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Philippians 4:6-7, My take…

Jul1
mountainside praying at sunrise
Saying thanks even when we don’t feel like it!

I have a one hour drive to the small country church where my husband pastors. The routine is he leaves before me and I drive in about an hour and half later. The larger portions of my journey are down a rural highway. So mostly I get to enjoy the displays of the four seasons whose star attraction is the stately trees.

Since the drive is somewhat lengthy, I habitually plug in my phone to a music app and select “Contemporary Christian Bands.” Since I am the sole listener, I get to pay attention to the words. And I pay attention because God is always faithful to whisper truths I need to be reminded of.

With grandchildren growing up and out, I just don’t get to enjoy their companionship as I use to. And because my kids either live too far away or a busy life prevents visits, their company is lacking as well. It’s hard to adjust to my solemn days. And I have to confess, lonely. My husband is a big help for having to do for him, keeps my mind occupied. But as a mom and grandmother, I find that the temptation to worry increases as the time between visits decreases.

Thus on the trip to church last Sunday God directed me to do something I hadn’t really done before. He charged me to evaluate the inner voice that was reminding me of the declining moments of memory making with my children and grans. To ask myself what was that inner voice trying to accomplish by reminding me of my sadness. I thought I was just pondering these sad thoughts in an attempt to try an understanding my aching heart.

While listening to a variety of songs I was reminded of God’s question. And I began noticing something. The words in the songs, reflected God’s faithfulness, mercy, compassion, and, yes, blessings even in difficult days. But that didn’t match up with the dialog in my head. So obviously, it wasn’t that I needed to have a better understanding of my troubles. The whisperings I was getting from God was ‘change the record.’

The point God was making was beginning to sink in. The feelings of sadness (feeling sorry for myself) were not prompted by God. With His encouragement, I now evaluate those thoughts as to their origin. And, as to their purpose. The answer is pretty obvious.

All I have to do to thwart the enemy’s attacks is to thank God for this season of my life. Children grow up and often move away. But God doesn’t run out of ideas for our lives when our house grows quiet and empty. Turning to Him in anticipation of what’s next will reveal new things to be thankful for. By allowing an attitude of thanksgiving to rule my thoughts. I will know peace. Not worry. Not sadness. Not loneliness. But a new appreciation for the changes God is making in my life.

Turn my eyes…Psalm 119:37

Jun17
Family of five sitting on a couch using various digital devices including smartphones, a tablet, and a handheld console

Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;
give me life in Your ways. Psalm 119:37 HCSB

When my grans were younger I had the extreme pleasure of interacting with them often. Goodness that was fun. But I digress! I would remind them that I prayed for them whenever they came to my mind. Often, God would give me a verse that zeroed in on their needs. Praying for my own 4 (their parents, of course) gave me the foundation for how to pray. And as time refined my prayer effort, I learned that praying Scripture that applied to a need strengthened my prayers.

Psalm 119:37 addresses the need we have as parents and adults to deal with the digital crises of today. Why, most children today learned to tap a screen before they learned to read! Parents, unaware that they were loosing their own creative power to model desirable behavior, handed their toddlers a device to keep them occupied. Not only did the power to train their children toward good behavior suffer loss, their children became addicted to the pull of the digital screen. And guess what, those children are now adults and they are suffering from the same addiction.

I’m not blogging about something you are not aware of. But while we are beginning to sit up and take notice, what are we doing about it? Well, one thing we have got to grasp is the fact that too much screen time is a gateway to temptation. It’s kinda like opening Pandora’s box. For not just for children, but for adults as well.

But you know what? It’s not only digital screens that provide a gateway to temptation. What about the shows we watch on tv or movies or music videos? What about our reading material? And then again, while the danger may not be in what we are looking at necessarily, what about the time we spend looking at it? What about that inner voice that questions us about the time we are spending on screens?When we gain the momentum to turn away from the worthless distractions (just go ahead and label these fiery darts) of the enemy, we need the protective power of God’s wisdom to know what to turn to.

