Deliver Me From Myself

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Ephesians 6:12

Oh my goodness to be perfect and never make mistakes or hurt anyone. Wouldn't that be wonderful? No words said by accident. No texts sent without thinking that can't be rescinded. No getting hurt feelings. But sadly stuff does happen. I often think 'if only I could get myself out of the way'. You know what though? Don't beat yourself up. Stuff happens. The enemy wants us to beat ourselves up because he is the accuser of the brethren. 

Give your troubles and concerns to the Lord and tell Him to guide you in your weak areas. Don't think you are the worst person but learn from your faults and screw ups. Get control over your thoughts, words, and emotions. Satan tries to take advantage of weaknesses in your life and exploit them. Don't allow him to! 

Start today and take self off the throne. If you have messed up talk to God in prayer. Go to the throne and not the phone the saying goes. Remember you are important to God and He is your best friend and knows your heart. 

PRAYER: Thank you for loving me Lord even when I mess up. Thank you for teaching me through my mistakes. Guide me and direct my thoughts to stay on you. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

I Wore Combat Boots. Do You?

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 2 Corinthians 10:3

I served in the U.S. Army for six years and I did in fact wear combat boots. Thankfully I did not have to deploy like several female counterparts today to dangerous areas. My boots served me well on stateside Army posts. 

We who call ourselves Christians should be donning our 'spiritual' combat boots daily. We are in a war not physical but spiritual. God and the devil. Good and evil. We are to run the race to win and fight the enemy with prayer and scripture. To do that you need to get serious about it. Excuses are a tool of our enemy as they do not get us close to God. 

Do what you need to do to get serious about spiritual warfare. Start by reading your Bible daily not to prove something but to get stronger in your spirit man. God will get us through the battles ahead. 

PRAYER: I choose to make training spiritually a priority. I know soldiers in an army need to prepare and train for possible combat. I too need to be ready to defeat Satan. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Under Attack

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

When you hear the words "under attack" what comes to mind? For me I think of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor or in my own life time, the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks on 9-11. Surprise attacks on American soil are sure attention getters. That is what our enemy wanted in both cases. 

As a believer in Jesus Christ we find ourselves under another kind of attack almost daily. It is called 'Spiritual Warfare' and the attacker is Satan, the great liar, deceiver, killer, and accuser of the brethren. His mission is threefold: to kill, steal, and to destroy. His army are demons and people on Earth he has tricked into unknowingly work for him. Oftentimes when we hear of evil being perpetrated on people through people like Hitler we know Satan had control of him. How else would he do such unspeakable atrocities to the Jewish people? Many churches do not even talk about Satan and choose to brush him under the church rug. Believe you me, he can escape from under any rug, in or out of church. 

Today harden not your heart. Do not feel it is kooky to resist the enemy. He hates the word of God so pick up your Bible and make him mad.

PRAYER: No weapon the enemy forms against me will prosper. It says that in the Bible. I choose to run towards you and run away from evil. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Active Duty Soldiers

No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 4:7

I served in the US Army for 6 years. When you are commissioned as an officer or sign up as an enlisted member of the Armed Forces, you basically give your life to the military. No longer was I just Becky the daughter, the friend, the cousin, the sorority sister, the sister, but I was now a part of the United States Army and they would now tell me what I could do or not do. You follow orders and adhere to discipline for a purpose and that is possible future warfare. There are consequences for not following the code of conduct and the rules.

Our battle on Earth is good versus evil. God versus Satan. Satan is after our very souls. He uses lies and deceit to accomplish his mission of destroying us. We are “active duty soldiers” of Christ and must adhere to the "code of conduct" found in our Bible to beat the devil at his own game. When you read the Word the enemy cringes because you start to understand what he and his demons are up to. Become Armed and Dangerous for Jesus today.

PRAYER: Thanks for the word of God which literally, if followed, saves souls. Help me not make excuses for being into the "world" more than I need to be. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Incoming

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.Ephesians 6:16(NIV)

Soldiers in a battle when the enemy starts to strike will often yell "incoming" meaning they are about to be attacked.  On earth,  those who name the name of Jesus, are in a spiritual war for our very souls. This is a battle of good versus evil. Satan is after pre born babies, children ,teens, college students, marriages and even the United States of America since we are founded on Christian principles and the word of God. Evil has seeped in under the name of tolerance. In not wanting to offend we appease religions that are out to kill believers in Jesus. Absurd isn't it? This is spiritual warfare. 

To be armed and ready for this ongoing battle we can never let our guard down. Just as soldiers don protective vests and helmets and carry their loaded weapon, we on the spiritual battlefield, are armed with the word of God. We have to know the word and arm ourselves with scripture in order to defeat the enemy. Each and every day you will face battles from the enemy, sometimes very deceptive. Be ready to win the battle and thus win the war.

