Reach Beyond the Breach

By Mary Nell Green

To reach beyond the breach means to look beyond the trouble in your life by faith. In Hebrews 11:1, it says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." For example, a breach could be anything that comes against you. It may have happened six months ago; nevertheless, I'm hoping for what hasn't happened, and I'm sure that it will be manifested in my life. Therefore, I look beyond what the situation looks like and call those things that be not as though I already have it. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with melanoma cancer of the eye. That is a scary breach. Nevertheless, I put my trust and faith in God that my healing is already done according to his Word in 1 Peter 2:24. I encourage anyone who has a breach in your life to find the promise in God's Word and speak it daily and you will have what you say by your faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781644582060

Book preview

Chapter 1

God Can Make a Breach

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uz’zah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

—2 Samuel 6:7 NKJV

In the early seventies in Alabama, there seemed to be a freeze on jobs. I was laid off from three different jobs because the work was slow. I worked 1 year at a factory for shoes, another factory for women clothes, and another factory for men shirts. Finally, I drew all my unemployment, then I went to Florida in 1982 where my brother lived at Mom Brown’s request. My husband and I had a house built in 1981, he took sick, I was laid off. However, I found work as a maid at a hotel for about two months, then I was fired. I was doing well until my supervisor began to brag on me that I was the best worker she ever had. Then one day, the laundry workers would not put the necessary things I needed to work with on my table. Each maid had their own table; however, the laundry worker would not allow me to use any linen from the other maid’s table. Since I was a new person, I didn’t think to go and tell the supervisor about the situation. I cleaned all my rooms but no clean linen, and I had to clock out at 3:30. The next day upon my arrival, I was called to the office. She said, Leave right now! Before I have the guard to escort you off the premise, you left rooms undone.

Moreover, she would not listen to my explanation.

The other maids were standing around whispering and laughing as if they already knew what was going to happen to me and what was going on. I was hurt to my heart like someone had stabbed me in the back with a knife. Later on, I found out it was a setup because of jealousy because the supervisor had never bragged on any other workers. However, it was a breach I had to reach beyond by faith believing I would find another job because I really needed the work at that time. At this time, Alex had back surgery and couldn’t work. Sometimes, God can make a breach on your behalf, it feels terrible, but it’s for your good. Finally, I was hired at a tennis resort. After two years, I quit. The work was heavy lifting. Whatever the guest called for, I had to deliver it late at night alone, and I hardly had a weekend off.

As I look back, I can see it was God moving me to a better job. I was raised in church. I was a soprano in the choir. Sometimes, I would be asked to lead a song. I was president of the mission society with the zeal but not according to knowledge. At that time, the pastor would put you over something and expect you to do it. However, I would try my best to do whatever I was asked to do. I loved working with small children, like sponsoring the Easter program, the Christmas program, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Youth Day, and Youth Revival. At that time, the church only had service every fourth Sunday, unless it was a special day, like men’s day or homecoming. Nevertheless, Sunday school was every Sunday. Mission was right after Sunday school, except the fourth Sunday. The pastor lived in Troy, Alabama. He said to me, When you’re having a program, just let me know, I’ll try to come. However, moving to Florida, I had gotten off track from attending church, so God made a breach for my good. The same day I left the resort because the work was too heavy, I put in an application at the university and was hired the same day.

I had better pay, health insurance, and retirement plan. I worked eight hours a day and no work on weekends. Therefore, I could attend church every Sunday. I loved church. At that time, I thought that would save me. Now I know it’s the finished work of Christ that saves. Nevertheless, the pain I felt was for my good, God had everything in control. Isaiah 43:2 says, When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee, when thou go through the river, it shall not overflow thee, and the fire, thou shalt not be burned; the flame shall not come upon thee. I intended to work at the college three months; however, the Lord allowed me to work there almost twenty years. Actually, I lived in Florida twenty-three years. Alex and I retired from the state of Florida and moved back to Alabama, our home in 2004.

