When the Enemy STRIKES Chapter one review

Know his tactics, he comes ONLY to steal, kill and destroy!!!

https://youtu.be/jD5D6TN4sWM

Whether we like it or not…🤔

It’s not an eyesight issue, it’s a HEART condition

Have you ever thought about the Scripture “walking by faith, and not by sight”? Sure, we hear it and possibly think “yes, indeed I will walk by my faith in “THE ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD”, and not by sight…
We have started the Experiencing God Bible study in our Wednesday evening class at church. This week’s lesson references that the Holy Spirit will be our personal teacher.
The Holy Spirit gives us the assurance and confidence that we need to trust in God by faith. He enhances the knowledge that we have a house in heaven. The Holy Spirit stirs confidence and courage to face the present life. He stirs our faith within us. Knowing that our present home (body) is only temporary– that we are soon to move to our heavenly home– stirs great faith within us. True we do not yet see our heavenly home, but the Holy Spirit stirs within us- faith to walk through all the trials and problems of this life.

2 CORINTHIANS 5: 7, 8
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

How could Paul be so sure that when we leave this body, we will be present with the Lord? Paul says that we walk by faith. We take God at His Word. I would rather take Him at His Word than anyone else’s word.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: Walking by faith requires confidence in God’s Word. Real faith doesn’t come with a step by step plan, in which we “see” in order to believe..

Let’s grow our faith and trust in God’s Word every day without having to see the proof of His Promise in advance!! Walk by faith and not by sight:)))

The seventh piece truly means completion and perfection:)

Did you know that Prayer is part of the FULL Armour of God? It is!!

While participating in doing my homework for the War Room Bible study, I’ve come to understand this important aspect. I count six pieces of the armor, but prayer makes seven. Most of us know that in  the Bible the number seven represents completion or perfection. I’d say that prayer truly is both! 🙂
In Ephesians 6:10-17, we are told that in the Christian life we battle against “principalities and powers.” (the powerful evil forces or fallen angels headed by satan who is a vicious fighter, see 1 Peter 5:8). To withstand the attacks, we must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of His armour. Paul is not only giving this counsel to the church, the body of Christ, but to all individuals within the church. The whole body needs to be armed.
As we do battle against “the rulers of the darkness of this world,” fight in the strength of the church, whose power comes from the Holy Spirit.

One does not commonly equate prayer with battle attire, but it is no accident that Paul commands believers to pray when engaging in spiritual warfare.
EPHESIANS 6:18
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
One way to pray constantly is to make quick, brief prayers our habitual response to every situation we meet throughout the day. Another way is to order our life around God’s desires and teachings so that our very life becomes a prayer
FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: We don’t have to isolate ourselves from other people and from daily work in order to pray regularly. We can make our prayer our life and our life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence.

Let’s remember that we have a POWERFUL WEAPON and that we can use it today and every day! 🙂

Fixed eyes produce less veering :)

Do you know that NOT getting distracted and veering off the track is crucial whether referring to Christians or Locomotive Trains?
In both instances, once off course massive chaos is inevitable.

PSALMS 119:1-8 (ESV)
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me.

 

 

 

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: God’s Word tells us exactly what we must do as His children to live the best life possible

Let’s stay on track with God today and every day!! 🙂

No matter how BIG the glasses,IT won’t be any clearer:)

How often is it difficult for us not to look back on our past?

             And even more difficult to look forward to our future?

 

 

 

 

This question comes after several encounters this week with other believers.

We can feel as if we are in a place that seems so unfamiliar to us. At times,

we may even long to go back to the familiarity of when life was comfortable for us!

PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul said his goal was to know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all Christ has in mind for him. This goal absorbed all his energy. This is an example for us. We should not let anything take our eyes off our goal-Christ.
Paul had reason to feel sorrow about the past-he held the coats of those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:57, 58), he is called Saul here). Most of us do not have the type of guilt that Paul had due to his past when he was a persecutor of Christians. We all have done things for which we are ashamed. Because our hope is in Christ, however, we can let go of the past guilt, as well as the comforts of familiarity and look forward to what He will help us become. We should not dwell on what we had (that which we thought was so good), instead, grow in the knowledge of God by concentrating on our relationship with Him now.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: We know that we are forgiven, and then we move on to a life of faith and obedience. We need to look forward to a fuller and more meaningful life because of our hope in Christ. He has the BEST PLAN FOR US!