PRAYER: Every day Lord I know Satan is out to trick me and trip me up. I plan to be armed  each day knowing your word. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

CAUTION: WARFARE IN PROGRESS

 You do not have to be sent to the Middle East to be in a war. Our war here is not one of gunfire, bombs, and people being killed but it is a battle for our very souls. It is called "spiritual warfare".

Each and every day you wake up, the enemy, Satan, is there with his puny tricks trying to throw you off the course God had for you. His devices are subtle at times. If they weren't how else would people fall into his trap? 2 Corinthians 11:14(NIV) refers to him as an "angel of light masquerading". In other words he wears a "mask" to fool humans into falling for his schemes.

We do not have to be deceived. Get up each day and pray and read God's word and put on your spiritual armor which is discussed in Ephesians 6:10-18. Take a moment and read it. This describes this "war" going on and how we are to stand up and fight.

PRAYER:There is a battle of right and wrong and good and evil going on and has been since Adam and Eve. I choose to stand up and rebuke Satan and fight him every day with the word of God. According to Isaiah 55:17 "no weapon formed against me shall prosper" and I stand on that promise. In Jesus' name. Amen

DEVIL IS NOT A CARTOON CHARACTER

Many in the Christian community have not heard very many sermons in their life about Satan, the devil, the great deceiver. Because of this, many are ill equipped to defeat this enemy who scripture says in 1 Peter 5:8 is "prowling around like a roaring lion". Why is it that this enemy of our souls is hardly ever mentioned from the pulpit of many churches? 

The devil is not a joking matter. He is a liar, a thief, and out to "kill, steal, and destroy" according to John 10:10. When evil happens Satan is there. Satan has got his subjects working for him and some are unaware as they have been taken captive. Their hearts are seared. All they can do is hate and destroy because the light of Jesus is not in them. This is why it is so vitally important to pray and read the word of God daily. Some have just enough "religion" they feel they do not need to battle the enemy. 

In order to get rid of darkness we need to shine the light of Jesus. In this world we are in spiritual warfare. Take a moment and read Ephesians Chapter 6 found in the New testament.

Be on your knees in a constant state of prayer. Quote scripture. Revelation 12:11(NIV) says 'They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.' Romans 12:12(NIV) says 'overcome evil with good.' God is good all the time.

Putting little red devil outfits on children at Halloween may seem cute but it is just what the enemy loves. Making himself into a "cartoon character" so he does not seem so sinister. Great tool in his arsenal. Today you know the truth so be on your guard against his evil schemes.

PRAYER: I thank you for the Bible which lights my path to help me see the way in the dark word around me. I can defeat the strongholds that the enemy puts in my path by praying and quoting scripture. Help me to not take this lightly.

READY FOR BATTLE?

Today is the day set aside in these United States to honor and pay tribute to each and every military veteran who ever served in the Armed Forces whether in peace time or in combat and regardless if they served 1 year or over twenty to achieve retired status. Those who defend our country often have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Today because of all battles or in peace we say thanks. The saying goes "Freedom is not free" or "If you enjoy your freedom thanks a vet."

Battles have been fought since the beginning of time. Not all are military ones but the biggest battle of all is the battle of spiritual warfare going on each and every day when Satan tries to trick us and drag us into his pit getting us to believe his lies, trickery,and deceit. Sadly he has gathered many into his trap to do his work for him. We must not condemn these "blind" people but instead must pray for them.

There is indeed a battle of good versus evil. Ever since the serpent deceived Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden a war has been raging for our souls.

Ephesians 6:10-13(NIV) says 'Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." Look up Ephesians 6 and read the entire chapter.

In the meantime you can not afford to not be "armed" against Satan. You do this by reading God's word daily. Make it more important than the morning newspaper. It is your shield. Make it your priority today to get ready for battle.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for being my shield and the lifter of my head and keeping me ready for the battle ahead. I love you Word Lord so help me not ignore picking it up daily and getting strng for the day ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen.

THE BATTLEFIELD OF LIFE

 

In life we are in a battle of good versus evil, right versus wrong. Life itself presents many challenges and hardships at times, and the enemy would love for Christians to feel defeated and overwhelmed.

We know we are in a spiritual battle with Satan and his demons. He can deceive even well meaning Christians to get mad at God over things. Ephesians 6:12 says that 'we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of darkness of this world; against spiritual wickedness in high places.'

Life comes with joys and with sorrows. It comes with happiness and sadness. It comes with victories and with defeats. We have to pick up that sword of the Spirit which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17) to defeat the enemy and win the battles that comes our way. People living in the flesh, or what is know as carnal life, do not recognize the enemies attacks as they are not spiritually discerning. The enemy has deceived many into believing his lies. But remember the enemy is not the person, but our battle is against Satan.

