event that was posted on social media as a public invite. When I arrived, there was very little emphasis on hospitality. The event host was busily readying the administrative things involved. She asked for contact information so that she could finalize the next meeting location and date. But she never contacted me until after I didn’t show up to the next event. I’m not criticizing her because I have been her. My version of hospitality used to be organizing an event and making sure that everything was done well. I was so event focused that I wasn’t necessarily people focused.

What I’ve learned from years in ministry and attending events is that people want to feel invited every time. They want to feel welcome every time. They want to be made to feel special just for their presence. It takes courage to show up to a group where everyone already knows each other. It’s important to learn names of guests and greet them with sincere care. I recommend for those of us who have administrative talents to partner with at least one person with the gift of hospitality who can concentrate their focus on the welcoming aspect. It’s crucial to repeat attendance. (And of course, we all need to learn hospitality. Ask God to guide you to improve.)

Now, I need to talk about the biggest offense that the church does against hospitality. Everybody has a phone with a camera these days. We are polite enough to silence our phone during sermons (when we are reminded beforehand). But some use the sacred gathering that is meant as a time of worship to take photos of private moments. There should not be any photos or recordings taken of guests during a worship or prayer time. Absolutely ZERO! Ask God about it. He will tell you.

I do not feel comfortable allowing myself to praise God wholeheartedly in worship at churches where a “photoshoot mentality” is practiced. I don’t want someone making a mockery of me raising my hands in praise or bowing in solemn prayer. It’s an invasion of privacy. I should be able to expect privacy away from the paparazzi when I’m in my Father’s house. The churches need to really seek God about this because He is not pleased with the “advertising” gimmick that’s being used. Don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!

Butt-Kissing Pathetic Pew Sitters

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Please listen sisters-in-Christ. You do not have to be sitting in a church chair to hear God and obey. You do not have to be in a church building to hear God and obey. You do not have to be submitted to a certain denomination of the Protestant Christian church to hear God and obey.

God is the head of the church. You can be anywhere that God is (which is everywhere) and be submitted to Him. You can hear God and obey while sitting in your car. You can hear God and obey Him while walking in the park. You can hear God and obey Him while laying down. You can hear God and obey Him while sitting on the toilet. You DO NOT need permission from a pastor to be God’s prophet, messenger, or agent of change.

God is watching the lies and deceit that are being spoon-fed to you. But He is also watching if you’re idly complicit because you’re too lazy or enjoying your seat of dishonor. If a pastor clearly says that the men of the church are gathering to plan the vision of the church, it’s pretty obvious that he is saying that women have no place in setting the vision of the church. If you only knew how little they value God’s appointing and anointing of women, you would be as outspoken against them as I am.

But some of you women will come against me time and time again because you don’t want me to call out the blatant false theologies that he is teaching. You have your lips so close to kissing his butt that you can’t see that he is just using you to build up his seat of honor. Listen, please, if the church’s doctrine is that women are not allowed to discuss doctrine in the church, you should RUN from that place. Instead, you defend that nonsense. Only the devil would want you to defend false doctrine and false teachers. But don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!

The Prophet’s Gift of Sarcasm

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When I hear a pastor teaching nonsense and purposely distorting what the Scriptures teach, I always ask God about their motives.

Recently a pastor preached that God’s prophets are not true prophets if they’re not submitted to a church authority. I asked God why the pastor purposely brought that false doctrine. God said that the pastor is jealous of my giftings and wants to dissuade people from believing that I’m God’s prophet, apostle and deliverance minister. Do you think he’s jealous? God says he is.

To the pastor: There is absolutely NOTHING in the (Old Testament or New Testament) Scriptures that says that a prophet must be under the authority of a church body. No matter how much you want to twist the texts of the Bible, you are wrong. But perhaps, you’re counting on the laziness of your churchgoers to check the Scriptures for themselves. (Because let’s face it, you believe your congregants are actually more stupid than you are.)

But for the anointed true Christ follower all they would have to do is have a simple conversation with God and listen to His answer. Because we are supposed to hear God, right? (Can you hear the sarcasm in my words?) So, who is up for the challenge? All you would need to do is simply ask God. “God, is Tammie Edwards your prophet?” Or you could ask “God, do your prophets need to be a member of a church that teaches false doctrine in order to be under your authority as the head of the church?”

