December 31, 2022

We all go through trying times when the enemy chooses us to torment. I’m no different, except that I share those struggles as a way of teaching perseverance, self-control, and how to glorify God in the process. After all, he is the one who comes to our rescue and comforts us in our time of need. 

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 1 Peter 4:16

You are not alone in your struggles. If you’re not facing challenges, are you actually in the fight against the powers of darkness?

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I want to thank everyone who prayed. Yesterday was a great day with no new incidents. You got in the battle with me and fought the good fight. It’s funny how my experiences over the past week went along with the writings of 1 Peter; it makes me wonder if God allowed it on purpose. I don’t think I will be studying Job anytime soon! There were many lessons learned and shared. Keep up the good fight of faith and God will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11

December 30, 2022

Since Christmas Eve, I have faced one attack after another. It is probably the strangest thing I have ever encountered. I didn't write about it yesterday because some who were a party to the attack need to be set free from the devil's clutches, so I wrote about how to become free. If you didn't accept Jesus's complete healing and cleansing when you accepted him as Savior, then that is something you need to work on. I'm saying this because all the attacks have come from people claiming to be Christ-followers. I began writing this blog to help people who think they are saved become the person they claim to be. It's not my job to determine if you are saved, but it is my job to help you make that determination and give you insight into how to live as a true Christ-follower. One of my attackers even disguised themselves as someone who needed help, and when I didn't play along in their game, they tried to use my faith in Jesus as a weapon and told me they would pray. The audacity! I held my peace through all of it and didn't call out their demons even though I could see them. When experiencing the enemy's disdain for you, maintain your composure and remember that you are a child of the Most High!

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:12-14

December 29, 2022

Nearly all the ceiling has been removed from the interior of the house and is almost ready for spray insulation. It reminds me of what we must go through when we genuinely want freedom in Christ. We tear down all the walls and remove everything hindering us from reaching the pinnacle of the Christian experience. If you haven’t begun seeking the truth about why you think and act the way you do, today is a great day to start. It is a process of unlearning the habits and attitudes placed there by the enemy to distract us from living our best life in Jesus. If he can keep us in prison, he wins. But Jesus came to set us free from all encumbrances. Fear, trauma, unbelief, and rejection are some of the things you might look for that could be the causes of your imprisonment. To tear down those walls and insulate yourself from further damage, confess, repent, anoint, and pray. It’s not a one-and-done kind of process. You must go through those steps many times to get the freedom you can feel. If you don’t know where to start, ask God to show you where the lies began; if you keep asking, he will keep telling you all your areas that need improvement, and eventually, you will become your original self, the person he created you to be. Start praying now; the new year is only a few days away. Wouldn’t it be great to start the new year walking in true freedom?

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

December 28, 2022

Over the past several days, the enemy has tried to get me to react to negative words said about me. He though he could take me out of the game, but all it did was fuel me to further spread the truth about how great God is. What’s even better, the Holy Spirit had me studying in the perfect book of the Bible to help me counter the attack in a godly manner. Even though the things said were hurtful, my heart didn’t react, and I kept my perfect peace. The truth is that there is something wrong inside of them, not me. They couldn’t even come up with anything I had done wrong. This situation is the perfect example of why we need always stay in our armor. The enemy will come after you with both barrels using whoever or whatever he can to cause you discouragement and to soil your reputation. Stand strong, follow Jesus’s example, and let him fight for you, the battle is not yours anyway. Another thing that came of this is I still love them; only God can give you that kind of reaction when others hate you. Listen to the Holy Spirit in times of trouble; he will guide you into perfect peace. 

having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:16-17

December 27, 2022

I’m thankful that the holidays are nearly over. Maybe the demons will settle down a little. This world is getting crazier by the day! We know God is in control and can count on him to get us through. Remind yourself daily that you are a child of God, and he doesn’t want to cause you harm. We are righteous, though not of ourselves; we are sinners but are righteous through our trust in Jesus, the Overseer of our souls. Be careful not to get caught up in the madness, for we are a holy people, set apart from the general public, and must keep our composure under to stress of worldly affairs; we have the reputation of Jesus to uphold. Remember that the army of angels is ready for battle and is more than those who are against us. Only 33% of the angels were kicked out of heaven and are demonic, but we have 66% fighting with us. We have power behind us and going before us; we have the advantage. The fight is not of flesh and blood; it’s spiritual, so our armor must be spiritual; prayer, faith, God’s word, and the Holy Spirit. We will win! Armor-up!

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:24-25

December 26, 2022

It is a great day when you learn to refer back to biblical teachings to handle life issues. As a conservative, God loving, right wing patriot, you will encounter those who believe differently from you. Though we may not agree with their thoughts, we can still love them with our whole heart even if they don’t love us back. Earlier this year, I had a friend that I feel betrayed me. It wasn’t anything major, but it still hurt. She and her husband didn’t have our same belief system, but we were okay with that; we didn’t have to talk about politics or our beliefs to still be friends. However, they couldn’t get beyond it because, their opinion was that the gap was too wide, and though we tried to build a bridge, all they did was tear it down. When it comes down to it, love is the bridge, but you will find that there are people who don’t understand real love; love them anyway. One day, and it may be in eternity, they will see the truth, but it will be too late for them, but you will have pleased God by your actions. Keep handling issues the way God recommends and everything will go well with you. 

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 1 Peter 2:19-20

December 25, 2022

Yesterday, I was preparing dinner for my family for Christmas Eve. I decided to use the electric meat slicer to cut up my potatoes for mashed potatoes. I got careless and didn’t use the guard to push them through, and I sliced open my finger right through the nail. I bled profusely! I probably needed some stitches, but because of the past few years, my trust in physicians has plummeted to near zero. I bandaged it up and kept going. 

We need our flesh to maneuver through this world; that’s how Jesus came to dwell among us. He knew the only way to show us how best to live and give us a perfect sacrifice was to walk with us. He had to become flesh and blood to teach us to live spiritually and to rely on our faith in him to excel in heavenly ways. I bled, and it proved that I have a physical body, and if I had bled to death, it’s of no consequence; I will live on in the spirit because God gave me the right to become his child. Remember why we worship Jesus today and celebrate his birth; he became flesh because he loves us. Merry Christmas!

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

As a side note: John 1:14 makes it very clear that Jesus was the only Son of the Father. If you believe Satan was one of his sons, you are in a cult and need to get out of it.