We love to look back, don't we? You see it all over social media, 1) who looked at your profile most, 2) who liked your posts the most often or 3) who were your 'true' friends in 2015. I'm thankful that I don't need Facebook to tell me who my true friends are. And sometimes, it is a little scary how many of your posts some folks like or how often they look at your profile. :-)
While we can learn from looking back, our focus needs to be looking forward. May we take the lessons we learned and use them to make better choices and grow but let us not get bogged down in the 'if onlys' and 'what ifs'. We have failed in the past, all of us because we are human. The devil likes to use those failures to make us think we cannot succeed in the future.
The devil may have had our past but Jesus wants our future. He can take the things that hurt us in the past and make us stronger in the future. He can take the broken pieces and put together a beautiful picture of where we are going. His abilities have no bounds. We are limited by our very human existence but He does not have those limits.
While I've taken a moment to look back at 2015, I've seen the pain, the joy, the comfort, the distress, the heartache and the pleasure, but my focus is on tomorrow. My focus is on all the tomorrows to come. I do not know how many there will be but I know He holds each one in His hand.
I trust Him, I finally truly understand what that means. I've trusted Him with many things in the past but that is not the same as a blanket 'I trust Him'. When things happen that are our of my control, I say 'Lord, what do I do?' or 'Lord, I need You to handle this'. In the past, I've said 'Lord, here is the problem and I think this is the best way to handle it'. I'd work to make that way happen. I wasn't trusting Him. I was wanting Him to agree with me.
Now, deep down I still am happen when His way is like or similar to what I would have chosen but I'm at peace when it goes a different way entirely. Peace, not a word I've used often in my life. Yet in the last 6 months I've used it and felt it a lot.
Now there were times I took back control and the peace would go away but today I can say 'I may not like what today holds but I'm at peace that the One who made it is in control and He knows what is best. I am at peace.' Later today I may need to go back to Him and confess my desire to have control or it may not happen for a day or a week. But as a human, I'm sure it will raise it's head again. But until then I'm at peace. Once I confess and ask for His help, I'll be at peace again.
I never realized how frustrating and tiring it was not to have peace. It sucks the life right out of you. While I didn't realize it the devil knows it well and he fights to keep you away from peace. Today, know that Jesus gives peace and He wants you to have it. Begin 2016 with peace and knowing you are in His will.
I wrote the words above about trust, then a test came. Not directly to me but impacting me none the less. I trusted, I prayed, I asked others to pray. God is faithful!
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
What I Learned About Miss Clara and The War Room!
I'm going to put some history to this before I tell you what I learned. Some of you already know this but some of you may not, so I'm going to fill in the blanks for those. Forty plus years ago I met a gentleman, he was one of the most talented people I had ever met. He wasn't showy or flashy but when he sat down to play the piano, the melody that followed was magical. He had a gentle smile and eyes that twinkled when he was playing those fast beat songs. He played for the Kingsmen quartet and I was convinced no one could ever be any better than he was.
When the time came for him to move on, I hated it. I told Eldridge Fox, 'you'll never find anyone that can play as good as he can'. Now for those that are SGM lovers you know that Eldridge hired Anthony Burger and he was amazing, he was a genius at the piano although his style was very different. And I loved Anthony like a brother, if Nick had not left I would have never met this fun loving friend.
But through the years Nick Bruno continued to make a mark on SGM, he was a talented studio musician, producer, and mentor of young talent. He was behind the scenes most of the time, a place that he fit well, not because he couldn't be out front but because he could have a greater impact where he was.
The recording business has its share of the 'shysters' for lack of a better word. The ones that don't really care if you have talent as long as you have the $$ to record. The ones that tell you that you can be great when talent wise you are mediocre at best. (Now don't get on your 'we're singing for the Lord and that's all that matters high horse', if someone is taking your money to record, they need to be honest with you on your chances that you can sell what you are recording).
Nick is a kind and gracious man, but he is also honest. He doesn't lead people on, he provides honest feedback to help them grow if they are willing to do that but he is always honest. Over the years I read articles he wrote calling the industry as a whole to set standards of excellence because we serve a great God that deserves our best. I continued to admire this man and his quiet, yet firm resolve to give to the Lord his best.
So what does this have to do with the movie The War Room? Well, Miss Clara was inspired by Nick Bruno's mom, Molly Bruno. As I saw that information, my mind went back to the man that I had watched and admired for years and I saw how firm the foundation was built for his spiritual growth. It is easy to see how the prayers of his mother were answered in her son's life. It is easy to see the sure, steadiness that her influence gave him.
I, like many of you, love The War Room and Miss Clara. But even greater as a mom to see the results Miss Molly saw in her life time on her family. I still admire Nick Bruno and I respect his knowledge but now I also know and respect his heritage. I respect the love and dedication his mother had. I've seen the results of living the 'Miss Clara' life in the flesh. Thank you Miss Molly for the fine man you gave birth to and raised. I did not know the depth of his heritage until now but for 40 plus years I have seen the results. As a mother and grandmother this gives me hope and resolve.
As I watched an interview with Miss Molly, I saw the same smile, the same twinkle, the same quiet unassuming spirit that I have witnessed time and time again watching Nick. I was always impressed with the man that he was. I doubt he had any idea that over the years I had watched him and been impressed by his solid, soft yet strong character.
After learning this information, I am not surprised that this is the heritage of Nick Bruno, his life has shown it for years.
When the time came for him to move on, I hated it. I told Eldridge Fox, 'you'll never find anyone that can play as good as he can'. Now for those that are SGM lovers you know that Eldridge hired Anthony Burger and he was amazing, he was a genius at the piano although his style was very different. And I loved Anthony like a brother, if Nick had not left I would have never met this fun loving friend.
But through the years Nick Bruno continued to make a mark on SGM, he was a talented studio musician, producer, and mentor of young talent. He was behind the scenes most of the time, a place that he fit well, not because he couldn't be out front but because he could have a greater impact where he was.
The recording business has its share of the 'shysters' for lack of a better word. The ones that don't really care if you have talent as long as you have the $$ to record. The ones that tell you that you can be great when talent wise you are mediocre at best. (Now don't get on your 'we're singing for the Lord and that's all that matters high horse', if someone is taking your money to record, they need to be honest with you on your chances that you can sell what you are recording).
Nick is a kind and gracious man, but he is also honest. He doesn't lead people on, he provides honest feedback to help them grow if they are willing to do that but he is always honest. Over the years I read articles he wrote calling the industry as a whole to set standards of excellence because we serve a great God that deserves our best. I continued to admire this man and his quiet, yet firm resolve to give to the Lord his best.
So what does this have to do with the movie The War Room? Well, Miss Clara was inspired by Nick Bruno's mom, Molly Bruno. As I saw that information, my mind went back to the man that I had watched and admired for years and I saw how firm the foundation was built for his spiritual growth. It is easy to see how the prayers of his mother were answered in her son's life. It is easy to see the sure, steadiness that her influence gave him.
I, like many of you, love The War Room and Miss Clara. But even greater as a mom to see the results Miss Molly saw in her life time on her family. I still admire Nick Bruno and I respect his knowledge but now I also know and respect his heritage. I respect the love and dedication his mother had. I've seen the results of living the 'Miss Clara' life in the flesh. Thank you Miss Molly for the fine man you gave birth to and raised. I did not know the depth of his heritage until now but for 40 plus years I have seen the results. As a mother and grandmother this gives me hope and resolve.
As I watched an interview with Miss Molly, I saw the same smile, the same twinkle, the same quiet unassuming spirit that I have witnessed time and time again watching Nick. I was always impressed with the man that he was. I doubt he had any idea that over the years I had watched him and been impressed by his solid, soft yet strong character.
After learning this information, I am not surprised that this is the heritage of Nick Bruno, his life has shown it for years.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Where Are The Parents?
So normally I stay on the spiritual track, not the political but this blog covers some of each. Over Christmas a mob of 2,000 teenagers terrorized shoppers at a mall in Louisville, KY. I know Louisville fairly well, I visited there a number of times. While there were areas that I didn't feel 'as safe' (just like most cities have), I felt fairly safe there.
Louisville KY, not in CA or NY, in KY is where this happened. Now before I say how foolish and reckless these kids were, I have to ask, 'Where were the parents?' There were 2,000 teenagers just out and NO ONE knew what they were doing? No one had any idea? No one heard something on the news and realized their child was at the mall and headed there? No one was at the mall with their child - not necessarily walking with them but being in the same building.
I mean with 2,000 teenagers you are looking at, what at least 3,000 parents (some of the teenagers could be in the same family) but in all likelihood closer to 4,000-5,000 with step-parents included. None of them were there or within a quick distance? I'm sorry but I didn't see a single note anywhere about parents arriving and trying to remove their teenagers. How does this happen?
