Killing A Python

• No, I am not talking about a big snake. Let me explain.

The other afternoon as I was having fellowship with the Lord, He showed me a picture of a giant python wrapped around a person slowly squeezing the life out of him."What is this", I asked? "Why are you showing this to me, Lord?" He told me that the python in my vision represented financial debt. He told me He is alarmed at how much debt people are shouldering these days. He said that this world's system has made it so easy for people to acquire material things on credit thus piling up thousands of dollars of debt. He said that, as a result, financial debt is destroying families, health, happiness and marriages.                           This vision and my conversation with the Lord has energized me into working to expose this python for what it really is, a deceptive demon from hell. In the book of Proverbs we read, "the borrower is slave to the lender". And now we can clearly see the wisdom behind Paul's statement to Timothy,"to owe no man anything but to love him".

So, how do you kill this python? The answer is -- you starve it to death. But, let me warn you, to do that is harder than you think. It will take sacrifice, discipline and a"No back down" determination. The following is the killing process.

• First step. Stop accumulating more debt. That means put your credit cards away, but if you if you have to use them, Pay off your charge within 30 days.
  
• Second step. Make a list of all your debts starting with the largest down to the smallest.
  

Third step. Begin "wiping out" your debts starting with the smallest. Make extra payments or pay additional principal until that debt goes away. Then, start on the next one up the ladder.

• It's going to take determination like you have never had before because that python does not want to let go. But, as you feel each one of it's coils loosen and letting go, you will be overjoyed. Continue this process until all of your debts have been paid in full. You will be free! No longer a slave to that python!
• Now, make up your mind to never go near that snake again.

Lost --- Maybe Not

Have you ever been lost? I have and it's a scary thing.

When I was in my teens, my dad and I went fishing up in the headwaters of the Pascagoula River swamp. We were in a small skiff with a small outboard motor. As I recall, this was an area where not too many people ventured to fish. But my dad, who was an avid fisherman, knew thes swamp waters like the back of his hand.

However, things were a little different this time because of serious flooding in the river system. As a result, a lot of dad's familiar landmarks were under water. As we carefully negotiated our skiff through the cypress knees and trees and other swamp vegetation, we noticed the deeper we went the more everything looked the same. At around mid afternoon, after we had caught several bass, it was time to head back to where we had launched our boat. It was a cloudy day, so we were unable to use the sun to help us with our direction. That fact along with the other fact that all of dad's familiar markings were under water left us in a serious plight. We were lost! Daylight was slowly fading and there were no sign posts in the middle of the swamp to show us the way out. However, eventually, just before total darkness we certainly emerged into a bayou with familiar surroundings. We headed home much relieved.

I was physically lost, but maybe you are spiritually lost and are looking for a way out of darkness; a way that leads to safety. All of us were born lost into a fallen world. However, there is hope. There is a way out! There may not have been any signs posted in the dark swamp to show my dad and I the way out, but there is a sign posted in your spiritual life showing you how to escape darkness and a hopelessness condition. The Bible tells us that, "Jesus is the way". It further tells us that The only way to emerge from spiritual darkness is through the light of God's dear Son.

So, to find your way this is what you do. First, you call out to Jesus for help and tell him you are lost. Next, you ask Him to forgive you for all of the wrong turns you've made in life (your sins), and then ask Him to save you. That's it! You wants were lost, but now you're found!

Much love… welcome to the family.

What Do You See?

Perhaps we need to learn to see again. We can see to learn to interpret the weather, but we cannot see to interpret the signs of the times. Maybe we need to slow down and look again.

God has a vision for our lives and he wants us to see it. Maybe we are having trouble seeing it all at once. But maybe if we were to take small glimpses and continue to look, we could see that all of these small glimpse, If put together, would show us God's complete vision for us.

God asked three different prophets in the old testament, "what do you see"? That same question could be asked of us.

The Bible says,"The word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path". By the light of God's Word -- that's how we see! We need to learn to see again with uncommon eyes. Jesus's death, burial and resurrection has opened unto us a Kingdom common eyes cannot see. Jesus told Nicodemus that unless a person is "born again" they cannot SEE the a Kingdom of Heaven.

So, let me ask you, have you had your vision checked lately? 

