Beware of the easter bunny!

Apr17

Hold on, this isn’t a blog condemning the secular celebration of our most cherished Christian holiday! 

(Please read on!)

If it was, some of you would be rolling your eyes  about now and you would be preparing to hit that little ‘x’ to close this tab.  But not to worry!  I am a grandmother of nine incredibly wonderful and fascinating grandchildren.  The oldest being 9 and the youngest being 17 months.  So I’m pretty confident that eggs will be dyed, hidden, and hunted for around this country home come Sunday.

But there will be something a little different!

What will stand out about my family’s celebration of Easter will be the difference in our focus.  Yes, we have small children who are of the prime age to gather colorful and decorated eggs for their baskets! And, of course, there will be chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and Cadbury eggs, etc.  They will all look stunningly adorable in their new Easter outfits. But while those things are fun, they are not my family’s focus when it comes to celebrating Easter.

So, what’s the difference?

The children are young in this family, but no one is too young to understand why Easter is such a special celebration.  And the emphasis in our family is that Jesus Christ died for our sins; came back to life; and after spending a little more time on this earth, He went to heaven.  That’s why we have the hope of heaven after our time here on this earth is ended.

Here’s some ideas from my first born daughter about sharing the Easter story with your children, and a really cute and fun game to help them grasp the resurrection.  Enjoy:

Tell them the Truth:

 Make sure your children (whatever their ages!) know these things about Jesus this week. Make sure they hear YOU tell them about God creating them, sin stealing them, Satan threatening them, & Jesus rescuing them! Don’t freak ’em out, just tell them the Truth. Let Easter come to life for them (& for you!). Let it become more than just a candy holiday they celebrate in Spring. Let them see, it’s their story…

A Fun Game to Play!

Look for empty things!! & Every time you find an empty thing, cheer “Hallelujah! The tomb is empty!”

Make a game of it by…
* Putting a sticker/mark on a card every time someone finds something empty & cheers. Count the stickers later & see who found the most. Maybe give a prize
* Putting a jelly bean in a jar every time someone finds something empty & cheers. On Easter Sunday eat all the jelly beans

…Have fun finding (& celebrating) Jesus in plain ole ordinary life

The fiery dart of Easter is that young children cannot grasp Jesus’s death and resurrection and how that relates to them and their future.  Therefore, we tell them the story of the Easter Bunny which is a simple cute story easier for them to grasp.

Sure they are young and there is much about Easter that is beyond them (remember how there is a common sense ‘truth’ in fiery darts! ! ! FD p 20) But if we bring it down to their level, they will understand far more than the fiery dart will allow us to believe.   If all our children know about Easter is bunnies, jelly beans, colored eggs, or new outfits, then they have missed totally the most significant event if Christendom. And if they miss that then they have missed everything!

This is My Reality–But. . .

Apr5

Are you depressed over your present reality?

Do you find yourself wishing things in your life were different?

Are you a negative thinker, more often than not?

Well, my dear readers, don’t look now but you have become a victim of fiery dart thinking.  A fiery dart thinker has some curious characteristics. Here’s only a few:

Sees a cup half empty; instead of half full!

Focuses on self–primarily!

Knows little of contentment!

Is quick to find fault with others!

Lacks appreciation and gratefulness!

Has a difficult time accepting their reality; gets upset easily!

Nobody would want it said of them that they possess any of the characteristics from the list above.  And the good news is that while we may have such a negative bent, it can be overcome and brought under control.  But there are some things of which we need to become aware.

I have found in my own life, that there came a time when I needed to stop wishing things were different and to pray for grace to accept things they way they were.  When my problem was defined and I came to realize the power of negative thinking, only then did the light begin to shine:

As God continues to shed light on the darkness that plagued my walk with Him, I am developing an understanding of what has gone so wrong for so many. For it has become glaringly clear that negative thinking,. . . was at the core of my problematic walk with God…(FD p2-3)

While this game changing revelation didn’t occur until recent years (Oh how I wish it had but my reality is that it didn’t. I accept that and focus on all those powerful lessons I learned and am learning that I have to share with you), I have discovered some pretty exciting things.  Here’s a sampling:

I can be at peace in the midst of my storms!  (now I am not saying this occurs immediately but I get there a lot sooner than I use to!)

I see cups that are half full more often than not!

I’ve got more fight in me to resist those fiery darts so the negative thinking does not rule me as it once did!

