Saturday, October 6, 2018

October 6

Are you a people pleaser? I may have been this way for most of my life, but now, my main focus is to please God. I love people and want everyone to like me, but if they don’t, I try not to dwell on it. The truth is, if you are telling it like it is, about the Word of God, you will step on some toes. People don’t like for you to tell them they are sinning or that they have issues that are holding them from becoming their original self. They don’t want to know if they are going against God and His precepts, but if someone doesn’t tell them, they will continue to bear the chains. I get tired of hearing the clanking sound of chains being dragged around. Someone needs to help them, even if their precious feelings are going to be hurt. I read the post on social media, and because I’m free of most of my chains, I can see the things that are holding others back from living in the grace God has afforded them through Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. I believe some people can’t live without their pain. What would they complain about if it was gone? If only they realized how good it feels to be free, they would seek it with all that they have. If this sounds like you, I pray that you get there one day. The key is to please God, and forego the notion of trying to please people. As Paul says, “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”


For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

Friday, October 5, 2018

October 5

Years ago, when I was a banker, I learned an important habit that I use today in my own business, and that is to save the office trash for a week or more. It may sound disgusting, but it’s only paper; we don’t put food in those cans. I put all the envelopes, junk mail flyers, and so on in the office trash can to insure that I have recourse in case I throw away something important. There was a time that I didn’t do that and mixed the mail and papers in with all the trash, and I threw a check away that was wrapped in, what looked like junk mail. I then had to dig through rotting garbage to find it. That’s when I decided that I needed to follow what I had learned in banking. It happened again, and I can’t tell you what a relief it was to be able to go back through clean trash and find that check! 

How many times does it take for you to learn a lesson? The Lord disciplines those He loves to guide you in the direction of the narrow path towards Him. Have you created habits to keep you from making mistakes? Do you repent quickly if you do make a mistake? Consider keeping in close contact with God on a daily basis, through prayer, and Bible study. It will help to minimize your mistakes.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Revelation 3:19

Thursday, October 4, 2018

October 4

There is an excitement in trying something new. For instance, I got tired of wearing glasses, however, without them my vision isn’t as clear as I would like it to be. So, I went to the optometrist to be fitted for contact lenses. His question was, do you want to correct your distance and wear glasses for the up close or do you want dual vision and have one for up close and one for far away? Well, if I can have it all, that’s what I want! There is an adjustment period and I’m still a little fuzzy, but I’m confident that my vision will clear up soon. 

Sometimes I feel like a prophet of old, whom God gave a prophecy, by having him act out to explain what was going to happen. Though we have prophecy well written in the Word of God, an illustration will sometimes bring it to life for better understanding. However, in this case, it will give a better understanding of a particular portion of scripture.

The things we see now are just dimly lit, like when we were children, playing was fun and exciting, but now, not so much. When the spotlight of Heaven is pointed at the life we are now living, it will look like child’s play. Prophecy will be complete and will become useless because it has come to pass.

Like my dual vision during this adjustment period, when I look at a distance, my one eye becomes blurry, and when I try to focus up close the other eye becomes blurry. Eventually my vision will become clear in the distance and for the near sight, like when the light of Heaven lights up everything. We will then see how ridiculous our actions were for things we placed importance on. Like the scripture, the only lasting thing will be love. I’m going to try and become anxious about loving others and less anxious about the things that are going to disappear. How about you?


Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away... For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:8 and 12. If you look up the rest, it will fill in the gaps. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

October 3

As I finish Ephesians, the only thing left is the final greeting. I’m struck by the word “love.” I’m not sure if we have a good understanding of what it means to love. I’m especially tormented by the lack of love I’m seeing for one another and a complete disregard for the respectful treatment of those people specifically chosen by God as the leaders of our country. I speak only for myself, but I stand on every word that comes out of the mouth of God, which are the holy scriptures. I can’t tell you how much I am sickened by what I hear coming from “Christians.” The threshing floor is open and the wheat is being separated from the weeds. Are we living in Sodom and Gomorrah? Maybe. I know God will let those of us who love Him, leave before it’s destroyed. If you get out, don’t look back! We have one judge, and that is Jesus. I pity those that will fall on that last day. I pity those who will live through full tribulation. If you are a true Christ follower, you hate the same things the Lord hates. I leave you with the Word of God, written in context so there is no guessing what it means, but in case you don’t understand what innocent blood is, let me just say, He knew you BEFORE you were born.