Seeds

Johnny Appleseed was a real person born in 1774. His real name was John Chapman. His passion, which he did, was to go around far and wide planting apple seeds which would in turn produce apple trees, which would in turn produce apples so that no one would ever go hungry.

Just think about the amazing potential and power of a seed. After God's creation, every living thing on this planet came from a seed. In fact, did you know that words are seeds? And since God spoke this world into existence with words, I guess you could say He spoke this world into existence with seeds. Umm...In the book of Genesis we read The phrase, "seedtime and harvest". In this context seedtime is a particular event. However, you could say it another way: seed - time - harvest. By this we see that it takes time for for the potential in a seed to germinate and develop into it's full statue. Also, I might add, it's important to note that the treatment of the seed during it's growing process greatly influences the health of it's final being. After a farmer plants his seeds he waters and nourishes them throughout the growing phase to help ensure a good crop. Otherwise he could have a crop failure.This same analogy can be used for humans. We produce other humans with our seed. As the seed begins it's growing process in the womb, the soon to be mother takes care of herself to ensure a healthy baby. Once the baby is born and throughout the process of growing into adolescence and then into adulthood, our words and words spoken by others function as seeds that will grow to shape the character, self-worth, confidence and integrity of the child. Negative degrading words (seeds) will produce that kind of result. Positive uplifting encouraging words (seeds) produce that kind of result.

The type of ground in which the seed is planted is vital. Jesus said, "seed planted in good ground Will produce 30,60 and 100 fold". He also said good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. It's important to understand that our mind is the soil in which we plant seeds. What we listen to, watch, talk about and think about the most act as seeds that directly impacts our outlook on life. Therefore, it's easy to see that if our mind is full of doom and gloom and negativity seeds, That's the kind of prop that will be produced this shaping our character. On the other hand, if we feed positive thinking and faith filled words and the word of God, Our mind set will be a glorious crop.

So, you see, Johnny Appleseed was motivated by a great passion which led him to plant apple seeds everywhere he went. We, too, can be like Johnny and go around planting seeds of the Gospel. The result of our seed will be the "bread of life" that will feed those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Do you have a passion for those who are lost, for those who are hurting?

John

Problem -- What Problem

The lion roared

And David took him out,

God's anointing was on him strong,

Goliath bellowed

And David took him out,

As God directed the Stone,

The wind blew hard,

And the waves crashed in,

His disciples were full of dread,

But Jesus was with them,

And calmed the storm,

Where is your faith, He said;

The crowd was huge,

They had been there a while,

And now they were a hungry bunch,

But the multitude was fed,

As Jesus looked up to heaven,

And blessed a little boy's lunch,

Peter was chained 

Between two guards

 Scheduled to die the next day.

But God sent his angels 

Who silenced the guards 

And led Peter quietly away.

Paul and Silas were beaten,

And chained to prison walls,

They were in a terrible plight,

But they sang praises to God,

And He shook the chains off,

And they were freed in the middle of the night.

So how big is your problem?

Has it got you down,

And you don't know where to turn,

Have you forgotten Almighty God,

He's bigger than them all,

And will relieve your every concern.

John,sf

04/22/17

Problem? -- What Problem

The lion roared.                                          David took him out,                                              God's anointing was on him strong;

Goliath bellowed,                                         David took him out,                                          As God directed the stone;

The wind blew hard,                                      And the waves crashed in,                             His disciples were full of dread;

Jesus was with them,                                    And calmed the storm,                              Where is your faith, He said;

The crowd was huge,                                   They had been there a while,                                And now they were a hungry bunch,

But the multitude was fed,                                 As Jesus look up to heaven,                                    And blessed a little boy's lunch;

Peter was chained                                           Between two guards.                                         Scheduled to die the next day,

But God sent His angels.                                   Who silenced the guards,                                       And led Peter quietly away;

Paul and Silas were beaten,                                  And chained to prison walls,                                  They were in a terrible plight;

But they sang praises to God,                           And He shook the chains off.                             They were freed in the middle of the night;

So, how big is your problem?                                 Has it got you down,                                              And you don't know where to turn;

Have you forgotten Almighty God?                           He's bigger than them all,                                    And will relieve your every concern.