I get attacked but I don’t fall down! (Hey, that sounds familiar doesn’t it!)  Well, it ought too, read this:

 We are experiencing all kinds of trouble, but we aren’t crushed. We are confused, but we aren’t depressed. We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out.2 Corinthians 4:8-9 English Bible (CEB)

And may I add, that after an attack, I don’t dive into depression and turn on myself like I use to.  Those fiery darts just have lost their power to rule me! Yes, they grab me sometimes and depending on the degree of fire in them may shake me, but my training (you know, my lessons on fiery darts. It’s a book now!) empowers me to break free.  Hallelujah!

And you know that sense of contentment that seems to elude us far too often?  Well, let me just say, it doesn’t elude me anything like it use too.  And this verse contains the secret:    

   Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in what whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippines 4:11-13 NIV

And finally, I’m learning to pick and choose what I allow to influence me.  Certainly, not the world. No tv show, actor, or actress, or the negative attitude of others.  Nope, I resist those fiery darts (and like I said, some are tougher than others, but I plant my feet and resist) and turn my gaze upon what’s important to Jesus!

 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Sometimes, we encounter some pretty unpleasant and difficult realities in this world, but take heart we get to choose how we deal with them, 

I would encourage you to remember that you choose victory or defeat. And know that refusing to choose is a choice to fall and suffer defeat. Victory is yours as Deuteronomy 20:4 reminds us, “For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” (NIV) It is your choice! We know that Satan’s plans are to destroy us, but take heart for God has plans for us as well. Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”(NIV) FIERY DARTS: SATAN’S WEAPON OF CHOICE, p. 45

Negative Thoughts creates Negative Feelings creates Negative Behavior!

Mar5

OR

If You Want to Feel Better, You’ve Got to Think Better!

    It wasn’t until after writing Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice that the truth of the above statement began ringing true for me.  My bondage of negative thinking (taking root in my young adult years) became clearer the more I studied and wrote about this spiritual phenomenon of fiery darts. By the grace of God, I wasn’t in total bondage all of those years for in some areas of my life I behaved rather normally, experiencing great joy.  But there were some problem areas where defeat was the norm for me.  

     I’ve wondered in recent years why my bondage was so lengthy.  Surely couldn’t have God brought those lessons that proved to be the keys to my release sooner and spare me all that anguish?  Only one answer to that question has given me any comfort or made sense, 

I do know that while my struggles were lengthy so were the lessons I learned. FD p. 3

     So today when I encounter someone in emotional pain, as I have known, because of what God has tenderly taught me through the years, I can offer hope and healing to them.  What follows is one of the most dramatic and most healing of those lessons of my study in fiery darts.

    Negative thinking creates negative feelings, which create negative behavior: 

The Cognitive Triangle

The Cognitive Triangle

First we entertain a thought. That thought will cause certain related feelings.  Thus, behavior is based on our thoughts and feelings.  The psychologist will say that if behavior is to be changed, then the flow must be interrupted either at the thought or feeling point. (FD p. 16)

So how is the above applied?

There is a sharp contrast in my life of how I deal with emotional pain now and how I dealt with it prior to being schooled in fiery darts.  A couple of years ago, my one and only son, along with his wife, moved clear across the big pond to live and work in a land that knew little about God.  While I was indeed proud of him, the thought of being disconnected by thousands of miles was at times unbearable. Add to that the thought that any children he and my daughter in law might have would be growing up without the memories I would love to make with them.  (And sure enough, I have a 1 yr. old grandson now)  If you read my blog:

http://missionarysmom.wordpress.com (January 2012)

you will read that while the fiery darts tempted me to despair, God’s love and mercy prevailed and after a period of time,  slowly I began by the power of God’s grace to rise above my pain and accept the comfort God had prepared for me.  Because my thinking became positive, my attitudes and actions followed suite. 

But as a young adult, I recall a dark period of time in my life when that same temptation to despair almost overwhelmed me.  I didn’t know then how to combat the negative thoughts that plagued me with words from Scripture that were “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.”

 (Refer to FD blog post , February 17, 2014)

Instead, negative thoughts were allowed to take root and the resulting behavior was characterized by bouts with depression.  About all that I can say of that dark time was that I survived it. But by God’s loving grace I was prevented from settling upon a path that would have brought certain ruination. 

So, if you are going through what seems to be a time of overwhelming pain, be alert to the fact that  Satan is standing poised to fire fiery darts designed for your destruction. This weapon will approach you in the disguise of negative thoughts.  You will be tempted,

like Peter  in Matthew 14:22-33,

to focus on the storm.  Satan’s plan is to keep you focused on your pain in order to trap you into living a life of defeat.  He will manipulate negative behavior this way.  But that’s not God’s plan (read Jeremiah 29:11).  