After moving back to Alabama, I renewed my membership back to my home church. The pastor began to speak prophetically to me, that I was called to ministry, but I denied it as I did many times before. It’s something about being called where people don’t want to gladly except the call. Most people I’ve talked with felt the same as I did, that is not feeling good enough. Lord, why me? I am not worthy to preach your Word. My reason also was past failures and sins had me thinking that way. Satan will hold you captive by your past if you let him. He loves to condemn you; he will play a picture of you being unworthy over and over again. However, I denied it until I had to confess it.

One thing I know, you will have no peace until you confess it and say, Yes, Lord. This is another reason I know God can make a breach. After all, I had been taught that God does not call women to preach, that they are to be silent in the church according to 1 Timothy 2:10–15.

Nevertheless, this is very discreditable because there are women I know who has been called but will not heed the call for improper teaching. As I study the Bible, I see many women God used. Many churches are still stuck in tradition. They failed to understand, in the Spirit it’s not male or female. Therefore, I do believe the Word; my people perish for the lack of knowledge. I believe 1 Timothy 2:10 has been gravely misunderstood; one must examine what was going on at that time. This is one breach we must reach beyond by faith that the Holy Spirit will open their spiritual eyes. He will do it if you’re willing to yield to his leading. There was a time I thought Jesus died for those that crucified him. One day, I was reading John 3:16, a light beamed on in my head, then I could see clearly that I was included.

The Holy Spirit opened my eyes, he gave me insight. However, I pray for those he thought will have a spiritual awakening. My father, that is, when I told him I had been just witnessing to the lost, he said that is for my son to do five years before he passed.

I always had a special feeling for two women ministers in Clayton. They are passed on. Women ministers are more prevalent, but many churches still deny them.

As a child growing up, I had a special love for reading the Bible and my dad, Christian books. I could read well before I started to school. My two older brothers taught me. As they studied their school lesson, I would ask them what this spell, what that spell, and they would tell me, and that is how I learned to read before I started school. I remember my dad coming home from the field at sundown. He would wash up and eat supper. After which, he would sit down to study the Bible. He would ask, Where is my Bible? He would answer his own question. He would say, I bet they are in that gal’s room. Sure enough, that was the case. I would be so immersed in reading about the man Jesus until I would forget to put Daddy’s books back where they belonged before he came home from the field. This was a time when Dad had to plow the crop and my brothers would be with him, Mom would be in the garden or doing something around the house. This was doing the summer when school was out; however, Dad never whipped me, but Mom wanted to. Nevertheless, he would not let her whip me about his books. After that, she never whipped me but once in my entire life.

We had come home from the cotton field, Mom made lunch which was biscuits and fried eggs. I had finished and was swinging around a loose pole on the porch. Momma said, Stop before you cause my plate to fall from the banner. She was eating, I started to play again, the pole came loose from the floor, her plate fell to the ground, and there was nothing else to eat. I got whipped for that and seemed like all the times my dad would not let her whip me. That day, Dad didn’t say a word, and Momma didn’t spare the rod. I probably was sure he wouldn’t let her whip me; however, he showed me. I was a what you call a daddy’s girl. When Momma would get after me about something, I would tell Daddy, and he would ask Mom, Why are you after that gal? She would tell him. He would say, Leave her alone.

However, I continued to read his Bible and Christian books. Dad didn’t have a chance to go any further than the fourth grade in school.