John

Think Right -Talk Right

To start with let's look at two scriptures. "As a person thinks in their heart, so are they". And

"out of the abundance of the heart a person speaks".

The integrity of God's Word is unparalleled and unmatched, and that's where faith comes from."Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God". Rom 10:17.

1. You can see from the Scriptures, the amount of faith we have is in direct proportion to the amount of God's Word we have in our heart. When Jesus was tempted by the devil for 40 days in the wilderness he defeated him by speaking the word of God. He kept saying to the devil, "it is written". And Jesus is our example. The only thing that will defeat the enemy and stop him in his tracks is the word of God spoken in faith.
   
2. It's important to know that even though we may have God's word fixed in our heart, Tess will come. This is when we need the force of patients to undergird our faith. James 1:3 says:"Knowing this that the testing of our faith produces endurance. And let endurance run it's perfect course so that you will be complete and lacking nothing". Also, Isaiah tells us, "they who wait upon the Lord shall mount up as with wings of Eagles...".
3. It's the truth that you know that will make you free. Read, meditate and study God's word. Get it established and fixed in your heart. When you do that, a victorious life is sure to follow.

The Chain Breaker

Definition of "unchained". To release from. Set free from bondage. Unfettered, unshackled, untied, unbound. For a person to be unchained it is understood that they were once chained. When the word "chained"is mentioned, we quickly visualize a person in prison shackled and chained, or maybe we visualize a chain gang where several prisoners are all chained together working in a field. To be physically restrained by chains has got to be the ultimate in despair and hopelessness.

Sadly, however, multiply millions of people are bound by invisible chains. So, let's talk about the physical and the invisible. And, let me say upfront that no matter what type of chain, Almighty God is the chain breaker.

1. Physical chains - There are two instances in the New Testament that demonstrate God's deliverance. In Acts 13 we find Peter shackled with two sets of chains between two guards in the lower dungeon. He was to be executed the next morning. On the surface it would appear to be a hopeless situation. BUT GOD! Say it with me, BUT GOD! You see, what the enemy didn't know was that believers were interceding in prayer for Peter all over Jerusalem. The Lord God heard their prayers and intervened by sending angels Who came and broke the chains. The key for being "unchained"here is the faithful prayers of intercession by other believers. The other example is found in Acts 17 where we find Paul and Silas chained and shackled in the lower dungeon in Philippi. They appeared to have no hope. But instead of falling into a state of gloom and despair they began to sing and praise the Lord in utter darkness at the midnight hour. And God, who inhabits the praises of his people, beard and moved on their behalf and shook the chains from their hands and feet and they were delivered. The key for being "unchained" in this situation is praise and worship. No matter The difficulty, if we praise God for his goodness and mercy and his grace, great things will happen.
2. Invisible chains - As strange as it may seem, these unseen chains can cause more bondage than the physical. First let's identify some of these unseen chains: Unforgiveness, jealousy, failure, unworthy mindset, hate, handicap, lack, fear, addiction and more. You may be thinking right now event area in your life where you are having trouble breaking free. Each one of these areas is like a hidden explosive in a minefield planted by our carnal nature we were born with. So the question is, how do we avoid these hidden mines as we negotiate our journey through life? Each mine is like an invisible chain that can hinder and negatively impact the real you. They can be crippling and prevent all that God has planned for you to be.
3. You may be saying at this very moment, "John, You have no idea, I've tried everything I know to break from this bondage, but nothing seems to work -- I am almost ready to give up". Please listen to me with an open mind. The reason you haven't broken free is because "I"is in the way. "I" is in the natural world, but it will take the supernatural ability of Almighty God to break any of these unseen chains. And, oh by the way, our Lord Jesus has already destroyed and broken all of these chains when he went from the cross into hell and made an "open show"of the devil and literally paralyzed him. Jesus is the "chain breaker", not you.

• So, to start the process of breaking free we must believe by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ."Where do I get this faith", you might ask? Here's the answer from Romans 10:17."Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God". When we listen, read and study the word of God, Faith will come! I don't mean once a week or five minutes a day, NO! To grow in faith requires a serious commitment to the word of God. Then, as you continue to study and grow in faith, you will learn other truths in the Word that will help you break free and be delivered. There is a great scripture that says, "and you shall know the truth and the truth will make you free". Remember, it's the truth that you know.
  
