The Flying Scroll and the basket of wickedness

I've been reading through Zechariah. Fascinating stuff!!!  But I came across Zechariah 5. It starts like this:

Again I lifted up my eyes and behold, I saw a scroll flying or floating in the air! And the angel said to me, What do you see? And I answered, I see a flying scroll;.... Then he said to me, This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off from henceforth according to it , and everyone who swears falsely shall be cut off from henceforth according to it.

So, what does the scroll do? What is it for? 

I will bring the curse forth, says the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief and into the house of him who swears falsely by My name; and it shall abide in the midst of his house and shall consume it, both its timber and its stones.

This fascinated me. Just think of this giant invisible scroll wandering across the earth and entering the houses of the wicked. God mentions 2 major sinners here, the thief and the liar , but I believe He refers to all wickedness. Once the scroll enters the house, it consumes it, like a cancer, like slow-burning fire. 

How many times have we asked ourselves. Lord, why do the wicked prosper? Why are they rich and seemingly happy and have everything? Yet, are they really happy? We don't know what's going on inside their homes. Sometimes we see snippets of it on the Tabloids, but honestly, I believe that any family who does not know the Lord or is not following the Truth, and who gives themselves over to wickedness ARE NOT HAPPY. Because without God changing our hearts, we are inherently wicked. We fight, and are selfish, and greedy

Here, James describes the nature without God
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?  You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4

 As Isaiah 48:22 says. "There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked".

But Zechariah goes on to describe a vision of a massive basket carried by two women with wings. Inside the basket is another woman. Here's how the angel describes her

This is lawlessness (wickedness)! And he thrust her back into the ephah-sized vessel and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth of it!


Then the angels took the basket away and Zechariah asked the angel where they were taking it and he told Zechariah to Babylon to build it a house and when it's finished to set it there. 


So, I asked God what is this basket? What does it mean? And He clearly spoke to my heart and told me, this is the basket containing the wickedness of the entire world. Every sin, every evil act, goes into the basket. But there will come a time that this basket will become full. And when that happens, it will stop roaming the earth and will find residence in Babylon. And then the countdown to the end of the age will begin. 


Wow! I thought that is so interesting! I don't know if this is a spiritual Babylon or a real Babylon, but that city plays a HUGE role in End time events. Just read Revelation. It will be the center of wickedness and the rule of the anti-Christ. But what struck me the most is that there is a predefined limit to how much evil God will allow on this earth. Once that limit has been reached, it's over. And considering how evil the days are becoming, my guess is we're speeding toward the end at an ever accelerating pace. 


So, what am I trying to say with all this? 
1. The wicked may "appear" to have it all together. But they have no peace in this life, nor will they in the next.
2. Be encouraged that the worse the world becomes, the sooner we, who follow Jesus, will see Him!


 This that goes forth is an ephah-sized vessel for separate grains all collected together. This, he continued, is the symbol of the sinners mentioned above and is the resemblance of their iniquity throughout the whole land.    And behold, a round, flat weight of lead was lifted and there sat a woman in the midst of the ephah-sized vessel. And he said, This is lawlessness (wickedness)! And he thrust her back into the ephah-sized vesse and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth of it!

Then lifted I up my eyes and looked, and behold, there were two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings, for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah-sized vessel between the earth and the heavens.

   Then said I to the angel who talked with me, Where are they taking the ephah-sized vessel?

   And he said to me, To the land of Shinar [Babylonia] to build it a house, and when it is finished, to set up the ephah[-sized vessel--the symbol of such sinners and their guilt] there upon its own base.

Zechariah 5 Amplified.

Win a copy of Surrender the Heart--book 1 in the series!

Ahoy all, the captain is back on the ship!  (Sailed into port last night)

In case you don't own a copy, a friend of mine has reviewed the book and is giving her copy away on her blog. So, head on over and make a comment for a chance to win it! 
Here's the link:  http://cfpagels.blogspot.com/2011/02/book-review-surrender-heart-surrender.html#comments

Surrender the Night month - final week!

Last Week's winner is: Courtney and Heather! Please contact me as you forgot to leave your email!!    

Congratulations and thanks everyone for all your nice comments!

Now the fun part!  I've copied two small sections of Surrender the Night below. After you read them, it's up to you to choose what each character would say. Now that you know a bit about Rose and Alex, you should be able to predict their response.  Every answer, right or wrong, will be entered into a final drawing for a free copy of this book!  So, don't be shy... and just have fun!! No cheating if you already have the book!