It happens because many parents don't care, others are afraid they will be the 'mean' parent if they have rules and stick to them. Still others are so caught up in defending the 'rights' of their precious angels that they forget all the people at that mall had rights too. And one of those rights is the right to bear arms. Kentucky is a concealed carry state.
I have not seen the media have an outcry on this situation. But if one of those shoppers that was pushed, shoved, terrorized and chased by these hoodlums (yes, I called them hoodlums, if you don't want to be labeled one, don't act like one) had pulled out his/her .38/.380/.357 I bet the headlines would be everywhere.
And heaven forbid that a real parent that is there with a child, puts a well placed bullet in the jackass that is pushing and shoving their small child and causing nightmares that will last for a long time. I wonder if KY had the new law that TX is enacting of open carry and these teenagers had walked into a mall and seen 50-70% of the people with a gun in their holster, would they have acted so recklessly? Would they have had the mentality 'well, they can't shoot us all?' or would they have realized 'they may not can shoot us all, but they might shoot me?'
It's hard to say, but even for teenagers caught up in a mob mentality, I think at least a good portion of them would have thought twice about what they were doing. In fact, if there were open carry everywhere, I think the 'plan' may have never made it to fruition.
As parents we have to take the responsibility for teaching our children right from wrong and that 'rights' don't mean we can be bullies or take other's rights away. If we teach them to love others, the anger and frustration that led to this may not happen. If we teach them to follow Jesus commands, they can see when they are not doing it.
But we also need to teach them to fight, but our main battle is in the spiritual realm. If you doubt for one second that this mob was caused by the evil one, the father of lies, you are wrong. He wants our children, if he can destroy them when they are young, he has a good chance of controlling them all their lives. If he can kill them before they come to know Jesus, he has won that battle. We need to be on our knees praying not just for our children but for ALL children that they will see the light of Jesus love. That is the only hope for our future.
Louisville KY, not in CA or NY, in KY is where this happened. Now before I say how foolish and reckless these kids were, I have to ask, 'Where were the parents?' There were 2,000 teenagers just out and NO ONE knew what they were doing? No one had any idea? No one heard something on the news and realized their child was at the mall and headed there? No one was at the mall with their child - not necessarily walking with them but being in the same building.
I mean with 2,000 teenagers you are looking at, what at least 3,000 parents (some of the teenagers could be in the same family) but in all likelihood closer to 4,000-5,000 with step-parents included. None of them were there or within a quick distance? I'm sorry but I didn't see a single note anywhere about parents arriving and trying to remove their teenagers. How does this happen?
It happens because many parents don't care, others are afraid they will be the 'mean' parent if they have rules and stick to them. Still others are so caught up in defending the 'rights' of their precious angels that they forget all the people at that mall had rights too. And one of those rights is the right to bear arms. Kentucky is a concealed carry state.
I have not seen the media have an outcry on this situation. But if one of those shoppers that was pushed, shoved, terrorized and chased by these hoodlums (yes, I called them hoodlums, if you don't want to be labeled one, don't act like one) had pulled out his/her .38/.380/.357 I bet the headlines would be everywhere.
And heaven forbid that a real parent that is there with a child, puts a well placed bullet in the jackass that is pushing and shoving their small child and causing nightmares that will last for a long time. I wonder if KY had the new law that TX is enacting of open carry and these teenagers had walked into a mall and seen 50-70% of the people with a gun in their holster, would they have acted so recklessly? Would they have had the mentality 'well, they can't shoot us all?' or would they have realized 'they may not can shoot us all, but they might shoot me?'
It's hard to say, but even for teenagers caught up in a mob mentality, I think at least a good portion of them would have thought twice about what they were doing. In fact, if there were open carry everywhere, I think the 'plan' may have never made it to fruition.
As parents we have to take the responsibility for teaching our children right from wrong and that 'rights' don't mean we can be bullies or take other's rights away. If we teach them to love others, the anger and frustration that led to this may not happen. If we teach them to follow Jesus commands, they can see when they are not doing it.
But we also need to teach them to fight, but our main battle is in the spiritual realm. If you doubt for one second that this mob was caused by the evil one, the father of lies, you are wrong. He wants our children, if he can destroy them when they are young, he has a good chance of controlling them all their lives. If he can kill them before they come to know Jesus, he has won that battle. We need to be on our knees praying not just for our children but for ALL children that they will see the light of Jesus love. That is the only hope for our future.
Friday, December 25, 2015
Merry Christmas!
Luke 2
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed . 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius
was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went
to be taxed , every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem; * (because he was of the house and lineage of
David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife,
being great with child. 6 And so it was , that, while they were there,
the days were accomplished that she should be delivered . 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son,
and wrapped him in swaddling clothes , and laid him in a manger; because there
was no room for them in the inn. 8 And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field * , keeping watch
over their flock by night. 9 And, lo , the angel of the Lord came upon
them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore
afraid * . 10 And the angel said unto
them, Fear not: for, behold , I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people. 11 For unto you
is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes , lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying , 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men. 15 And it
came to pass , as the angels were gone away from them into heaven *, the
shepherds * said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see
this thing which is come to pass , which the Lord hath made known unto us.
The greatest gift from heaven was given! Come let us worship the King! Thursday, December 24, 2015
What Are You Doing on Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve, a day that used to bring much rushing and planning and cooking for me, now it is a day of pretty much solitude. Erin will be with her dad and family, there are no family gatherings planned or cooking to be done. There will be no one at the house for Christmas day dinner so nothing to prepare there, as happens families grow and go their separate ways.
It is the reason many people don't like Christmas or are depressed by it. I get it. This year is very different for me, granny and papa are both gone. While we didn't have a Christmas dinner last year, one was planned but papa fell just days before Christmas and he in the hospital, we visited there instead. So this year are just memories of what previous years entailed. Gathering with my aunt & uncle and their family for 'snack foods', going to look at Christmas lights, coming home and waiting for Christmas morning.
I don't know if the family Christmas day dinners will happen again next year or not. It would be nice but not sure what the plan will be. So many things can happen before then. This year for the first time I'll be going to a Christmas Eve service. I think I may have gone to one or two over the years but the years I went to didn't normally have them or if they did, our family was doing family things and did not go. I'm looking forward to the new tradition.
And I do look forward to seeing Erin open her gifts and I pray that we can impress on her what the real gift of Christmas is. It isn't the big present, it is the real presence of God that is important. Today as you are preparing for family and friends, I pray you are prepared to meet the Lord as well. And if you are alone on this special day, know that Jesus is a friend that will not leave or forsake you! He is with you always if you accept Him as your Savior.
Today He wants you to know Him. He came as a baby in manager, lived and died but more importantly rose again that you could live with Him eternally. If you don't know Him, I pray that you come to Him today. He loves you, He died for you and if you know Him as your Savior, He is coming again for you! Be ready!
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
What Is Your Grown-up Christmas Wish?
Christmas, for children it is a fun and magical time, for adults, not so much. At least that is true a lot of the time. So often we have become numbed by the commercial side of Christmas and often fail to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Others seek to deny or ignore the real meaning of Christmas. For many, Christmas is a time of missing loved ones, feeling alone and general depression.
Yet as Christians, whether we act like it or not, we know the real reason for Christmas. God came to man, to seek and save that which was lost. At Christmas our goal should be to share Christ with all that will listen. Yet we often get caught up, just as the unsaved do, rushing about and forgetting the very best gift of all.
As a parent my Christmas wish is that my child (who is grown) come to understand fully the love that God has for her and that she be drawn to Him in a more real and special way that she ever thought possible. It is that she serve the Lord with gladness and that she lead her daughter, my grandchild, in spiritual knowledge.
As a grandparent, my wish is for protection and growth for my granddaughter. It is that God will keep her heart, mind and soul true to Him and free from satan's snares. That God will protect her mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally from all that could harm her. That her parents, even though they have gone their separate ways, would co-parent her with Godly standards and nurture her in a loving manner. That their respective partners would help raise her and any other children they may have in a peaceful and loving environment.
I wish for my granddaughter many things that her mother and I never had but the most important one is the love and attention of both of her parents with a focus on God to direct them. I wish this for all children but especially for those that come in contact with my granddaughter.
My wish for her teachers, both school and church, is that they will honor her and the other children with respect for them and love toward them with a God given love. My wish for her future is that she follow the path God has for her. That God would be preparing now the man He has for her that he would be a man of character and integrity. That he would honor God, his parents and someday his wife with all his actions.
My wish for my daughter and granddaughter is that I never reach the point of life that my care is a burden. That God allow me to take care of myself until He takes me home regardless of how soon or long that may be.
My wishes don't involve money or gifts, they are for my family to have love and strength as well as joy and peace throughout their lives.
I wish that for you as well.
Merry Christmas!!!
