Spiritual Warfare: What is it, Who are we fighting, and HOW do we win?

Spiritual Warfare...it's a deep topic this week so grab your favorite beverage and get comfortable. It's one that many want to ignore, pretend doesn't exist, or are just uncomfortable talking about. It's clearly an important message in scripture and we need to be aware of what we are facing. Plus, no one likes to lose. So, let's take a look. I promise, it's not THAT scary.

S -
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does."
2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." Ephesians 6:12-18

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  1 Peter 5:8

O - A few key words in these verses help us identify just who our "enemy" is. It's not God, that's for sure. I haven't read a verse yet in the Bible that made me think that God wanted to "devour" someone or that He "prowls"...those are "dark" words to me and this is definitely referring to someone that is focused on doing evil, not good. We might read in the Old Testament of the consequences for disobeying God, but if you look at the big picture, when you read the WHOLE story, God is not prowling and He is definitely not desiring to devour His people. Those that claim they are acting on God's behalf but generate fear and do harm, have not read completely who God claims to be. The enemy is described as someone that lives in the shadows and not in the light. This is someone sneaky and focused on satisfying a hunger. I wrote recently about who our Daddy God is, so if you haven't read that yet, it might shed some light on how I know, without a doubt, that in spite of the fact that bad things happen to good people, the overwhelming message of the Bible is that God is out for the GOOD of all people. He also gives us a LOT of weapons at our disposal to confirm that He is good and wants to help us fight this warfare! (More on that in the "application" that follows)

Peter says our enemy is the "devil" and gives us the image of a "roaring lion" - this is not a lion taking a nap but one bent on satisfying his hunger for flesh. This enemy has authority over our world and rules over forces of evil. Paul writes to the Ephesians about the "powers of this dark world" and that the forces are "spiritual". "Power" means that this enemy is not weak and we are told that he lives both among us in our world and in the "heavenly realms". I don't think this is the same as the "Heaven" that is a promise of eternal friendship and communion with God, but a place where evil lives unseen by us. This also tells us that the enemy has followers, both unseen and of the world. That means that there are those that call him lord. And Paul writes to the Corinthians that we cannot wage war against this enemy as the world does, meaning not with weapons and tools we can pick up and use. This is not conventional warfare against an enemy that is visible. On the contrary, he is hiding and watching. There is no element of surprise on our part of the battle but we always seem to be surprised when he attacks. He can see us but we cannot see him. And he does mean to do harm.

Kind of gives me the creeps, actually. But that's exactly what he wants so I say FORGET YOU! Let's do battle.

A - So how do we fight an enemy we can't see, who is powerful over spiritual forces that are hiding in the shadows...watching us?

This is Spiritual Warfare, my friends. Let's go get 'em.

First, we do NOT try to wage war as the world does. The worldly way would be to fight back with hurtful words or weapons that cause harm. The world's way is self preservation and to physically conquer when we are attacked...or sometimes retreat, hold onto denial, and hope the problem will just go away. The way of the world is to DO whatever it takes to win the war. I'm right, you're wrong. My way is best. This is exactly what the enemy will use against us...deceive us to think we need to defend ourselves or fight. Spiritual warfare is the deception of the truth and being blinded by our worldly reality instead of focusing on God's reality.

