October 9

This past week, I received two different packages that were crushed. One box was dirty and looked like someone dragged it through the mud. The post office delivered one, and FedEx delivered the other, so it’s not one particular company being careless. There could have been sinister actors within those companies because one package was from MyPillow, which a vocal Christian man owns. The other was Cinchona bark, which is used to make tonic water, an herbal remedy that helps with certain illnesses. It might be a coincidence, or the enemy is sending me a message; I think it’s the latter because he knows I look for symbolism in repeated situations.

A box is symbolic of the heart and righteousness, so getting a crushed and dirty box, might mean he’s trying to break me or tempt me to sin, but there’s more! The content inside was in pristine condition, as if nothing had happened to the exterior, not one speck of dirt. He might be able to crush you on the outside, but he can never take what’s holding you together on the inside! I’m telling you this, so you know that the enemy is real, and he knows how to communicate with us if we are paying attention. God also uses circumstances to speak to us, but in this day and age where the enemy’s time is short, you might see him attack or discourage you. Sleep in your armor because you never know when he may choose to weaponize against you or send you an ominous message. Heads-up! This war is real.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

October 8

It’s getting close to the time of year where we can sit outside and enjoy an open fire in the fire pit. We had our pavers installed back in May, but the blocks for the surround for the fire pit were on backorder. So yesterday, we picked them up and tried our hand at creating a wall. Now we wait for a crisp, cool day to light a fire, but for right now, it’s still too hot!

In the Bible, fire is used as a means to purify, to melt down gold and silver to remove the dross. 

John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Luke 3:16

The words Jesus spoke cut to the heart and burned like sulfur to purify us from the evil that creeps in unannounced. The problem we have is not heeding the warnings from him, ignoring his words by going about our world as if he never existed. Because we have accepted him as our Savior, we will pursue a different path and melt away the impurities, thus becoming refined and pure.

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11

October 7

I’m trying to stick to the program and get through Timothy, but I seem to get sidetracked and drawn to other books in the Bible. Paul wrote to Timothy to teach him how to lead his church and give him the requirements for enrolling others as leaders. My new goal is to write at least one paragraph for each chapter of the New Testament, but Timothy is challenging me. However, today, I’m in chapter 6, and there it is! The most misquoted verse in the Bible! 

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 1 Timothy 6:10

The love of money is not the root of ALL evil, but ALL KINDS OF EVIL! I would say the love of power ranks up there with the love of money. Then, some people have hate in their hearts, and that alone makes them evil. My lesson today: stop misquoting this verse, and stop anyone who does. Evil can come from many other sources, but money is only one of them.

October 6

Was anyone else hoping Facebook wouldn’t come back up after the blackout? All hopes were dashed when it came back online. What do you think was going on? Was it self-imposed so they could clean up their records because their whistleblower was testifying before congress? The conspiracy theories are running amok, though some sounded plausible. I think it was a “warning shot across the bow” or the “shot heard around the world” because the outage affected people from everywhere. I never realized how much it disturbed my peace until it was gone; I felt so relieved knowing it was out. I stopped checking my phone and lived a normal life for a few hours. Is it time for all of us to lay it down and move on with a healthy, normal life unencumbered by the tentacles of social media? It’s been a good run, reaching beyond our walls to bring the message of hope through Jesus, but now that the message has spread throughout the world, maybe it’s time to live our lives in reality, and give up the gossip and move on to bigger and better things. It’s just a thought. What do you think?

Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 1 Timothy 5:13

October 5

I grew up in the country and have been around animals all my life, but never have I ever been attacked by a chicken! However, we never had roosters at my childhood home, but we did raise some to eat one time. My father-in-law has chickens and hasn’t been feeling well, so feeding them fell on my husband, and then to me whenever he’s too busy to go there. Yesterday, while feeding them, I got spurred and scratched up by one of two roosters! Imagine attacking the person feeding you, but it happens all the time with humans to one another. That rooster is lucky to be alive; he got smacked in the head a couple of times with the bucket I was carrying and almost became dinner! There is an answer to spiritual warfare; use your prayer and rebuke to give the devil and his cronies a good smack in the head, and the next time you enter their territory, they will remember that you will bring down trouble if they bother you. However, don’t overdo it with your words, a simple “the Lord rebuke you” will be sufficient. I don’t imagine I will ever be attacked by that rooster again; he knows who’s boss and will remember the headache I gave him.

But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” Jude 1:9

October 4

Yesterday, I talked about what you consume and how everything created by God is good. I, like many, have a sugar craving. I know it causes inflammation in my system and that I should avoid it. However, we had a family gathering for my father-in-law’s birthday, and there was cake and sweets, and I couldn’t resist. I slept late and ultimately had trouble coming up with a story this morning. I have better mental clarity when I eat only low carb, high protein foods; I know my system because the Holy Spirit gave me insight into the best choices that help me sustain my health. Most likely I will be fasting today. 

When I fast, my whole system becomes clean, and it helps restore my mental awareness. Fasting is healthy and creates autophagy which is good for ridding your body of the bad cells, so I’m sure that’s why the Bible recommends it. Fasting resets your system so you can start fresh again. If you are having issues with mental clarity, try fasting and make it a point to eliminate sugar and see how your mind and body react; I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Isaiah 58:6

October 3

When I was at a recent event, someone mentioned that an individual close to them asserted that the Bible says we shouldn’t eat red meat because it still has blood in it. I’m sure they got their information from the passage in Leviticus where God says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” Even the Israelites still ate beef. I’ve gone through issues with eating certain things, but in the end, I realized that if God made it, we shouldn’t call it unclean. However, if we are convicted that we shouldn’t eat something, it could be the Holy Spirit telling us to refrain. I have an allergic reaction to shellfish, so I know I can’t eat it. Specific warnings may only pertain to us that are not necessarily for the general public. We must be careful with our understanding of God’s word and rightly divide the word of truth. 

If you needed another reason to pray before your meal, besides Jesus telling us to, Paul makes a good case in the following verses. I’ve also included the whole passage because it pertains to what we see in society today, and Paul, through the Holy Spirit, said it better than I ever could.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1 Timothy 4:1-5