2 Chronicles 20:1-29 basically says that "the battle is not ours but God's". Take a moment and read those verses found in the Old Testament.

When you are in the midst of your battle to not succumb to fear and worry but keep looking up towards the cross of Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus that we have the power to stand strong and be undefeated.

Psalm 95:1-10 is a good passage of scripture to end with. 'You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge-- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.'

PRAYER: Lord I do thank you for going to battle for me. I run to you and cry out and you are mighty to save. I need not fear . Strengthen me for the battles ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click n link for awesome praise song.

http://youtu.be/PWXcRVZWTb8

STORM CLOUDS DON'T STOP US!

As I sit on my back porch writing, ominous looking black storm clouds are forming overhead. There is the sound of distant rumbling indicating an approaching storm. My area is all too familiar with threatening storms.

Looking at the dark clouds up in the sky reminds me of the darkness that can overshadow a life when people stray from God's path. It does not mean that we can not return again to the light of Jesus. Darkness can consume a person. The way to get rid of darkness is to flip on a light switch, light a candle or open the shades. Darkness has to leave when floods of light come in.

1 John 1:5-7(NIV) says 'This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.'

Often times a person can be dabbling in the "darkness" being deceived by Satan, the father of lies. It is necessary to pray that the truth and light come into your life or the life of the loved one you may be praying for. Light and darkness can not co-exist.

The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said "Darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.' Guess where love originates? With God of course!

There is good and there is evil in the world around us. We are in a battle for our very souls. Satan is on one side deceiving, tricking, lying, corrupting, stealing, and suffocating people and God is there with the truth, mercy, forgiveness,and love waiting with open arms for people to run back to Him and out of the darkness. Spiritual warfare is what it is called.

To fight the battle you have to be armed and ready. You can not just dabble for one hour each Sunday and not take this seriously. This requires "arming" yourself and getting serious about the truth. Satan loves it when people are just "dabblers" or "Sunday Christians" then he can do his best to keep you in spiritual darkness. You have no power because you are not serious enough to know the word of God.

Today is the day to get serious about loving God and winning the war of good versus evil we are in. Shine the light to get rid of the darkness.

PRAYER: Today Lord I will not allow the darkness and storms of this life to consume me. I refuse to allow Satan to gain a foothold in my life. I choose today to pray not only for myself but for others close to me who may be caught up in dark storm clouds and have lost their way. Bring them back to the light of Jesus! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Assignment: Read Ephesians 6:10-20 about spiritual warfare.

TRAINING CAMP

 I am not sure how many other readers of this devotion have served in the military but you go through rigorous training to become equipped for the battles you may face ahead of you. Without proper training and weeding out of those who can not meet the physical and mental challenges  a fighting unit would be unprepared.  It is not just about being a service member because you are patriotic, but you are prepared at any time for battle.

Similarly in our civilian world as Christians we are being trained for spiritual warfare each and every day. Psalm 144:1(NASB) says 'A Psalm of David. Blessed be the Lord my rock who trains my hands for war. And my fingers for battle.'

 Here on earth we truly are in a battle for our very souls. Satan loves complacent believers, you know the kind who think Sunday is enough and feel they have 'arrived' because they go to a certain church and have been baptized. Satan can deceive us into becoming arrogant about being a certain denomination and you get busier fighting against whose church is right and you do not fight against your real enemy, the devil!

Do you want to be strong and be able to be used for the Lord's purposes? You know being here on Earth is not all about us. It is about service to the Lord. Don't just join a church like you would a country club or a gym and say 'that is that, check that block and got that tee shirt.' No we are here to lift the name of Jesus higher. To know how to get closer to the Lord instead of just having a "Sunday experience"  it is essential to open the Bible and read it and study it.

Psalm18:29(NIV) is a verse I just "happened" to turn to back in August 1975 when I was going through training with the Army but it is a great passage to memorize for every day battles with the enemy of our souls, Satan. 'With your help I can advance against a troop and with your help I can scale a wall.' That verse was a God thing because that is what we did in training, we jumped walls!

 Don't wait until tomorrow. Get into the Bible and start training to defeat the enemy. Start by reading the Psalms. It is a great starting point.

 PRAYER: Lord Jesus I know Satan  would love to take me out. I also know you are bigger and greater than him and his measly schemes. I have the power in the word of God to break his curse and defeat him. The devil has no authority over me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 Click link below and praise God in song.
http://youtu.be/GsjJmk7tdk4

CHRISTIANS...A HATE GROUP...SAY WHAT??