Yet as Christians, whether we act like it or not, we know the real reason for Christmas. God came to man, to seek and save that which was lost. At Christmas our goal should be to share Christ with all that will listen. Yet we often get caught up, just as the unsaved do, rushing about and forgetting the very best gift of all.
As a parent my Christmas wish is that my child (who is grown) come to understand fully the love that God has for her and that she be drawn to Him in a more real and special way that she ever thought possible. It is that she serve the Lord with gladness and that she lead her daughter, my grandchild, in spiritual knowledge.
As a grandparent, my wish is for protection and growth for my granddaughter. It is that God will keep her heart, mind and soul true to Him and free from satan's snares. That God will protect her mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally from all that could harm her. That her parents, even though they have gone their separate ways, would co-parent her with Godly standards and nurture her in a loving manner. That their respective partners would help raise her and any other children they may have in a peaceful and loving environment.
I wish for my granddaughter many things that her mother and I never had but the most important one is the love and attention of both of her parents with a focus on God to direct them. I wish this for all children but especially for those that come in contact with my granddaughter.
My wish for her teachers, both school and church, is that they will honor her and the other children with respect for them and love toward them with a God given love. My wish for her future is that she follow the path God has for her. That God would be preparing now the man He has for her that he would be a man of character and integrity. That he would honor God, his parents and someday his wife with all his actions.
My wish for my daughter and granddaughter is that I never reach the point of life that my care is a burden. That God allow me to take care of myself until He takes me home regardless of how soon or long that may be.
My wishes don't involve money or gifts, they are for my family to have love and strength as well as joy and peace throughout their lives.
I wish that for you as well.
Merry Christmas!!!
Monday, December 21, 2015
It's Not My Way
Sometimes phrases catch my attention. Often we say things and really don't realize how they come across. I just want to say that I've followed 'my plan' for my life and it brought me very little good. Only on those days that I follow God's plan can I have the very best. The very best of life is what He wants for me, it's what I want too, the difference is He truly knows what is best.
I often think I do, I have great plans, I see it all and think 'this is how it will be'. Yet usually that is satan's whispers. Now I know God can give you dreams of what He wants for you, but usually those things are not the easy things. He pushes us out of our comfort zone so instead of good we get awesome!
He says 'do this' and we say 'who, me? are You kidding?' But when we follow His direction we see how truly it is the very best. I've said it before, I love to write, I write poetry, I write this blog. Sometimes I've thought 'that would make a good song' but I don't play an instrument, I might 'hear' a tune with it but I have not way to 'put it' with it. But more than once I felt like God wanted me to write a song. But I had all the reasons why I could not. While I would have loved to do it, I was afraid. I know some AWESOME songwriters! I know folks who have written like amazing gospel songs! 'Lord, you want ME to write one? There are already some great songwriters out there!'
A few weeks ago while preaching my pastor said a phrase, then he said 'that would make a great song lyric', I wrote it down. But I didn't do anything with it. Then earlier this week our minister of music text me. He said 'I want you to write a song using this phrase that Greg Lenz said in the evening service'. Seriously? So now you are ganging up with God on me?
But I sat down and I wrote some poetry, it told a good story using the lyric. I text it back to him. He asked me if I had a tune to go with it and I realized I did. So I started trying the wording out of the music. Some of it worked and some of it didn't. By Wednesday morning I had it more lyrically rhythmic. While not a 'finished work' I knew it was sing-able. I sent him a video singing it. I still wasn't completely satisfied but I knew it was a song, not just poetry.
Then I took the phrase the pastor has said belonged in a song, and very quickly had the words for that as well. Now I don't know that either of these will ever be sung anywhere other than my church. I don't know if I'll write another song. But I know this, once I wrote those words and heard the tune that would make it a song, I knew I had followed God's instructions. I felt His 'well done'. Nothing else really matters. He wanted me to follow His instructions and I did. I wrote a song, two of them actually.
Now what does that have to do with 'my plan'? My human desire is to do things 'my way' so I can boast in myself. But to truly be successful I need to do it 'God's Way'. I need to trust Him and Obey Him. I need to be willing to step out of my comfort zone and let God use me, work through me.
Will that way lead to greater things? Yes, maybe not in the world's eyes but that way will lead to Him saying 'Well done' which is the greatest accolade I can ever receive.
Friday, December 18, 2015
When the Heart Hurts
Can I share my heart today? My heart hurts, it hurts for so many folks. It hurts for those that have lost loved ones, it hurts for those sitting by the bedside of someone sick with a doctor saying 'there is no hope'. It hurts for those that are lost and have no hope in Jesus. At least those hurting that know Jesus, they have a comforter, but those that don't know Him, they don't have that.
Then there are those that know Him but have turned their back. I believe that hurt is even worse, deep down you know what will help but you have moved so far away that you doubt you can get back. You know there is hope, yet you feel hopeless. You may be angry at God or just disassociated, but whatever the reason, you do not have that closeness that brings His peace and comfort.
I wish there was a way for folks to see the lessons we have learned and not have learn them the hard way but often we are not willing to look at the results of others and realize that will be our results as well if we take the same path. We believe we are invincible. We will be the exception. Yet we aren't. We go down that path that satan has tricked us into believing is a 'better way' and we meet the same disillusionment and heartache that the last person did.
But today can be different, you are the one that can change it. You can realize that if you don't know Christ, you really know nothing. You may be educated but you have no wisdom. You may have a degree but you lack the most important title of all 'His child'.
I look at those going down a road I have walked and fallen on and I want to caught them, to save them. But all I can do is try to warn them. For it to have any affect, they must listen. My task is to try to warn and pray. I can't make them listen. I can't force the decision. That's hard for me, I'm a fixer.
As we are nearing Christmas, I pray that you will listen to the message of the Christ child. I pray that you will listen to those warning of things that will harm you. I pray that you will begin the relationship with Christ or return to it.
Today I pray, tomorrow I'll pray too. My prayer will be for all to learn of His grace too.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
How To Truly Help a Negative Person
Do you know someone that ALWAYS is the victim? No matter what, they have it worse, they have been hurt worse, they just have all the bad things happen. Now for every bad thing that happens to them in most cases at least 3 or 4 good things happen. They have food and shelter, they have people who love them, but they just can't get past the negative.
Negative thoughts will make you sick, to be honest they can almost kill you! They will destroy your friendships, your family, they will make it impossible to work with others. Yet all the while the negative person sees this as someone else's fault. Because someone must be at fault. There cannot be a 'it just happened', someone must take the blame and it will be the person that they choose.
Ok, I asked earlier if you knew someone like that. So for the first time in my blog writing, I'm assigning homework! Now I know everyone LOVES homework, yeah right. But this homework is good for you and it can be good for them. I want you to write down the name of that person(s) somewhere that you will see it on a daily basis. Now every time you see it, pray for them! I mean really pray, pray that they will see God in the sunset and His works in the falling rain. Pray that God will release them from the pain that is causing them to be negative.
Because it is almost always pain that causes negativity. Hurting people hurt people, it's a proven fact. If you see this person, smile at them even if they do not smile back. If you see them do something that can be encouraged, do it! Find something that they did well and tell them you appreciate it. Now I warn you, this may be met with suspicion or even hostility. If they have been negative for a while, they have grown used to that world. And they may have never seen anyone willing to cross the barrier they have built around themselves.
But 'hide and watch', it may take time but if you continue to pray and you continue to smile, somewhere along the way, you are going to see a crack in that barrier. 'Why would I do that you may ask?' Well I'm glad you asked, you do it because Jesus said to love others as we love ourselves. In praying for someone that is negative or bitter you see two things happen, you begin to care more deeply about them and what is causing them to hurt and you begin to crack the barrier so you can plant a seed of hope. You also may recognize some of the walls you have put up yourself and how others may view them as you spend that time praying for God to bring their barriers down. God can use your care and concern for others to help you to grow. God does amazing things when we let Him!
If you agree to do this, let me know. You can message me on Facebook or comment here, if you know my number you can text me. But between now and Christmas I want to see if others are willing to do this. I want to hear if you see God do something, it may not be immediately but plant, water and wait!
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
How Do You Fix it?
Do you ever wish you could just 'fix it'? It doesn't t matter if 'it' is a health issue, a family problem, a financial dilemma, friendship in need of repair, we want to fix it. Or at least I do. I can't stand that something can't be fixed. Yet in many cases, unless the person(s) turn to Jesus, there is no fix.
When you see someone hurting, don't you want to make the hurt go away? Even if you know their actions brought the hurt on them or at least contributed to it. God is a God of love but He still allows us to reap what we sow.
I've seen it so many times in my own life. I look at a circumstance that is so far from what I want or think is best and I realize, I sowed those seeds. This is my harvest. Thankfully there are a few times I can look and see a harvest that I'm not ashamed of. But often it is the carelessness of youth that or the disregard of wise counsel that sets our steps in motion.