• Our strategy is a focus on faith and hope. (Ephesians 6:16) We don't have to wonder what will happen in the end. The war has already been won. And there is nothing that we can DO to produce this outcome on our own. Jesus already promises a victory without any effort on our part. We know the end result, for Jesus conquered death and paid the price for us falling into the temptation that WILL be thrown in our path. We can claim a relationship with the Great I Am through a friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This gives us the advantage for we can KNOW who we belong to in battle and can conquer the fear of the fight. There WILL be a battle, but we know who wins.  Colossians 1:13-14 confirms this hope. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Do we know the TRUTH? Do we know who we belong to? Are we embracing the security we can have from trusting God? (Ephesians 6:14)
• The battle is not about physical strength but for control of our mind. We must put on the helmet of salvation to protect it. (Ephesians 6:17) We must know our enemy and what he's capable of because we are going in blind. Most battles are between two opponents that can see each other. Our enemy has an unfair advantage in that he is lurking in the shadows, unseen. I think of it like Randal, the disappearing monster in the Monsters, Inc. movies or when Harry uses the invisibility cloak. We will not be able to see the enemy coming over the hill but we need to know that he's there, and we need to prepare for a surprise attack. We need to be aware that since he is, and has been, watching us, that means he knows our history, what we've done in our past, and what our temptations are. He knows what will trip us up every time and which emotions are triggers for negative behavior. He knows what our parents did and what our kids are doing. He will use this information against us. The flip side is that God knows this stuff too and will help us use it to our advantage. Do WE know what our temptations are? Do we know our weaknesses? Are we alert? Do we know what tricks the enemy is going to try to pull? To win the battle for our mind, is to KNOW what the enemy is capable of, even when we don't see him coming. We turn our negatives into positives. We allow God to use our past as a vehicle to bring glory to Him in our future!
• We don't charge the enemy on the attack, but we stand firm and are alert when the arrows come flying (Ephesians 6:14). And the arrows WILL come flying in the form of temptations, conflict, denial, hardships, crisis, misunderstandings, illness, boredom, pleasure, addiction, etc. Some personalities retreat, some come out slinging. Some won't even know what they've gotten themselves into and won't see the warfare happening until it hits them HARD. But God's word calls us to neither retreat or attack. We are to stand firm, be ALERT, and use the tools that God has given us by the Holy Spirit. (keep reading :) The enemy uses the sin of pride to make us think that we can "earn" our salvation, convince ourselves that we're "better" than others, or to get caught up in the adoration of our following. The ways of the world corrupt our thinking to compare, to covet, to overwork ourselves, and to make time for God later. He uses guilt to make us think we have to redeem ourselves when we mess up, and sometimes this keeps us trapped in sin because we think we will never be "good enough". Even those of us that have been "saved" battle in our mind over guilt when we have confessed and received forgiveness. The enemy convinces us that we can't let it go. He uses grief and hardship to divide families and keep us focused on our pain instead of doing what God has called us to do. Christians are especially subject to your "unconventional temptations". We make choices because it appears to be a "blessing from God" or spend our time doing ministry while neglecting our families. We say "murder is bad, adultery is bad, stealing is bad" but how about gossip or vanity? These are minor sins, right? Not so much. We make parenting and entertainment choices based on our "happiness" and what everyone else is doing. We justify our private behavior when it's not harming anyone (snacking, pornography, staying up late - do they REALLY not harm anyone?). What messages are we teaching our kids through our own behavior and entertainment choices, and how is it creating a window for the enemy to sneak in with a surprise attack. Maybe we need to evaluate and make some hard choices, perhaps boarding up some windows. 2 Timothy 1:7 gives us the strength to make the hard decisions. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

Our weapons for battle are not conventional weapons.

• Pray without ceasing. Did you notice what Ephesians 6:18 says on prayer? This is a powerful weapon. Just speaking the name of Jesus will drive away the enemy. One of the most important purposes of prayer is to connect with God and limit the power of the enemy to influence your mind. The Holy Spirit lives in you when you know the Lord but the enemy will try to make you forget that. Do not underestimate the power of spending time in prayer DAILY. Romans 8:26-28 for me is FULL of this power, available for us to tap into! "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
• God's word. (Ephesians 6:17) Just speaking God's word is a hedge of protection and a weapon to drive away the enemy. His word shines a light and cuts through the darkness. His word is truth and consumes any lies. Hebrews 4:12 says it clearly. "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow."
• Use God's map, not our own. His eyes are always on us and He knows the battles we are facing, therefore we must seek His wisdom when doing battle and trust that He is on our side. God has the map of the battlefield and even if we can't see what's ahead, God does not lead us down the wrong path. Hebrews 4:13 says that God's word "exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable."
• Shoes of peace will outrun the enemy every time (Ephesians 6:15). One of the most powerful weapons that the enemy will use is to divide us from each other. He will use pride to keep us from apologizing, and as a justification to elevate ourselves or dishonor each other. Sometimes for me the hardest situation is conflict with someone that does NOT desire resolution and maybe doesn't know the Lord. If we are standing firm in the shoes that desire peace, honor, reconciliation, forgiveness, and love, we will always win the race at the finish line. Sometimes we have to try for peace, and then let God do the rest. No peace, no God. Know peace, Know God.

