Author Darlene J Conard

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 43:19 KJV

He crouched among the rubble surrounding him. Frozen in position with his arm folded resting on the left of his lap with one knee settled on the ground, Nehemiah remembered the promise.

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you into Myself.”  repeated in his spirit. With one hand he scooped a piece which once was a part of the gate. Rubbing his thumb over it remembering his prayer to God.

“Nehemiah how are we going to rebuild from this rubble? The gates are burnt, the wells are no more, the city now lays as a heap screaming, I have perished.” He kept the plan God spoke to him as a man protecting his treasures. “Yes,” Nehemiah glanced up at him. “She cries out as a battered soul. The Lord God hears her, and I’ve felt her pain. She will live again. Her scars will be a memorial of victory in the sight of all enemies.

He reminisced about the night he laid flat on his back with his arms folded beneath his head staring in the celestial body. Stars twinkling here and there with the moon’s face visibly shining.

Secretly he arose mounting on his beast, he rode here to examine her battered foundation.

This is how I imagine Nehemiah as he prepared himself and workers for the great work ahead. 

A sense of sadness came over me as I sat waiting for the wash cycle to end. The softness of the light brought back memories of my visits at our community hospital that no longer exist.

Double glass doors opened only in a small space entrance with a wall payphone on the right. Disinfectant cleaner filled the area with a pungent smell. Another set of glass doors opened to a large registration room. On the left the secretary’s booth-built area sat at a short distance from the entry. Her slightly hidden face left visitors to guess her mood.

I remember the old interior of the floors, windows, the light blue green tile in the restrooms and the installed chicken wired windows. My little town reminded me of the story of Nehemiah.

 She’s labeled helpless, destitute, filled with drunks and drug addicts. I don’t see that. God sees restoration. God sees broken souls who need compassion and redemption.  

Jesus answered the Pharisees question, “Destroy this temple in three days I will raise it up.”

“It took forty-six years to build this temple. How and You say it’s going to be built in three days?” (John 2:18-20) Spiritual things can’t be received unless we have a Christlike mind.  

We must have hope, stay founded in prayer and follow God. There’s nothing impossible for Him. He is rebuilding.

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Author Darlene J. Conard

“Is salt even coming out of the shaker?” I raised the dispenser to examine it. No, it wasn’t clogged or trapped which meant the salt lost its flavor.

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”  Matthew 5:13, downloaded in my spirit as I tried one more time to successfully salt the simmering soup. Still no flavor. Even if I’d dump the salt into the soup, it wouldn’t be noticeable.

Out of curiosity I paused what I was doing to research, “Does salt loose it’s flavor?” The answer is yes. Salt that sits beyond its date loses its flavor. Since it wasn’t beneficial to flavor food, it was used on the icy spots in front of my apartment.

God, I don’t want to be a useless Christian! I don’t want to lose my savor! Our world is full of hurting souls searching for answers. At one time I didn’t have the right answer, now I do.

Genuine salt will create thirst. It doesn’t take much! Salt is used as an antiseptic to cleanse the newborn in the book of Ezekiel 16:4. Numbers 18:19 speaks of the agreement between God and Aaron which is called the salt covenant. Salt covenants were also made between friends.  Salt preserves, I understand why it was used as a covenant. God required the priest to season every offering with salt. (Leviticus 2:13)                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

…. “you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light,” …  (2 Peter 2:9 KJV) Born again believers we are required to salt our offering to God. Give Him the praise and recognition He’s worthy of! Have you heard the saying, “You can lead the horse to the water but can’t make it drink?” True, we can’t make them drink; however, the right amount of salt can make them want to drink. Every time we eat salty foods, it makes us thirsty. Here is another interesting fact, salt reduces bitterness but increases the sweet and sour. Salt is even used to kill weeds. It’s clear way Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth.

(There will be an extensive study on this subject)  

Author Darlene J. Conard

God doesn’t need you!  God does- not -need -you! Why are you even ministering? Why are you even writing a book? Why are you even bothering to pray or read the bible, since God doesn’t need you? drilled deeply in my spirit like a hammer’s forcing power to drive a nail in a board.

“Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:16   KJV

Why am I? The statement swallowed all the hope that I held. Though I tried praying the accusing words away they become louder. My sleep became interrupted by confusion once again. I should’ve stayed on the streets walking at night, going to strange places and stayed in the dark pit, as I remembered the many times a pastor angrily got in my face to make the statement clear; God doesn’t need you! It wasn’t your prayers God answered!