Once we begin a path, we can find it hard to leave it and go to a better path. We may hate what this path is bringing but we are stubborn and self-willed. Maybe you are reading this and that wasn't the case with you, well God bless you! But most of the folks I know have been down that path at least a few times.
What is amazing to me is how often God forgives all the pain we cause, all the misdeeds we do. But while He does forgive, our actions can leave scars that we carry with us and those scars can impact us for years. If I were lost and were to murder someone, in prison should someone reach me with the gospel of Christ and I give my heart and life to Jesus, the prison doors are not going to automatically swing open.
The same is true of the scars you carry. I carry scars today, some are of actions done to me but others, the ones that usually bother me the most are scars of what I have done either to myself or others. I can never truly fix that situation. I hope by the grace of God to mend those situations with others. Daily I have to make the commitment to forgive myself for those things I've done. I thank God for His forgiveness, I pray that individuals will forgive me but I have to forgive myself unless I want those scars to continue to damage my life. Forgiving yourself and forgiving others is a process, you can't just wake up one day 'say I forgive' and it is over. The devil knows where those bodies are buried and he's going to do his best to use them against you.
Only God has the tools it takes to fix many things. We have to turn it over to Him. We must leave it there when we do. Failure to do that means the scars continue put up road blocks and hurt us. I hope today that you can make headway in finding the forgiveness you need. Forgiveness from the Savior, from others and from yourself. It is the only real fix. It is the way to move forward.
When you see someone hurting, don't you want to make the hurt go away? Even if you know their actions brought the hurt on them or at least contributed to it. God is a God of love but He still allows us to reap what we sow.
I've seen it so many times in my own life. I look at a circumstance that is so far from what I want or think is best and I realize, I sowed those seeds. This is my harvest. Thankfully there are a few times I can look and see a harvest that I'm not ashamed of. But often it is the carelessness of youth that or the disregard of wise counsel that sets our steps in motion.
Once we begin a path, we can find it hard to leave it and go to a better path. We may hate what this path is bringing but we are stubborn and self-willed. Maybe you are reading this and that wasn't the case with you, well God bless you! But most of the folks I know have been down that path at least a few times.
What is amazing to me is how often God forgives all the pain we cause, all the misdeeds we do. But while He does forgive, our actions can leave scars that we carry with us and those scars can impact us for years. If I were lost and were to murder someone, in prison should someone reach me with the gospel of Christ and I give my heart and life to Jesus, the prison doors are not going to automatically swing open.
The same is true of the scars you carry. I carry scars today, some are of actions done to me but others, the ones that usually bother me the most are scars of what I have done either to myself or others. I can never truly fix that situation. I hope by the grace of God to mend those situations with others. Daily I have to make the commitment to forgive myself for those things I've done. I thank God for His forgiveness, I pray that individuals will forgive me but I have to forgive myself unless I want those scars to continue to damage my life. Forgiving yourself and forgiving others is a process, you can't just wake up one day 'say I forgive' and it is over. The devil knows where those bodies are buried and he's going to do his best to use them against you.
Only God has the tools it takes to fix many things. We have to turn it over to Him. We must leave it there when we do. Failure to do that means the scars continue put up road blocks and hurt us. I hope today that you can make headway in finding the forgiveness you need. Forgiveness from the Savior, from others and from yourself. It is the only real fix. It is the way to move forward.
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Where Is Your Affection Today?
Col. 3:2 - Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
When you dwell or set your mind on things of earth, you lose sight of what God is doing. This time of year you see a lot of depression, a lot of grief and a lot of self absorption. The holidays are hard when we have lost those we love. It's even harder if things were not 100% right with you and them. Have you ever been there with someone you love?
I have. It may or may not be your fault. The fault isn't always a major part of the guilt. In fact, when you feel that guilt, you are going to assign fault, sometimes to yourself but often to them or others. If 'this person' had not done 'this thing' then my relationship 'with that person' would have been what it should have been. Pointing fingers is so easy. And at least for a little while it eases the guilt.
I wish I could for just a moment remove the veil so you can see how totally that is from the father of all lies, satan! What it really does is create anger (usually on both sides), destroy relationships and avoid finding a resolution. Now all resolutions aren't 'peaches and cream'. Sometimes the resolution is accepting that you cannot change the past but you can move forward in the present. Don't neglect the current for history! Don't allow bad decisions you have made to push you to more bad decisions today.
When you set your affection on things above, you begin to look at the big picture. What will this (whatever your circumstance) matter a week from now, a year from now or in eternity? If it won't, it is a thing of earth and you don't need to get attached to it.
In today's world we are surrounded by 'things' and we love our things. We give them names, we hold them close, we pay them more attention than we do our friends and family. Yet when the time comes to comfort your family in a receiving line, those things will not be there. When they are looking for someone to speak at your funeral, those things will not say a word.
It is the lives you have touched, the people you have loved that will be there if you have set your affection on things above. Today as we come into a season that often brings with it tears and regrets, determine that your affection - your contentment, your sights will be set on things above, not things of earth.
The best part of your story/testimony may well not be written yet. If you let go of things and set your love and attention on things that build God's kingdom, He can do amazing things. I once heard someone say 'I don't have a compelling testimony, I never did drugs, had an abortion or even sex outside of marriage. I was raised in church and once I got saved at age 11, I never strayed very far from God.' Wow! Now that is a testimony! Look at the things God kept you from! Look at the dangers He prevented.
But most of us aren't that fortunate, even if we were raised in church most of us have some things in our life that are hard, ugly and full of sin. God's bringing you to Him from that is indeed a testimony! But don't dwell there too long! Praise God for all He has done but realize that bringing you from that is not the whole story, He has plans for you! He wants you to serve Him today.
When you dwell or set your mind on things of earth, you lose sight of what God is doing. This time of year you see a lot of depression, a lot of grief and a lot of self absorption. The holidays are hard when we have lost those we love. It's even harder if things were not 100% right with you and them. Have you ever been there with someone you love?
I have. It may or may not be your fault. The fault isn't always a major part of the guilt. In fact, when you feel that guilt, you are going to assign fault, sometimes to yourself but often to them or others. If 'this person' had not done 'this thing' then my relationship 'with that person' would have been what it should have been. Pointing fingers is so easy. And at least for a little while it eases the guilt.
I wish I could for just a moment remove the veil so you can see how totally that is from the father of all lies, satan! What it really does is create anger (usually on both sides), destroy relationships and avoid finding a resolution. Now all resolutions aren't 'peaches and cream'. Sometimes the resolution is accepting that you cannot change the past but you can move forward in the present. Don't neglect the current for history! Don't allow bad decisions you have made to push you to more bad decisions today.
When you set your affection on things above, you begin to look at the big picture. What will this (whatever your circumstance) matter a week from now, a year from now or in eternity? If it won't, it is a thing of earth and you don't need to get attached to it.
In today's world we are surrounded by 'things' and we love our things. We give them names, we hold them close, we pay them more attention than we do our friends and family. Yet when the time comes to comfort your family in a receiving line, those things will not be there. When they are looking for someone to speak at your funeral, those things will not say a word.
It is the lives you have touched, the people you have loved that will be there if you have set your affection on things above. Today as we come into a season that often brings with it tears and regrets, determine that your affection - your contentment, your sights will be set on things above, not things of earth.
The best part of your story/testimony may well not be written yet. If you let go of things and set your love and attention on things that build God's kingdom, He can do amazing things. I once heard someone say 'I don't have a compelling testimony, I never did drugs, had an abortion or even sex outside of marriage. I was raised in church and once I got saved at age 11, I never strayed very far from God.' Wow! Now that is a testimony! Look at the things God kept you from! Look at the dangers He prevented.
But most of us aren't that fortunate, even if we were raised in church most of us have some things in our life that are hard, ugly and full of sin. God's bringing you to Him from that is indeed a testimony! But don't dwell there too long! Praise God for all He has done but realize that bringing you from that is not the whole story, He has plans for you! He wants you to serve Him today.
Monday, December 14, 2015
Out of the Comfort Zone
When God wants you to do something that pushes you out of your comfort zone, He often has to tell us repeatedly. We tell him all the reasons we will not be good at it. We tell Him all the ways we will fail at it. What I find almost amusing at times is, that at the same time we fight because it is outside of our comfort zone, we also feel that tug of desire. We often use that to put ourselves on the outside fringe of a job or activity so we can attempt to satisfy the desire without giving ourselves wholeheartedly to the task at hand.
Sound familiar to anyone? I know I've done it before. I still do it. I don't like being outside my comfort zone. Yet I've found that is where God works best because I must fully reply on Him to make it happen. He has a perfect plan.
