Great News!!

Guess what?!?!?! 

 

 

Great News!!!! 

 

 

 

 

JESUS IS COMING!!!!

Exhortation

If there's ever been a time when I know, like I know my name, Jesus could come, it's today. Saints, there's no time to play. There's a lost world all around us who need to know HE LOVES them. It's time to unite, put our armor on & move forward together in one mind (HIS MIND), one Spirit (HIS SPIRIT) & one mission (HIS MISSION)!!! Are you ready?!??!?!?!

Realizing the Dream

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NASB

When God plants dreams within our hearts, they take root and grow. Then passion and confidence collide and a beautiful explosion sets off some pretty amazing chain reactions. Believing He can make those dreams reality, we set out to explore uncharted waters, engage in scary, yet exciting excursions; the road is endless and the sky is the limit. However, a few miles into this expedition, we find ourselves staring at a detour sign, but I like what one preacher recently said, “We get frustrated by those men in orange vests and want them to get out of our way, but the fact of the matter is, they’re there to warn us the bridge is out. If you plow on through, you’re headed for danger.”

It’s true, when taking a trip, we often map out our destination by choosing the quickest routes and looking for the fast lanes of the interstate, but we’re completely oblivious to any danger awaiting us on the roads.  Eager and excited to get where we’re going, we accept the distance but quickly grow frustrated by any detours, even though we know they’re set up to protect us.

Satan, the enemy of our soul, will do whatever he possibly can to create pot holes in our lives. He’ll tear down bridges between relationships, create storms to drop debris in our path; he’ll even, try washing the road right out from under us, making us feel isolated and alone. None of these things take God by surprise. In fact, if He allows us to go through the storms, He’ll turn the opposition into opportunities to reveal His strength and glory.

It’s imperative that we remember God has a plan. He creates and gives life to the dreams He’s given us. He’s mapped out our course and will bring us to His destination. It may not be the quickest way or the route we would have chosen, but must trust Him. He’s already paved the way before us! The detours we come to our not stop signs or U-turns, but are reminders that He’s with us, protecting us and leading the way.

One of Life's Little Lessons

This morning I saw, what I thought was, a nasty dead bug lying on the floor. I grabbed a paper towel to pick him up, when immediately and to my surprise, I found he was not dead, but very much alive. I jumped, I screamed and after regaining my composure, snatched his hide up and flushed him down the toilet. I shivered from head to toe at the though that he had invaded my house. I watched with pleasure, as that little intruder floated aimlessly away. I don’t know how it got in, but I knew it couldn’t stay. This is MY house and there’s just simply no room for him and the nastiness he brings!

Feeling violated, I was reminded that no matter how clean I try to keep my home, those little pests are relentless. They’ll stop at nothing to look for ways to get in. After all, it’s what they do. They like to claim everything as their own, so they raid and steal. Sound like anyone else you know?

The Word of God describes our adversary, Satan, as a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). He’s like a roaring lion roaming to and fro, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He’s a stalker. He studies our behavior, watches every move we make and skillfully devises a plan to steal from us, with his ultimate goal being to destroy us if allowed. No matter how clean or well-constructed we are, he manages to find “cracks” to slip through, but take note, we’re not ignorant concerning his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). We can be armed and ready for his attack, if we’ll prepare our minds for action and keep sober in spirit (1 Peter 1:13). Even then, it’s not enough to crush the enemy and send him on his way. We’ve got to deal how he got in and the aftermath he leaves behind.

As I sprayed the bleach and wiped the floor, cleaning up bug remnants, I began to feel this clean kind of freedom.  I mean, before, I questioned where the bug had been and wondered if everything around me was contaminated by its nastiness. Satan has the same effect. Satan thrives off of fear so it’s imperative that we put him in his place, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) and, although I’ve cleaned my house extra hard, I realized there were more drastic measures to take.

It’s not enough to just spray the outside of my home (that’s a whole other devotion for a whole other day), I must spray inside my home and on a regular basis! It's important to cover all our bases. Where one bug got in, if not dealt with, it's there for another bug to enter. But if you deal with the problem head on, you'll save yourself a lot of time and headache!

You can be assured; Satan has perfected his craft,  so do not give him opportunity (Ephesians 4:27); remain sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). We must equip ourselves for battle (Ephesians 6:11), knowing that he’s waiting for our most vulnerable moments, those long nights when the lights are low and we're off guard, he'll start sneaking in. 

Don’t be caught off guard! Keep your eyes open and stay prepared!

1 Thessalonians 5:23

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”