Christian parents and/or adults take heed. The Bible speaks to this directly. How are we going to be able to identify what is worthless? We start with anything that contradicts Scripture. Obviously, it’s up to us to become familiar enough with God’s word in order to recognize the contradictions. Then in identifying the contradictions we must be able to turn from them. Again, the wisdom and strength we need to pull this off is found in Scripture.

So if we desire a life shaped by the word of God for ourselves and our children, then we must be willing to turn from the worthless distractions fashioned by the enemy. The Bible will show us how!

Philippians 4:6-7, My take…

May6

When the apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Philippian Christians, he was in prison in Rome. And while in chains he is writing this letter of encouragement and joy to them. Seriously! How is it possible that Paul could avoid being anxious or not worry in such a setting? Paul gave the formula for how such a thing is accomplished. Pray! And not only pray but pray with an attitude of thanksgiving.

This verse gives us a lot to take in. Our sin nature balks when we are told not to worry. It’s quite difficult to face a challenging situation that any normal human being wouldn’t worry about. Oh, and may I remind you about the fiery darts. Worry or being anxious is definitely one of the enemy’s most often used weapons against us.

So don’t let worry or anxiety catch us off guard. Don’t for one minute believe the lie that we can’t help worrying. Therefore, in order to prevent being overwhelmed with worrisome thoughts, we need to shift our focus. And that’s where prayer comes in. Prayer must be our default response when the temptation to worry or become anxious assaults us. Two components of prayer in this verse are: the kind of prayer where we share our feelings about the situation with God, and petition is where we make specific requests concerning the situation.

In this verse we are advised to flavor all those prayers with an attitude of thanksgiving. Maybe I can describe how this works with a personal antidote. A reoccurring temptation to worry about my future often makes attempts to intrude my thought processes. But I know if I allow those thoughts to enter my head, they will take over. (FD’s 3rd edition, p66) Therefore, I immediately put a ‘Not welcomed” sign over the doorway of my mind when those fiery darts attempt entry. And I block those temptations with prayer.

In my time of prayer I not only cry out to God about my worries, but I frame them within an attitude of thanksgiving. I thank God that He is in control of my situation. That He is my refuge and strength which I can call upon. That in the midst of my circumstance God’s comforting presence is with me. Eventually, an unexplainable sense of peace will fill in the space left by the rejected worry.

So, we can worry thus invite an assortment of fiery darts. All fashioned to take up residence in our thoughts. Or we can choose to reject the enemy’s lies. And take a deep dive into the Scriptures for the mighty weapons of God that will expose the lies. These will be the Truth thoughts which will now rule our thinking. Thus, an unexplainable peace will settle over us like a calming breeze guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 2:8, My Take…

Apr29

Back in the days of Paul, the Apostle, the church at Colossae was facing a dilemma much like Christians face today. False teachings and philosophies based on human reasoning contradicted the core message of Christ. His obvious warning, therefore, was to be diligent in spending time with God in prayer and His word. And to surround themselves by a supportive community of faith. That is just the advice we need today.

Case in point. The philosophy of self-autonomy (governing oneself without outside interference) permeates society these days. Yet, I have witnessed it creating confusion in the minds of some young adults I’m close to. For they are advised by counselors (even some Christian counselors) to make decisions or choices that reflect one’s genuine self! Conforming to imposed rules or the opinions of others is to be rejected. You know, like God and parents!

It’s understandable that these young victims of such a philosophy could get quite heady with this kind of freedom initially. But not having to answer to anyone but themselves eventually leads to disaster. Christian young adults who have drifted from consistent engagement of the teachings of the Bible and an encouraging community of fellow believers are most vulnerable. Without a growing source of God’s truth and supportive community, they are blinded. Unaware of how they are being manipulated, deceived, and distracted by the fiery darts of the enemy.

Consider this. An emerging adult heads out into the waters of adulthood. They leave behind the community of faith they were once a part of. Spending time with God in prayer and His word and hanging out with fellow believers no longer has the priority it should have. So what’s going to be their guiding factor when the waters get a bit rough? How will they steer themselves in the storms? At first it may be thrilling and exciting to steer their own ship. But the storms will come. What then?

As appealing as being your own boss is, it is a direct contradiction to the Truth thoughts in Scripture. This is how the enemy tricks us. Remember Eve, in the garden of Eden? Her desire to be her own boss led to the fall. And just as it will today, choices made to please ourselves alone will lead to sin.

