Tag Archive | Christian

Faith! It’s a scary thing!

Oct28

   Why would I, a committed Christian, make such a statement? Christianity is all about faith. You wouldn’t think God would make it scary, right? 

Well, He doesn’t! But remember, 

Before individuals accept Christ as their Savior, they are ruled by their flesh, or sinful nature—a nature predisposed to sin. However, when a person accepts Christ as his or her Savior, a new nature is born, ruled by God’s Spirit. Yet the old spirit remains, thus, creating the great civil war that will be ongoing for the rest of their life. p. 46, 3rd ed FD

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   Folks, it’s that great civil war that feeds our fears and doubts (alias fiery darts). Especially, when we can’t see where the path might be taking us.  Inevitably obstacles will show up along the way only adding to our fears. 

   Yes, it can be very scary to forge ahead.  Therefore, our confidence to take those forward steps must be fueled by Truth thoughts like the following:

and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21 HCSB

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Exercising our faith in the face of fear will diminish our fear and increase our faith! 

Giving into fear will diminish our faith and give rise to more fear.

 

What can I do for my country?

Aug27

   I love my country, but I do not love the way she is behaving. I am a Christian and I believe that God created this world. (I seriously don’t see how any force other than God could pull off what He did in the Creation.)

   And I believe that God purposely provided a revelation as to who He is and what He did and plans on doing for the human beings He created, in the book we call The Bible. All for the purpose of revealing His plan for our salvation, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone!

   Most of our founding fathers believed in God, revered the Bible, and felt committed to establishing laws for our country based on the Truths of Scripture. But today, it is extremely difficult to find much evidence that our nation’s leaders believe in God and/or revere the Bible as our founding father’s did.

   There are prominent men and women who are declaring that our country is under judgement because our nation has turned her back on God. Considering the state of affairs in our nation, I hardly see how that could be denied. 

   But there is an aspect of the dilemma our country is facing that escapes most people.  I point this out on page 1 of my book:

   Scriptures are obvious in describing Satan’s plan in John 10:10a, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;…” (NIV) So what is it that the Enemy desires to steal, kill, and destroy? The answer is obvious – anything God has planned for us! 

   The second half of John 10:10 reveals an aspect of God’s plan for His children, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV) p. 1, FD

   I strongly believe that Satan’s first step in stealing, killing, and destroying the good plans God has for us (as individuals and as a country) is to direct our attention away from the Bible’s Truths. Once he has accomplished this then we become easy prey for his fiery darts (negative thoughts). 

   By removing the guiding force of the Truth’s contained in the Bible, Satan is free to manipulate us into destruction (again, individually and as a country). 

   And because we as individuals and as a country have been manipulated to turn our thoughts and attentions towards the World’s concept of truth instead of the Holy Bible, then we find we are no longer capable of recognizing or even respecting God’s Truths. Instead, of combating fiery darts with Truth thoughts from God’s Word, we find individuals and our country’s leaders defining right as wrong and wrong as right. (which by the way is described in Isaiah 5:20)

So what are we to do?

   First and foremost we must return to the Truth’s of Scripture. That is the only weapon that can successfully fight the fiery dart thinking with which Satan uses for our destruction. IF we truly desire for our nation to be healed then as individuals we must:

14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Cooperating with the enemy!

Apr12

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   It’s been about 6 years since I first began  promoting the message contained within my book, pictured above. My heart has been encouraged time and again when readers share with me their testimonies of successfully defeating a fiery dart attack after applying the concepts from my book. These testimonies motivate me to persevere in promoting this liberating message. (As a matter of fact, I am working on an expansion of my book–adding chapters covering parenting, teens struggle with self-worth, and difficulties of loosing a spouse to death. I will need your prayerful support for this is a daunting task!)

   But as I listen to comments from some of those who have been exposed to the message of fiery darts, it is apparent that something is missing. Even for those who are making the connection between fiery darts and negative thinking, I’m still hearing comments flavored by too much defeat and frustration.

   When I think of the bondage in which negative thinking held me, on how it almost destroyed me then compare it to the freedom in which I now live, I can’t imagine why anyone would desire to remain in such bondage!  

   I do believe people are becoming more aware of how to identify the fiery darts with which they are wrestling, especially after making the connection between negative thinking and fiery darts. However, I’m getting the feeling that they think the battle is over just by identifying the fiery dart thought that attacked them. Yet, just saying, “That’s a fiery dart,” does absolutely nothing to deflect the negative thought.

   May I respectfully remind you that after the fiery dart is acknowledged, it’s imperative that it be rejected, and following that you MUST replace it with a Truth thought! (refer to the tab entitled, The 3R’s of Fighting Fiery Darts, of this blog)

WHY?

Because that fiery dart will return until its mission has been accomplished.

(which is, remember, to steal, kill, and destroy the works of God in your lives!) 

