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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.

This is the day the LORD has made…

Jan6
morning sun

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Whenever I hear this verse my mind flashes back to my Vacation Bible School days. That’s when I first remember memorizing Ps. 118:24. Even as a child my mind could grasp the idea that every day was a gift from God. The notion that a day was a divine gift, fostered gratitude and joy in my child sized heart.

And now, at 77 years of age, this verse resurfaces. However, it’s framed by a life that has traveled many miles. Lots of valleys but lots of mountain tops too. So it impacts me oh so differently now.

There are moments when the weight of present family trials pulls at my heart. Heaviness of heart sets in. The fiery darts of doubt, fear, self-pity, and judgement appear on the threshold of my mind like a stalking lion. Just waiting for the moment to pounce.

However, there is a sentinel at the threshold standing guard. In His possession are all the weapons I need to counter the enemy’s attacks. By reminding me God has made my day then I find I can rejoice. Knowing God has designed my day gives me every reason to face down the stalking lion. My perspective transforms the stalking lion into a powerful Sentinel.

With that awareness, courage and wisdom fashions my thinking. And I know that the weapons formed against me will not prevail. All I have to do is to cooperate with God as He shows me the right path and points out the road for me to follow. The very trials the enemy intended to weaponize against me, God transforms into a strengthening exercise. That’s the ingredients He uses for the day He makes for me.

Isn’t that worth rejoicing over?!

Changing Seasons and new things…

Dec30
Spring
Summer
Winter
Autumn

Be choosy about what you allow to enter your mind. Something like the following would be an excellent choice for the coming New Year.

Seasons of life come and go. And here we are with Winter season well underway and at the end of another year. As the year ends, most of us anticipate an opportunity to begin anew. If we’ve made some mistakes in 2025 that we would like to correct, here’s our chance.

Here’s some suggestions that hopefully will promote corrections. Identify what happened in our heads that set the course for some of those mistakes we made. Let’s start with how often do we spend time with God in prayer and His word? How balanced are those two disciplines? Remember, if we are going to thwart the enemy’s plans, we must know how he is going to attack. The Bible reveals Satan’s strategy. Is it any surprise that one of the foremost tricks up Satan’s sleeve is to keep us ignorant of what the Bible says about him? (Remember, he comes to steal, kill, and destroy)

Ignoring God’s word, leaves us wide open for Satan’s initial assault. And guess where that is. Yes, the family. Has bitterness and misunderstanding replaced the love that once reigned? Do we find ourselves blaming others for the emotional pain we endure? Does condemnation and finding fault with those who have hurt us rule our thoughts? I think we all know the source of such emotional fiery darts.

What can we do differently to break the cycle of division in our family? First, asking ourselves the following question would be a good start. Whose voice do I listen to and follow? Satan has orchestrated such deception in this area. What’s the deception? Placing Self in the position of authority in our lives. Direct opposition to the way revealed in the Bible. But we won’t know that, if we aren’t allowing God’s word to guide our steps. What then is our mode of correction?

From this point forward, go back to a balanced effort of reading the Bible and spending time with God in prayer. Ask God for the strength to forgive where we have been wronged and to ask for forgiveness where we have wronged others. Peace and harmony will happen as a result. Swallow that pride or you will be headed for a fall. God has better plans for you.

Next year, let’s make the switch. Submit to God’s authority and see if we don’t notice some healing and correction of past mistakes. See if we don’t experience some new things, some reconciliation in this New Year!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV): “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

My Discovery? …Choosing My Weapons

Dec16
Ephesians 6:16

I mentioned in my previous post that I discovered in mid-life something transformational regarding prayer. This discovery involves connecting the point of our petition with something concerning that prayer from God’s word, the Bible.

Please allow me to give you a personal example. I’m 77 years of age. My husband and I have been empty nesters for some years. Our children now live in distance places. And as life progresses and the grans get older, coming home for Christmas isn’t as doable as it once was. Honestly readers, as a result, Christmas has lost some of its glitter for me. Not in the message, of course, but in accumulation of family memories.