Scene 1:  Alex is injured and staying on Rose's farm until he can return to his ship. In this scene, Rose has wandered out to the stables where he is staying just before dawn.

Rose backed away. “I doubt you understand much about me or my country.”

“I assure you that I have no intention of staying but a few days.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Unless unforeseen circumstances arise, yes.”

“Do you even know how to be a servant?”

He shrugged. A breeze tugged at a loose tendril of his dark hair. “I passed the lieutenant’s exam with honors, how hard could it be?”

A giggle rose in her throat. This highbrow had no concept of hard work, at least not the kind required by the only male servant in the house. Perhaps that was how she could get rid of him. She would give him the most  vile tasks—tasks that a man of his breeding would consider far beneath him. Tasks so repulsive that his pride—which was obviously enormous—could not suffer the humiliation. Then perhaps he’d leave when he promised. Or better yet, even sooner.

Picking up the pail, Rose held it out to him. “Milk Liverpool.”

“Milk who?” Mr. Reed stared at her as if she were an apparition floating outside his door.

“Milk the cow.” She gave him a supercilious smile. “Did you think this was merely a social call?”

Mr. Reed gazed past her, confusion wrinkling his face. “What hour is it? Where is the sun?”

“It is five-thirty, Mr. Reed, and the sun shall make its appearance soon, I assure you.”

“Five-thirty.” He yawned. “Only thieves and murderers lurk about at this hour, Miss McGuire. Go back to bed and call upon me in a few hours.” He started to close the door.

She shoved her foot against the wood and the pail against his chest. “We milk the cow before dawn.”

What does Alex say next?

 A, Of course, anything to please you, my dear.
 B. Need I remind you, I am an officer, not a farmer?
 C. When did I become part of your rebel American family?
 D. Tell your precious cow to sleep in today.

Scene 2:  Earlier after Alex had saved Rose, she hid him in the barn to tend to his wounds.  He's just beginning to get better.

“Your color has returned, Mr. Reed.” She kept her eyes on the ground as she handed him the steaming bowl.

“Indeed. I feel stronger every day.” The sound of his accent grated down her spine. Lifting the dish to his lips, he took a sip, then another and another as he hungrily devoured the stew.. “Thank you. I realize that aiding the enemy does not bode well for you or your family.”

“No sir, it does not. And the sooner you are gone the better.”

“I assure you, I am of the same mind.” Dark eyes as deep and mysterious as the swirling water in Jones River remained upon her. “Regardless that our countries are at war, I do not wish you or your family harm.”

Rose found no insincerity in his gaze. But that didn’t mean she could trust him. She lifted her chin. “Yet when you are well and return to your ship, you will continue to terrorize my friends and neighbors.”

Regret clouded his eyes. “I am a part of a war that I did not start nor choose to engage in, miss.” He stretched his shoulders, flexing the muscles in his chest.

Averting her gaze, she plucked fresh bandages, a knife, and a satchel from the pocket of her gown. “My aunt returns from Washington tomorrow. If you think you can walk, we should move you to the ice house where you’ll be hidden.”

“Sounds rather cold.” He gave a mock tremble, followed by a grin.

Ignoring his playful demeanor, Rose pursed her lips. “We have not used it in years, Mr. Reed, but it’s down by the river and out of the way. Nobody goes there.”

He glanced over the barn, his nose wrinkling in disgust. “And with whom am I to share these chilled quarters? Pigs, chickens, rodents? Or perhaps a sheep or two?” A slight grin toyed upon his lips but his tone held a hint of hauteur. “Will I at least have a bed?” He grabbed a handful of hay and flung it to the side. “Or do all Americans sleep in the straw?”

   

       What does Rose say next?

       A. Rose narrowed her eyes. "I'm afraid it's all we can afford."
       B.  She smiled at him sweetly. "American beds are reserved for Americans."
       C. Rose's heart sank. "I'll see what I can do for you, sir."

D. Rose grimaced. Pompous bore. “No sir. We reserve our barns strictly for odious beasts.” 

This has been fun!!  I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have.  Thanks to all who've participated!!!

Wordless Wednesday!

Love this eerie scene! It feels cold and explosive!

Don't worship giants!