Who would have ever imagined our own government trying to classify those who love Jesus and love their country a threat or a hate group? It is absurd, but this is exactly what is occurring subtly here in these United States of America, and many people who are ill informed think I am crazy for even saying such a thing. We may not be in the very "last days " but we indeed are approaching at a much swifter pace. I have been asked to not write about "politics" but guess what? Politics are mentioned in the Bible not in the Democrat or Republican sense but in things like rulers, kings, laws, taxes, morals. It is all in there! The church-state thing is totally been taken out of context and reported over and over again til people believe a lie and distort the facts. The people are supposed to be free to worship without government intrusion not the other way around.
This is how the enemy works when trying to take out one of the most God fearing nations on Earth. He spreads his lies, deceit, and trickery. He can get people to "buy into" his schemes. That is his speciality. God's speciality is truth,love, and overcoming lies. Satan is referred to as the "father of lies" and indeed he truly is. (Read John 10:10).

In our modern day he can even get church goer's to jump on his bandwagon so to speak. We are definitely in a battle of good and evil and right versus wrong. Spiritual warfare is in full swing.
Even something as simple as getting angry is not something from God. Think about that awhile.

Disagreeing with someone on an "issue" does not equate to the very strong word "hate" but today that is what is happening when we as believers speak our religious convictions and are told we are hateful. On the contrary, we are convicted and believe the word of God and feel love for those souls being led astray by the tricks of the enemy. Satan's mission is total destruction and he does work overtime to accomplish what he sets out to do.

God is more powerful than Satan but sometimes it is easier or more "with it" to believe a lie. Many laugh or mock at the notion of Satan, but let me tell you that he is very real and he is out to take you and I down with whatever method he can. That is why it is so very crucial to know the word of God and do not just expect one hour on Sunday to make you okay because it can not. If you go to school and only listen to lectures but do not do the rest of the work at home you more than likely will fail. You see what I mean?

In Ephesians 6:10-20 it speaks of this battle of good and evil. It says 'Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.'

Be a light in this dark world around you. Matthew 5:11-12(NIV) says 'blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and say all manner of evil against you because of me.Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'

We know the times are tough and we know the enemy is out to tear us to shreds but we also know that God wins in the end.

PRAYER: Father I thank you for loving me and helping me know how to answer people if they should make fun of me on account of you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Click on link for one awesome song!

http://youtu.be/dRAQ7XCJefQ

WARFARE ATTIRE

Do you realize here on Planet Earth we are in a battle between good and evil, God and Satan? As a former member of the US Army I know that soldiers do not go into battle wearing blue jeans and a polo shirt but they are dressed in the proper uniform to protect and camouflage them. There are key pieces of equipment that are required to give them a fighting chance in combat. If these things are not worn they risk injury, capture, or death.

In our Spiritual battle we require special items to ward off and defeat Satan. In Colossians3:14(NIV) it says 'Therefore as God's chosen people dearly and loved,  clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,  gentleness, and patience.' Note that word "clothe" referring to getting dressed. So we "dress" in a Christlike fashion but we also "dress" for serious battle against the enemy, Satan, who is prowling around like a roaring lion(See 1 Peter 5:8-10).

Ephesians 6:10-17(NIV) says the following 'Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.'

Now imagine yourself in the morning, "clothing" yourself first them putting on your suit of armor to go out not the world. See where it says your "sword" is the word of God? No soldier would go into battle without his rifle and we believers should not go out into our battleground each day until we are "armed and ready" to take on the enemy. You "arm" yourself by reading your Bible. 

Are you dressed for battle today? Have you picked up your Bible and read it to help strengthen yourself for the battle that rages on in this world against evil forces?  Satan is defeated by using the word of God. Tell him to get behind you(Matthew 16:23) and leave you alone because you are a child of God.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus it is my desire to be fully equipped each and every day to face whatever the "world" throws at me. I know in order to be prepared I need to be guided and strengthened by the words found in the Bible. When the enemy tries to get me too busy to spend time with you I will resist him. When the enemy says "it is more important to watch the morning news" I realize I need to fight Him and stand firm. Help me Lord as I want you in my life early in the morning to start my day of battle correctly. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

GOD IS THE BEST SHELTER EVER

Have you ever been out walking or hiking and a sudden unexpected storm
hits? If there is no where to go you simply are out in the elements.

But if you are on a golf course often there are "shelters". Sometimes

in a park there will be a "shelter house" or as they were known in

Arizona, "ramada's". On hiking trails sometimes you will be fortunate

enough to find a "lean to" but basically a shelter is extremely

important for protection. Also people have "financial shelters" like
their 401k but even that can falter.