As the scenes have changed, I have learned to draw upon God’s comforting words to dispel the fiery dart of loneliness. There’s a verse I learned as a child, This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 NKJV. This verse came to my mind as a weapon in combating the enemy’s attacks. I pondered this verse and it shaped my prayer. “Dear LORD, This day, this time, although not what I would choose for myself, is the day you have made for me. And since You have made it, I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Framing my Christmas with this truth helped me maintain a more positive perspective. Therefore, EVERY TIME the sadness approaches I head it off with this verse. And the fiery dart is extinguished. The enemy’s weapon does not prevail. Instead, I defeat the temptation to think self-centered thoughts and began a nose dive into depression. I am at peace with what God planned for me. I am open to enjoying the Christmas God has prepared for me.

And the benefits or blessings by praying this prayer, is that my heart is open to the blessings available to me. Time not crowded with preparations for a big family gathering opens up new possibilities. Thus I am reading an Advent devotional which is powerful in fixing my focus on the true meaning of Christmas. As I focus more on the Christ child and less on myself, the sadness that stands in the wings is depleted.

So by lifting my shield of faith, God supplies me with just the right weapon to defeat the enemy’s attacks. Just when I need them, I’m reminded of Truths such as Psalm 118:24 & Ephesians 6:16. These words are the weapons that will undo and thwart the enemy’s plans. By spending time with God daily and His word, I am informed as to the particular weapon I need to choose.

Is giving God a portion of each day, by spending it with Him in prayer and His word, lacking? If so, imagine a warrior going into the battle without their weapons! Defeat is certain isn’t it! Which will be the outcome for anyone entering the battle fray without the proper weapons.

More about prayer…

Dec9

There have been volumes written about prayer. So, I really don’t have anything new to add to the subject. What I have to share will be a reminder to many. Yet for some it might just be a new discovery! I write that because it wasn’t until the middle half of my life that I made such a discovery regarding prayer.

I’l preface this by sharing that my prayer life has undergone various transformations over the years. As I grew spiritually that growth inspired alterations in how I prayed. For instance, as a young Christian, my prayers focused mostly on what I wanted from God. But as the years passed, and I learned more about God, my prayers focused more on what He wanted for me. Yet, it was an up and down journey which was directly impacted by my growth or lack thereof.

However, there was something missing. A failed connection. I use to remind my children and my students that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. That reason was that He wanted us to listen twice as much as we spoke. It took awhile for that to sink in and apply it to my spiritual life. For you see, I had failed to realize that while prayer was my talking to God, reading and meditating on His words was how God talked to me. What I discovered, well into my adult life, was that I was over focused on making sure God knew what I wanted. Yet, I wasn’t giving Him the opportunity to tell me what He wanted!

There’s a verse that showed me it was in recognizing God’s mighty weapons (His Word, His Truth) that resulted in my hearing God’s voice. It was what God said to me in Ephesians 6:16, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one,” that I began to make the connection between lies and fiery darts. From that verse God referred other verses which led me to be able to recognize the fiery darts, reject them, and to replace them with His Truth. Truth thoughts that countered the lies from the enemy.

The key to communicating with God is to become familiar with His word. Leave the Bible reading out and we will only be talking to God. We won’t know what He has to say about our petitions, if we do all the talking.

Why should we pray and read our Bibles?

Nov11

Not because it’s what is expected of us as Christians. That motivation can’t stand against the temptations of the enemy. When we don’t have the reserves stored in our thoughts to stand against the enemy we can be victimized by him. That’s when he can steal, kill, and destroy beginning with our thoughts. (John 10:10)

If what we have stored in our minds about God doesn’t outweigh what has been placed in our minds through what we watch on tv, what we read, by the music we listen to, by the counsel of those who aren’t sensitive to our faith, then we will drift further and further away. Because our anchor isn’t sunk deep into God’s truths.