Finally, my father began to ask me what certain words was, and he would ask me to look the word meaning in the dictionary. I loved to do that. I believe he saw potential in me but didn’t realize how to help me develop it. However, during the middle of the nineties, I was still living in Florida when I began to feel like I was supposed to be in the pulpit preaching whenever I was in church service. Nevertheless, I never pursued the feeling, I just shrug it off. Maybe it wasn’t my season. During this time, I was attending a missionary Baptist church where I began attending a home and foreign mission Bible study. I learned how to teach the outline. Also I learned how to present the gospel, which I love. My pastor had gone to a workshop on teaching the members how to witness by a very famous pastor in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Until this day, I still have my books. At that time, pastors didn’t have a clue on how to teach the members to do it. Most people think it is just the pastor’s job. What an error! Nevertheless, my pastor learned, and he taught those who were willing to learn. At first, I was skeptical, but a friend bragged on how good the class was her pastor was teaching at her church, then I started the class. It felt so good to tell someone about our Lord and Savior. However, from the mission and witness classes, I learned how to put a message together for church service. This came about because on fifth Sunday, our pastor would have one of the auxiliaries to bring the message. When it’s time for the senior women to do the message, the pastor told me it’s my time to do the message because I had been doing the mission outline good enough to bring the fifth Sunday message. However, I did it not because I knew I was called but because I was asked. I could’ve brought the message whenever it was the senior women time, but I refused.

I would say, Get someone else, I’m not a preacher. However, I was denying my call out of ignorance, that women weren’t supposed to preach or be in the pulpit, and the fear grip, pass sins, condemnation and unworthiness.

Nevertheless, I began to take general education classes, where I learned to get the subject, the body, supporting evidence, summation, and ending. I did all this and didn’t acknowledge the call on my life. At that time, my pastor told me, If I had the authority, I would license you to preach.

My response was, Oh no! Because I could get a good message, together, people would come to church that didn’t usually come also when I was doing the mission lesson. Now I realize it was the Holy Spirit guiding me and that I was called before I was conceived in my mother womb. He knew the plans he had for me, plans to prosper me, to do me good and not evil (Jer. 29:11). And who knows why I have come into the ministry for such a time as this. I was in my sixties when I accepted the call. For my first initial sermon, the Holy Spirit gave me the subject reach beyond the breach by faith good things will happen. First, I learned that from the life of Joseph, Daniel, the three Hebrew boys, and Abraham and Isaac and my experiences. As I began to study on the breach, I found that God can make a breach according to 2 Samuel 6:8. And whatever happens, God has the best plan, and who can question the all mighty God, he is a just God. Who can question his judgment? Sometimes, we charge God foolishly when trouble is due to our own doings. In 2 Samuel 6, David was angry because a well-meaning man was killed. David and thirty thousand of his men set out from Judah to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem on a new cart from the house of Abinadab when he saw how the Lord had blessed Abinadab. To insure God’s blessing on the entire nation, he wanted to bring it to Jerusalem.

However, Abinadab’s house was on a hill and, when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon Uzzah, reached out and took hold of the ark of God because the oxen stumbled. David and his household were celebrating before the Lord when the unexpected happened. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore, God struck him down and he died beside the Ark of God.

Yes, the question is, Was God’s anger just? Yes, because God always warns us before.

Destruction comes. Therefore, they knew the rules. Sometimes, we do wrong, meaning well, and sometimes, we don’t think before we act. Now they had the presence of God with them. He didn’t need to catch the Almighty God. However, some of us trust our own efforts rather than trust God. Thank God for doctors, but most people trust the doctor’s word rather than the Word of God, and his Word is forever settled on high. Back to the ark, it was to be carried by the Levites only. (1) They were to use the carrying poles; (2) there were never to touch it; (3) to touch it was a capital offense under the Hebrew law (Num. 4:15). God’s anger was directed at both David and Uzzah. David placed the Ark of God on a cart, following the Philistines example, rather than God’s commands. Uzzah, in his desire to protect the Ark of God, had to face the sin of touching it. There are times when we don’t understand and seem as if God is unjust and that is because we don’t understand the whole matter and get ourselves in trouble trying to imitate others. Nevertheless, God is just however the circumstances might look. Uzzah was overtaken by looks and emotion. Looks can be deceiving; they were in the very presence of God. Numbers 10:35 and Judges 20:27 are the first appearance of the ark, as the ark of the covenant of Elohim, which means infinite strength and absolute faithfulness. So from that, to touch it was an irreverent act. Nevertheless, I’m a witness that God can make a breach, and he is still just, no doubt about it. And this is my story. In 2010, the Lord spoke to my spirit saying, Mary, I’m the Lord thy God, your season is over at Elam, leave and I will show you where to go, to be an encouragement to the people.