Life in general has many things you need to be sheltered from. Right
up there on top of the list are attacks from the "enemy" in the form
of "spiritual warfare". The enemy is not a little guy in red pajamas
with a pitch fork but he is deceiving and cunning and can trick the
most well meaning person. He operates here on this earth through
earthly subjects who have been taken captive by him, sometimes without
their knowledge. He is a liar and a thief.(See John 10:10).He hates
anything to do with the kingdom of God. He loves it when Christians do
not read their Bibles as then they are powerless to defeat Him. He
hates The United States as we were founded on Biblical principles and
the founders used the Holy Bible when writing the Constitution. His
goal would be to destroy this great land and all we stand for. He
loves "spiritual weaklings" who simply go to church and think that is
enough.

Are you a spiritual weakling or are you a mighty warrior for God?
Which do you want to be? In Psalm 46:1(GNT) it says 'God is our
shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.' God

should be your shelter and your strength. Don't rely on men,
government or your bank account to help you. They will fail. Only God

and His word can see you through any trial in your life and completely
shelter you from the storms of life.

Let me end with Psalm 18:2(NIV) which says 'the Lord is my rock, my
fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.' Who is
your shelter today? Run to Jesus. He will always help you.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus thank you for my life. I know that the enemy is
waging a war against good and evil. Keep me alert to the dangers in my
path thrown at me by Satan. Protect my family as well and open their

spiritual eyes to lies of the enemy. I choose to look to you. In
Jesus' name. Amen.

Have a great day. Click on link below and start your day with a song of joy:
http://youtu.be/5uc1smOOs7A

SATAN'S CYBERSPACE WARS

It stands to reason that the enemy wants nothing about God or Jesus to be transmitted over airwaves, TV waves,or Internet waves so at times there may be glitches that cause things to not work right. Some balk at this saying it is a coincidence or accident. I beg to differ.

There have been times writing this blog where my writing has disappeared mysteriously. I work for a few hours when I plan to be out of town to prepare devotions for use during my absence. I am dedicated to getting a daily devotion out and I will do it, Lord willing. Last Fridays' work somehow went missing. No trash file, no spam file, no other folder, no sent file. It was gone. I used to let this upset me and now I just laugh it off as spiritual warfare.

Think about it. Evil forces are at work in the United States now trying to remove God from practically everything. Some deny it but it is happening. It is true spiritual warfare. The mention of the name of Jesus is repulsive to Satan and his henchmen, as I call them. We are not to be angry at the men or women doing this evil deed but to simply pray for them to come to know the Lord and turn from their wicked ways.

This country was founded on using the Bible as a guide even in writing the laws. When you visit DC you will note that nearly every monument has a Bible verse on it. The heritage of this nation was and is Jesus Christ. Our own President uttered the words 'We are no longer a Christian nation' and I said 'look out, you are treading on dangerous territory Mr. President.' We are respectful and tolerant of other religions here, but indeed, we are still a Christian nation.

The First Amendments' intent was to protect religion from the government not government from religion. Now Christians are told to be tolerant and deny their beliefs almost. I heard someone say during this past years minor earthquake in the Nation's Capitol that it was the Founding Fathers rolling over in their graves.

So whether it is in cyber space or wherever, the enemy, Satan, is out to destroy. Our job is to take authority over him in the mighty powerful name of Jesus. We are engaged in a battle of good versus evil. It is time for the men and women of God to stand up and take authority over evil forces of destruction. Do not just live in this world and then die. Stand up for the truth and for righteousness. Speak out against wrongs in society using the Bible as your guidebook.

Let me leave you with Ephesians 6:10-12(NIV) which says 'Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power.Put on the full armor of God that you may take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.' If you will continue on in that chapter it will instruct in how to put on the "armor of God" to protect yourself from spiritual warfare.

Today brother and sister arm yourself by reading the word of God for only in dong so will you have the strength and tools to uncover Satan's schemes.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I thank you for living in a country where I am free to read my Bible and worship. I pray for protection for that right and ask that you deal with those on this earth who are working on Satan's team trying to remove you from everything. Soften evil hearts. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click on link for a powerful song of worship:
http://youtu.be/GsjJmk7tdk4

DISARM THE ENEMY

 

Do you want to make the devil mad? Like really really mad? Then get serious about your relationship with Jesus. Do not allow yourself to sit around and wonder what next, what is going to happen, or what should I do? Do not fear and worry about the future because that is how the enemy sinks his fangs into you and causes you to panic. You have to still run the race to win and keep going no matter what the attacks upon you. Do not just check the 'Sunday go to meeting block' and that is that. Fall in love with Jesus and get serious about knowing Him. That is the real way to peace and victory.