The high sounding nonsense saturating the philosophies of our day are to be recognized and rejected. But without the power of wisdom supplied by the Truth thoughts of Scripture, we simply won’t have the discernment.

Listen, there is NOTHING in this world more fulfilling, NOTHING that offers more peace than living to please God. NOT the empty philosophies and high sounding nonsense that comes from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world!

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light

Proverbs 2:6-12, My take…

Apr22
Old monk reading ancient book protected by magical shield from dark spirits

Prov. 2:6-12,(written by Solomon)

For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up success for the upright;He is a shield for those who live with integrity so that He may guard the paths of justice and protect the way of His loyal followers. Then you will understand righteousness, justice, and integrity—every good path.  For wisdom will enter your mind, and knowledge will delight your heart.  Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you, rescuing you from the way of evil— (the protective power of wisdom) Prov. 2:6-12

I came upon this verse in search of a prayer that I could pray over my grandchildren. Some of them were embarking upon a journey into adulthood for the first time. They had proper training in their parent’s home. But now they were weighted with the responsibility of applying that training. And that, I knew would require wisdom beyond their years. So what would they do?

Would they turn their eyes from looking at (or ears from listening to) what was worthless as they had been trained? Or would they pick and choose those ideas promoted by a world view that contradicted their biblical training? There was visible evidence that both perspectives were being considered.

I had walked this treacherous path in my youth. Therefore, I was familiar with the pitfalls of human reasoning and false assumptions. The verses from 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 made it obvious as to what I was up against. Yet, upon venturing out into the world, my naivety blinded me. Naivety and immaturity. I lacked the protective power of wisdom.

Thankfully, God finally got my attention and turned me around. Just in time to prevent me from ruining my life by my own self-centeredness and self-serving ways. It started with a full surrender of my life to God. A full surrender to live my life and walk the path God had chosen for me. I began to simply “Follow His Lead.”

And with that surrendered will, I took to reading God’s word. With the Holy Spirit’s prompting, I changed the friend group I ran with. Focusing instead on surrounding myself with friends who would support my commitment to Christ. And graciously God provided those new friends. I read books that fed me spiritually. One such book was “The Saving Life of Christ” by Ian Thomas. (Published in the 1960’s. and is still in print.) With every plunge into God’s word and moments spent with God in prayer, wisdom entered my mind and knowledge delighted my heart.(just as Prov. 2:6-12 declared) At the time I didn’t recognize the protective power of wisdom. Yet, I benefited from God’s guardianship just the same.

It was the growth of knowledge and wisdom that enabled me to recognize those whose words and actions contradicted what God had been teaching me. It was only when I made choices which served my self-centeredness that I got off track. (and with my human propensity to sin the struggle to please myself over God was ever present.) Therefore, many foolish choices which would have led to harmful consequences in my life were avoided.

So the earlier the better our full surrender should be made. Which is why I fervently and consistently pray Proverbs 2:6-12 over my beloved grandchildren. Foolish choices made during this season of their lives could have serious and permanent consequences to their future. A future that needs an appreciation for the protective power of wisdom.

Remember – Ecclesiastes 12:1

Apr8

In the first verse of Chapter 12, the author admonishes us to “remember our Creator in the days of our youth.” Here’s how the NLT words it, “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor Him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”

In our younger days, particularly as we begin emerging as an adult, we can be heady about our new found freedom. We may find ourselves constantly pulling away from the restraints of our parents. When we are successful in liberating ourselves from such restraints, too often our actions are thereafter overly influenced by the desires of our hearts. A young heart that has not had time yet to be damaged by life’s unpleasantness. Yet, a heart which is naive and immature and can be easily led astray.

During this period of our lives we are just getting our balance as we take our first steps spiritually. What we once saw as not permissible for us as Christians, our immature hearts now rethink such actions. And without a steady intake of godly wisdom our hearts will become desensitized towards what is sinful (fiery darts). Our hearts will take over as our judge, not the Word of God. But what we forget is that the decisions, the choices we make in the days of our youth will follow us for the rest of our lives. (Good or bad)

When we get to the latter season of our lives we won’t find life as exhilarating as in earlier seasons. For troubles have been encountered. Some of those as consequences of choices made with a young and perhaps foolish heart. And some of those that just show up as a result of living life.

