Oh, me, oh, my, where to begin…
Through this disciple messenger’s journey with God, many ways to answer this very question have been given. But try as I might to get started, I could not find the one that felt right. Then, it came to me clearly in the early morning hours of July 30, 2022. It was God-given, God-inspired and follows:
Walking through the valley of the shadow of death…
In the 23rd Psalm, David writes of having no fear even while walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Why? David declares it is because God is with him, protecting him, fulfilling his needs, filling his cup to overflowing, restoring his soul.
We, God’s children, are deep into the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death. The stench of physical, mental, emotional, economical, and spiritual death is filling our nostrils until we are whispering, “I can’t breathe!”
Unlike David who recognized God as the Lifesaver, many of us are putting our trust in what this disciple messenger terms, ‘lower-case i ams’.
God calls a lower-case i am a sog…
A sog places self and self-interests first. Next recognized are others who honor and follow obediently. Because God is put last or ignored completely, he is reduced to a lower-case-g god. Sog defined by the following acrostic:
s – self above all others
o –others who follow obediently for various reasons
g –God last or ignored completely
Sogs do not stand, speak, or build on a solid foundation…
The word soggy means marshy ground unfit for a solid foundation. The words and actions of a sog are marshy, squishy, and bogged down with untruths. They are built on grounds unfit for a solid foundation. A sog, figuratively and literally, builds walls and structures that will not stand.
Neither will what a sog endeavors to accomplish stand because the plans are built on untruths with no solid foundation. Those who follow a sog and do what is demanded are living on shaky ground that is sure to collapse. Because of their complicity, the followers, too, become sogs.
Hiding in plain sight…
Sogs are found in leadership positions in all areas of life. You will recognize them as influencers of family, of business, of government, of faith groups, of organizations. Sogs are not just found in America, they can be seen all over the world. They claim to be the best, the most right, the greatest, the only ones who can do the job and do it right. They demand royal treatment. Because they are the loudest in proclaiming their greatness, people believe and follow. They proclaim to have the ‘fix’, the ‘solution’ for every problem, yet on close examination, they have nothing but empty words. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Sogs have the facts of multiplication down to a tee…
Sogs beget sogs. They multiply quickly. Their woven webs of untruths, threats, false promises, conspiracy theories, deceit, and cheating are strong. These webs trap their victims quickly. Their holding power is magnified by threats and wrathful, revengeful words and acts. Rarely, does anyone escape from the entrapment.
Into the valley of the shadow of death…
Sogs have led and continue leading us into darkness, into the valley of the shadow of death. Thus, we have the stench of mental, physical, emotional, economical, and spiritual death filling our nostrils.
God is the capital letter I AM…
Trusting in God above all others provides a solid foundation
Righting wrongs through Reconciliation…
God’s way is to help solve problems by bringing opposing sides together. This is reconciliation. Reconciliation is God’s miracle answer to solving all our problems.
It is by following God that we will walk out of the darkness and stench of the valley of the shadow of death. God provides the Light to take away the darkness.
Important inserts:
*Firstly, for those who have noticed and are concerned about the lower-case g in God’s name in the link for this site, an explanation is warranted. Ones responsible for setting up the account, did not realize that there could be no capital letters in the site’s link. All efforts to seek an exception for God’s name failed. Nevertheless, as was stated in the About the Leader section, there must be no doubt from whom the messages come. They are Heaven-sent messages from God, the capital letter God!
*Secondly, the name sog is not meant to be threatening or derogatory. It is a sog who uses demeaning names to belittle others to uplift self. A sog is a master of using divide-and-conquer tactics. God is using this designation to produce positive results. It is to show what is being done wrong. Righting those wrongs is the outcome God desires. God uses negatives to produce positives!
*Thirdly, God loves all his children. His intervention is meant as a soul-saving mission. God suggests you read the story of the Prodigal Son — Luke 15: 11 – 32. It will help you understand a father’s love. Also, reread the Valentine and God’s Lifesaving Plan blog entries to refresh your memory about God’s Love and to be reminded that our Heavenly Father’s plan is to save souls. Remember, he can wash even the blackest of souls as white as snow.
Upcoming, watch for it: My Way or God’s Way