The enemy has taken root in the wonderful country of the United States of America. No other place is like this once godly nation. I say once because the enemy is trying to come in and change this wonderful nation and deceives many to do it. But our freedom is from God almighty and man and governments have no right to take it from us. Evil dictators throughout history have tried to remove God from nations. When a nation forgets God it falls. But once again we are not to fear. We are not to hate. We are to trust God and keep praying no matter what. Pray for your enemies. Ask God to save them.

Keep looking up to Jesus. Keep praising his name. Keep trusting God to deliver us from the kingdom of darkness. Satan uses the tool of deception to trick many to go his way and believe his lie. He also uses complacency. He traps people when they think their 'religion' is enough. You go to church. That is great, but do you love Jesus I mean really love Him? Are you sold out to Him? Does He have first place in your life? If he does then do you make Him first and not other things and or do you save him til the last five minutes of the day?

The Lord is good and his mercies endure forever. It is time to get serious for the battles which lie ahead. Do not sit around fretting about the demise of our land but start arming yourself with the word of God and disarming the enemy by knowing and reading his word.

If you expect to have victory in Christ over the devil and the fears he brings to you then you have to fill up your mind with the truth of God's word. Try reading this out loud. Psalm 1 says "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction"

Do you want peace in your life? When the world is out of control and you worry and can not figure out the future that is when you need this kind of peace. But you can not wait til chaos erupts to run to God. You need to run to Him now. Run full force and say Jesus I need you. Satan will try to stop you and continue to make you be consumed in worry but know my friend that worry will not bring you closer to God.

Isaiah 54:17 says "No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue that rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn." So evil men and evil governments may have plans to bring us down or make us little or try to weaken us but remember that verse. Our real enemy is not a man or a government but it is Satan himself in a battle against anyone who would dare be serious about Jesus. We know who wins in the end.

What is it going to take for God to get our attention and keep it? It is time to get serious about loving Jesus!

PRAYER: Father God I love you and want to trust you for the future. Forgive me when I try to start figuring things out on my own. Forgive me when I have only done what I have to do to be able to say I am a Christian. Forgive me for reading the newspaper more than the Bible. I know it is time to get serious about this spiritual warfare thing. Enough is enough. I will not allow the enemy to steal anymore ground. I will disarm him with the mighty power of Jesus. He has not authority of me. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on the link below and enjoy praising Jesus.

http://youtu.be/yRWDwIQFR1k

YouTube - Videos from this email

SATAN THE GREAT DECEIVER

  In this world of ours we are dealing with good and evil, God and the devil. There are lots of attacks going on right now in America against the Judeo Christian values this nation was founded upon. A government official who places their hand on the word of God to take the oath of office is often times making a mockery of it when he or she does not even believe in what it says. What we are in is spiritual warfare for sure.   Often times Satan is looked at as a little red guy with a pitchfork. Even some well meaning Christian parents dress their little children up on Halloween in devil costumes not thinking anything about it. Satan is real. Scripture says in 1 Peter 5:8 that we need to "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Picture that, a roaring lion like most of us only see in a city zoo. They roar and tear things apart with their teeth and claws. That is how the enemy is described. He hates the children of God and wants us to be destroyed. He is at work overtime trying to get any mention of Jesus Christ out of these United States of America. Guess what? God is not going anywhere cause He is God.   Satan may use people to do his work who are captivated and deceived by Him because they do not know the truth. Proverbs 28:15 says "Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people." We need to be praying for evil wicked rulers as they are caught in Satan's grip to destroy and deceive mankind.  Ephesians 6:10-18 reminds us our struggle is not against man when it says "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."   John 10:10 says "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." The enemy Satan is that thief. He is a liar from the get go and has many schemes to trick people. James 4:7 reminds us to "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."   PRAYER: Father I know the enemy is real and would like nothing better than to destroy me and my family. I resist him firm in my faith. He has no hold over me as I am a child of the living king and covered by the blood of Jesus. I thank you for your protection from the fiery darts he tries to throw at me. In Jesus name. Amen.     Note: Once again I have added a link with an appropriate praise song. Be blessed as you listen. http://youtu.be/O4QOuGI3irI

BLESSED IS THE NATION WHO DOES NOT FORGET GOD

Today in the United States we observe National Day Of Prayer (www.nationaldayofprayer.org). It does not take a rocket scientist to know America is in trouble. For over 235 years we have followed Christian principles as set forth in the Bible.That is why our nation has been so prosperous because we have put Him first. History revisionists are trying to do all they can to plant seeds of doubt in the minds of people telling them another story of how America was founded but it is not true. We are a nation founded on God's word.

 As time went along people who were enemies to the cross of Christ tried to remove anything Christian from our nation. It is unbelievable the level we have sunk to. When prayer was removed from the public schools in  1963 the rest of our immoral slide is history, so to speak. You can not remove God and his word and expect to thrive as a nation. The Bible says in Psalm 33:12    "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance." It does not say that 'secular humanism' is our God.

