Why Halloween?

Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers;  do not let me eat their delicacies. Psalm 141:4

My birthday and that of a female first cousin in Texas is on this day. I love this day because it is a celebration day for me. As a child it was fun to dress up and trick or treat. This day seems perfectly innocent to me as a day to have some good old fashioned fun. If you celebrate Halloween it is not my intent to guilt you but to make you reconsider why you do and maybe change things up a bit. 

Many churches use this day to have harvest celebrations or what they call Trunk or Treat.  Hardly anyone I know does not like the season of fall. Hayrides, weenie roasts, s'mores,cool fall air,the changing colors of the leaves all add up to a nice time of year depending on what part of world you live in.  As a believer each person has to decide what they do on this day and be convicted of right or wrong in your own heart. I personally am not into decorating with witches on broomsticks,skeletons hanging outside,a fake cemetery on my front lawn but I know some who do and apparently not feeling there is anything wrong about it. So I am not here to judge. Hollywood goes crazy putting out scary movies and some borderline on the Satanic. 

I ask each person to think about what you doing this day and if there is anything you need to change. That is all. 

PRAYER: Thank for the season of fall. I love the crisp autumn air and the beauty of your creation. Thank you for each day you have give to me. Help me use this day and every day as a witness for you and not put things into my mind and heart that have no place there. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Chill And Be Still

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10

 Yours truly is far from perfect. Occasionally I have to just 'be still' and turn stuff over to God and not forget to pray.

The enemy knows our weak points and just when you think you have 'arrived' another 'test' may pop up. All these little 'tests' help you learn to handle life and problems in general. You must make yourself calm down, take a breath, and not overreact. Also pray for patience for yourself as well as those around you. 

Are there areas in your life you need to learn to just relax a bit more? God is a big God and He wants His children to have peace. He is not the author of confusion it says in 1 Corinthians 14:33.

PRAYER: Forgive me Lord for the times I don't think things through or pray and consequently make a fool of myself. Help me learn to lean on you all the time. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Watch Out For The Pity Monster

And  put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:24

This monster can strike at any time and without warning. It most readily occurs when you worry, conjure up scenarios, and don't set your mind on Christ. When you feel like 'oh poor little me' or 'I'll show them'  then you are setting yourself up to be attacked by this monster. This monster makes an appearance when we let 'self' be on the throne of our life and not God. We start feeling sorry for 'self' and 'self' takes over. This is a form of self centered behavior but we all have probably been guilty of it. The enemy loves it when we get overly focused on ourself. Even if we are not careful,  Facebook can be a tool where you start feeling sorry for self because no one likes what you posted. I would say don't worry about it,don't even look and focus on something else. Go read a book. Maybe go read the Bible!

If you know you have this problem and it occurs all too frequently ask God to comes I and transform you and help you think of others more than yourself.

PRAYER: Forgive me for the times I have allowed the pity monster to attack my mind and make me feel sorry for poor little me. I want to focus on you Lord and help me recognize self pity when it comes and nip it in the bud. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Oh Please Help Me Lord!

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior”. Habakkuk 3:17-18

If you lost everything and there seemed to be no hope could you honestly say this verse above and mean it? God does care but often times things don't go the way we think they should and we tend to think God has abandoned us. 

Sometimes we have tests and trials to make our walk with the Lord stronger. Atheists would tend to mock this thinking God was going to make everything right and perfect. The Bible never says that. Why is it when someone dies the first to get the blame is God? Why not blame Satan? Satan comes to "kill, steal, and destroy" it says in John 10:10.  All people are going to die someday we just don't know when. It is sad when a young person, an infant, or even your 99 year old mom dies but we can not live forever down here on this earth. 

A Christian has faith and trust that God is behind the scenes and is working out all Things for the good. No matter if it is in the loss of life, property,health, or whatever God can and will see you through each calamity that comes your way, you only need to call out to Him. 

PRAYER: I know you do not cause bad things to happen. Show me how to answer people when they are confused about this. Help me be able to share God's love with someone who is hurting or grieving or just be a listening ear. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Technical Difficulties

Until further notice my writing can be found on godslemonadestandblog.Wordpress.com
Google shut me down for two days and said I violated their policies. I have not a clue unless it means something I wrote was considered what the world likes to call 'hate' speech. Until I get to the bottom of it and do not want to be shut down again you can do one of two things. Go to Facebook and LIKE  my Facebook page entitled 'God's Lemonade Stand' or sign up for my new Wordpress blog I created. Thanks so much. Christians are being censored whether we like it or not so I do not want to lose access to my six years of writing or my gmail account so I am treading lightly till I am able to resolve this. To get my new email message me privately. Pray please. Love in Christ.

Where Is Your Treasure?

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:20-21

Recently while getting out of my car at the bank I accidentally banged my less than one year old car door into a sign next to the curb. Geez. I was frustrated when I saw an itsy bitsy little paint chip had come off. Kind of got mad at myself for not being more observant before opening my car door. Being upset will not reverse what just occurred nor will it bring the tiny spot of paint back.

We are to be good managers or stewards of our earthly possessions God blesses us with but not let them rule over us and make us fret, worry, and go broke. God intends for His children to be at peace and to not let what we own own us instead. Thinking we need the latest styles of clothes, the hottest handbag out there, the fanciest boat, or biggest motor home is not God's plan although He is not saying you can't. Just don't let material possessions become what you treasure more than you do the Lord and God's word. 

Where are you today? Do you value this world and your stuff more than things of the kingdom of God? If so maybe now is the time to get your priorities and heart in line.

PRAYER: Forgive me Lord when I allow my possessions to control me or cause me stress. Help me Lord to value the things 'above' more than what I own here on this Earth. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Our Fight Is Against Satan, Not Man

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. Ephesians 6:10-12

The world we live in now is getting crazier and crazier. To many people they are unaware of the tragedy befalling this great country. Seduction by Satanic lies and spirits has gotten them numb to anything bad or immoral. Our job is to continue to pray and not to argue with people to convince them. Even those in power we are angry at we are supposed to be trying to love and to pray for. Tall order I realize. 

The verses above clearly indicate our battle is ultimately with the evil forces of darkness that do not like the light of Jesus. When people rush about their day and never give any time to the things of the Lord and are content being 'a Christian' and nothing more, then it is easy to possibly be blinded to things going on. Devotion to a political party can also captivate people that they can not see what is going on.

My friend do not be mad at people but be mad at Satan for trying to destroy the Christian fabric of this land and the minds of its' people. Keep praying and know that God is in control.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I pray for this great nation. I pray that Christians will not be blinded to the lies of Satan. I pray for revival in this great land. In Jesus' name. Amen.