Standing like the Tamarisk Tree and "No Right to Sin"
This is a philosophical message of encouragement and a word from Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. I pray the Holy Spirit leads me in this writing in Jesus's name. Thank you to all who donated to our ministry this week, and thank you for being "doers" of the Word, especially the "buymeacoffee" donations, but also Drew, Rui, Jake, Jesse, and more who want to be kept anonymous! We will be giving many gifts to the poor this week, and I will post updates on our real life ministry discord - join if you'd like_. I also added Garrett's testimony to the end of this post._
Introduction - The Tamarisk Tree
If I were to write a simple thematic statement for the Bible, it would be this - a person who chooses to stand as a source of living water in a barren desert through Jesus Christ. In prayer the other day, God led me to the idea of "The Tamarisk Tree" as a source of inspiration, with the photo above depicting what they look like.
This may be unusual to some, but I actually love the desert. Over the years, through much traveling, I have photographed trees like the Tamarisk Tree, which is native to the Middle East.
Going back to my love for the desert, Witness 1 has noted that one of the staples of my photography is finding barren, dead looking trees and making them look beautiful. This is one of my photos:
In fact, I love turning what people may think is ugly (the seemingly dead tree) into beauty.
Actually that is what I have been doing for years. I have been taking what is deemed "ugly" in my life, in the world, and around me, and making it joyful and positive.
In my teaching career, people have always said the kids couldn't do it. There was just something wrong with them. However, I made my classroom different. I didn't believe them. I looked at the students as individuals. I decided I wasn't going to believe what was said about them. In my years of teaching, my students can vouch that I am different than the other teachers, and I turn what seems hopeless into hope.
In my ministry career, there are many who come that seem broken, defeated, and paralyzed. While our ministry can't save everyone, we have helped thousands all around the world - the least of them. We have helped those who thought there was no hope. We didn't agree with what the world said about them, and if my ministry is one of outcasts, I love it even more. I empower the outcasts! Why? I myself am an outcast!
Then, through photography, one of my hobbies, I have done the same. I have found beauty in what people cannot see the beauty in - that's my secret to life.
God reminds me that is my secret, and I share it with you. My secret is that I am like a Tamarisk Tree, and I want you to be one, too. Right now, the world is spiritually barren -the waters seem dry.
However, we can still thrive. We can turn our own bodies, our temples, into a source of shade, protection, and living water for others.
I do struggle, and this blog has been a live journal of my everyday struggles. However, God has reminded me of one truth: I haven't given up, and He hasn't given up on me (or you) either.
However, there is one more secret to becoming like a Tamarisk Tree, and let me share it with you.
The Tamarisk Tree Stands Alone
One thing you might want to note about the Tamarisk Tree is that it relies on itself. They are actually quite strong, even being considered an invasive species!
You want to be like a Tamarisk Tree spiritually. You want others to know that if you walk in the room, you stand strong - you will invade that space with Jesus Christ, whether people like it or not. You will do everything to tap into whatever living water is available, and you will utilize the water supply.
Christians have become so weak and lukewarm that, in the world, you cannot even really identify who is Christian unless they tell you.
However, Witness 1 will vouch, everyone, and I mean everyone around me, knows I am a Christian. It is known by everyone because, like the Tamarisk Tree, I am not ashamed, and I make it known. I invade every space with it, and I am not "apologetic" about it. I am who I am, and I declare, whether through my words or actions, that I am, indeed, a Christian.
Do you do the same?
Last night, at about 3 AM, Jesus Christ woke me up with a word connected to do this idea. It is the idea of this: "You do it to yourself."
In January 2023 I was severely disciplined.
I have not yet written fully about this experience because it is too wild. I don't think anyone will believe me until some 9/11 event happens, and then, I will write the testimony fully. Basically, I experienced something similar to Ezekiel, and that is why I started this ministry.
In this experience, I was disciplined by God, and I was left with one important message:
"All my problems were my own fault."
The humility and pain of that moment!
Sure, I was abused. I was tortured. I had a pretty terrible life. However, it was no excuse for me to sin and disobey God.
God was telling me I was without excuse.
So, yes, it was true, I was gangstalked, I was humiliated, I was tortured, I was abandoned, I was betrayed. All of that was true. But it didn't give me an excuse to sin.
And in the same way, none of your excuses will work for God either. They don't work.
- It doesn't say in the Bible, "You can sin if you had a bad life."
- It doesn't say in the Bible, "You can sin if you are stressed."
- It doesn't say in the Bible, "You can sin if you have bad relationships."
It doesn't say any of that. It says, "Do not sin."
It says sin leads to death, and you yourself are responsible for it.
We live in a weakened culture, where everyone has a therapist and excuse but no responsibility.
