Wear Your Hat

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6 Recently it got frigidly cold here in the mid south. I'm a northern girl and I can deal with it but many Southern natives don't even wear a hat or gloves when the temperature plummets to below freezing. While I was writing this it was spitting snow flurries here in Huntsville, Alabama yet I saw few people with a cap or gloves on to keep warm.

In our walk with the Lord we too need to stay protected. This 'protection' comes from knowing and studying God's word and being able to use it against our enemy, Satan, when he throws his fiery darts at us. Darts of doubt, fear, illness, worry, pride, confusion, bitterness, jealously, and a host more. Get into the Bible and memorize verses you can speak out loud to the enemy when he tries to lie to you and take you down the wrong path. God's path leads to life and Satan's path leads to destruction. Which do you prefer? 

Just like a person is ill equipped to fight off the winter chill without proper clothing, we too as believers will have a hard time fighting our enemy if we do not know the word of God.
Satan tricks us into thinking Sunday for one hour is enough. It is indeed a good thing to do but you have to do way more to grow in Christ and be prepared for daily spiritual battles. Make this year the year you choose to know more about Jesus and protect yourself from enemy attacks.

PRAYER: Lord you are good,all the time. I have been guilty of not spending time with you and I want that to stop. When the enemy tries to get me to make excuses I choose to say to him, "man can not live by bread alone"! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Let Go Of Hurts

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Take it from one who has been there, done that, got the tee shirt so to speak, when someone has hurt you don't waste time dwelling on it. That my friend would be Satan's wish for you to keep dragging an issue into the ground. It is necessary to forget the  past and forge ahead. Stop nursing pain and hurt and get beyond it to victory!

Some types of hurts may require professional Christian counseling to deal with, so by all means, depending on your issue, do not neglect to go talk it out and get help if necessary. But if we are talking about a friend who has hurt you, your choice is to talk to God in prayer. Begging someone only drives a wedge and keeps them away from you. Get involved in someone else's life or find a place you can volunteer to help others such as a shelter,  hospital, nursing home and go beyond yourself.

The time may come in your life when you realize the hard thing you had to endure worked together for the good like it says in Romans 8:28. Get on your knees and pray for God to release you from being tormented by those who hold your emotions captive. You can not move forward if you constantly look over your shoulder and wonder what you could do to make something better.

PRAYER: I choose this day to let go of emotions or hurts that have a grip on me. I know they are from the enemy so this day I choose to look beyond the past. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Shade Tree

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed. A stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

It is stifling hot here right now. Granted, not as hot as in Bangladesh, Middle East, or Phoenix but never the less hot. Every time I go to the store I search for a shade tree to park under. This tree provides a small amount of relief from the direct sun beating down upon me.

The pressures of life sometimes can overshadow us like a dark cloud  or a burning sun. We need somewhere to just run away and hide and rest for a while. Jesus is our 'shade tree' when the heat of life gets turned up on us. We run to Him for our relief. He is our shelter.

     

 Do you need relief from something? Run to Jesus. He is your shelter.

PRAYER: Thank you for being my shade tree and protecting me from stuff that comes and beats down upon me. In Jesus' name. Amen.