But his fellow scouts said, We are not able to go up against the people of Canaan, for they are stronger than we are. So they brought the Israelites an evil report of the land which they had scouted out, saying, The land through which we went to spy it out is a land that devours its inhabitants. And all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.There we saw the Nephilim, or giants, the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.  Numbers 13: 31-33

You know the story. Moses drags the million or so people of Israel from Egypt and brings them to the promised land. That beautiful land flowing with milk and honey that God promised to give to them. So, they send some scouts in to check things out. Out of the 12 scouts, only two, Joshua and Caleb, give a positive report. The other 10 respond as you read above.

Every time I read this, I always say to myself.. what a bunch of ninnies. How could they not believe God would help them defeat all their enemies? I mean, God already promised them over and over to give them the land and He'd already preformed countless miracles for them.  But then God put me in my place. He always does it so quietly and gently. He simply said, "Don't you do the same thing with your problems?"

Ouch. Yes. I do. All the time. Something bad happens. Or a situation develops that seems impossible. And I start to worry. Yes, I pray. I've at least grown that much in my walk. I pray. But then I worry! How is God going to do this? The problem is so big. It's a huge problem. There seems to be no way out.  Things like a lost loved one who is "seemingly" drifting further and further away from God,  a lost job with no prospects in sight, overwhelming financial problems, ill health with no cure, a broken relationship that seems irreparable.. whatever it is.. I worry.  I pray, let it go, but then I worry again. You see, I'm a chronic worrier. It's a family trait. And it's a very hard habit to break.

But then I read something in a devotional the other day.  "Whatever occupies your mind the most becomes your God. Worries, if indulged, become idols.

Yikes!  When I worry, I'm basically telling God like the ten scouts above, "The problem is too big. I don't think you can handle it!"   I'm giving the problem more credit and more power than God. In essence, I'm worshiping it. Boy, did that set me straight! Because I know there's nothing and no one more powerful than God. No situation, no relationship, no job, no lost lost loved one, no health problem, no heartache. Nothing. Nada. Zip

Remember how David went out to fight the giant, Goliath, when everyone else was shaking in their boots?
Don't worship the giants in your life!  In reality, you (with God) are the giant, and the giants are but grasshoppers in God's sight.
So, don't be a grasshopper. Be a giant killer!  Trust God. Cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you!

Out of town!

I will be out of town from Monday the 21st through Thursday, the 24th, and it's unclear whether I will have internet access. I have blog posts all set to go live as usual, but if I don't respond to your comments, you'll know why.  I'm traveling to a Writer's Retreat just outside of Austin Texas for a couple days of R&R.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of you and I pray God's blessing on your week!!

Week 3 of Surrender the Night Month!!

The winner of last week's drawing is:   Lisa Lu!!!!
Congrats, Lisa !! and Thanks to all who entered.

Now, I have a special treat for you today. This is the first trailer my publisher, Barbour has ever made for me, and I was thrilled with the outcome.  All my past trailers were made by me, with the exception of Surrender the Heart. So, tell me what you think of this one.

Leave a comment with your impressions to be entered into yet another drawing for a free copy of Surrender The Night!  

Does the trailer inspire you to read the book?
What was your favorite part?
What sort of mood or feel did it portray?
Anything you would change?

Tune in next week for the final post in which I'll test your skills to see how well you know the characters!!
Until then.. have a wonderful weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

Something a little bit different than my usual picture. I'd like to introduce to you to an excellent author, Jamie Carrie. She graciously put together this beautiful Valentine's day video. The music, the scenery and the quotes from her books all combine in a heart thrilling display!  Enjoy it and drop by her website to check out her books:  http://jamiecarie.com/

Daughters of the King!

In Honor of Valentine's Day today, see how our God is a God of Romance!


My heart overflows with a goodly theme; I address my psalm to a King. My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the children of men; graciousness is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever.

Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O mighty One, in Your glory and Your majesty!  And in Your majesty ride on triumphantly for the cause of truth, humility, and righteousness  and let Your right hand guide You to tremendous things. Your arrows are sharp; the peoples fall under You; Your darts pierce the hearts of the King's enemies.  Psalm 40

I read  Psalm 40 the other day and my writer's brain kicked into motion. It's such a powerful, romantic image of our Lord Jesus with sword strapped to his thigh, riding on his mighty steed out to conquer his enemies!  But, then it got better!

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness, uprightness, and right standing with God and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.   Your garments are all fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia; stringed instruments make You glad.

Here, Father God is speaking of His Son, Jesus and the Kingdom He will receive at the end of the age. God will pass the scepter to His Son and He will rule the earth for 1000 years! He is the Prince of Princes!  Close your eyes, can you see him riding upon his white horse, ruling from Jerusalem?