Again, refer to FD blog post, 2/17/14 for instruction on how to counter Satan’s attack. 

Once you have learned the 3 R’s of Fighting Fiery Darts then your experience will be that:  

 POSITIVE THOUGHTS CREATES POSITIVE FEELINGS CREATES POSITIVE BEHAVIOR!

And, oh, how much better you are going to feel!

 

The 3 R’s of Fighting Fiery Darts – Revised Plan!

Feb17

On January 6, 2014, I wrote this post and titled it, The 4 R’s of Fighting Fiery Darts!  Since then I have revised it and following is that revision.  I do hope you are reading my blogs on fiery darts along with my book.  Someday maybe I will expand that book, to include some of these thoughts that have come to me as I have written these posts. It’s something I’m praying about!

As I have been using this format to pray against fiery darts, I have felt impressed to eliminate one of the steps.  The one titled, “repeat”!  Actually I began to see it wasn’t necessary, sort of redundant.  I really do believe this new 3 step plan is more concise.  

1. RECOGNIZE!

So how do we recognize fiery darts? Examine the effect the “suspicious thought” has on you.  Does it produce confusion, fear, doubt, anger, inferiority, indecisiveness, jealously, or selfishness, for example?  quote from p.33 FD

In other words does it produce condemnation? Do those thoughts leave you feeling worthless, uncertain or burdened with unconsolable grief? That’s the work of condemnation, my dear friend.  How do I know that? Read this verse: Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (NIV)

Conviction brings restoration.  Jesus has come to bring forgiveness and restoration.  Condemnation will not produce abundant life; conviction certainly does. John 10:10, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)

2. REJECT

As soon as you determine that the suspicious thought is a fiery dart, then reject it.  Remember, by allowing it to remain, the poison of the fiery dart begins seeping into your mind influencing the formation of negative attitudes and actions.

As Barney Fife puts it so eloquently, “Nip it, Nip it, Nip it!” (In the bud, before it takes root!)

3. REPLACE

Wield the power found in initially repeating Isaiah 54:17 immediately, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper…” (NASB), so as to prevent the fiery dart thought from imbedding itself into your mind.

Finally, replace the fiery dart thought with a verse or thought of the type mentioned in the following verse. Philippines 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV)

I hope this revision serves you well.  And may the fiery darts formed against you not prevail!

God bless!

Condemnation vs Conviction!

Jan21

So, how do you tell the difference?

I dealt with that question briefly in Chapter Five of my book, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

So how do we recognize fiery darts? Examine the effect the “suspicious thought” has on you.  Does it produce confusion, fear, doubt, anger, inferiority, indecisiveness, jealously, or selfishness, for example?  It would be wise to consider where such thoughts could lead.   For example, thoughts of self-sufficiency can lead to a decreased dependency on God.  Thoughts of jealously could lead to revengeful actions.  I’m sure you get the point.  These thoughts are designed for your destruction.  Knowing that sin will certainly proceed from thoughts of this nature, Satan’s plan to destroy us is set in motion. Therefore, if the thought’s natural end is sin, then it is obvious Satan’s fiery darts have been influencing your thinking. p. 33-34

Once I began this study which developed into my book, I gained insight early on into the obvious difference between the two.  Negative thinking when examined using the approach described in the above insert, exposed some types of fiery darts rather easily

But as my skills improved in identifying these rather obvious fiery darts, the more subtle ones began proving to be more difficult. The fiery darts that were getting to me, usually came in the form of self-condemnation.  

I was caught off guard by the fiery darts that would attack me during my prayer time or when contemplating a prayerful thought!

Perhaps I would be pondering a problem or an issue I might be having with another person. Before I realized it thoughts of a self-condemning nature would invade my mind and take over my thinking.  I could not see clearly  how I should deal with the issue or problem I might be pondering because my mind was being diverted by the fiery darts of self-condemnation. 

Consider this:

Satan continues to confuse us as to what is truth and what is a lie. I realized by his taking a bit of truth and wrapping it around a lie, Satan had masterfully manipulated me into considering the corrupted truth and my sensitivity toward the lie lessened with every temptation. p. 20

Do you see how I was being manipulated?

The self-condemning thoughts contained truth about myself.  Therefore, how could I ignore them? Slowly my focus was being diverted from seeking answers on how to deal with the issues or problems I might be having with someone else, to the point that I lost any clarity or insight on how to deal with the problem. It seemed every time I attempted to seek these type of answers, the fiery darts of self-condemnation thwarted my success. 

Keep in mind that conviction brings restoration, a fiery dart brings condemnation. p. 79

Making sense yet?

