Olive Branch Discipleship Ministries

4.15.13 This is now the time and season when America must wake up and realize we have enemies who mean to do us great harm, and great harm here on our own shores. We have lived in the luxury of belief that we were big enough and powerful enough, and protected enough, to never experience inward attack and that we were a nation of great protection and safety. No longer is this true. Our enemy comes from within and comes through an ideology and belief system that is foreign, destructive, and explosive to our nation. In reading about God's commands and instructions to Israel, as they journeyed through nations and as they conquered nations, and even as they were infused with those from other nations, they were not to be infected by, nor to embrace willingly, the gods and belief systems of those who came in to their culture. It was demanded and expected that Israel be the influencing force and all those who came into Israel would embrace their culture and their God, Jehovah, or at least live respectfully under that covering. Not the other way around. History is available for a reason, and it is free for all to look into. Israel had a hard time doing this, and it seems, so do we. We are to note, to understand, and to integrate this knowledge into our thinking so as to not repeat the negatives of History. We are to receive and accept those who sincerely wish to enjoy the freedoms of our democracy, but we are not to embrace those who desire to change our democracy and take us over into their belief system. If their belief system is so desirable, why not stay in their own nations? Come. Come into freedom and rest and protection. Come with respect and in propriety and all will be welcomed and embraced.  Wake up America! - Pastor Sandi www.olivebranchdiscipleshipministries.com

Romans 13 :1 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." In the climate of today, there is much passion about government and those who 'rule'. I suppose the key word is 'rule'. When the people feel powerless and feel as though they are not being heard, it can appear that government 'rules' even though it is suppose to 'serve' the people. As our government seems to repeal or re-evaluate what the people have spoken through the power of our vote, it appears that it doesn't matter what the people want. I observed some pole results this morning on some pertinent issues facing the American people at the moment, and was struck by how the pole results were opposed to what the government 'says' the people want. If these poles are correct, why then is not the voice of the people being heard? How is this scripture relevant, and what does it mean? Does it mean the authority process or concept itself is what is  from God, that the office itself is what is appointed by God? Or, is it the person holding the office, the person himself/herself, that is appointed by God? Is it both? And, what is the Believer's responsibility in all this? It is past time that the Believer wake up and address these questions before it is too late.

2.20.13     4:19 pm PST Rain: Rain. Someone made a comment to me once about all the greenery we have here in Washington and wondered why. Rain. Rain and Sunshine are so vital to growth. The Lord tells us in Matt. 5:44 that the Father causes rain to come on the righteous (in Christ) and on the unrighteous (those who are not in Christ). We serve a fair God, do we not? He never invades our will and never twists our arm. Equal opportunity. Rain comes to water the dry earth and to grow beautiful things and to provide food. Rain also comes to water weeds and waste and creates mud and devastations. Sunshine comes on both to increase the growth spurts and to increase the crops. Too much sunshine and it can create burning heat and drought and death.  Interesting. We can't live without either one and we need both - but we need them in balance don't we? It really is all in the perspective we have, isn't it? It's all determined by who's eyes you see it all  through- yours or God's. Natural or Supernatural. Who's eyes are you looking through?  What do you see? - Pastor Sandi www.olivebranchdiscipleshipministries.com

2.18.13      1:52 pm As I am sitting here meditating on the goodness of God, I am observing the day through my window. It looks a bit gloomy out there, overcast and cold. I am reminded that  '.......this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice in it and be glad.' Isn't it marvelous that, as we turn our day over to Him, we do not have to remain in the gloom, in being overcast, in the cold of being separated. Who knows what the day may bring? Opportunities, challenges, blessings. Let us look UP today and rejoice in Him, in His plan for us! It just might be a day filled with the possibility of a possibility!