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.”

Fight the Good Fight!

1 Timothy 6:12-16 NASB
"Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."

I have such a burden for ministers & their families. You're called of God to give your life, blood, sweat and tears. Your sacrifices so often go unnoticed, but remember, your rewards are not down here. God knows right where you are. He sees your faithfulness and obedience and the strength you may feel is fleeting, is being renewed daily by His.

Don't give up! Keep fighting the good fight of faith! There are too many around us needing to hear the message that Jesus loves them, so keep marching on!! My prayers are with you!

Walking in the Rain: Waiting for His purpose

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecc.3:1)


It was a cool autumn morning, I wanted to crawl back in bed and go to sleep. I had so much to do, but felt so blah. No amount of coffee could pull me out of these blues. I needed sunlight! It had been raining for days. Much like my life at the time, I craved a silver lining, but all I received was the cold, dark, stormy days and nights. It seemed almost ironic; the weather symbolizing my life.

As I stepped out to face the day, I began to equate this with our Spiritual journey. Oh, how we bask in the sunshine and dance in the cool breeze of the days when life is good! It’s not hard to find solace when our dreams are realized; but in the garden of life, sometimes the clouds hang low and the rain must fall.

I’m reminded of that seed planted deep within the dark, moist, soil. Hidden away from the sun's rays, fighting for life, the seed is watered and begins to grow. It brings forth life in the darkness and presses forward endlessly until it breaks through to the sun. Like the flower, God knows how much rain it takes to sustain us. It’s in those dark lonely hours we give birth to the dreams He places within us. He gives us the strength to endure the pressures all around us as we press toward His light.

With tears streaming down my face, I closed my umbrella and looked to the sky. My whole perspective had changed! No longer was I focused on all the hindrances of the rain, but on its benefits. No longer was I drawn aside by its distractions, but attracted to its rewards.

This Holiday Season, don’t be swept away by the hustle and bustle of life. Stop and take a moment to reflect on the goodness of the Lord, giving thanks for the seasons of laughter and the seasons of tears knowing that He loves you and believes in you. He’s created you with a special purpose that no one else can fulfill. So trust Him and enjoy the sunshine or a walk in the rain, as He plants His purpose in you.

Today's Prayer

In the cool, crisp breeze of the morning, I hear you gently calling, “Draw near, my love, to me.” Your sun radiates in the horizon and I’m overcome with joy and peace. What is this love that words cannot describe, but sets my weary soul at ease? What is this feeling that I feel, that somehow replaces all my grief?

You satisfy my thirsting soul and fill the hunger deep inside. You’re the breath I breathe, the song I sing, the giver of all life. I can’t imagine life without you. There’s no hope. I wouldn’t even try. You’re my redeemer and my provider; my passion and my supply. All that I long for, you more than satisfy. All that I’ll ever need, in you I know I’ll find.

Jesus, you're the lover of my soul. Without you I'm incomplete. I give you all glory, honor and praise. No one compares to you. No no one can compete. Today, I surrender all that I am to your will and your desire. Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew and rekindle that fire. Your wish is my command, O God. No matter where this road may lead. All I ask of you, my Lord, is that you fill me with more of thee.

The Voice of God

You've been hurt by those who claim to love you.
You've been rejected by your own.
You've reached out to be slapped away
Now you feel so all alone.
Your life has not been easy
You've shed more tears than most your age.
You search for truth, hope and love
I am the truth, the light, the way.
Don't be fooled by those who come in my name
Their fruits speak clearly from whom they've been sent.
Come to me, my sweet love
Speak your heart, feel free to vent.
I knew you before the world's were framed
I've prepared you for this day
I long to spend eternity with you
Let me wipe your tears away.
My grace is sufficient
My love will never end
Draw near and I will show you
I'm one on whom you can depend.
I love you more then you'll ever know
I love you more than your mind can conceive
Remove your doubts, your fear and anxieties
Come and believe
Allow me to reveal myself
so you'll know and understand
I'm not a man that I should lie
Draw near, come take my hand.

Living.

Living = Risks. With every decision, we risk whether or not it was the right one, the best one or the only one. You can't change the past but you can definitely learn from it!

Life.

Life is full of challenges. The question is, are you willing to prepare for those challenges? Are you willing to look fear in the face and kick it out of the way? Or are you going to just let life pass you by and only day dream of where you'd like to be?

Life is full of disappointment. The question is, with whom will you be most disappointed in? Will you allow others to dictate what you can and can not do or will you look deep inside yourself, pull out the inner strength needed to achieve your goals and learn to accept that not everyone will have your back?

Life is full of decisions. With each new sunrise, you're demanded to choose how you'll live that day. You're never promised tomorrow and you can't change the past, so ask yourself, "How can I make this day count?"

Life is full of discovery. In the dawning of a new day, we witness God's artistic beauties as light dispels the darkness. What terrified us in the night, with it's creaking shadows and taunting gloom, is exposed revealing we were safe all along.

Life is full of tears. Whether we laugh until we cry or cry until we laugh, life offers the opportunity for both. Facing its challenges, understanding its disappointments, realizing there are times when you don't know what decision to make, so you trust your instincts, you discover that life is really what you make it. It's about perspective. Don't casually watch life pass by, embrace it's ups and downs and when you get knocked down, get back up, brush yourself off and keep going. As long as there's breathe, there's hope. As long as there's life, there's an opportunity to live and make a difference. Are you ready?


[Woke up with these thoughts running through my head this morning.]