My own condemnation blinded me from see God’s solutions.

There is a powerful verse that I would like to share with you that is proving to liberate me from this entrapment of self-condemnation.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8:1 NIV

When I am prayerfully seeking answers on how to deal with an issue or problem I might be having with another person, I remember the verse above.  I try hard to remember that God desires for me to receive the answers I am seeking and that condemning me won’t accomplish that.  He has always been able to gently and lovingly convict me of my sin in a non-critical manner and without putting me on the defensive.  I respond to loving conviction and am lifted up; condemnation, on the other hand, only drags me down. 

And therein lies the difference!

The 4 R’s of Fighting Fiery Darts!

Jan6

As I was praying the other day, these thoughts came to my mind.  As I pondered them, I realized I had material for my next Fiery Dart blog post.

RECOGNIZE!

So how do we recognize fiery darts? Examine the effect the “suspicious thought” has on you.  Does it produce confusion, fear, doubt, anger, inferiority, indecisiveness, jealously, or selfishness, for example?  quote from p.33 FD

REJECT!

As soon as you determine that the suspicious thought is a fiery dart, then reject it.  Remember, by allowing it to remain the poison of the fiery dart begins seeping into your mind influencing the formation of negative attitudes and actions. 

REPEAT!

Wield the power found in repeating Isaiah 54:17 immediately, “No weapon that is formed against you will prosper…”, so as to prevent the fiery dart thought from imbedding itself into your mind. 

 REPLACE!

Finally, replace the fiery dart thought with a verse or thought of the type mentioned in the following verse. Philippines 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

I hope this little tip serves you well.  And may the fiery darts formed against you not prevail!

God bless!

Fiery Darts for Christmas!

Dec1
Signing books after a speaking engagement at a dear college friend's church!

Signing books after a speaking engagement at a dear college friend’s church!

It seems I am being impressed to be a little more active in promoting the sales of my book.

Therefore, I think I’ll start with the 65 books tucked away in a box in my closet.  The thought struck me that they weren’t doing anybody any good sitting dormant in the dark corner of said closet! ! ! So I did a bit of advertising on my Fiery Darts Facebook page and my personal Facebook page.  And now I have placed an ad on my Fiery Dart blog.

So, my dear readers, here’s the deal with the 65 books still in my possession.  I am making them available for $8 (instead of the $10 original price).  For those of you who live in my area, that’s all the book will cost you. But if I have to mail it to you, then you will need to pay the $3 one time shipping.  But you still save b/c that will come to $11 not $13.

And here’s something new, if you would like for me to come speak at your church or ladies group, I would be willing.  Now that’s a big deal for me, because I have not been overly willing to do public speaking. You wouldn’t believe the fiery darts that have troubled me on that subject!  I have had a few speaking engagements since the publishing of my book, and I’ve breathed a sigh of relief that it was only a few.  But I believe the time has come for me to practice what I preach and even though I feel inadequate (because that’s what the fiery darts are trying to convince me of) I need to  defeat the weapons formed against me and get out there and work a little more energetically at promoting my book.  Why?  So it’s message can get into your hands and your lives can begin benefiting by it.  You need, just as I did, to be set free of the bondage these fiery darts are imposing upon you.

Christmas is coming!

Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice would be a gift that would continue to bring joy and encouragement to its recipient long after Christmas.

It can still be ordered online if you prefer a book to hold in your hands.  But for you Kindle-type readers, remember it is also available for you electronically as well.

Just send me a comment,

if you are in my area and would like to get one or more of the 65 books I have (so sorry but I can only offer a discount for the 65 books I possess!)

or

if you would like for me to mail you one or more of those books 

AND

Merry Christmas Everyone!

It’s Complicated!

Nov21

I just finished watching the first episode of My Hope America with Billy Graham. Two thoughts kept coming to the surface of my mind as I watched.

1) It’s going to be all right. America has hope!

AND

2) The answer to our problems are quite simple.  It’s not complicated. 

Jesus is the way, the Truth, and the Life.

(No other religion or philosophy can claim this!)

He died on the cross for our sins.

Turn from your sins, Accept Him and you will be saved! Heaven will be your eternal home.

That has been the hallmark of Rev. Graham’s message for the past 60 years.

This simple easy to understand message.

So What is the Fiery Dart here?

The fiery dart here is that:

“It is not that simple.  It’s more complicated than that.”

If Satan can convince you that the answers to your problems are ‘complicated’ then you will keep searching and will be blinded to the fact that the problems in your life  can’t be answered so simply.

Therein lies the fiery dart!