Yet we allow satan to whisper the doubts, to steal the joy and to make our hearts beat fast with anxiety about following God's plan. We forget, in that moment of fear, what He has already brought us through. We say 'I know God can, but'. Whatever you put after that 'but' is a question of God's power.
I heard a young man speak over the weekend and he told about the 12 minutes his heart quit beating on a basketball court in June. From all medical perspective that young man should not have been standing to talk with us. In a series of happenings only God could have orchestrated, the exact people where there that could do chest compressions (he had 600 done to him during that time) and breathe for him. This young man at 16 years old had gone into cardiac arrest. Seldom does anyone at that age survive that, add the 12 minutes that he for all practical purposes he was 'gone' and the odds are astronomical.
Yet as those in the stands began to call out to the God of heaven, their prayers were heard. Not only did he live, he has all his brain and body functions, no damage! It is a miracle that no one can deny.
Yet daily God does miracles, they may not be death-defying yet they are miracles. A child accepts Christ, a teenager accepts God's call on their lives, these are miracles. God loves me, that's a miracle. I say a lot that I fail a lot, that isn't true. I fail, more than a lot! I fail over and over and God is still there. There is nothing I can do that He will not love me.
That love is more that I can comprehend and so much more than I could ever deserve. If what I got was based on me being 'good', I would get hell. My best efforts are so inadequate. And Christ tells us to love our neighbors the way He loves us. I'm so guilty of not following this. Well, my neighbors, as in the ones that live on my street, maybe a few of them. Others I've never met. I don't know if they are lost or saved. I don't know if they know the God of miracles.
Again, that is a failure. When God has done so much for me, how can I not share His love. Yet, I give you that I'm busy, they don't speak, they are never home or all the other reasons that I haven't shared the greatest event in my life, my salvation. How disappointed the Father must be as He looks down. I do share at times but I know I have not taken every opportunity that God has given me. Lord, please forgive me.
As I've tried to seek His will more and more I've realized more and more how much of a nothing I am and how Great He Is! In spite of that, He loves me and He always has my best interest at heart. Thank you Lord, for sparing us when we deserve to die and for keeping us when we deserve nothing.
Sound familiar to anyone? I know I've done it before. I still do it. I don't like being outside my comfort zone. Yet I've found that is where God works best because I must fully reply on Him to make it happen. He has a perfect plan.
Yet we allow satan to whisper the doubts, to steal the joy and to make our hearts beat fast with anxiety about following God's plan. We forget, in that moment of fear, what He has already brought us through. We say 'I know God can, but'. Whatever you put after that 'but' is a question of God's power.
I heard a young man speak over the weekend and he told about the 12 minutes his heart quit beating on a basketball court in June. From all medical perspective that young man should not have been standing to talk with us. In a series of happenings only God could have orchestrated, the exact people where there that could do chest compressions (he had 600 done to him during that time) and breathe for him. This young man at 16 years old had gone into cardiac arrest. Seldom does anyone at that age survive that, add the 12 minutes that he for all practical purposes he was 'gone' and the odds are astronomical.
Yet as those in the stands began to call out to the God of heaven, their prayers were heard. Not only did he live, he has all his brain and body functions, no damage! It is a miracle that no one can deny.
Yet daily God does miracles, they may not be death-defying yet they are miracles. A child accepts Christ, a teenager accepts God's call on their lives, these are miracles. God loves me, that's a miracle. I say a lot that I fail a lot, that isn't true. I fail, more than a lot! I fail over and over and God is still there. There is nothing I can do that He will not love me.
That love is more that I can comprehend and so much more than I could ever deserve. If what I got was based on me being 'good', I would get hell. My best efforts are so inadequate. And Christ tells us to love our neighbors the way He loves us. I'm so guilty of not following this. Well, my neighbors, as in the ones that live on my street, maybe a few of them. Others I've never met. I don't know if they are lost or saved. I don't know if they know the God of miracles.
Again, that is a failure. When God has done so much for me, how can I not share His love. Yet, I give you that I'm busy, they don't speak, they are never home or all the other reasons that I haven't shared the greatest event in my life, my salvation. How disappointed the Father must be as He looks down. I do share at times but I know I have not taken every opportunity that God has given me. Lord, please forgive me.
As I've tried to seek His will more and more I've realized more and more how much of a nothing I am and how Great He Is! In spite of that, He loves me and He always has my best interest at heart. Thank you Lord, for sparing us when we deserve to die and for keeping us when we deserve nothing.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
The Country After the Storm
Acts 27 has a powerful message in it. I recommend you spend some time reading it. Our pastor preached on it the last 2 weeks and while I've both read and hear it preached before there was still some good lessons to be learned there. One of the first lessons is that the man of God warned them of what was ahead.
Boy, that one rings a bell with me about many storms I've gone through. I thought I knew what was best, I did things my way and I sent myself directly into the storm. It's easy to blame God for the storm and to give up but we could often avoid the worst of the storm if we are on good terms with the Master of the Sea. Just as the centurion in this chapter thought he knew best, we go headlong into the 'hurricane' ahead.
We look about as the storm becomes worse and worse and wonder what to do. How did we get here? Why are we here and how do we handle this? Ever been there? I sure have, far more often than I care to admit.
Sometimes much like Paul, we really do know what was best but our course is not ours to control, someone else was 'in charge' and we go through the storms because they didn't listen to God. Often when the storm rages for days, weeks, months and even years, we feel that all hope is gone. Anyone that says that doesn't happen to them, I admit I'm suspicious of them. :-) Because we are all human, we may put on the mask of never doubting or never having a bad day, but that's just not true.
One of the best parts of the sermon was verse 23, God makes His presence known to Paul. God was there all the time, when the winds were light and as they grew stronger. When the rain was sprinkling and when it was pouring down. When they had gone days without seeing the sun or stars. God was there because He will never leave us or forsake us. But in verse 23, He makes His presence known. He assures Paul of a victory, no life will be lost. It is so awesome when we can see God move, when we can hear His voice.
The devil tries to imitate it, he tries to fool us into thinking what he whispers is really God's voice. He tries to make us doubt what we know. But when God reveals His presence it is unmistakable. And God will send you confirmation, I know this because recently I had it happened. I was 'sure' of what I believed was right but I asked Him to please confirm it because I'm human and I'm weak. He did, in a very real way in a matter of minutes. Now sometimes it takes longer and we just have to hang on and trust. But sometimes He is gracious and gives us our answer immediately.
Erin and I were talking about prayer last night on the way home. She was questioning some things I told her she needed to pray about it. She said 'I prayed about it last night but God hasn't answered'. Trying to explain to an 8 year about God's timing was an interesting conversation. And while she still wants her answer 'now', I think she has a better grip on why it may take time.
God can give peace in the most stressful situations. If you will allow Him to, He can control your words and actions. But that one is hard. While Paul did remind the people on the ship that they should have listened to him, somehow I doubt that is fully what he may have wanted to say about the subject. I mean seriously, guys, I told you what God said, you refused to listen and look at the mess you got us in. You do realize this is your fault, right? But while he did remind them they should have listened he also shared the promise God had given him that no life would be lost. He gave them hope, he gave them something to hold on too.
Then there is the ending of the chapter, they reached that other country. That is where we long to be, it is where all will be joy. No depression, no pain, no hurt, no sickness, there will be eternal joy and peace. I long for that. I'm ready for that. I've seen enough pain, felt enough. I've been through heartbreak, watched as others have gone through. I've questioned how it could be this way. But through it all, I know there is a promise of a better day coming. That is the hope I must focus on.
Boy, that one rings a bell with me about many storms I've gone through. I thought I knew what was best, I did things my way and I sent myself directly into the storm. It's easy to blame God for the storm and to give up but we could often avoid the worst of the storm if we are on good terms with the Master of the Sea. Just as the centurion in this chapter thought he knew best, we go headlong into the 'hurricane' ahead.
We look about as the storm becomes worse and worse and wonder what to do. How did we get here? Why are we here and how do we handle this? Ever been there? I sure have, far more often than I care to admit.
Sometimes much like Paul, we really do know what was best but our course is not ours to control, someone else was 'in charge' and we go through the storms because they didn't listen to God. Often when the storm rages for days, weeks, months and even years, we feel that all hope is gone. Anyone that says that doesn't happen to them, I admit I'm suspicious of them. :-) Because we are all human, we may put on the mask of never doubting or never having a bad day, but that's just not true.
One of the best parts of the sermon was verse 23, God makes His presence known to Paul. God was there all the time, when the winds were light and as they grew stronger. When the rain was sprinkling and when it was pouring down. When they had gone days without seeing the sun or stars. God was there because He will never leave us or forsake us. But in verse 23, He makes His presence known. He assures Paul of a victory, no life will be lost. It is so awesome when we can see God move, when we can hear His voice.