Let’s start living the life that Christ wants us to have today and every day! 🙂 No looking back…only FORWARD FOR HIM:) Take the first step!

Mesmerized memorizers we MUST BE!!

Some days are better than others aren’t they? It seems that situations can happen and redirect our entire day.
We can depend on one sure area that will never redirect us, and that is God’s Word.
God’s Word is real and beautiful. Stay true to God and His Word no matter how bad the world becomes.

 

Obedience to God’s law is the only way to achieve real happiness.

PSALMS 119
This is the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. It may have been written by Ezra after the Temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14, 15) as a repetitive meditation on the beauty of God’s Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in faith.
This psalm has 22 carefully constructed sections, each corresponding to a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet and each verse beginning with the letter of its section. Almost every verse mentions God’s Word. Such repetition was common in the Hebrew culture.
People did not have personal copies of the Scriptures to read as we do, so God’s people memorized His Word and passed it along orally. The structure of this psalm allowed for easy memorization. Remember, God’s Word, the Bible, is the only sure guide for living a pure life.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: Storing God’s Word in our hearts is a deterrent to sin. This alone should inspire us to memorize Scripture. But memorization alone will not keep us from sin; we must also put God’s Word to work in our lives, making it a vital guide to everything we do.

Hearing, RUNNING and finally OBEYING:))

While reading my Bible and sitting with a warm heating pad on my back and a bowl of peanut M & M’s by my side, the thought of relaxation and peacefulness came over me as the cool breeze was blowing in through the window.

 

What a blessing to just be still in the presence of the Lord and His Word!

 

Jonah would have found himself much better sitting quietly and listening to God, instead of running away and catching a ship!

 

The Book of Jonah shows that God can use a negative example to teach a positive lesson. The negative example is the prophet Jonah, whom God called to preach to the citizens of Nineveh. This great city was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. The Jews hated the Assyrians because they were sworn enemies who worshipped pagan gods. So Jonah tried to run away from God’s call. We know the story of how a violent storm strikes the ship, which led to Jonah admitting that he was running from God’s call. He advises the sailors to toss him overboard to appease the anger of the Lord.

 We read that God saves Jonah by sending a great fish to swallow him, keeping him alive for three days in the stomach of the fish. Jonah prays for deliverance and the Lord hears and has him ejected from the fish unharmed and placed on the shore.

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Eventually, Jonah did travel to Nineveh and preach to the Ninevites, as God commanded him to do. But when they repented and turned to God, he sulked and pouted because the Lord refused to destroy them.
One positive thing we can say about Jonah is that he did dare to tell the truth about himself and his prejudice by writing the book that bears his name.
God reminded Jonah that He is merciful and a forgiving God, who loves all people, even the pagan Assyrians.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION:God’s message is for everyone. Despite the wickedness of the Ninevite people, they were open to God’s message and repented immediately.

Let’s do our best today and every day to simply proclaim what we know of God, we may be surprised at how many people will listen.

Scoffers, READERS and HAPPY ROOTS:))))

Do you ever feel challenged or a little-disappointed when trying to share God’s Word with others? It can seem as though they think that you may be too excited about studying a boring history book of days long ago. I want to encourage you not to get discouraged for one moment:))))))) God is working in our heart and mind! I feel a real sadness for people who don’t show any concern or excitement about our God that they profess to ‘believe’ in for their eternal salvation.

PSALMS 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

God doesn’t judge people by race, sex, or national origin. He Judges them by their faith in Him and their response to His revealed Will. Those who diligently try to obey God’s Will are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees with strong roots (Jeremiah 17:5-8) And God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t obey God have meaningless lives that blow like dust.

FRUITFUL OBSERVATION: As a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God’s Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God’s Word in our heart.

Let’s soak up God’s Word today and every day! Man-made sources are temporary…But salvation is FOREVER:)) We NEED the correct WATER SOURCE:)

We shall be like trees planted by a river NOT like an overflowed puddle that leaves our roots compromised