That’s why I felt hope.  Because I KNOW that the answer to our problems ARE the simple words in red above.  All you have to do is to acknowledge the complicated lies that are being thrown at you and as Rev. Graham said:

Jesus is the Answer!

John 3:16

Truth vs Lies!

Nov12

Lies, Truth

The lies of fiery darts are attempting to place you in bondage.

Hope

But Hope in God’s Truth will release you from its bondage,

Jeremiah 29:11

But you must acknowledge that God is Truth!

How can a country know Truth when they have rejected the source of Truth–God?  Of course, you can’t know Truth apart from God. (John 18:37)  But apparently there are many (too many) who believe that it can be done and down through the ages they have attempted to do so. The results of their efforts have given birth to a definition based on lies.  For those who have rejected God’s Truth, darkness has become a way of life for them. They have become so accustomed to the dark that they see the darkness as light and the light as darkness.  Ooh, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?  (Isaiah 5:20, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness,…)  And the resulting man’s truth has created a climate of fear and bondage throughout our land.

Unless,

we are willing to acknowledge God as the source of Truth, then and only then will the Light of Truth shine down upon us, exposing the fiery darts that we have allowed to plunge us into darkness.  When we acknowledge the Light of Truth, then Hope, and Faith will return and we will be released from the bondage of the lies and the fear they produce.

Take heart Christians,

in the following verse:

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

I write this post because America is in serious trouble. And because so many of our leaders are blinded to the Truth, we must be careful not to be caught up in their deception. We must not allow the lies of their truth to destroy our Hope. Instead we must dig deep into God’s Word and arm ourselves with God’s Truth.  And in obeying that Truth, we will discover that God is in control and man is not. (Daniel 4:35 and Isaiah 14:27) We will discover there is nothing to fear.(Isaiah 41:10)  We will discover He has good plans that we can place solid hope in now and for our future (Jeremiah 29:11).  We will discover that no matter what may come our way God will cause it all to work out together for our good. (Roman 8:28)  I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point!

So, Keep the Faith.

And remember, that other’s lack of faith in God and their disobedience to Him, in NO way diminishes God’s Truth. 

Until next post,

What we think determines how we feel. . . or “as a man thinks in his heart so is he.”

Nov3

Ponder this quote from my book:

What we think determines how we feel and what we feel influences our actions.  p. 15, Fiery Darts: Satan’s Weapon of Choice

The mind is constantly thinking.  Everything we see, feel, or touch, influences the thoughts we think.  Thus, how we behave will be determined by what we think.

If there is a troublesome behavior with which you seem to struggle, as a Christian what are you going to do about it?  Do you find yourself saying,

“I just can’t seem to help myself.”

Paul talked about this very thing in the Book of Romans.  He struggled like so-o-o many of us do.  Just read this:

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:19

I feel his pain, don’t you? 

I want to talk to those of us, who find ourselves doing things we really don’t desire to do.  Like, caving in to negative thinking (fiery dart thinking) like the following: (list is just random thoughts that came to mind.)

feeling sorry for ourselves, (blaming others for the problems in our lives)

living an undisciplined life, lack of self-control (you know, eating too much, not having consistent quiet time, giving into temptation, stop going to church),

being unwilling to say no to ourselves, going after what we want when we want it (and always feeling guilty in the process),

believing that we are inferior to others or superior (being blind to our mistakes)

not having confidence in ourselves,

believing what the world says about us and to us, more than believing what God’s Word says on that subject.

Did you know that all of the above are examples of fiery dart thinking?

If we keep giving in to this type of thinking, our futures are in jeopardy.  We will believe things about ourselves that aren’t true. (Prov. 23:7) We will stray from the path God has planned for us and His peace, security, and success  for us becomes seriously threatened. Is that what you want?  Of course not!

Then here’s what I suggest you do!

1. Get your Bible out and open it up.  Start reading it.  Commit to reading just one verse every day.  I suggest, Jeremiah 29:11 for starters. Don’t commit to much more than that.  You don’t want to set yourself up for failure. 

2. Say a one sentence pray.  “Dear God, Guide me.”  That’s enough.  Once again, don’t set yourself up for failure.  You’ve experienced too much of that already.

Start every day, for the next week (or whatever length of time you are comfortable with) , using this verse and prayer.

If you like, let me know what happens.

By the way, when you are sitting with nothing to do, perhaps you would like to read my book.  It will be your training manual on how to overcome negative thinking (fiery dart thinking) referred to in this post. (There’s a 5-step plan on p. 79 you should find interesting.)

I will be praying for you,

Until next post–