We currently are in need of a great spiritual revival in this land. Satan would love nothing better than to destroy this great nations ideals and freedom we stand for. We live in a free society. We are  free to do what 'we the people' want but lately our government is trying to get 'too big for its britches', so to speak, and is trying to control and dominate the people and almost every facet of our lives.Many do not see it, as they are blinded or too busy to care to see it .We have lived 'dumb, fat, and happy' and never worried we were in danger of anything. There are those who scream "leave me alone and do not involved me in politics." The Bible never said that so I am not sure where people come up with that. We are to pray for this land and its' leaders. This is not a Democrat issue or a Republican issue but an issue all Christians should be on their knees about.

God does not intend for men to control and dominate us. That is what you have in a Communist or Marxist society. What we have here in these United States is rare and beautiful. Men and women fought and died to give us these freedoms. This domineering of the people was not the  Founder's intent either.  Our own Constitution is being used against the people yet nothing is being done about it. Tyrannical governments do not like God or do not like freedom. They want to be 'god' themselves.

Galatians 1:8 says "Let God's curses fall on anyone , including myself, who preaches any other way to be saved than the one we told you about, yes if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message let him be forever cursed."  Right now there is actually a secular humanist in Congress who declared today also 'National Day of Reason' to counter our Christian prayers. Unbelievable in this Christian nation this occurred on the floor of the House of Representatives! We need to pray for this man and his misguided followers as they are enemies of the cross of Christ.

 Many who say they are 'not political' so do not bother them with this as they are too busy, will be surprised one day if we are taken over by a dictatorship. This is what National Day of Prayer is all about. It is about thanking God for the freedom we do enjoy and praying it will remain. Right now in America, or at least most of it, we are free to read our Bible and worship as we wish. When I say most of it, it is because on some college campuses nationwide there is a movement to have Christian clubs banned or not talk about Jesus. This is real and it is happening. We can not bury our heads in the proverbial sand. We have to pray and speak up. It is for all of us who value freedom to do so. We all should be 'Paul and Paulette Reveres'. The Freedom From Religion foundation has stuck their heads in nationwide to try to get prayer stopped at City Council meetings and sporitng events.

When a nation founded on Biblical principles and truth starts routinely lying and tricking the people, look out. We know God is in control but sometimes He might allow some of this stuff to occur to wake us up from our slumber, stupor, and mediocrity.

That US Flag does stand for freedom and freedom is very precious. The freedom to go where we want, buy what we want, talk on the phone, watch movies, go to the school we want, worship where we want, choose the doctor we want, buy the car we want, own property, and buy a house where we want to live to name but a few.

2 Chronicles 16:9 says that "For the eyes   of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish   thing, and from now on you will be at war." God is behind the scenes so to speak as He is in control but that is no reason to not pray and not be burdened for our nation. There is a battle between good and evil raging and Satan is out there roaming around trying to trick and deceive people into believing his lies. Psalm 84:10 says "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." The wicked are around us trying to remove God, the Bible and trying to get us to fail. We need to be on our knees and pray the name of Jesus will be lifted up and He will rule and reign on this earth and people's hearts will be turned back to Him!

One of my favorite verses says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that "if my people, who are called by my name, will 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." God may allow us to go through some hard times to get our attention. It is time for all of America to wake up and call out to God in prayer.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I thank you for this nation which is so great because you are on the throne. Mere men may try to come and attempt to oust you but you are not going anywhere because it is your world. Lord God we pray for those men and women seeking to take down America that you will come into their hearts and turn them from evil to good and from the power of Satan to the power of God. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Click on link to enjoy Lee Greenwoods' God Bless The USA.
http://youtu.be/Q65KZIqay4E

ENEMY TERRITORY

 In a military battle the object is to defeat the enemy. You protect yourself with the proper equipment before you go into battle.

We are in spiritual battle here on earth between the forces of evil(Satan) and good(God). Many are enemies to the cross of Christ and hate the message that is in the Bible and will do anything they can to stop Christians from spreading it. Our protection is prayer and the Armor of God.

Ephesians 6:11-18 says "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. " You can actually visualize putting on the armor to protect you from those fiery darts fired at you and your family members. The enemy is out to trick and deceive believers and even cause some to believe a lie. It is not just the unsaved who have to worry.

This world is not our home as Christians . We are simply here as representatives of Christ on a temporary basis. The military has a term called TDY when a soldier leaves his home base for 'temporary duty' in another location but will be back when the mission is finished. We too are sort of TDY here and doing our mission to win others to Christ ,or at least we should be.