There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

October 2

If you want to inflict fatal wounds upon an enemy who has targeted you, you pick up this weapon and you DO NOT PUT IT DOWN! We are constantly being bombarded by spiritual darkness that seek to prevail over us because of our love for Jesus. To prevent their regiment from advancing, you must bring out the big guns, PRAYER!! When we are in the heat of battle, whether it’s illness, relationships, money, or other challenges, we can go straight to Jesus, the Commander of Angel armies who will intercede on our behalf. Remember how I said that one third of the angels were thrust upon the earth because of their rebellion? That means two thirds of the good guys are out there to come to our rescue! I doubt that God needs that many to defeat our enemies. We may not win every battle, but we should never forget that the Commander goes with us, and knows our needs. Keep crying out for justice, don’t give up! 

There is a story that Jesus tells of a woman who kept going before a judge who didn’t fear God or respect man. She kept asking for justice, and he kept rejecting her. She was unrelenting, and weakened him so that he got tired of hearing her. He finally gave in because of her persistence. (This parable is in Luke 18:1-7) We must seek God the same way. Pray on every occasion! We must keep a constant conversation going with the Lord, because at every turn, the enemy is waiting to catch us off guard. 

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Ephesians 6:18

To simplify what it means to wear the Whole Armor of God:
1. The Helmet of Salvation - Be secure in your salvation
2. Breastplate of Righteousness - stay free from sin
3. Belt of Truth - Read your Bible
4. Shoes of Peace - Trust God for supernatural peace
5. Shield of Faith - stops the flaming arrows and conquers unbelief
6. Sword of the Spirit - hearing the Holy Spirit - the rhema word of God

7. Prayer - never cease praying.

Monday, October 1, 2018

October 1

Imagine going into battle without a helmet. A javelin to the head would surely be the end! But God in His unimaginable love for us, gave us salvation through our King and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our Helmet of Salvation. This helmet is our protection against the end, and with it, our hope for eternity is secure, and Satan cannot take that away. Without the Helmet of Salvation, there would be no need for any of the other armor.

I’m sure most of you have heard the comedian John Crist. He has a video where he is acting like a lady who has a Bible verse for every situation. Of course it is quite exaggerated, but it’s what I think of when I think of the Sword of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit will bring to mind the scripture that will pertain to our situation and give us the word we need when we are battling the enemy. For instance, when Jesus was being tempted, scripture came into His mind and He used it in His response to Satan. Finally, after several attempts, Jesus simply told him to be gone. There are times that you know that what you felt in your heart came from God, a quickening of the Spirit; it’s called a rhema word. It’s to know that you know, you heard from God! If what you think you heard is from God, it will never go against scripture. 

and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17

There is one more all important piece of equipment that a soldier should never go into battle without. Check back tomorrow to find out what it is.

Sunday, September 30, 2018

September 30

Jesus got really aggravated at His disciples for their lack of faith. After all the training they had, they were still unable to heal a boy whose seizures caused him to keep falling into the fire and water. And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” Matthew 17:17. Jesus then rebuked the demon and the boy was healed. Can’t you just hear them whining? ‘Why couldn’t we heal him?’ He told them that it was because of their lack of faith. 

All we need is a tiny bit of faith, about the size of a mustard seed, and we could move a mountain, and nothing would be impossible. Our biggest challenge is to conquer our unbelief, if we don’t do that, we can’t please God. Now we’re circling back to the Bible because the only way to receive faith is to hear, or read the Word of God; in this instance it is talking about the written word, our Bible. In the Roman armor, the shield is attached to their belt when it’s not in use; The Shield of Faith is linked to the Belt of Truth, which is the Bible. It is our faith that extinguishes the flaming arrows that get shot at us. We will always be a target of Satan, and our Shield of Faith will keep those arrows from piercing us.

For our spiritual armor against the forces of evil, we now have: read your Bible, be free from sin, trust God for peace, and conquer unbelief. I will cover two more tomorrow, then we will be ready for war!

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; Ephesians 6:16