The devil tries to imitate it, he tries to fool us into thinking what he whispers is really God's voice. He tries to make us doubt what we know. But when God reveals His presence it is unmistakable. And God will send you confirmation, I know this because recently I had it happened. I was 'sure' of what I believed was right but I asked Him to please confirm it because I'm human and I'm weak. He did, in a very real way in a matter of minutes. Now sometimes it takes longer and we just have to hang on and trust. But sometimes He is gracious and gives us our answer immediately.
Erin and I were talking about prayer last night on the way home. She was questioning some things I told her she needed to pray about it. She said 'I prayed about it last night but God hasn't answered'. Trying to explain to an 8 year about God's timing was an interesting conversation. And while she still wants her answer 'now', I think she has a better grip on why it may take time.
God can give peace in the most stressful situations. If you will allow Him to, He can control your words and actions. But that one is hard. While Paul did remind the people on the ship that they should have listened to him, somehow I doubt that is fully what he may have wanted to say about the subject. I mean seriously, guys, I told you what God said, you refused to listen and look at the mess you got us in. You do realize this is your fault, right? But while he did remind them they should have listened he also shared the promise God had given him that no life would be lost. He gave them hope, he gave them something to hold on too.
Then there is the ending of the chapter, they reached that other country. That is where we long to be, it is where all will be joy. No depression, no pain, no hurt, no sickness, there will be eternal joy and peace. I long for that. I'm ready for that. I've seen enough pain, felt enough. I've been through heartbreak, watched as others have gone through. I've questioned how it could be this way. But through it all, I know there is a promise of a better day coming. That is the hope I must focus on.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Outrageous and That's A Good Thing!
Listened to a young man preach last night, his enthusiasm was overwhelming. You know why? Because he got it! He understood how unworthy we are! He understood how much Jesus suffered. He understood that every day is a blessing. He used a word a number of times and I don't know if I'll ever hear this word without thinking of his message. He called what Christ did 'outrageous'. From every human perspective it truly is!
I'm so glad that God doesn't look at things from a human perspective, I'd be in real trouble. As Logan spoke he said "that God would love me, knowing every sin I would commit, knowing every time I would fail, knowing all about me, He loved me. Jesus DIED for me, that is outrageous". And he is so right!
If we could grasp, the overwhelming love that He has for us, if we could get just a glimpse of how much we mean to Him. If we could understand how much He wants to be there to help us. Maybe then we would see just a small part of how much He loves us.
We can't comprehend it, our minds are just too finite to get them wrapped around it. Yet we need to lay hold of it and claim it by the blood of the lamb. We need to accept that gift that so freely given.
So many are hurting today, in fact, I'd say it may be a safe bet to say that everyone is hurting today. Oh, some hurts may not be overwhelming or the person going through it may have learned to deal with it. But it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Losing loved ones hurts, I've been there. Yet yesterday a friend's child passed away, I can't comprehend the grief there, I've never lost a child to death.
Some folks lose children in other ways, they are still alive but they have barriers that no one can break, no one but Jesus. I pray for those families today because for them while it seems like a loss, there is a chance for a new beginning and I pray that God will move in their lives and give that to them.
As we go into this season of celebrating Christ's birth, I pray that His peace and comfort will minister to hearts. I pray that God will guide us to be that light of Christmas to them.
I'm so glad that God doesn't look at things from a human perspective, I'd be in real trouble. As Logan spoke he said "that God would love me, knowing every sin I would commit, knowing every time I would fail, knowing all about me, He loved me. Jesus DIED for me, that is outrageous". And he is so right!
If we could grasp, the overwhelming love that He has for us, if we could get just a glimpse of how much we mean to Him. If we could understand how much He wants to be there to help us. Maybe then we would see just a small part of how much He loves us.
We can't comprehend it, our minds are just too finite to get them wrapped around it. Yet we need to lay hold of it and claim it by the blood of the lamb. We need to accept that gift that so freely given.
So many are hurting today, in fact, I'd say it may be a safe bet to say that everyone is hurting today. Oh, some hurts may not be overwhelming or the person going through it may have learned to deal with it. But it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Losing loved ones hurts, I've been there. Yet yesterday a friend's child passed away, I can't comprehend the grief there, I've never lost a child to death.
Some folks lose children in other ways, they are still alive but they have barriers that no one can break, no one but Jesus. I pray for those families today because for them while it seems like a loss, there is a chance for a new beginning and I pray that God will move in their lives and give that to them.
As we go into this season of celebrating Christ's birth, I pray that His peace and comfort will minister to hearts. I pray that God will guide us to be that light of Christmas to them.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Spiritual Attacks, We Must Fight With What God Gives Us
Last night a post showed up on my Facebook timeline, there was such truth in it. It was the 5 Ways To Overcome A Spiritual Attack. 1) Pray - oh, how important this one is! We must seek God, we must seek His guidance, His protection! 2) Speak and Believe Truth - as I've said before satan can't read our minds, but he can hear our words and see our actions. We must tell the devil that God is the victor, that He is our strength and protection. We need to believe that! We need to act on that! If satan sees us being defeated, he knows he has done his job. 3) Choose Not To Fear - this one is hard because the devil keeps putting the reasons in our heart and mind that things will go wrong, that is part of his attack. He doesn't give up easily so telling him that he has lost has to be repeated over and over and we must move forward in the confidence that Jesus gives us.
4) Let Go Of Control - ok, it started meddling right here for me. Control- I am a control freak. I don't want to be, I know that I can't really be and trust God yet that part of my personality raises it's head over and over. You see I have a plan for everything. So if something is going wrong, I want to fix it. Admitting that I can't fix it, that is painful for me. Not being able to control what happens next can send me into panic mode if I'm not totally committing to God in the situation. 5) Watch God Work - I so love this one! He works in spite of me, He works and uses me, He works and protects me. No matter what I think the answer should be He works and the perfect answer comes. He amazes me over and over with how He works.
In reading these it seems so simple and it is easy, yet as humans it is also hard. Our emotions make it hard for us to defeat that panic and depression that satan tries to throw our way. Yet God will give us strength if we will just give it to Him. But how many times do we give it to Him, only to grab it back? I can't speak for others but for me, it has been many times. I'm so guilty of this! Because you see, I have a plan or I'm looking for a plan, there must be a plan! I fail to see that God has a greater plan and I need to get out of the way. But He is patient with me, He doesn't leave because I'm trying to take over His plan, He gives me grace.
Today I'm striving to make Prayer be my first step, not the last. I'm more active in taking God's word and telling satan that I believe what God said, not the devil whispers. Fear - it is normal, yet perfect love casts out fear and the love God has for me is perfect, I must trust it! I'm still working on the Let Go Of Control but I remind myself daily that He must be in control, not me, I'm just not up to the job! My favorite part of this strategy though is Watching God Work - He does, He is faithful, He loves me, He loves you and He wants to work in our lives.
Today I know the devil has attacked, I am praying, I'm rebuking the power of satan because my God is greater! As fear creeps in, I shake my head and say 'get out'. My God is faithful and I will not fear what comes, I trust the Almighty God! I struggle with control, that struggle I know comes from the whispers 'what if I don't do something and then something bad happens', 'what if I don't move and I should', or 'what if this isn't fear, it is God telling me to move?' But deep down I know the difference between the fear the devil plants and the urgency of God's voice speaking, so I will wait.
I'm ready to Watch God Work! I'm ready for the victory but I must cling to the fact that victory was won at Calvary. These daily battles are just satan trying to make some points but the score is already out of reach. Just like when a team runs up the score in a football game, the other team may try to 'put points on the board' so it doesn't look as bad as it is but everyone knows that the game is over, the victory is already secure.
Today my victory is secure, my soul is at peace in knowing MY GOD is greater. He is MINE. He loves me no matter how many times I may have fear, I may fail to pray, I may allow the devil to cause me to be frustrated or depressed and no matter how many times I try to take control, He is still there!
Now is the time to Watch God Work, it is time to turn my heart and mind to what He has already done. There is nothing He cannot do and He has proven Himself faithful and true!
4) Let Go Of Control - ok, it started meddling right here for me. Control- I am a control freak. I don't want to be, I know that I can't really be and trust God yet that part of my personality raises it's head over and over. You see I have a plan for everything. So if something is going wrong, I want to fix it. Admitting that I can't fix it, that is painful for me. Not being able to control what happens next can send me into panic mode if I'm not totally committing to God in the situation. 5) Watch God Work - I so love this one! He works in spite of me, He works and uses me, He works and protects me. No matter what I think the answer should be He works and the perfect answer comes. He amazes me over and over with how He works.