One of the reasons I have been thinking about this topic lately is the combination of facing the potential of WWIII in the middle east, extreme celebrities, school starting up again (which generates a lot of fears or stress for some kids, parents, and educators), and the fact that our first born son is a senior and will be leaving the nest. We just had the LAST first day of school. I have to admit that it's a little weird and my feelings are confusing. Our daughter just graduated this past May and it was different. I wasn't as emotional. It doesn't mean I love her any less because I can promise you that God has given me a love for that girl that I can't explain. She only joined our family 3 years ago though so I wasn't there for her first day of school. I don't have the same memories. I know it will be emotional when she eventually leaves home cuz I will miss her and it will be hard to let her go, but for now she is living at home, working and attending community college classes so it seems like nothing is really changing much. For our son, we know that he has already decided the college he will attend next year and we are making plans for him to leave. On top of that, he wants to be a federal agent and fight "bad guys". I have memories of his "firsts" and there will be a lot of "lasts" this year. He will soon brave the big, bad world on his own and I will have to trust God to protect him. Of course we will still be there to support him but it won't be the same. He will have to make a lot of his own choices in the day to day. And in reality, this is true for our daughter as well as she grows into adulthood and gains her independence in the next year or so, even while living at home. My hope is that we have taught them to use the weapons/tools in their toolbox and to be aware that spiritual warfare, especially for a young man and woman that know the Lord, will be ever present. The most important thing I hope they remember though is this:

Greater is HE who is in you, than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

When our oldest son was little, we were into Veggie Tales and one of our favorite songs to sing, especially at bedtime in the dark was "God is bigger than the boogie man, He's bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV. Oh God is bigger than the boogie man, and He watches out for you and me!"

Finally, I ask you this: How BIG is YOUR God? Is He greater than whatever you are facing in the world? Is He bigger than the boogie man in your life? Or has fear found it's grip? The bigger God is, the easier it will be for you to face spiritual warfare. It doesn't mean that life will be easy and we can be sure that the enemy will shoot arrows. Having fears is normal but they can create unhealthy, emotional havoc when left unattended. We overcome fear with faith, and we can only have faith if we trust that our God is bigger than anything we might face. All that's left is fighting the battle, but we know the outcome so this conquers fear. We have already won the war. Done. Do you believe it? Do you claim it? Are you living in fear, or living victoriously?

P - Oh Jesus, my heart sings joyfully for all to hear! "Into marvelous light I'm running, out of darkness, out of shame. By the cross you are the truth, you are the light, you are the Way. Sin has lost it's power. Death has lost it's sting. From the grave you've risen VICTORIOUSLY!" (Charlie Hall) And I praise you God of the universe! "Our God is Greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other! And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us!" (Chris Tomlin) My prayer is that all that read this would believe it. I pray that many would come to be alert to spiritual warfare and would know the truth about HOW to fight the battle, and embrace the victory. I pray that even as I write, this message would bring you glory Lord. For we know the truth and claim it, in Jesus' name. Amen!

Love and PRAY for your enemies

It's been over a month since my last entry. In case you hadn't read it, I have decided to cut back on blogging in order to make my own devotional time, as well as family commitments, the first priority. I do plan to share some thoughts periodically and so today I really wanted to share what God has been teaching me about loving my enemies.

S - Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I have been feeling some persecution lately. I am facing some challenges in my job as a teacher and I often feel unappreciated and persecuted. Also, I face ongoing struggles (along with my husband) as we go through the process of adopting our daughter and helping her fit into our family. There is not only a lot that she has to learn coming into our family later in life as a teen, but also to overcome the obstacles that ANY teenager would face. There are always the challenges of giving enough time to your family and with busy kids, there is a lot of driving and running from here to there. It is VERY easy to feel unappreciated and persecuted at home.