Honoring God while we are young and before life begins to knock us around builds up our spiritual reserves. So when we arrive at those not so pleasant times of life, our hearts have grown in maturity. We are less naive. As a result there is a lot less baggage with which to complicate our lives. Drawing upon our spiritual reserves, made while we were young, supplies us with protective power. Power we need in order to deal with life as we grow older. Therefore life is not as unpleasant as it would have been otherwise. All because we didn’t forget God in the days of our youth.

Add Distraction to the List

Mar25
Fix our eyes upon Jesus. Look neither to the right or left. Shut out the distractions. based on Hebrews 12:2

Think about it. What keeps us from spending time with God in prayer and His word? Most of the time, I daresay, it’s distractions. Often I have referred to the manipulation and deception of the fiery darts of the enemy. But in the last year, I have come to realize that loosing my focus can happen as a result of the fiery dart of distractions.

Lately, I am being made aware of how the enemy once again is using distractions to manipulate my focus. Our four children are scattered here and there, as well as their children (our grans). Two years ago, my best friend of twenty plus years passed away. Four years earlier my beloved mother transitioned to heaven, joining my father. Needless to say, the temptation to focus on my lack of contact with them is ever present.

Add to that at 77 years of age, I wonder just how much longer I have on this earth. That consumes a lot of my thoughts. Running out of time to make memories with those that I love. Running out of time to resolve conflicts. And quietness and an unbusy life is the fodder for self-pity. And I read the headlines and fear, coupled with the lack of interaction with my family, is a menu for despair. Oh I could go on and on!

The most effective weapon against such is the Bible. Yep, all that truth compressed within the pages of Scripture could and can tear down the walls of human reasoning and destroy false assumptions. By distracting us from spending time with God in His word and in prayer, we just aren’t informed. We aren’t aware of our weapons or how to use them.

These distractions divert our focus thus turning it inward. It takes a greater discipline to redirect our focus toward Christ and not ourselves. But we know that if we want to please God, then we had better learn how to reject the enemy’s device of distraction. Every time our focus turns inward, try quoting, “May this weapon formed against me not prevail.” That shifts our thought processes. We can now direct our focus to ponder Truth thoughts like, “All things work together for the good. For those who love God and are called according to His purpose.”

If my attention is manipulated by the enemy’s distractions then I will be blinded. What I will fail to see is that my husband and I have more time together. I have more time to spend quiet moments daily with God. His Word reminds me that He is in control and I need not fear. Yet, the enemy’s distractions will blind me to these Truths.

Conflicting Thoughts…

Mar18
Fighting fiery darts

Sometimes our struggles require a presence of mind that is dependent on a source that is far beyond anything we can produce in our own strength. There can be instances in our lives when problems start piling up. Before we can get a handle on one, another one shows up. We are caught in a weakened state. It is in such times that the enemy takes advantage. For our reserves have been depleted and we just can’t seem to muster the strength we need. We might notice that the Bible verses that have been helpful previously just don’t carry the weight (for whatever reason) they did before. If we are not wise to the enemy’s tactics, we might give into this deception.

When we find ourselves in this type of dilemma, there is a plan of action available. Begin by searching for Scripture verses that identify what we are dealing with and how to resolve it. For example, fear is an often used weapon by the enemy, especially these days. Thankfully, God has an abundance of methods to counter the effect of fear from ruling our attitudes and therefore our actions.

Case in point, Satan is running rampant these days dispensing fear with news headlines. It affects everyone, even Christians. However, as Christians we have a defense. In the midst of this drama, our default response is to search God’s word for wisdom. How about Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold onto you with My righteous right hand.” Or 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

When we are tempted to fear, the following plan of action should be imployed. First, we must recognize the weapon of the enemy; to strike fear in our hearts. Next we must reject it outright. Don’t allow it to sink its poisonous roots into our thoughts. Then in its place we plant the counsel of God about what to do concerning the fiery dart of fear. By allowing the power and truth of God’s words to sink into our thinking, fear is dispelled. As a result, it will be God’s wisdom and understanding that will shape our attitudes and therefore our actions, not fear!