• So here's the bottom line: Jesus is the "chain breaker", not you. And, Jesus and the Word or one. God bless you.

Morning Joy

When I awoke this morning I said, "good morning Jesus". And He softly replied back to me, "good morning, John, I've been watching over you while you slept". And then He said, "what would you like to do today, my friend – – we could do it together".

I said to my Lord, "you are always blessing me Jesus, So today I want to bless you"."What would you like", I asked?"Wow, John, He exclaimed, I would like your praise"! "Your praise blesses me and I receive much joy from it", he said.

Yes, that's how my morning started and I would highly recommend it.

DAY

As I rolled out of bed this morning, I thought to myself, "well, here we go – – another day". Then it hit me like a flash, it wasn't just another day it was a new day! The earth had rotated on its axis a full 360° and now it was beginning a new rotation.As for me, this new day was like a blank piece of paper or a clean slate. It was in my hands and totally up to me what I made of it. I was in  Control of my attitude for the day – positive or negative – good or bad or indifferent.Walking to the shower this scripture came to me, "this is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it". Then another scripture hit me as I open the shower door, "one Day with the Lord is as 1000 years and 1000 years is as one day"."Wow", I said under my breath as I quickly thought about these Scriptures, a"Day" has a deeper meaning than most people realize. I decided then and there that this day, no matter how long, would be a day of rejoicing and counting my blessings. If a problem or challenge or some crisis confronts me, I will go forward declaring that, "I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me and who gave himself for me".  "Greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world", I shouted as I hurriedly got dressed. I could hardly wait to start my day!

To Live Means What?

When we were conceived in our mother's womb life began. But wait, Jesus said he came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. But what does that mean?  When we came forth out of our mothers womb into this world and the doctor spanked our bottom to help us take our first breath, we said our first "hello" to this world. We then began to grow and the years pass as we live in this fallen world. And, because of Adam's transgression, we were born with a fallen nature and live a carnal lifestyle. This fallen nature is actually a "sin nature"and is constantly at war with God. We want to live the full life, no matter what, with travel and money and excitement and all of the thrills, and we don't want God to get in our way. So, if we are able to accomplish all of this, We think "wow, what a life". But hold on, not so fast my friend. There's nothing wrong with being prosperous, but when wealth, riches and fame become our primary focus and our Lord Jesus is not in the picture we are headed for trouble. Before I continue it is incumbent upon me to Point out some truths you may or may not be aware of as follows: 1- God is a spirit and we are made in his image and likeness. Therefore the "real you" is a spirit. 2- we have a soul and we live in a physical body. 3- our soul consists of our mind, our will and our emotions. 4- all of this (Spirit and soul) is housed in our body which is our "earth suit". 5- when our life on this earth is over, we die a physical death and our body returns to dust, but our spirit and soul never dies, they live on forever. The "real you" keeps on going. So, with all of this in mind, what is life? We might live on this earth in our body 70, 80 years or even more, but then what? Our "real self" will live in eternity forever. Eternity is where the real living begins if you are in the right place, heaven and not hell. And, remember this, our spirit never die. Now, knowing all of this we can clearly see how critical it is to get to heaven and enjoy life where living really exists. But be advised, there is only one way to heaven--not many ways. That one way is through Jesus. It says in God's word, "Jesus is the way, the truth and the life no one sees the Father (go to Heaven) except through Him, Don't despair my friend. If you need a ticket to heaven, Jesus has already paid your fare. But it will cost you something, you will have to give up your "old self" and be "born again". That means the real you, your spirit, must be born all over again. And when that happens, you become a new creation in Christ, old things are passed away and behold all things are become new. And all things are of God. How can I be "born again" you might ask? It's easy. Romans chapter 10 says, "If we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, We shall be saved (Born again). That's it The Word goes on to say, quote for with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation". Wow! You now have a life worth living. The future is bright! Your old life would have resulted in a dead end street. Enjoy your walk, heaven awaits you.