   Just acknowledging the fiery dart’s attack does little to eradicate it. And rejecting it only leaves a void that must be filled. When it returns, as it surely will, if it is does not find a Truth thought in its place each and every time it attempts to enter your mind, it will pick up where it left off, poisoning attitudes and actions designed to weaken your faith and make you ineffective as a Christian. Just what the enemy had in mind all along. 

 

 

 

Have we left Jesus wanting?

Jan14
   For some time now, I have observed what I believe to be a much used and deceptive fiery dart successfully used against Christians individually, against their families, and against their churches. And it boils down to this: Christians living their lives more for themselves than for God. 

Can you see the inherent problem in this way of thinking?

   We go along living our Christian lives characterized by attending church regularly or at the very least semi-regularly, and maintaining a public image that promotes the idea that we are good Christians. We will engage in all sorts of spiritual activities convincing ourselves of the depth of our faith, not realizing our intentions to live good Christian lives have been bushwhacked by fiery darts!
   We bask in the blessings that God has giving us without giving much thought to a verse like Romans 2:4 where it’s pointed out that God’s goodness should be leading us to repentance. 

Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4 King James 2000 Bible

   We think of those blessings as more of a reward, I think. So who benefits the most from the life of a Christian who is living her Christian life according to what pleases herself more than in what pleases God? You probably are well aware of the answer!

Let’s consider the following characteristics of Christians living unto themselves:

   When trials come our way, we automatically pray to be delivered from them, whether it be in sickness or in problems that have come upon us. We have a tendency to move away from things or people that are creating disturbances in our lives because we can’t stand to suffer.
   In marriages we will put up with unhappiness for so long and if the situation does not improve,the fiery darts will justify our decision to leave.  If we are dissatisfied with our church, we will put up with our dissatisfaction for so long. Eventually the fiery darts will convince us that we must leave and seek a church where we will be more satisfied.
   We are easily deceived by such fiery dart thinking when we are focused mostly on ourselves and what concerns us. Sometimes, but not necessarily always, we have drifted from consistency in our prayer and bible study and our vulnerability to be deceived is increased. 
Therefore, by keeping us out of God’s Word and by keeping us from prayer, Satan ensures that we will not mature in our relationship with Christ, which explains why we live in such defeat. FD p. 62

So what’s the remedy?

   Focusing more on Jesus and what concerns Him

instead of focusing on ourselves and what concerns us. For Satan knows (even better than we do obviously) that Jesus will abundantly take care of what concerns us if we focus on Him first and foremost. 
   Think of the decisions we have made lately–we must ask ourselves this question.
Who benefitted the most from that decision?

If Jesus was left wanting, then perhaps; no, for sure, we must reconsider. 

THIS MAY NOT BE MUCH!

Aug17

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     Recent news about the persecution of Christian in Iraq has pierced my heart and my mind. I awake each morning thinking of the mothers and grandmothers who along with their children and grandchildren have been murdered by ISIS in Iraq! As I go about my day, I think about those families that have escaped and are hiding in the mountains hoping to be rescued and  desperate for water and food! I go to bed heartbroken because families have been murdered for no other reason than that they are Christian (just like me)!
     Fiery dart thinking attempts to persuade me that there is nothing I can do. Fiery dart thinking lulls me into a false sense of security because I am so far removed from the horrors going on in Iraq to women like me. Fiery dart thinking turns my focus onto a president and his cohorts who look the other way and do little to intervene to eradicate the ISIS and their abhorrent deeds. These thoughts, if I allow them to, will grab my focus and entrap me into thinking that because my own country is hiding in the bushes, there is little I can do to help. 

     BUT I REJECT SUCH FIERY DART THINKING AND INSTEAD,

   I am going to pray like I have never prayed before!

     I am going to urge others to pray!

I am going to research and publish on my Fiery Dart Facebook page and in this blog facts about the persecution towards Christians in Iraq!

I am going to remind my fellow believers right here in my world that our brothers and sisters in Christ in Iraq are being murdered because they believe in Christ (just like us). Fathers, mothers, children, grandparents, etc. are dying because (just like us) they are Christians!

I am going to contact the IMB and give towards helping the refugees and am going to urge my friends and fellow believers to do the same!

 “Help respond to Iraq’s refugee crisis by donating to the International Mission Board’s general relief fund or by texting imbrelief to 80888, which will donate $10 to that fund. To give through Baptist Global Response, visit gobgr.org/donate or text bgr to 80888.”

I AM GOING TO REMEMBER,

that greater is He that is in me than he who is in the world!

I am going to remember that God and God alone is our refuge and strength in times of trouble!

I am going to remember that through the prayers and acts of many these persecuted Christians will be helped and delivered!

And finally, I am going to remember that Jesus is returning (maybe sooner than we think) and will set all things right! He will once and for all rid this world of its darkness, shinning His brilliant light of peace and truth healing our land!

TRUE, THIS MAY NOT BE MUCH AND I AM ONLY ONE PERSON BUT I HAVE TO BEGIN SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME!