What Do You Have To Complain About?

A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

“Oh beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. For purple mountain majesty above the fruited plain.” You may recognize those words as the lyrics from ‘America The Beautiful’ but regardless of what country you may reside in, you can discover God’s beauty in His creation. 

I am thankful to have been born in the land of the free because of the brave and others may not be so fortunate. Americans really are blessed and don’t have anything to complain about.  Liberty is a great gift that we should NEVER take for granted. Make a list of the things you are grateful for. Clean water. Food in abundance that is often wasted. Indoor plumbing. Entertainment. Clothing. Four seasons. A job even if lower wages than you would like. 

When you feel like whining about your plight there is always something good you can find. Even if you are in the midst of an immense trial God is still there. Hang on to the rope and keep thanking Him for His by blessings. 

PRAYER: I don’t want to be a complaining ungrateful sort of person. I choose daily to find something good to say thanks for even if things in my life may be a little crazy. You are there. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Show Me Your Papers

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

Anyone who has ever travelled to a foreign land knows they can not enter without a Passport or Visa. You are born and have a birth certificate proving your nationality from a particular nation. What if you had to show your ‘heavenly passport’? Now there isn’t actually such a thing but could you prove you should be admitted? On the basis of what? 

You are a good person. You have outstanding morals. You never killed anyone. You love your parents. You obey the law. You respect your elders. You follow the Ten Commandments. All these are fine and good but do you love Jesus? Have you asked Jesus into your heart? How would someone know? 

Matthew 7:22-23 says the following “Many  will say to me on that day, 'LORD, LORD, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Have you asked Jesus to be Lord of your life and do you live for Him daily? Are you teaching your children about Him? Are you reading and studying God’s word and not just getting spoon fed one hour on Sunday? Today if you hear hIs voice do not harden your heart. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus help me live in such a way that I lead people to you and not into worldly pursuits that overshadow you. Forgive me if I ever thought I could go it on my own.  Draw those back to you who I know who may have wandered away. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Battleground

He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD. Proverbs 17:15

In my daily writing at times  it gets tougher and tougher to convey a message without stepping on toes. You see Satan has blinded the minds of many, some who are believers, and has them so saturated in worldly culture so much that they are desensitized to the truth and get offended when the truth is told. The only cure for this is the Holy Spirit to bring conviction.

We are in a fallen world that seems to get darker but God is still on the throne. When you point out a truth you are called a hater. Oh my goodness, Jesus please help us. What are we as believers in Christ to do? We are to keep loving, keep believing, keep hoping, and pray for those who are confused or misguided.

This is a battle between good and evil, God and the devil. Do not despair and lose hope. If you are praying for the eyes of someone to be open press on. Satan is roaring like a lion but we know who wins in the end.

PRAYER: Lord I know that are real enemies are not human ones but demonic forces at times that have taken men and women captive and blinded them. I pray for blinders to come off and the truth to come forth in a mighty way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God It’s Me Again

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never give up. Luke 18:1

I have been  participating in my churches’ 21 Days Of Prayer in August each morning at 6 a.m.This hour is an indescribable hour of power as I like to call it. Many people probably can’t imagine praying 1 minute and here this goes on for an entire hour. The hour is actually too short. 

Are you a person of prayer? Would you call yourself a warrior or just a casual dinner prayer person? Maybe now is the time to get serious with God and call on Him more often. A change has to occur in the inside of your heart before the desire to be close to Him happens. It happened for me 19 March 1975. There were a couple of back sliding times after that but God never left me. I got stronger through many storms. 

Maybe you are tired of praying and praying and praying more and feel like answers just don’t come. Perhaps you are mad at God for taking your baby, a friend, a family member and just can’t move on beyond that. You have a prodigal and the breakthrough hasn’t happened. You are just plain tired and feel it is useless. The Lord wants to hear from you. Keep on pressing in and crying out to Him. It is only Satan who wants you to doubt and give up. God is at work. 

PRAYER: Lord God I thank you so much for hearing my prayers. At times it is difficult to understand why there is no change but there will be. I believe. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Popping A Cork Christian Style?

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because  human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. JAMES 1:19-20

Is there such a thing as righteous anger? Well I don’t know but I know yours truly has a weak moment every now and then and has to learn to not sweat the small stuff and remember that ‘this too shall pass’. Some things can really make your blood boil and that is what Satan wants. He wants upset Christians who don’t learn to take their morning ‘chill pill’. 

What problem or situation recently may have brought your anger level up a notch? Telemarketers? Rude store clerks? Long lines? Policy cancellation by accident? Forgot a bill? Many more things could be added to the list. 

You have probably heard the phrase “Christians are not perfect just forgiven” well that is true but take a breath before reacting or overreacting to things. Try to keep the fruit of the spirit of patience and peace growing in your life. Forgive yourself when you have messed up. And learn from your mistakes and ask forgiveness when appropriate. Now go enjoy your anger free day. 

PRAYER: Lord I have embarrassed myself at times getting bent out of shape about stuff that really didn’t matter. Help me slow down, think, and remember to pray first. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Live A Life Bigger Than Yourself

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a Holy temple in the LORD. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

In the month of August my church,Church of  the Highlands, has been having 21 Days of Prayer. It could be watched at home online or in person. For several of the days I went in person and when you were there amongst other prayer warriors it took on such a greater deeper meaning to me.

As I walked with prayer cards in my hand reading others requests I could not help but cry at times. Sure at home I had no access to others prayer concerns so prayed for my family but there at church I read prayers from high school and college students,prisoners,children,and weekly church attenders. Some really choked me up.

You have to live beyond yourself and sure, pray for your needs and that of your family, but break away and have a heart for those lost, hurting, grieving,despairing, lonely and perhaps you will also get the chance to do more thanpray. Have a blessed day.

PRAYER: I am grateful I learned the value and necessity of prayer. I pray for those young married couples who do not pray as a couple to start doing it and not let Satan make them think it is unnecessary. I thank you for opportunities to live beyond  myself. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Learn To Fight!

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

I grew up in church and never really heard about spiritual warfare or by this I mean knowing that the devil was not a little man in a red suit with a pitch fork that even Christian families sometimes make light of by dressing their children like him at Halloween.😞 But instead he is a vicious conniving liar and deceiver who attacks believers and tries to disable them. Until you recognize this and start fighting you have no power over him. 

Satan is the master of evil that is going on in the world. The hatred, the anger, the lies, the division, the confusion is all straight from the pit of Hell. Don’t be deceived by him dear children. You are stronger than him and don’t have to fall into his trap. Satan has also blinded the minds of many people that they can not see the truth. 

To combat and fight this spirit of demons and evil first remember your fight is not against mere men but against spiritual forces controlled by Satan. He may have some of your family members believing lies and becoming lethargic. You can pray for them daily for the chains of darkness to leave them and for them to wake up to the truth. Bind demonic spirits from hurting them or captivating them. 1 John 4:4 says “Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world.” 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus Satan cannot defeat means he has to take his filthy little hands off those in my family he has been lying to. I pray for spirits of darkness to be bound. In Jesus’ name. Amen.