But as we go through our day and temptations come our way we need the wisdom and strength to resist the enemy that has been stored there by the time we have spent in God’s word and prayer.

Truth stands on its own; lies require constant upkeep…

Oct22

I did some online research on the topic of what Evil (and those in league with evil, though they may not realize it) resorts to when it begins to loose ground against Truth. Then I compared my research with the actions displayed in social, political, spiritual, or personal settings. Many of the strategies my research exposed are showing up in these settings.

When God is rejected, Truth is rejected. For God is Truth. Therefore, when an entity or a person promotes narratives that aren’t based on God’s Truth, they must resort to lies and dishonesty to maintain their cause.

Allow me to list some of the common strategies my research revealed. We need to ask ourselves, “Does any of this sound familiar?”

  • Distraction & Misdirection — Instead of addressing the real issue, they shift the topic, create chaos, or invent new controversies to muddy the waters.
  • Character Assassination — When they can’t discredit the argument, they attack the person. Smears, rumors, and accusations become their weapons.
  • Victimhood Reversal — They present themselves as the oppressed to gain sympathy, even if they’ve been the aggressor all along.
  • Mockery & Ridicule — Rather than offering reason, they turn to sarcasm and scorn to socially pressure others away from truth.
  • Fear & Intimidation — Threats (social, financial, or physical) are used to silence opposition. If they can’t win, they try to shut you up.
  • Divide & Isolate — They attempt to turn allies against each other, encouraging infighting so that the movement for truth loses unity.
  • Redefining Words & Reality — They manipulate language, changing definitions so that truth itself becomes fuzzy or relative.
  • Projection — They accuse their opponents of the very wrongdoing they themselves are guilty of. This confuses the battlefield.
  • Buying Time — Endless debates, procedural delays, or “studies” — anything to stall truth long enough to maintain control.
  • Corrupting Institutions — If truth is gaining ground through fair systems, they rewrite rules, censor voices, or replace gatekeepers. (like universities for example)

What we have here are some very cleverly disguised fiery darts. Lies cleverly framed to make them unrecognizable to anyone who is not familiar with God’s Truth. Therefore, it behooves us to equip ourselves with the armor mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-18. By doing so, we can avoid being deceived & manipulated, in other words being victimized by the enemy.

Do we recognize these tactics? While this is disheartening, take heart. Instead turn to God’s word. For there we will find the resources we need to stand against the lies. We will know these tactics, based on human reasoning and false assumptions are no match for the mighty weapons of God. The louder the promoters of this deception become, the more confident we can be that Truth is already winning.

Embracing Contentment: Life Lessons in Winter – Part 2

Jun6

Initially as we approach our declining years, we find ourselves at a crossroads. It all sounds a bit overwhelming, doesn’t it, and if we aren’t careful, it will be. Personally, in comparison, the season of winter has been the most trying and challenging.

Until this season there was always the activities of caring and enjoying my family and friends, serving in my church, and teaching school. Without these fulfilling and purposeful activities, I struggled to find my purpose. I was tempted to see the road ahead as dull and unfulfilling! Yet I knew that sort of vision, if it persisted, would lead to major fiery dart attacks. I also knew that God had better plans for me.

However, the word that surfaces most often in my head these days is ‘contentment.’  I’m discovering contentment, while desirable, isn’t all that easy to come by. Nonetheless, that’s what I desire in this season. Therefore, I have persisted in my pursuit to be content. I’m finding, however, it isn’t automatic! It’s not something I can have just because it’s a better option. You know how I discovered that? Well, I direct you to:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 

Did you catch that word ‘learned?’ Well, I didn’t ‘catch’ it until I found myself in short supply of contentment. It just wasn’t happening for me to make up my mind to be content. Ugh! This was challenging. As I returned to that verse again and again, the light finally clicked on. Contentment is a learning process. I had to learn to be content. Day by day, step by step!