Don't Just Drift

This is a poeem the Lord gave me by the Holy Spirit that I believe sends a really good message. Enjoy. Do you wake up each morning.             The same old way                                 And just drift through life.                       Day by day? To drift is easy.                                       But where will you go?                                  There's no effort needed,                             You will just go with the flow; Life's current will take you.                           Where you would rather not be,                      Like a strong undertow.                         Pulled you out into the sea; Drifting is a trap.                                           Life uses as bait --                                 It's easy to do,                                       It's called, procrastinate; But wait, to drift – – to drift.                             Is not God's plan,                                   His was made special.                           Before time ever began; It's a plant of hope.                                       With no evil or despair,                               It's a plan filled with joy,                         A plan with thrills and God's welfar;         It's a path thats straight.                              That grows brighter every da,                    It's a path where Jesus leads.               And shows you the way; So, the choice is yours,                         Will you just drift along?                               Or walk in God's plan.                           And sing God's song. John,se

The Impossible Really Isn't

A situation that has always intrigued me is the one found in 2nd Kings 6. It describes where a man found himself in what looked to be an impossible situation. He had borrowed an ax to cut some logs and, while using it, the iron ax head flew off into a nearby body of water. And like most people, he panicked and shouted, "oh no it's borrowed". Fortunately, this story has a happy ending which I will discuss a little later. If this or a similar situation happened to most people, they would immediately begin to mentally calculate several things. First would be how much would a new ax Head cost; next would be where to find one and, finally, what would they tell the person they borrowed it from. If you'll notice, it never occurred to them to ask God for help. Now, back to our story. At once, when this crisis happened, this fellow called out to God for help. Elisha, God's man, was there and took immediate action. He wanted to know where the ax head went into the water and then he threw a tree limb into the water and the ax head swam up from the bottom of the lake and attached itself to the stick. The man then retrieved his "lost" ax head and the crisis was over. Wow, you're thinking, that isn't possible. Iron cannot swim! That's just a fairytale. Well, my friend, that's where you're wrong! God is good and Elisha had faith in His goodness. God's word is truth. Let God be true and everyman a liar. There is NOTHING impossible with God. If you are a child of God, He wants to solve your crisis. His word contains your needed solution. It contains the answer to your crisis. Search the Scriptures and find your answer and believe the faithfulness and integrity of God's word. It takes faith, and "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God". Jesus said, "let not your heart be trouble". So, when a crisis comes your way, and it will, don't panic just call on Almighty God Who causes the impossible to be possible. Give Him all the glory. Much love…

Influence

I was checking the pockets of a dirty pair of jeans making sure nothing was left in them before they were washed when suddenly the Lord reminded me of the time I left a paper napkin unnoticed in a shirt pocket. Well, the shirt was a part of a full washing machine load of clothes that went through the complete washing cycle. As my wife began to gather the clothes from the washer to put into the dryer, she noticed tiny specks of paper everywhere! Those little bits of paper were literally attached to every piece of clothing in that load. There seemed to be tiny specks of paper in places you would never imagine. As I was reflecting on that event, The Lord whispered to me that our influence was far reaching just like those tiny napkin pieces. In fact, He said just like the ripples of waves created when a rock hits the water spreads out in all directions, our influence behaves in the same manner. Now, here's the question. What kind of influence are you? Positive or negative? Godly or ungodly? Can people see the love of God which is spread abroad in your heart? Does your life demonstrate integrity, honor and truth? How about the fruit of the Spirit such as love Joy peace…? Always remember that we are a living and walking billboard that advertisers and demonstrates our influence everywhere we go. A smile or a kind and encouraging word could be all that someone needs to completely turn their life aroun. Yes, our influence is powerful and only God knows how far reaching it really is. Much love… John