Thing is, Satan’s plan is to distract us from God’s word. By the way, that fearful thought I mentioned previously, that “the Scriptures just don’t seem to work anymore” didn’t come from God, you know. (The enemy is just adding confusion to your struggle)! So my advice is to push through that fear or whatever fiery dart is shot at us. Search the Scriptures for biblical counsel that addresses that disturbing thought (lie, fiery dart). And every time that fiery dart pops into our heads, contradict it with God’s Truth thought. Battle Satan’s lies with God’s Truth. That’s how we extinguish conflicting thoughts.

Can You Defend Your Faith?

Feb25

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,…1 Peter 3:15 NIV

Can we do that? Give a reason for the hope we have in Christ? The Bible tells us we should and to do it gently and with respect. Life giving advice any Christian would agree to. But, while many of us could speak about what we believe, I wonder if we could speak of the why?

The fallout of not being able to speak about why we believe as we do is disturbing. I’ve read where 70% of young people leave the Church after going off to college. Could it be because there wasn’t enough focus on the why’s of their belief? Could it be because their beliefs weren’t challenged while learning the Bible narratives. While the environment of their learning wasn’t hostile to their faith. Where they could ask questions and search for truth under the guidance of solid biblical teaching. In other words, get grounded in their faith and be able to go out into the world confident in why they believed God’s truths.

Learning the what and why’s of our faith is a requirement if we want to be able to recognize the lies of the enemy. Stands to reason being grounded in the Truth, is our best defense in facing down the enemy’s lies. No soldier would go out to battle without proper armor or weapons. But isn’t that what we are expecting our young people to do? Will they be able to stand against the liberal ideology of unbelieving professors? Are we equipped ourselves to defend our faith?

The world is in combat for our hearts and minds. Not just for our young people but for adults as well. As Christians we must wake up to the challenges we face in the world today. If we aren’t prepared, then let’s get prepared. There’s plenty of resources for us to call upon. Click on this link for a list of resources.

Deep dive

Blessings and Strength Dispensed by God’s Word

Feb11

In my previous post, I shared with my readers links to Verse by Verse International. In particular the study of the book of Revelation as taught by the late Stephen Armstrong. As I delve into this study once again, I am reminded of the blessings discovered there. I’d like to share a few of those.

Remember the reference I included about the blessings that were promised by God for those who took part in the book of Revelation? So, it’s some of those blessings I want to make mention of in this post.

In examining Revelation, one of its most outstanding aspects to me was God’s attention to details. Details that aren’t revealed by a casual reading. It is in the cross referencing verses from other sections of Scripture that shed light on what is contained in Revelation. Stephen Armstrong’s approach was simple but profound in its application. The imagery and symbols, throughout this book, are difficult to understand. However, according to S.A., “We never need to guess at the meaning of important symbols because the answers are in the Bible somewhere.” And you know what? He was right! In this study I was introduced to the Golden Rule of Interpretation, “…it says that when the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, we seek no other sense.” In other words, there is no need speculate as to what the text might mean. So armed with these rules, I waded into the water.

Now back to the blessings. Recalling the impact my 2020 study had, I anticipated this refresher course would bring the same results. Therefore, the enemy’s plan to sidetrack my efforts were foiled. For I knew that God’s attention to detail was provided with the intention of helping me understand. Knowing God is in charge of my future, I have no reason to fear or worry. Not just for me but for anyone who is His child. For the Bible is rich in verses that assures us about such things. For instance, God promises us that he keeps His word to keep the covenant He made with us in our salvation.

Yet, I am a human being. And as long as I live on this earth my self-centered self-serving sin nature will be susceptible to temptation. The only way for it not to rule my thoughts and influence my attitudes, (therefore my actions) (FD, p.28) is to submit those thoughts to a force greater than myself. That force, of course, is the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ. But that spirit must be nurtured to grow in strength. I accomplish this by absorbing with consistency Truth thoughts from God’s word. The more I absorb the more my wisdom and strength increase.