Maybe you could ask a question that you don’t really want to hear the answer to, like “God, is the pastor at my church teaching false doctrine?” Another possible question might be “God, is the pastor of my church an idiot?” Perhaps you’re not practiced at asking God questions because you’ve only been taught to give God all your wise advice (Did you hear the sarcasm again?).

Try actually having a conversation with God where you listen to His voice and SEEK HIM rather than tell Him.

Tammie Edwards,
Christian Apostle, Prophet & Deliverance Minister

(Don’t believe me. Ask God yourself!)

A WASTED VOTE!

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Any vote you place on a ballot that doesn’t have its origin in specific conversation with God is a wasted vote for you personally. If you didn’t include God, He saw it. He also saw whose opinion was more valued by you.

Did you ignore God when He wanted to give you insight? Did you refuse God’s gentle nudges for you to seek Him in prayer? Did you forget that He is indeed sovereign over life and death (yours included)? Did you forget that He can allow you to be taken into captivity for choosing substitute “gods”?

Why would you allow your vote to be wasted in God’s sight? And please hear me, you don’t get a pass by refusing to vote. God has entrusted you with a sacred duty to seek Him. Refusing to vote is the same as voting contrary to His will. He sees it!

If you break the covenant oath with God to seek Him and obey Him, He can and likely will allow you to feel the weight of the broken covenant.

Warning:
“But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you. If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.” (Leviticus 26:14-18 NIV)

Intent For Intimacy

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This may come across a little sexy, but the hope is to create a visual that sticks in your mind.

When a husband sees his wife show up for bedtime with a skimpy nightie, he might assume that a romantic evening follows. There is an indication of intent. (Especially if she’s bothered to shave her legs and to smell like flowers.)

Well, believe it or not, God is looking at the intent inside your heart when you approach Him in prayer. He’s looking to see if you want to know Him. Are you coming to Him in prayer simply to unburden your worries or are you wanting His will in every situation? Are you wanting intimacy of the heart with God? That is spiritual romance to God. He wants you, yes, to be real and discuss your worries with Him but also to listen to Him express His heart to you. And while God appreciates your words of thankfulness, more than that He wants you to take time to listen to Him.

Is your heart first set on connection with God’s heart? Do you come to Him to discuss ALL things that you may have done wrong or less pleasing to Him? Have your personal sins caused a distance between Him and you? If so, He wants to see a humble heart intent on restoring the relationship. Does He see a sincere heart that wants fellowship with Him or instead does He see you trying to use Him for a purpose? Listen, He knows if you’re looking for lottery numbers versus obedient steps of faith. He knows if you’re only including Him to accomplish a mission of your own.

Are you seeking Him for direction with a heart INTENT on obedience? God sees clearly right to your motives. You cannot manipulate Him or seduce Him. Your attempts to maneuver Him to your will cannot be hidden. Your heart is absolutely laid bare before Him.

What is the intent of your heart when you approach God in prayer?

Why Vote With God’s Heart?

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What’s happening in our local, state, and federal government is VERY important to God. God is not looking simply at outcomes based on a one-day voting count. God is looking at the heart of the nation.

Are we a nation that seeks God? Are we a people who sincerely ask God who to vote for? Do we trust that God has strategically planned each destiny? God wants to prosper a nation who seeks His heart, but He has promised to abandon people who ignore Him.

What does God see when He looks at you? Does He see someone who puts energy into assessing the leadership qualities of our city, county, state, and federal government candidates or does He see a lazy, uninterested person who is willing for the wrong people to be in seats of leadership? (When I say “assessing” in that question, I’m primarily including a sincere conversation with God where you identify who He specifically wants in each representative seat.)

Don’t choose a candidate for their outward appearance. Allow God to choose the person that He has intentionally positioned for the path ahead. God has woven into His chosen person what is needed to advance His provision and protection. The wrong person elected will produce what we deserve for refusing to seek God.

We cannot ever choose someone just because they say they are a Christian. There are many so-called Christians that will be judged harshly by God for their vanity, greed, and schemes against mankind. We should all want leaders who hear God’s voice and follow Him. Without that, we will fail and deservedly so.

Do you hear God’s voice in prayer?