In addition, last Monday, I had a little fender bender. It was like the icing on an already thick "martyr cake"...just something else to add to my pity party. It was early in the morning and I had just dropped my son off at school when a man, Bernie, pulled out in front of me without much warning and I didn't have enough time to stop. It scraped up both our cars pretty good. Well, interestingly he had insurance but had a suspended license and ended up getting arrested. Initially after the accident happened, I wanted to be mad at the inconvenience. I was annoyed that this guy, although very compliant and apologetic, seemed kind of "lackadaisical" about the incident and going to jail, almost like he was just accepting of his bad lot in life. While we were waiting for the police to arrive, he revealed that he was probably going to get arrested because he has been in and out of shelters, that he doesn't have a valid license, that he is trying to get his life together, that he's on disability and doesn't have the money to pay for the fees to renew his license, that he shouldn't have been going to get cigarettes, nor should he have been driving, etc. He was going on and on with this sob story and honestly I'm thinking, "GREAT! God, why did it have to be this guy! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! Now I have to feel sorry for him, I'm probably going to have to claim this on my own insurance AND it's going to cost me more money, just because this guy doesn't have his life together AND he went out to get cigarettes! Are you kidding me???? I don't have any more compassion to give!" And yet I'm also feeling sorry for the guy thinking, "God wants me to be compassionate and supportive and be HIS hands and feet. I need to show Bernie that God is still watching out for him and hasn't forgotten him." So even though I didn't want to, I was nice, understanding and compassionate...I listened to his sob story attentively. I tried to be a friend with my words and actions. I told the officer that he was compliant and polite, even though he said it didn't matter. I knew that was how God would have wanted me to handle it. I told Bernie when I left that I would be praying for him. I probably should have even given Bernie money, if I'd had any on me to give...that would have been even more generous. Yes, I was a little proud of myself and left gloating, just a little.

I later got mad at Bernie again, realizing that it was going to cost me a few massage therapy visits for my neck and back, as well as a $250 deductible to get my car repaired with uninsured motorist. And then I thought of this verse in Matthew. A lot of things went wrong the day I had the accident and it felt like I was surrounded by enemies. I decided to stop and pray for Bernie simply because God's word says I should and I wanted it to bring me peace in EVERY area of my life. I thought, "you know, maybe if I pray for him, he will one day be able to pay it forward." So I did. I prayed that Bernie would be blessed and that he would have the means to either repay my expenses, even though they were small, or perhaps get his life together and do something great for someone else. I decided in my heart that I wanted GOOD things for Bernie. I prayed sincerely for Bernie to KNOW God and His blessings.

And what do you know! I'm not saying that God always sends monetary blessings when you pray for your enemies, but the NEXT DAY, after I had already been dealing with my own insurance company, Bernie's insurance company called me and claimed full liability. They said that there was no need to wait for the police report because Bernie had confessed to wrong doing AND they were not only paying for my car repairs and rental, but were giving me additional compensation for massage therapy and for my "trouble". (side note: my husband says this is "hush" money so I won't sue but I still believe in God's provision any way He can!) I am so thankful that it was not a serious accident and if anything, I got the privilege to pray for Bernie. I don't know what he's up to 2 weeks after this has happened, but I believe that God is blessing him in some way. He could have lied. He could have argued and caused trouble. He could have driven away. He could have done lots of things that would have made this situation difficult, but he didn't. He was cooperative and claimed responsibility. I prayed for blessings for Bernie. I don't want a pat on the back for that but I am really excited that I did what God asked of me and He came back with blessings TRIPLE fold. It was enough money to buy my daughter a special custom doll and pay for a trip to get it from a store 4 hours away, that we didn't really have the money for. This was a BONUS I was able to provide as an added blessing for her, simply because God allowed me the means to do it.

What I saw as inconvenient and a literal pain in my neck, became a way for me to bless my daughter and THAT is why we pray for our enemies. Praying for Bernie reminded me that my little pity party, as stressful as it may genuinely be, is NOTHING at the hand of God. God can turn something around from bad to good with one breath, with one finger, or with a spoken word. God wants to bless all of us and He wants us to rely on Him for ALL things! God wants ALL of us to return to his protection and circle of fellowship. There are those that need us to pray for them, for if we do not stand in the gap to draw them to the Lord, who will?

It also says in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

If we are not praying for the lost then they will continue to remain blinded by the enemies schemes...they cannot see who God really is unless we pray for the veil of unbelief to be lifted. This includes those that believe and perhaps have not seen God at work in their life because they just need a hand up to get on the right track. Knock and the door will be opened. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Do we believe this and let it be known, or do we wallow in our self-pity?

If you're reading Bernie, God is faithful. He will never leave you or forsake you. And you have a friend. Thank you for YOUR faithfulness to God Bernie in taking responsibility for your actions and I KNOW God is going to reward you for it.

Maintaining Priorities

I have been praying about how I can be a good steward of my time and stay in line with my priorities, which are really God's priorities for my life. It is becoming a repeated message that I need to stay diligent in "saying no to the good so I can say YES to the best". I struggle with saying no when there are so many things, including GOOD things that I want to do, not just for my own self-fulfillment but also to do what I believe is God's work. I LOVE variety and trying different things and I enjoy being "busy" because this helps to keep me actually more focused and motivated than when I have extra time on my hands. There is a healthy balance I must maintain as well, of scheduling everything I'm doing and being overly scheduled. The last 2 weeks have shown me that when I get out of balance, I become a good steward of NOTHING!