Hear, O daughter, consider, submit, and consent to my instruction: forget also your own people and your father's house^. So will the King desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, be submissive and reverence and honor Him.  The King's daughter in the inner part of the palace is all glorious; her clothing is inlaid with gold.  She shall be brought to the King in raiment of needlework; with the virgins, her companions that follow her, she shall be brought to You. With gladness and rejoicing will they be brought; they will enter into the King's palace.

That's you!!  The daughter of the King. Dressed in a beautiful gown, inlaid with gold! You'll be brought into the palace with great gladness and rejoicing. For He loves you more than you know.

And in case the men are feeling left out: 

Instead of Your fathers shall be Your sons, whom You will make princes in all the land.

Princesses and Princes. That's our destiny! If you're like me, you've always dreamed of days of old where Kings and Princes ruled, and honorable Knights did their King's bidding. In that world, you were a princess in the palace, adored by your father the King, sought after by the princes in the land.  Why do you think God put these dreams within us? These dreams of royalty and beauty, romance, and adventures?
I think it's because that's where we are heading. That's the real world. Our inheritance. This life we are living now is nothing but a shadow. The real world is to come. And it will be everything you've ever dreamed of!

So, whatever you're going through, I hope this Psalm encourages you today. Remember, you're a princess! You are a daughter of the King and greatly beloved!

Week 2 of Surrender the Night Month!!

And the winner of last week's drawing is:  Rachel!!!!
Thank you to all who left a comment!

Today, we will learn about the hero in the story, Lieutenant Alexander Reed. If you read the first book in the series, then you're already slightly familiar with this honorable man.

Brief description: At age three and twenty, with dark brown hair, a tall sturdy stature, and hazel eyes, Alexander Reed makes for quite a handsome, imposing figure, especially in his Royal Navy Lieutenant’s uniform. Normally proud of his country and its dominion in the world, he finds the cruel way his countrymen are fighting this petty war with America to be beneath the honor and decency of Britain. He only joined His Majesty’s navy to make a fortune and a name for himself in battle—both which he hoped would not only gain him entrance back into his home in Cranleigh, but the forgiveness of his father for infractions in his youth. But he had not signed up for such wickedness! Surely these rustic, backwoods rebels need to be taught a lesson, but not murdered and ravished in their beds. Being forced to participate in such barbarity against innocent settlers sickens Alex. Alternatively, Alex’s superior and first lieutenant aboard the HMS Undefeatable, Mr. Garrick, seems to relish in such debauchery. So when the vile man attacks an innocent farm girl, Alex can do nothing less than step in to save the girl. What he didn’t expect was to get shot by the American tart in the process.  

Strengths: Honorable, Kind, Moral, Chivalrous, Resolute

Weaknesses: Arrogant, Snobbish, Judgmental, Demanding, Rigid

Inspiration:  There’s nothing more difficult for a child than being rejected by a father.  It doesn’t have to be a flat out rejection. It could be plain and simple neglect, favoring another sibling, withholding praise, or just never being there. When this happens, a child either grows up with all sorts of emotional problems and withdraws, or he spend his life trying to gain his father’s favor, even well into his own adulthood. That is what Alex is trying to do. He hopes to gain enough money and honor to win his father’s approval and affection and be welcomed back into his home. Because he didn’t receive his father’s love, Alex has come to believe that love must be earned. I believe so many people today suffer from this same problem. They try to earn their parent’s love, friend’s love, even their spouse’s love by doing things or being a certain way. But the truth is, you cannot force anyone to love you in this world. The only love you can count on—the only love that is freely given, no strings attached, no conditions, that cannot be bought or earned is the love of God.

So, tell me. What qualities about Lieutenant Reed appeal to you and which ones would you be a bit cautious of? Is he the type of man you'd go on a date with? And if not, why?
Leave a comment, along with your email, please, and I'll draw a name next Friday

By the way, I'm unveiling my new Video Book Trailer next Friday so don't miss it. It's fabulous!

Wordless Wednesday!

Beware the Sea Monster!

Wordless Wednesday!

Sunken Treasure, feel like a dive?

Progress upon the high places of suffering!