My Orange Adventure

I really like oranges. I eat one almost every day. My favorite is the navel orange because it has thick skin and is easy to peel. The other day at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon, as I was beginning to peel my delicious orange, I experienced a powerful encounter with the Lord. I could hear His voice. No, it wasn't a booming voice coming from the sky, but a gentle voice coming from deep inside me. And He shared an awesome truth with me that I will share with you. He said that just as He created our physical bodies, He also created a special plan for us which He placed inside us before we were formed in our mothers womb. And He said He gave us the ability to dream and the desire to fulfill our dreams. Now, here's where the orange comes in. He asked me if I had ever bitten into an orange without first peeling it. I laughed and said that I remembered doing that once, but it was so bitter that I immediately spit it out. So, He said, you can see how the bitter tasting skin and membrane must be removed before you can enjoy the wonderful fruit of the orange. Yes sir, I said.  Then He said, many of us are like that orange. As we live life, we allow the negativity of this world, bad experiences, unforgiveness, bad doctor reports, stress, strife and many other things form a bitter skin around our dreams and God's plan for our life. As a result, we set our dreams aside and take a different path than the one the Lord has made for us. He said this is not His will for us. He came that we may have an abundant overflowing life. To get back on track and fufill His plan for us and have our dreams come true we most cast all our cares and every weight that holds us down upon Him because He truly cares for us. These items are just like the bitter skin of the orange. They distract us and hide the wonder God has in store for us. Well, that's it. The entire experience lasted probably not more than a minute or two. During this experience I could sense God's hurting heart for us because He has made a way– – made all of the provisions, and He wants us to walk in them. Our Lord Jesus has made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross that paved the way for our success. And remember, the path of the righteous grows brighter and brighter every day. Amen!  Bless the Lord! PS. Thank you Lord for the orange.

No Barking Dog

All of a sudden I was awake! I looked at the digital clock on the chest-of-drawers... 2;04AM. What woke me I pondered? I listened – – – no barking dog. I lay real still and listen again – – – no rain or thunder. What?? And then I knew, I felt His presence. The warmth of the Holy Spirit engulfed me. "Hello Holy Spirit", I whispered. I felt His acknowledgment and I knew He wanted to fellowship with me. I lay there in the sweet stillness of the moment. We talked about God's love for me and my loved ones and His desire to bless and protect us. He told me how Father God is moved by my every prayer for my children and grandchildren and others. He told me that God wanted me to cast all my care on Him because he cares for me. He told me to pay special attention to the events going on throughout the world today. He also told me He would teach me about the glory of God and the wonder of His grace. We fellowshipped for a little longer and I felt such a deep overwhelming peace. He told me to go back to sleep and that He would always be there because He never slept nor slumbered. Wow, what an amazing God we have who loves us more than we can ever imagine.

Don't Rush off

While sitting on my front porch one afternoon enjoying a cup of hot coffee, I was startled when a UPS truck came to a screeching halt in front of my neighbor's house. I watched in amazement as the driver leaped from his truck with package in hand and literally ran to my neighbor's front door; quickly leaving the package he dashed back to his truck and sped away.  I took a sip of coffee and began to ponder what I had just witnessed when suddenly I heard the gentle whispe of the Holy Spirit. "Speed is important to UPS", He said,"but not when it comes to spending time with me". In John 15 Jesus said he wants us to be friends with him instead of servants. Friends enjoy spending time together talking and fellowshipping. Most of the time we rush in to our "quiet time", throw a to-do List at God and rush out. Well, I agree, he has told us to bring our petitions to him, so, doing that is OK. But, what he would rather have from us is a time of close fellowship as friends. Remember, in the Garden with Adam and Eve God enjoyed walking and fellowshipping with them during the cool of the day. And guess what, God has not changed. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. More than ever he wants to be our friend, counselor and Savior.

• So, the next time you enter into a time of intimate fellowship with the Lord forget about your length of stay. Just feed off His presence and leave the speed with the UPS driver.
•    May the blessings of the Lord fall upon you.

LIFO

This is an abbreviation for an accounting term,"Last in first out". I want to comment on an area that is very critical for us to understand which, in turn, will help to ensure a blessed and fulfilled life. It is very simple, yet so very profound. Early this morning as I took a sip of hot coffee, I thought, "wow, this is good coffee". Yes, it was coffee, not buttermilk, or orange juice, or anything else, just coffee. The reason it was coffee is because that's what I put in the cup. Also, during my devotion time this morning I listened to a Sandi Patty CD. The only music recorded on that CD was of Sandi, not Elvis or Johnny Cash, just Sandi because it was a Sandi Patty CD. In each of these (the Cup and the CD) I got out of them what was put in them. Well, you might say, "John, you're so silly everybody knows that". Yes, that's true – – commonsense you might say. Jesus certainly knew it was true because he said, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". In other words, what we fill our mind and thoughts with the most is what is going to come out first. If we are constantly talking doubt, fear, negative and unbelief, well, that's what we are filling our "cup and CD" with. Whereas, if we concentrate on and speak God's promises and meditate on the power of His Word, Our "cup" will contain those thoughts. Knowing and understanding this is so vitally important because should a crisis arise in our life, the first thing out of our mouth is what is in your heart the most. Know this: Proverbs 18:21."Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof". Much love…