I said, I always wanted to reconnect at my home church when I retired.

He said, Did you ask if that was what I wanted?

I said, No, I thought it was a good thing to do. The breach was my leaving my relative and friend.

However, I continued the conversation. Well, Lord, I guess my season is over at Elam because the pastor has taken me down from the three positions I was over, such as the evangelism department, vice president of the young adult choir and the intercessory prayer group. Moreover, I heard the Spirit say, That isn’t the pastor, it is me taking you down, I need you to leave, then I will show you where to go. My answer was, Yes, Lord. At that time, I thought the Lord was sending me out of my home church to a better church. Not that Elam wasn’t a good church, it is a very good church, more so than what it was when I first went to Florida. It’s Sunday church, music, drums, three choirs, three Sunday school classes, new membership class, Wednesday 6:00 p.m. Bible study, every three months the circle of prayer. Moreover, under the leadership of the new pastor, a new church was built out on the main highway. The first establishment was back in the woods. Thank God for that. Nevertheless, I felt good that the Lord was speaking to me and that the church would be a bigger church. Well, I thought he would not send me any other place, unless it was bigger or better. Otherwise, he would not require me to leave my home church. As I look back, I can see that I thought the move was all about me. Although in a few days, I found out that I was not strong as I thought I was. After saying, Yes, Lord, I began to feel doubtful, afraid to tell anyone what I heard the spirit said to my heart. I was afraid to tell my husband, and when I did tell him, he said, The devil told you that because God doesn’t tell people to leave their church. Some Christians believe that way. However, Jesus said my sheep know my voice and another they will not follow (John 10:3–5). I knew his voice, I didn’t doubt the Holy Spirit, but I doubted what people would say. So I said, Lord, people will talk about me, who will believe me, they will call me a church hopper, being blown by every wind and doctrine and just leaving out of the flesh because the pastor rebuked her in church service.

Yes, I knew all this was devil’s talk, and you have to be aware of the thoughts he will bring to your mind. And as for as open rebuke, I’m better because of it. Nevertheless, I heard the Spirit say tenderly, I know what they will say about you. They persecuted me before you, and they crucified me. Nevertheless, I said, Yes, Lord. I lost the first round.

In the days ahead, I wrestled with God with all kinds of excuses about leaving my home church, my comfort zone. I knew the Lord had spoken to me, but I acted like Jonah. I didn’t want to obey, especially after he showed me where he wanted me to go. God is faithful to his Word, he said he would show me, and he did. I was in the yard picking up paper when in a vision. I saw the church appear before me that he wanted me to go. It was a white sign with black letters. I began to plead with God not to send me there. I began to tell him things that I had heard about the pastor, that he didn’t believe God calls women to preach, and they shouldn’t be allowed in the pulpit. Even more, I said, Lord, they don’t believe like I do. I believe the church should be open every Sunday for service, Sunday school, and Bible study. I don’t believe any pastor should try to pastor two or three churches. Someone will go lacking, unless you are the overseer and you have someone to pastor the churches. Also this church was only a first and second Sunday church. I was used to going to one church every Sunday. However, the Spirit said, I know, take the extra time to work on the book, and visit other churches you like. However, I’m sending you to be of help to someone and be an encouragement to the people. And every time you go there, walk around the church and praying until you have finished the seventh time, then give a shout of praise to the Lord. I did not leave my home church right away, like Abraham did. I began to have dreams of other churches to see if one of them was the real one. I recognize this as a spirit of confusion so I would not fulfill the assignment God had for me. Also spirit of fear paralyzes, and for a while, it had me