I was reminded in my scripture reading this morning from Genesis 2:2-3 that God rested after creating everything and that this was not just about taking a physical break from work, but about having time for actual mental rest as well. I find it so interesting that God ALWAYS gives me the right scripture when there is something that I need to work on! Hmmmm...how does He do that? Maybe I should listen more often??

During our mental rest is when we can hear God's voice. Sometimes I think we think we have to fill this time with talking to God because we feel guilty that we don't do that enough. But have you ever thought about how you HEAR from God? I think about it all the time and yet I struggle so much with having QUIET time...especially in my house with 2 teens, a 5th grade boy, a busy husband, and 3 dogs, some fish and a lizard. Now the fish and lizard don't really make any noise so they are off the hook. But we have a busy household and I recently moved my "office" back into the corner of my bedroom so that I can remove myself at times from the activity of the house at any time and not just early in the morning or late at night. I can go away when needed and close the door. It doesn't always cut out all the noise but it does help me to focus on what I need to focus on which is not just quiet time, but doing my other work in a timely manner so that I CAN make time for my quiet time at other times of the day.

And I absolutely LOVE hearing from God. When He speaks to me, it is not auditory, it is like it is coming from deep within. It is like what John Wesley spoke of when talking about being "strangely warm"...like a peace comes over me and I KNOW without a doubt that it is God. Other times I hear "voices" (um, yeah, I do, but no I'm not crazy!) and I am unsure who's voice it is and therefore I know that this is of the world, or of my own agenda, or of Satan, the enemy. When I am not sure, this just means I need more time in the quiet asking God to reveal His voice to me that I might hear Him LOUD AND CLEAR!

With all that said, I am evaluating which activities God wants for me to make priority and I have made the decision, (even though I am disappointed about it) that I must put my blog writing aside. The original purpose was to inspire others to read the Bible and to share some of the insights that I am gaining from my own reading. I cannot focus both on doing my OWN SOAP devotionals, AND all the other things I am doing, AND make my family priority, while continuing to make updating this blog a priority. It is something I love and if I am honest it is something I really do for myself and my own fulfillment. I love when I get feedback about how something I have written has blessed someone, but I can't really justify making it priority when only a few people are reading it and my focus is on how the feedback fulfills ME. I think I will maintain it periodically as the Lord prompts me to have something to share from my own SOAP devotionals, but my priorities must be maintained and here are just some of the other activities that I will continue to be doing instead:

Global Media Outreach online missionary - answer emails with those that are searching for God and a how to have a relationship with the Christ; in addition, I will be providing support as a community leader to other missionaries as they do the same.

Small group bible study leader for 11th grade girls at my church - this includes preparing my weekly lesson, maintaining administrative activities, praying for my girls, communicating with my Co-leader, texting and facebooking my girls to keep up with their lives and keep them informed, and meeting with my group weekly.

Moms In Touch prayer leader - prepare weekly prayer sheet, communicating with other moms, and meet to pray for our kids and school; periodically do "words and deeds" for our school to let them know we are praying

Ministry consultant - provide my services to small churches to help them firm up a foundation in areas of ministry where they might struggle (children's, youth, adult, women's ministry, etc.) primarily serving as an outside resource to provide prayer, guidance, and training for lay and paid staff within the church

This is in addition to my regular job as a part-time music teacher, running my CM business, maintaining my kid's schedules, helping them with homework, and all the other things I do as a wife and mom...the list is long, but very much a priority. And I am having to cut out a few other things in my life as well...I am keeping a "Doing and eating" journal this week to evaluate where I am spending my time and what I am eating (another area that I am working on :)

So it is with sadness that I will not say "good-bye" but "see you later" until a time when God says it is time to pick it up again.
Be Blessed!

Trust In His Unfailing Love

My SOAP devotional for May 20th

S - Psalm 13
1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

O - In this Psalm David the author is not afraid to pour out his anguish at the Lord's feet. He asks "how long" 4 times in the first 2 verses. We see the depth of his distress and yet as he prays we see him regain his hope in the Lord. David finds strength in prayer and a focus on the "big picture." David was impatient and yet he trusted that God would carry out His plans for David's life, in spite of his perceptions in the here and now...the struggles that David faced with his enemies.