I’m learning in this season that every moment is holy because God is present, no matter the circumstances,  He is present with me in all my situations, even if the situations are difficult to bear. God reminds me there is no need for me to fear for He is with me; I do not have to be dismayed, for He is God, He will strengthen me and help me. His presence assures me of this, as well as His word.

While bouts of loneliness, uncertainty, and/or sadness threaten my contentment at times, I’m learning that focusing on truths like Isaiah 41:10, is a game changer. Fiery darts such as these can be conquered when contentment rules. And that is a wondrous thing to learn in the winter season of my life. Yours too, I pray!

Lie or Truth/Can we tell the difference?…

May5

Today I am getting back to the basics of Fiery Darts. We are awash these days in lies. I’ve heard it said, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth.” (that may be a quote from Lenin but I am confident the original source is Satan himself, the father of liars. We all have been lied to so many times, we can’t easily recognize the difference between a lie and the truth. And this has been going on ever since the Garden of Eden. We are in pretty deep, so what are we to do?

Truth exists and is never changing. As Christians we know that God is Truth. The Truth that He desires for us to know is contained within the pages of the Bible. Therefore, all we have to do in order to recognize a lie is to compare it with God’s Truth. Yet, confusion reigns, generally speaking. So what’s the problem?

The following quote from my book I believe answers my question:

During a Bible study a few years ago, it became apparent that I had a problem identifying Satan’s lies. The major reason for this was that I was not familiar enough with the Truth of God’s Word. I discovered that five-minute, intermittent devotions, for years the characteristic of my time spent with God, was equivalent to not moving beyond the infant stage and drinking only milk. I had become spiritually malnourished and did not possess the strength I needed to distinguish good from evil. pp 29-30,Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice, 3rd edition

Here’s what it boils down to. A Christian meandering in and out of the Bible at will, won’t be familiar enough with the Truth Thoughts contained therein. Understandably, when we are confronted with a lie our lack of familiarity with God’s Truth contributes to our not being able to recognize the lie. We will fall back to what we are most familiar with to decipher the lie. And if we are more familiar with the World’s view on the subject then we will go with that.

Prayer to thwart lies:

Dearest Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that I need your wisdom to prevent anyone from taking me captive through philosophy and empty deceit (teachings that sound impressive but contain very little substance and are not grounded in Christ’s teachings) but based on the elemental forces of the world (that would be any godless idea raised up against the knowledge of God, 2 Corinthians 10:5) and not based on Christ. (based on Colossians 2:8)

Worry or Peace? You MUST choose!

Sep30

Ok, here’s the scene. We have just poured out our hearts to God about a prayer concern. After we have exhausted every detail we can think of, we close said prayer. Then we move on through our day. Yet. ‘worry’ lingers!

Therefore, I offer this tip: Through the years, I have learned to address my prayer concerns using God’s own words from Scripture. After thoroughly addressing the needs of my prayer using God’s word, I have confidence in God carrying through with His word. It’s like, after walking away from my prayer session with God I turn around and say, “You got this God?” To which He always replies, “I just said I did!”

So, what do I do about the worry that on occasion subtly sneaks back into my mind? I return to the model God has given me about attaching His word to address my particular prayer needs. In this case the lingering worry over what I just prayed about. The conversation with God then goes something like this:

“You have told me you believe my words concerning the prayer request you just gave me. That’s good. But you are still worrying over it. So believe me when I say, Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to Me. 7 And my peace, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” taken from Philippines 4:-6-7

For you see while I believed God could do what the Scriptures said He could do about the petition I had presented to Him, worry indicated that I didn’t. So, I ask myself another question, “Are you going to believe Philippines 4:6-7? (Because, if I did, then peace would replace the lingering worry.)

I really wanted that, but it didn’t happen suddenly. I had to fire back with verses like Romans 8:28, Philippines 4:6-7 every time worry tried to infiltrate my thinking. You know, like in Ephesians 6:16. Thus over time and with consistent use, I continue to gain skill in wielding the force of these mighty weapons.

But remember, it’s a choice!