In reading these it seems so simple and it is easy, yet as humans it is also hard. Our emotions make it hard for us to defeat that panic and depression that satan tries to throw our way. Yet God will give us strength if we will just give it to Him. But how many times do we give it to Him, only to grab it back? I can't speak for others but for me, it has been many times. I'm so guilty of this! Because you see, I have a plan or I'm looking for a plan, there must be a plan! I fail to see that God has a greater plan and I need to get out of the way. But He is patient with me, He doesn't leave because I'm trying to take over His plan, He gives me grace.
Today I'm striving to make Prayer be my first step, not the last. I'm more active in taking God's word and telling satan that I believe what God said, not the devil whispers. Fear - it is normal, yet perfect love casts out fear and the love God has for me is perfect, I must trust it! I'm still working on the Let Go Of Control but I remind myself daily that He must be in control, not me, I'm just not up to the job! My favorite part of this strategy though is Watching God Work - He does, He is faithful, He loves me, He loves you and He wants to work in our lives.
Today I know the devil has attacked, I am praying, I'm rebuking the power of satan because my God is greater! As fear creeps in, I shake my head and say 'get out'. My God is faithful and I will not fear what comes, I trust the Almighty God! I struggle with control, that struggle I know comes from the whispers 'what if I don't do something and then something bad happens', 'what if I don't move and I should', or 'what if this isn't fear, it is God telling me to move?' But deep down I know the difference between the fear the devil plants and the urgency of God's voice speaking, so I will wait.
I'm ready to Watch God Work! I'm ready for the victory but I must cling to the fact that victory was won at Calvary. These daily battles are just satan trying to make some points but the score is already out of reach. Just like when a team runs up the score in a football game, the other team may try to 'put points on the board' so it doesn't look as bad as it is but everyone knows that the game is over, the victory is already secure.
Today my victory is secure, my soul is at peace in knowing MY GOD is greater. He is MINE. He loves me no matter how many times I may have fear, I may fail to pray, I may allow the devil to cause me to be frustrated or depressed and no matter how many times I try to take control, He is still there!
Now is the time to Watch God Work, it is time to turn my heart and mind to what He has already done. There is nothing He cannot do and He has proven Himself faithful and true!
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Hearing the Cry that Touches Your Heart
Satan cannot read your mind, but he pays close attention to your words. He looks for clues to what will hinder you and what will cause you to stumble. He doesn't know what is going on in your mind unless you tell him, but he is constantly planting thoughts there. Ever have a day that every thought coming into your mind is negative, check to see which shoulder you are allowing him to sit on. He is the negative thought, the temptation, the deceptive voice that truly wants to kill and destroy you and your family.
If he can make you believe that God doesn't care, your family doesn't love you or you are just plain alone, he is going to do his best to make it happen. And if he can make you think you are unworthy of love, God's or your family's, that is one of his greatest weapons. Now I'm not writing today to tell you how great satan is.
I'm writing to tell you how defeated he is! God is greater! Every day and every time God is greater! You just have to trust God, you just have to turn to Him. You have to rebuke satan and stop listening to him. He can't hear your thoughts but he needs to hear you tell him out loud that he is a liar, he is defeated, he is NOT going to destroy your family!
He can take his best shot and he still can't win. Now does that mean there will not be bad days, no it doesn't. Does it mean you will never be sick or lose a loved one, nope. What it means is that Jesus is there with you every step of the way and He is your comfort, your peace.
Yesterday morning I felt bad, not going to lie. I had a number of things frustrating me. Then I got a call my daughter was on the way to the hospital so off I went. I hate sitting at hospitals. But there we sat for hours. Thankfully her issues were not overly serious. As I sat there I realized chances of making it to church last night were slim and I admit it, I let satan get the better of me there, I gave in without much of fight, I mean you can't stop time and the clock was ticking. But even as I said there thinking I probably would not make it, I whispered 'even if I miss church tonight satan, you are not going to win'. I wasn't fighting the race of the clock but I knew I had to let the devil know that I knew he was up to his old tricks.
Then my granddaughter called. She was crying, she wanted to go to her church and unless we got out of the hospital quickly it wasn't going to happen. Hearing her cries my resolve to do everything in my power to get her to church rose. A little bit later my daughter was released. But getting her where she needed to go and getting my granddaughter to church still looked almost impossible. I delivered my daughter and looked at the clock. At best we would be late, the question was how late.
I called Erin's other grandmother, told her the situation, could we make it work to meet and get Erin to church? She said yes, she could meet me with Erin. So off I raced, praying all the way that we could make the time frame work.
We were late, only about 8 minutes but as she ran toward her class, I looked up and said 'you didn't win devil, we made it'. You see Sunday we were out of town so we weren't able to be at our church, last Wednesday I was dealing with a situation with my aunt and the Sunday night prior Erin was sick so we were homesick for our church. I admit that I was a bit depressed when I thought that we would miss again last night. I really didn't feel good and I was so tired, I just didn't think I could push through to make it.
Yet the cries of my granddaughter put a fight in me, her heart breaking ignited a flame that said 'I have to do something about this'. Just as the cries of His children makes our Lord rise up to our defense, it made me straighten up and say 'I will not let satan win'. As I look back now I realize how gracious God was to me. He knew I was weak but He knew where my fight was and He directed me to it. Just as He responds to the prayers of His children, He knew I would respond to the plead of our granddaughter.
Parents, do you love your child(ren)? Grandparents, would you move heaven and earth for those grandkids? Our love is nothing compared to God's! He hears us and He answers us! It may not be in our time or it may not be the answer we wanted but He cannot ignore the cries of His children. Satan, step back because my God is greater! I am not match for the devil, but I have a Father and Big Brother who have defeated him on every hand and they will continue to do so. That is my hope, that is my strength, that is my victory!!
If he can make you believe that God doesn't care, your family doesn't love you or you are just plain alone, he is going to do his best to make it happen. And if he can make you think you are unworthy of love, God's or your family's, that is one of his greatest weapons. Now I'm not writing today to tell you how great satan is.
I'm writing to tell you how defeated he is! God is greater! Every day and every time God is greater! You just have to trust God, you just have to turn to Him. You have to rebuke satan and stop listening to him. He can't hear your thoughts but he needs to hear you tell him out loud that he is a liar, he is defeated, he is NOT going to destroy your family!
He can take his best shot and he still can't win. Now does that mean there will not be bad days, no it doesn't. Does it mean you will never be sick or lose a loved one, nope. What it means is that Jesus is there with you every step of the way and He is your comfort, your peace.
Yesterday morning I felt bad, not going to lie. I had a number of things frustrating me. Then I got a call my daughter was on the way to the hospital so off I went. I hate sitting at hospitals. But there we sat for hours. Thankfully her issues were not overly serious. As I sat there I realized chances of making it to church last night were slim and I admit it, I let satan get the better of me there, I gave in without much of fight, I mean you can't stop time and the clock was ticking. But even as I said there thinking I probably would not make it, I whispered 'even if I miss church tonight satan, you are not going to win'. I wasn't fighting the race of the clock but I knew I had to let the devil know that I knew he was up to his old tricks.
Then my granddaughter called. She was crying, she wanted to go to her church and unless we got out of the hospital quickly it wasn't going to happen. Hearing her cries my resolve to do everything in my power to get her to church rose. A little bit later my daughter was released. But getting her where she needed to go and getting my granddaughter to church still looked almost impossible. I delivered my daughter and looked at the clock. At best we would be late, the question was how late.
I called Erin's other grandmother, told her the situation, could we make it work to meet and get Erin to church? She said yes, she could meet me with Erin. So off I raced, praying all the way that we could make the time frame work.
We were late, only about 8 minutes but as she ran toward her class, I looked up and said 'you didn't win devil, we made it'. You see Sunday we were out of town so we weren't able to be at our church, last Wednesday I was dealing with a situation with my aunt and the Sunday night prior Erin was sick so we were homesick for our church. I admit that I was a bit depressed when I thought that we would miss again last night. I really didn't feel good and I was so tired, I just didn't think I could push through to make it.
Yet the cries of my granddaughter put a fight in me, her heart breaking ignited a flame that said 'I have to do something about this'. Just as the cries of His children makes our Lord rise up to our defense, it made me straighten up and say 'I will not let satan win'. As I look back now I realize how gracious God was to me. He knew I was weak but He knew where my fight was and He directed me to it. Just as He responds to the prayers of His children, He knew I would respond to the plead of our granddaughter.
Parents, do you love your child(ren)? Grandparents, would you move heaven and earth for those grandkids? Our love is nothing compared to God's! He hears us and He answers us! It may not be in our time or it may not be the answer we wanted but He cannot ignore the cries of His children. Satan, step back because my God is greater! I am not match for the devil, but I have a Father and Big Brother who have defeated him on every hand and they will continue to do so. That is my hope, that is my strength, that is my victory!!