A - This is so my life right now. The enemy would have me believe that I have enemies here on earth. At times it seems that I have been defeated and that the Lord is not acting on my behalf like I would like Him to. I find myself falling into that trap of wondering where God is at work in my life???? And yet at the same time, I know I can pray and bring my burdens to God's feet. I am hopeful and confident that He hears me when I cry out to Him. In my despair He reminds me that He is holding me up. And I have peace to focus on the promise that He has a plan and purpose for my life.

P - This is my prayer Lord Jesus. That I would simply trust in you. That I would sing praise, even in the midst of feeling overwhelmed and overburdened, because you are so good to me. I see your blessings and I give you praise. In the words of "Johnny Appleseed": The Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed. The Lord is good to me! Amen.

Fearless Faith

This is my SOAP devotional for 5/3

S - Acts 7:59-60 (New living translation)
59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

O - Stephen, in the midst of pain and dying, prays for his persecutors. We see the same compassion at Jesus' crucifixion as well. Stephen was bold not only in standing up for his faith but also in speaking up as well. This was basically the launching pad for the persecution and scattering of these new believers, as well as the expansion of the church. This was a tragic event with amazing consequences for the greater good. Stephen is an amazing example of acting in God's service regardless of the fear and obstacles you may face.

A - Oh that we all would be so bold. Not that we should face the same persecution, but that we would be that loyal and committed to what God calls us to do. For me, this is so personal in what we are doing RIGHT now in adopting "A". We are being obedient to what we believe God is asking of us, regardless of the fears we may be facing. Inviting a teenager with many life experiences to join our family is a huge step for all of us...it is in some ways scary but also EXCITING and an incredible honor and blessing that she is willing to trust us. I look forward to see how God is going to take the tragic events in "A's" life from her past and turn them into something amazing. What a blessing that we get to be a part of it!

P - In a word, Lord, I have fears! I KNOW that your word promises that fear does not come from you. I believe that you are bigger than any fear I might face. Help me to continue to put my faith ahead of the doubts and fears that I may see in my head. Keep the enemy far away from me, that I will embrace the confident faith that I already know is your spiritual gift to me. Oh Lord, how you love us and I thank you for the provision you have already shown in "A's" life and I thank you in advance for the work you will do to show your "purpose and plan" for her (Jer. 29:11) Amen.

On the same team when Jesus is on FIRST!

Here is my SOAP devotional for Feb. 8th

S - Matthew 10:34-39
34"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
" 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -
36a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'[a]

37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

O - This is a challenging passage because it appears to be a contradiction. Jesus is drawing a line. Most would say "how can Jesus who is the supreme example of love, ask you to go against your own family, especially when it is one of the original 10 commandments?" What Jesus is saying is that people are flawed and not dependable. They will let you down but Jesus will never let us down. Jesus has proven to be dependable and has sacrificed much in spite of people that even deny who He is. So if we place our faith in people instead of Him, especially those that are not following His ways, then we will always find disappointment. Sometimes love means making tough choices if that is doing what is best. Jesus is always going to choose to love us, therefore we must choose to put Him first in our life...to choose His way over the way of people.

One note of interest is that Jesus quotes Micah 7:6 here. Micah is a book in the Old Testament and he was a contemporary of Isaiah. He is considered one of the "minor" prophets and he spoke of God's judgment and the offer of pardon to all those who repent. The book of Micah contains many prophecies about Jesus, the Messiah, who will come to unite all of God's people. He writes of God's extreme dislike of pride and injustice, and also His willingness to provide a way to forgiveness and mercy. It is clear to me that Jesus IS the only way that God could be both the judge and merciful.

A - We cannot control the choices of the people in our life. If we cling to what is actually temporary on this earth, we will miss the purpose of Jesus' coming. Jesus is not asking us to NOT love people - He is asking us to love Him MORE. He calls us to choose His way above any earthly way as the way to eternal life with Him. Jesus brings a "sword" against anything that seeks a path of destruction, and the enemy prowls in an attempt to take us with him (1 Peter 5:8). In our human nature we will not always be "on the same path"...some will have their own best interest in mind, or be blinded by the enemy's schemes, even if we are family. Therefore, in order to fully love each other, we must FIRST love the Lord of Life. If our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we will always be on the "same team".