The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk, not to stand still in terror, but to walk and make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility! Habakkuk 3:19

Are you in a place of trouble, suffering, or burdensome responsibility? Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but if you're not, you probably will be soon! That's the nature of life, isn't it? When we are in a level plain and all seems to be going fairly well, watch out, there's a mountain looming ahead. Some of us have been climbing a particular mountain for a very long time!
There's lots of mountains out there of varying heights and difficulty. Mountains of grief, depression, financial woes, sickness, unemployment, heartache, loss, troubled relationships, lost loved ones, broken friendships, etc..  Some are short, stubby mountains you can climb quickly, others take years to scale.

The thing is, whether you are a believer in Jesus or not, you're going to have problems in this world. The difference for those of us who follow Jesus is found in the verse above. It boils down to this. When we climb our mountain of adversity with Jesus, He uses it to teach us, to mature us in faith, to help us grow spiritually. In other words, the problem has a purpose. In fact, without the mountains, we would never grow. We would stagnate in our faith and end up leading boring, useless lives for God.

I know many people who, when confronted with a massive mountain, simply sit down at the base and never go a step further. To this day, they are still sitting there complaining and grumbling about how God doesn't answer prayer.

So, I encourage you to start climbing your mountain, step by step. Don't focus on how big it is or how long it will take to reach the top. Just climb. So, you may say, how do I do that?

You Trust God   Trust in the LORD with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:4 -6
Pray without ceasing  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4: 5-6
And lastly the answer is found in the 2 verses prior to the verse at the top.
Praise and Thanksgiving
Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, though the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,    Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the victorious God of my salvation Habakkuk 3:17-18

Happy Climbing!

Surrender the Night month!

First, the winner of last Friday's drawing for a free mug or tote bag from Laurie Alice Eakes is:  Casey!!! Congratulations, Casey! And thanks to all who entered!

And NOW

Welcome to Surrender the Night month!

In honor of the book's release next month, I'll be posting something about the story every Friday. Leave a comment and I'll enter your name in a drawing for a free copy!  If you're a member of me Motley Crew, feel free to leave a comment, but ye won't be entered in the drawin'. Be that clear?

Anyway, today we will learn a little bit about the heroine, Miss Rose McGuire.

Rose McGuire

Brief description:  At age 20, tall and slender with turquoise-colored eyes and honeyed hair, Rose McGuire would be considered one of Baltimore’s most comely ladies if it weren’t for the smudges of dirt often found on her hands and face. You see, Rose would prefer working on her farm than donning fancy gowns and attending soirees and teas with the high society of Baltimore. In fact, some of her best friends are pigs, chickens, and cows, and she finds them far more trustworthy than any man she has met. Though she must marry to retain ownership of her farm, a horrific event in her past, keeps her mistrustful of all men and in bondage to fear and unforgiveness. So much so that she rarely leaves the sanctuary of her farm where she lives with her doting Aunt and Uncle. She particularly hates the British because they murdered her father.  So, what is Rose to do when British troops attack her farm, and one particular British naval officer is wounded trying to protect her?  

Strengths: Patriotic, Good heart, Charitable, Humble, Down-to-earth

Weaknesses:  Fear, Unforgiving, Bitter, Pessimist

Quirks: When Rose is frightened, she sings a song her father used to sing to her as a child. She often has specks of dirt on her skin and gown.

Inspiration: We are not only a product of our genetics but of our past. When more than one terrible tragedy strikes us, particularly when we are young, it is often impossible to overcome the various struggles which result. I’ve met countless people who are what I call, the walking wounded. They appear to function well on the outside, but inside they are a bubbling mass of anger, hatred, bitterness, insecurity, and unforgiveness—a cauldron just waiting to explode at the slightest little thing. Unless they let go of their unforgiveness and anger and receive the healing love of God, they will lead very unsuccessful lives. These people are the inspiration for Rose. She wants to be better, she wants to overcome her fear, her past, she wants to help other people, but she is imprisoned in her own fear and hatred. 

Based on this description, what qualities do you have that are similar to Rose, and in what ways are you different?

Wordless Wednesday!

A ghost ship!

New Facebook Page!

Attentional to those of you on Facebook.  If you were a friend of mine, I've moved my main page from my personal profile to a special Fan page.  I'm keeping my personal profile page just for family and close friends. Everyone else, I de-friended.  Sorry. It's nothing personal. But if you're one of those people, please visit my new Fan page and click that you like it!  That's where I'll be posting all kinds of news and interesting tidbits about my writing and also fun photos and questions for you. Also, this blog gets automatically posted there as well.  So, come on over and join the fun:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/MaryLu-Tyndall-Swashbuckling-Romance/175344859169475