So, I am asking readers to turn this around and be like the Tamarisk Tree - to be strong and accept responsibility for your own life, even if you live in a harsh climate.
There are no more excuses, and on Judgment Day, we won't be able to say, "But someone was mean to me!"
That isn't how it works.
The Bible reminds us that we are to stand strong full of living water and oil in the harsh, desert conditions, even in the end times.
We can't say, "But the world sucks. It's the end times. I give up." That doesn't work with God.
So, God doesn't take my excuses, and He won't take yours either. In fact, the less excuses you make, the more He will work with you and empower you.
Yes, this ministry is hard on me, but I will stick with it until I can't. I do believe with 100% faith that our new 9/11 is coming by the end of this year, even if it is on December 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM and 59 seconds.
I stand with this ministry work because I believe it is real. I believe it is one of the only real ministries left in the world, and I will stand like a strong pillar of the Tamarisk Tree.
We are on the book of James in our daily Bible study:
James is all about "no excuses." Here is one of my favorite verses from James 1:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
The part that says "who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror" stood out to me. I researched it, and the word for mirror means this:
What it is saying is that if we try to examine ourselves with a metal mirror, we will not see ourselves correctly. Our image will still be distorted. We need to look at ourselves with honest reflection in a clean, pure mirror. Are we truly doers of the Word, or do we deceive ourselves?
This leads into James 2, with my other favorite verses:
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good[b] is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
I will actually be writing my next thesis on "twisted Scripture" and "False Christianity", but this is just a preview.
We cannot call ourselves Christians and do nothing. We have to try, even if it feels barren - even if it feels like it's not making a difference.
I do feel like I'm in the desert, writing these messages sometimes. However, I also have to admit we have a pretty beautiful ministry full of holiness. In America, it may be small, but the people we have gathered are some of the most amazing people I have ever met. In our real life ministry, there is endless need, we are approaching 1,500 members, and it can feel overwhelming.
However, the truth is, I met other Tamarisk Trees along the way, and they are collecting water with me. I cannot deny that God has proven me wrong again and again - that I am not actually alone - there are others like me in the desert.
We are all just a little rough around the edges - full of cactus needles. However, every so often there is a desert bloom, and I capture it:
I have thousands upon thousands of photos. I pray to share them all one day with you!
I am always looking for the bloom in the desert, and I think that bloom is you, the reader - that is, if you want to join us.
I will be working on a prophecy update for later. There's so much going on I can't keep it up. I think World War III is about to start? lol!
I wish you all a Merry Christmas. No matter what happens, I have enjoyed this ministry and work, and I don't regret any of it.
With great love,
Elisha aka Witness 2
Garrett's Testimony of Not Giving Up and Standing Strong!
As it stands, and has always stood, no matter how many times you may stumble or fall, the Lord above will take you by the hand (sometimes the ear), and lead you back to where you need to be. If I may, let me chronicle the last few weeks I've had.
Where do I begin. Well, once treatment finished, I began having those old, intrusive thoughts that I used to have. "What about a drink, you know, a celebration!" In my excited mind, that made perfect sense! A celebration! Mind you, i didn't know if the cancer was gone yet. So, I did. I celebrated. Then issue? I kept celebrating. And kept celebrating, and celebrating, and celebrating. Less and less was God in my mind, and more and more was lust, wrath, and alcohol. Eventually, I noticed what was happening.
"No, please no, I know what this is.. please help me." I'd say as I continued to do what I was doing. I'd call out for help, drink some more, and then forget about it all. I'd make a fool of myself, and further push myself out into the proverbial sea because I had completely fallen off the path. It is easy to do, you see. These demons, they take advantage of every moment of your life. Whether things are going well or not, they will always pick the perfect moment. A good friend of mind called it a "wave." The wave is cold, and it pulls you deeper under the surface until you lose sight completely.
Now, what I am saying are words, and those will only carry me so far. I have to be able to back them up. Cravings will always happen, wants for things you know are bad will always exist. What is important is reminding yourself to keep your hand out of the cookie jar.
Now, I am here. I am cancer free, I am praying, and I am reading again. Today, as I sat in the treatment center observing all of the other poor souls around me I felt a sense of guilt. Don't ask me why, as I don't yet know, but I did. I saw all these faces.. desolate and scared. It was at that moment I realized I shared that same scared face. I had to lean back and remind myself "this is all part of the plan."
It was. Here I am, I am free (for now) of the illness. The Lord has given me the go ahead to move forward. Thank you, Jesus, for your joy and grace, and for allowing me a second chance. Thank you all here for accepting me even as I stumble. I extend a special thanks to those of you who helped me through this journey, even though it was just a month or so long. Stumbling feels like eternity.
I love you all. If you ever have any questions, please reach out.
A small testimony, from me to you.