A shadow is only a shadow

When I was just a kid, we would shape our hands in such a way in front of a bright light to cast a shadow on the wall. I could make a shadow with my hands that looked like the head of an angry wolf.

   But, guess what?

   There wasn't a real wolf in the room; only a shadow that looked like one and the shadow of a wolf has never bitten anyone.

   In the 23rd Psalm we read these familiar words:"Yea though I walk through the valley of the SHADOW of death I will fear no evil..".

   Satan is the great deceiver. That's why it is so very critical to be grounded in the truth of God's Word. Not only will it's Truth make you free, but it will also shine the light that will dispel the shadows of Satan's deceptive tricks.

   Satan has no power of his own because  Jesus stripped him of everything. Therefore, he is left with only the avenues of trickery and deception. Consequently, if we don't know who we are in Christ or what God's promises are, we will fall for his game of shadows every time.

   He will throw up the shadow of fear, when God's Word says, we have not been given the spirit of fear. The devil will also throw up the shadow of worry, when God's Word says for us to be anxious for nothing.

   To close this discussion let me say, "The shadow of a wolf never bit anyone".

who's your Caddy

The game of golf is very fascinating. Most of us have either played the game, or enjoy watching it on television. And, if you really think about it, you can make the argument that the game of golf and life are very similar in many respects. It's to that end that I would like to make the following analogy.

   As you step onto the fairway of life, look at it as a tough 543 yard par 5 with fairway bunkers on the left at 276 yards and on the right at 285 yards; The rough is really thick and water is on the left starting at about 305 yards and wraps all the way around to behind the green. The green is elevated and is guarded by deep front side traps.

   By the way, this is the 18th hole and you have to make par to be a winner.

   Yes, before you teed off you knew you must avoid those obstacles and hazards if you were going to make par. And your caddy is key because he knows this course like the back of his hand.

   Life is very similar to this 18th hole. It will have its share of rough places, traps and hazards. However, you can have victory over these snares in life with Jesus Christ as your caddy. Trust him for the right club and yardage advice and how to read the green.

   The pros who are sugccessful in golf stay focused. Likewise, to be successful and victorious in life it is critical that you stay focused and follow God's word.

   Let's go! It's tee time!

call out

I was in a busy area the other day with a lot of people milling around and someone shouted, "hey you". It seemed as though everyone in the area immediately turned to see who had called and if it was for them.

  Did you know our Heavenly Father calls out to us continually to guide us, to warn us and to encourage us.

  I would say that the most obvious way he calls to us is through his Word. And in order to hear God's calling more clearly, the Scriptures tell us to "meditate"and to"study"The Word.

  God wants us to call out to him as much as he wants to call out to us. A great scripture that demonstrates this is Jeremiah 29:12."When you CALL OUT to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayer and hearken unto you".

   One of the most powerful calls unto us from our Lord and Savior, King Jesus, is provided for us in Revelation 19:9. "Blessed are those which are CALLED to the marriage supper of the Lamb".

  Our God never sleeps nor slumbers so, my friend, you may call upon him at any time. He invites you to be confident and bold when you approach him. Likewise, keep your "spiritual ears" tuned to his voice at all times. You never know what exciting things he may call out to you. Have a blessed day!

no fear here

As you enter into the jaws of a new day, remember Daniel was delivered from the jaws of the Lions. Of course, the prerequisite for God to work in your life is to be one of his children. Once you are "born again" you can shout in the face of those "Lions" and say "greater is he who is in me then he who is in the world".

welcome

My desire and prayer is that you will feel the energy provided by the encouragement expressed in this post and those throughout the future. My hope is to provide you with a source of stability in this unstable world system in which we live based on the truth and integrity of God's Word. Please stay in touch as future posts come forth.