The world and all its appeal and fun will pass away. Only what its done for Christ will last .1 John 2:17 says "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." Are you shining the light of Jesus wherever you go and no matter what happens? Do you cave in when trouble comes your way?

Satan is referred to in the Bible as the 'prince of this world' and one day according to John 12:31 he will be driven out. Jesus is the true light and can drive out the darkness of evil. John 3:19 says "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."

Do you love darkness and the pleasures of this world more than Jesus? Ponder that for awhile. This world loves the darkness and it hated Jesus and it will hate you according to John 15:18 because you love Him and follow Him. Romans 12:2 reminds believers "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Who are you conforming to? Do you hide your light under a basket so to speak?

2 Chronicles 20:15 gives us hope when it says "He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's". The battle is not ours!! Hallelujah!! We know the enemy is seeking to destroy us, deceive us, depress us, discourage us, lie to us and just basically hates us. He is called an 'angel of light' in 2 Corinthians 11:14. Pretty tricky the way he tries to get us to fall for his schemes.He even works through humans to carry out some of his plans because he has deceived them as well. Be alert it says in 1 Peter 5:18. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."


Stay in the word of God and tell Satan to get behind you as you are a child of God!

PRAYER: Lord I know the enemy is roaming around and trying to get us to follow him instead of God,. He puts wrong thoughts into our heads and makes us complacent towards wanting to grow in Christ. He knows if he can trick us and make us too tired to read the Bible we will not have the power to defeat him. Father help me stay alert to his tricks and not fall for them. Keep my family protected and help them too not be deceived. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link and enjoy a wonderful song of praise and worship. You do not want to miss this song.
http://youtu.be/o2eMqGC2_mM

SATAN IS A NERD

 Oh my goodness, I am name calling! Shame on me. Not when it comes to the lying, cheating, deceitfulness, and killing of this horrible creature. I got the idea for my title today off an elderly gentleman's baseball cap that I saw as he left church in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Victory Christian Center yesterday. It was funny in a way, but also very true.

Satan is not a little red skinny man with a pitchfork like Halloween costumes attempt to portray him as, but he is in fact a powerful, sinister force working through human subjects, who he has deceived, in order to wreak havoc in the world we live in. He despises Christians and anything they stand for, so he hates America since it is a Christian nation. He is in fact an 'angel of light' tricking and deceiving many people. He can convince you of many things if you are not grounded in the word of God. Satan and his demons of evil like to keep people in bondage. They do not like freedom. They do not like the Bible at all for in it is power to defeat him and his demonic spirits. The good news is that we have the power to defeat Satan and his lies with the blood of Jesus and the word of God. Revelation 12:11 says "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much  as to shrink from death."

Talk out loud to the devil and say "Get Thee behind me Satan!" Matthew 16:23 says " Jesus turned and said to Peter..get thee behind me Satan. You are a stumbling block to me for you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men." Matthew 4:10 says "Jesus said to him..away from me Satan for it is written, worship the Lord and serve Him only."

In Isaiah 54:17 it says "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,and their righteousness is of thee says the Lord." Satan will try his best to get you to take his bait and many fall prey to this and do. Even some within churches are tricked by his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:11 says " in order that Satan may not outwit us for we are not ignorant of his schemes."  He is the ultimate creep and has tricked many unsuspecting earthly subjects to carry out his evil here on earth. We are indeed in a spiritual battle. Do not get mad at 'mere man' knowing Satan has taken them captive to do his evil bidding, but be angry at Satan and be on your knees in prayer for those he is using against righteous men to hurt us.

 The anti Christ will come and will be a powerful force and lead many astray. Be aware. It says in 1 Peter 5:8-9 "Be self controlled and alert . Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to destroy. Resist him standing firm in your faith because you know your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same type of sufferings." James 4:7 tells us to "Submit yourselves then unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from us." Satan and demons are no joke. You are either doing the work of God or the work of the enemy, think of that for a while. There is no in between. John 10:10 says "The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy. I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

 We know who wins in the end because it says in Revelation 12:9 "This great dragon, the ancient serpent called Satan or the devil, the one deceiving the whole world, was thrown down to the earth with all his angels." John 12:31 says "Now is the time for judgment on this world,and the prince of this (Satan) will be driven out." Jesus is Lord!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I know there are evil forces of darkness who seek to destroy the body of Christ and our freedoms. I stand strong in the  Lord and the power of your might and resist Satan firm in my faith. I stand on the promises of God and I have victory in Jesus. I will not fear evil man and his schemes for you are with me Lord and will see me through. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link and start your Monday morning out with a praise song to the Lord. Be blessed!
http://youtu.be/wIg6RIbLz1c

PS We are in a world not of this world!!