During a Bible study the words, “God doesn’t need any of us,” came out. The sudden feeling of abandonment, worthlessness and dirtiness came over me. I screamed while outwardly putting on my joyful mask. 

I’m wasting my time then, since God doesn’t need me! Prayer, encouragement and peace spiraled downward instead of absorbing in my spirit. Then why doesn’t God do things Himself? Why bother with any of this? All kinds of thoughts generated in my mind as overwhelming insecurity squeezed life out of me. I’m rejected by my dad and God too?

The prompting voice of the Lord pulled me from giving into the temptation of staying in bed sleeping the day away. “Darlene, get up.” He reminded me of the passages in Ezekiel 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” The absence of an intercessor, prayer warrior, caused God to proceed in judgment.

Another example is Abraham. God asked the angels a question, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.  And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” And the LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.” Genesis 18:16-21

Abraham remained standing after the Lord turned to talk with the men who were angels. Overhearing the conversation Abraham drew near, opened his mouth to get God’s attention toward him once again.

This gets my thoughts generating, how many times have we interrupted God’s conversation with angels such as this? It certainly matters or God wouldn’t need to speak to Abraham. Our voice does matter. God does need us and hears our voice.

God communed with Abraham. The word commune means to focus on, converse, talk, often with deep intensity, intimate communication or relationship as sharing your heart and mind: an interchange of ideas or thoughts, resulting from French “comun” meaning – common, to share.

God came to Abraham with His plan. It was important to God that He shared His thoughts with him. In Isaiah 41:8, God declares what Abraham is to Him, my friend. He didn’t speak in the form of past tense. In the same discussion He promises as He comforts Jacob, “I will not cast you away.” (Isaiah 41:9-10)

Moses caused God to change His mind about destroying Israel. If it hadn’t been for Moses God would have destroyed them.  (Psalm 106:19-23) Moses reminded God that His enemies would mock Him.

God described how His people made him feel, furious enough to melt them like wax. Exodus 32:10) God spared the people due to an intercessor; however, He didn’t wink at their sin. (Exodus 35:1-35)

In verses 32 and 33, Moses’ desperation for the redemption of the people took him as far as requesting his name be blotted from His book. God replied, “Whoever has sinned against Me, him will I blot out.”

Thankfully through the blood of Jesus and Jesus only we can come boldly to the throne of Grace.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 KJV

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What is the biblical meaning of commune?

Commune means to focus on God, converse, talk, often with profound intensity, intimate communication or rapport as sharing your heart and mind with God in prayer: an interchange of ideas or sentiments, derived from French “comun” meaning – common, to share.

Author Darlene Juanita Conard

We have a woman bleeding to death going to physicians for twelve years still finding no cure (Luke 8:43-48), a demoniac that cuts himself screaming in torment among the tombs (Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39), an adulterous trying to fulfill her loneliness (John 8:1-11), lepers suffering as their flesh rots away (Luke 5:12-16  11:11-19  Mark 1:40-45), the blind feeling their way around in the world to get where they need to go (Mark 10:46-52), the deaf and mute deprived of the ability to speak or hear words (Mark 1:40-45). These are a few out of many who have one thing in common, a need for a savior.

Often, I contemplate details such as them sitting in secrecy. “I’m going to die like this.” Legion didn’t have a right mind. Perhaps his torment began in his youth? I don’t know. I’m sure the adulteress didn’t know how to break free. Desperation plunges people into doing harmful things. They’re just searching for answers but have no one to lead them in the right direction.

Before Jesus stepped in their path, they were outcast. The outcast became sons and daughters of the Most High God. Praise His Holy Name! Talley Trio sings a song called Orphans of God. Every word is true Jesus knows no stranger, there are no outcast, nor orphans. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude! Not just anyone but the Messiah Himself came to me.  In my filthy shameful state accusing Him; He opened His arms and said, “Come.”  He does not limit His love and mercy.

Many are bound by drugs, alcohol, social media, pornography, material things of all sorts and more. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 says, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.”  

Jesus is not limited or intimidated by anything or anyone. He is still seeking the lost. That’s why we as Christians are needed to go into the highways and the hedges. (Luke 14:23) We are around people daily.

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16 KJV

Never be afraid to share what God has done for you!  We were at one time outcast. Through Jesus, we are sons and daughters as well.