P - Oh Lord, I plead with you to strike the heal of the enemy and keep him far from me and my family. When the enemy seeks to destroy, he will put us against each other. But putting our eyes on you (Hebrews 12:2) as the author and perfector of our faith, we will experience a peace beyond understanding, (Philippians 4:7) for following your ways ensures that we are always on the "same team". I pray most earnestly for protection and that each of those I love, and that I call "family", will put YOU first in their lives so that we might cling to your promises together. I am truly thankful that you found a way to be both the judge of all evil and yet sent Jesus to show us mercy. Amen.

Mission Impossible Faith

My SOAP devotional for Jan. 26th

S - Genesis 24:10-14, 26-27
"Then the servant took ten of his master's (Abraham's)camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water. Then he prayed, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."

"Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying, 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

O - The servant that goes out to find a wife for Isaac is a strong believer. The servant was in some respects not living in Abraham's household by his own will, because he is a servant, but yet he embraces fully his God. He has so much faith in fact that he believes that God will prompt the RIGHT girl that will say exactly the RIGHT thing, and also happen to be one of Abraham's relatives. This is what he sees as success. He is giving God a tall order and we see the miracle, by my definition, that God delivers exactly what he asks for. In addition, the servant gives God the credit and praise for his provision. Later in this passage, Rebekah is happy to go with this stranger because she too is perhaps inspired by the faith of this servant and sees how God is at work in her life as well.

A - This passage reminds me of the Tom Cruise Mission:Impossible movies when the bad guy says "go to this certain street corner and ask the man on the bench for a stick of gum" and then it happens to be exactly the RIGHT guy who wisks him away to meet this secret person. I always thought it wouldn't be a very good movie if it ended up being the wrong guy and he actually hands him a stick of gum. Tom Cruise would be left standing there blowing bubbles. Actually, that would probably be the Ben Stiller version.

I think this is an interesting passage because we have to be careful not to be selfish in our requests of God. When we ask for too many specifics we are perhaps trying to put God in a box...please do this, but only if this happens. On the other hand, I think that it is important that I make specific requests of God and ask Him to give me a clear sign when He is working in my life, just as Abraham's servant did. It is important to know who's voice you're listening to...even the enemy knows my desires and offers good things. All too often however I am afraid to make requests that are not in line with God's plan so I don't make them, or I make requests that are attached to a selfish agenda, and I am disappointed when I don't get the answer I want or the answer doesn't come at the right time. I must do both...ask and believe, with an attitude of acceptance in His provision. We can only find true peace in God's plan when we believe in the power that we are asking for and trust Him to work in our best interest, down to the small details like providing gum from some guy on a park bench. Sometimes our requests might seem like "mission impossible" but that is only because our sight is limited. God sees all things and I can find satisfaction in knowing that the plan He has laid out for my life is the BEST plan, regardless of whether it's what I've requested or not. I think the key is trust. Do I trust God enough to be bold in my request and then hand it over to Him to work it out?

P - I do believe Lord that I have a strong faith. I believe your promises and that you have my best interest at heart. At times though, God, I have in my heart requests that seem too detailed and too "impossible". I should not be afraid to ask you, nor should I doubt that you would grant these requests if they are in line with your word and your will for my life. I pray Lord that I am always seeking your voice and that you would give me clear signs that you are speaking and moving in my life so that I can give you the credit and all the glory. At the same time, may I always accept with grace when your answer is no. Amen.

Believe/Made Righteous

My SOAP devotional from Jan. 14th

S - Gen. 15:6
"And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord declared him righteous because of his faith."

O - This verse is referenced in Romans 4 as well and discussed by Paul at great length. The debate is about Abram believing God and then being declared righteous because of his faith. Therefore, he is the Father of all believers and we share in the same inheritance that God promised him. Abram obeyed as an act of his faith and relationship with God.

A - I should not be beating myself up when I mess up. The Lord has declared me righteous because of my faith. And when I do mess up I should confess it and get back to the Lord's work, not spending worthless moments pondering my sin. This is only a tactic of the enemy to distract me. God's word is clear and I need to BELIEVE it.

P - Keep the enemy FAR away from me Lord for he tries to deceive me into believing his doubts. YOU are faithful and what a blessing to be in fellowship with you, having confidence in your mercy, grace and forgiveness. May I never be so comfortable in my sin either as to forget WHO you are and who I belong to!! May I cling to the inheritance you have promised even little ole me :) AMEN!