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
The War for the Mind
I haven't written anything in weeks. Why, you may ask. Well, it is a combination of things. First, I felt that I was pounding away so often at the same subjects and I allowed the devil to convince me that 'you need something new', 'folks get tired of reading about the same subject all the time'. Then sickness has been at our house. When I felt like moving and doing anything there was so much to be done. I felt frustrated, I had missed church because of being sick or someone else in the family being sick. I felt that I was becoming stagnated.
All of that boils down to one thing. Once again, the devil stole from me! He stole my joy of writing, he stole my peace of God directing. You'd think I'd learn! If it's negative, it's coming from him and he is the father of lies.
Over the last few days I realized that I need to keep hitting the same notes. I need to sing the same song. I need to make sure that on all days I keep my praise. We are at war, yep, I said it again. War - we have an enemy but he is slick, he knows every trick!
He uses our weaknesses. He sees our insecurity and he magnifies it. He uses our minds against us. Did you know that you can allow your mind and emotions to kill your body? You can get so caught up in the 'downers' that you can't function. You know that it is the devil that fear of the unknown keeps you stuck in place. You know the devil is moving but what is that big scary thing called the unknown? It could be worse, it could be more painful, it could hit you harder, so you stay in that place and allow the devil to torment your mind.
The mind can cause physical sickness or at least physical symptoms. I've seen it make a person shake uncontrollably. I've seen it make a person feel sick to their stomach, even cause their BP to go up and down. Here is a really scary thing about how satan works in someone that has depression, mental disorders, anxiety, he keeps taking it up a notch. You go into a strange crowd and you feel a little bit of the stress, then he whispers 'they are all looking at you' or 'they know what you did' or 'they can tell you don't belong'. And the stress level increases, with that increase, your heart pumps faster and your breathing may become erratic. This scares you because you don't know what physical symptom is next so instead of crying out to the Father, you let the father of lies continue to whisper in your ear. 'They don't want you', 'they don't need you', 'you are a bother', every negative thing imaginable. He just keeps filling your ears full of it. And until you are able to turn to God and say 'Father, make him stop', he will continue.
Then the really sly part begins on his end. 'If you aren't needy, will they even care?', 'they won't be there if you find deliverance from this and you'll be alone' or maybe it is 'I am so alone, I need them to care about me'. So he continues to plant the seeds and put the voices in our ear. Here is where he can get to you best, because at this point you don't want to say anything out loud because 'they' may hear. Yet if you don't rebuke what is happening verbally, satan can't hear you either. He can't read our minds. When you think, 'devil I'm done', he doesn't hear that. You have to SAY IT! Say it loud and say it Strong!
I've been humming the song 'This Means War' for the last few days. Again God has shown me, I have to fight the devil. You have to fight the devil. We can't fight him this week and think that is sufficient for the month or the year. It is a daily battle and we have to put on the full armor and fight. 'I plead, I plead the blood!' That has to be my most important weapon! I have to plead the blood, I have to take up my sword, I have to put on my shield. I must daily fight.
And we must fight for each other. Today, do you know someone that seems to be caught in a trap of the enemy? Someone that daily seems to be sinking further and further? Then pray for them, call them by name. Pray for their deliverance, pray that they see what they must do to be delivered. Because our deliverance comes when we do what God tells us. Just like he told Naman to go to the muddy river of Jordan and dip 7 times, God often asks that we do things that we see no value in. But the value is in the obedience, not in the thing. There was not healing at the 6th dip, it took the 7th. When Israel was marching around Jericho, the victory came on the 7th time around because God told them to go around 7 times.
If you are battling with depression or other torments of the mind, there can be value in counseling or medication if it is caused by something physical but there is something that God wants of you. There is something He is telling you to do. It may be to fall on an altar at church, or nail 'it' to the cross, or it could be something else that shows your obedience. But whatever it is, you have to do it. And as you do that you need to plead the blood and claim Jesus at His word. Claim His promise for your healing and know that as that fear and depression depart, you must fill that space with something. Jesus is the best 'filler'. He can fill every crack, every crevice.
The devil loves to play with your mind, he loves to bring depression, he loves to create chaos. He will if you will let him. Satan will put a gag order on your life. He will have you hiding all the ugliness and pain. He will tell you that they will not love you or forgive you. He will tell you that they will not want you there. Because he is a liar!
Satan wants you confused, hurting, depressed and angry. He can use that. But when you plead the blood, his reign is over. There is power in the blood and satan cannot defeat that power. So today I declare again 'This Means War' and 'I plead, I plead the blood'! The blood of Jesus. It is my victory, it is my deliverance.
Are you willing to fight? Are you ready for battle? Daily we must fight, we must believe. Will you plead the blood? Will you pray for those around us? Will you because a solider?
All of that boils down to one thing. Once again, the devil stole from me! He stole my joy of writing, he stole my peace of God directing. You'd think I'd learn! If it's negative, it's coming from him and he is the father of lies.
Over the last few days I realized that I need to keep hitting the same notes. I need to sing the same song. I need to make sure that on all days I keep my praise. We are at war, yep, I said it again. War - we have an enemy but he is slick, he knows every trick!
He uses our weaknesses. He sees our insecurity and he magnifies it. He uses our minds against us. Did you know that you can allow your mind and emotions to kill your body? You can get so caught up in the 'downers' that you can't function. You know that it is the devil that fear of the unknown keeps you stuck in place. You know the devil is moving but what is that big scary thing called the unknown? It could be worse, it could be more painful, it could hit you harder, so you stay in that place and allow the devil to torment your mind.
The mind can cause physical sickness or at least physical symptoms. I've seen it make a person shake uncontrollably. I've seen it make a person feel sick to their stomach, even cause their BP to go up and down. Here is a really scary thing about how satan works in someone that has depression, mental disorders, anxiety, he keeps taking it up a notch. You go into a strange crowd and you feel a little bit of the stress, then he whispers 'they are all looking at you' or 'they know what you did' or 'they can tell you don't belong'. And the stress level increases, with that increase, your heart pumps faster and your breathing may become erratic. This scares you because you don't know what physical symptom is next so instead of crying out to the Father, you let the father of lies continue to whisper in your ear. 'They don't want you', 'they don't need you', 'you are a bother', every negative thing imaginable. He just keeps filling your ears full of it. And until you are able to turn to God and say 'Father, make him stop', he will continue.
Then the really sly part begins on his end. 'If you aren't needy, will they even care?', 'they won't be there if you find deliverance from this and you'll be alone' or maybe it is 'I am so alone, I need them to care about me'. So he continues to plant the seeds and put the voices in our ear. Here is where he can get to you best, because at this point you don't want to say anything out loud because 'they' may hear. Yet if you don't rebuke what is happening verbally, satan can't hear you either. He can't read our minds. When you think, 'devil I'm done', he doesn't hear that. You have to SAY IT! Say it loud and say it Strong!
I've been humming the song 'This Means War' for the last few days. Again God has shown me, I have to fight the devil. You have to fight the devil. We can't fight him this week and think that is sufficient for the month or the year. It is a daily battle and we have to put on the full armor and fight. 'I plead, I plead the blood!' That has to be my most important weapon! I have to plead the blood, I have to take up my sword, I have to put on my shield. I must daily fight.
And we must fight for each other. Today, do you know someone that seems to be caught in a trap of the enemy? Someone that daily seems to be sinking further and further? Then pray for them, call them by name. Pray for their deliverance, pray that they see what they must do to be delivered. Because our deliverance comes when we do what God tells us. Just like he told Naman to go to the muddy river of Jordan and dip 7 times, God often asks that we do things that we see no value in. But the value is in the obedience, not in the thing. There was not healing at the 6th dip, it took the 7th. When Israel was marching around Jericho, the victory came on the 7th time around because God told them to go around 7 times.
If you are battling with depression or other torments of the mind, there can be value in counseling or medication if it is caused by something physical but there is something that God wants of you. There is something He is telling you to do. It may be to fall on an altar at church, or nail 'it' to the cross, or it could be something else that shows your obedience. But whatever it is, you have to do it. And as you do that you need to plead the blood and claim Jesus at His word. Claim His promise for your healing and know that as that fear and depression depart, you must fill that space with something. Jesus is the best 'filler'. He can fill every crack, every crevice.
The devil loves to play with your mind, he loves to bring depression, he loves to create chaos. He will if you will let him. Satan will put a gag order on your life. He will have you hiding all the ugliness and pain. He will tell you that they will not love you or forgive you. He will tell you that they will not want you there. Because he is a liar!
Satan wants you confused, hurting, depressed and angry. He can use that. But when you plead the blood, his reign is over. There is power in the blood and satan cannot defeat that power. So today I declare again 'This Means War' and 'I plead, I plead the blood'! The blood of Jesus. It is my victory, it is my deliverance.
Are you willing to fight? Are you ready for battle? Daily we must fight, we must believe. Will you plead the blood? Will you pray for those around us? Will you because a solider?
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