Our Call to War - to LOVE the Captive Soul, but to RAGE against the captor
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Granny Gear
You know those days...those weeks...those times...we run into hard times, and since suicide usually isn't a viable option, we hunch our shoulders, lower our heads, and go into "granny gear". We think we've got to plow on through in our own strength.
The Lies
"I can get through this"
"I'll be ok"
"Just grin and bear it"
"It will get better eventually"
Friends, this is operating in the flesh - and therefore, it is sin. God has so much more for us than "grinning and
bearing". This is us settling for dumpster-diving, when He has a banquet table set up for us in the other room!
The Truth
1. We're not just conquerors, we are more than conquerors.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
Romans 8:35, 37
2. Assume a proper position for a Child of God
A. Stand-Ephesians 6:13
B. Sit-Ephesians 1:18-20
C. Soar-Isaiah 40:31
Nowhere in Scripture do we find a directive or an example to believers of a head down, shoulders hunched position. Instead, we are in Christ, who is seated at the right hand of God, far above ALL principalities, powers, might, and dominions. But if satan can get us to take our eyes off of Christ, then he has already rendered us ineffectual against him.The Lies
"I can get through this"
"I'll be ok"
"Just grin and bear it"
"It will get better eventually"
Friends, this is operating in the flesh - and therefore, it is sin. God has so much more for us than "grinning and
bearing". This is us settling for dumpster-diving, when He has a banquet table set up for us in the other room!
The Truth
1. We're not just conquerors, we are more than conquerors.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
Romans 8:35, 37
2. Assume a proper position for a Child of God
A. Stand-Ephesians 6:13
B. Sit-Ephesians 1:18-20
C. Soar-Isaiah 40:31
3. Walk in the Spirit, not the flesh.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12
"Granny Gear" is trying to continue to fight the good fight in the flesh. It simply will not work. That's why it is so hard to keep going on days like these. But in Christ, we have all the power we need, not only to make it through the hard times, but to victoriously come through them, stronger on the other side!
Why can't I remember this when I'm in the middle of the mire??? I'm laughing at myself, since this is where I have been for a few weeks now. Talk about preaching to the choir. :-D
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Ephesians 6:10 If you need prayer, or would like to be an encouragement, please leave a message or send an email.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
John 8:44
I was talking to a friend yesterday, and she was asking me why a certain person, whom she cares for deeply, has come so far from what she knows is Truth. At first my mind went to all these different "explanations", but then God reminded me, "It is because she is believing lies".
All sin, guilt, depression, discouragement - ALL of it - comes from believing lies.
"No one will know"
"You don't have to make this right"
"No one cares about you or what you are going through"
"God doesn't love you, why else would you be in this situation"
"It will never get any better"
"Being a Mother and raising Godly children isn't enough. You have to have a REAL career to be worth anything"
The list goes on and on.
Satan brings his lies to us in several ways.
1. Direct Darts
Satan cannot read our minds, but he can shoot fiery lie-darts into our minds. He will even start the lie with "I..." to make it seem like it originated with us. "I can skip reading and studying my Bible for a while, and it won't kill me." Yes, we CAN skip reading and studying our Bible for a while, and NO God will most likely not kill us for it, those things are true. But it will hurt us and cause damage - not because we haven't done our "good works for the day", but because our mind is no longer being renewed. The mind is satan's biggest battleground, and most of our battles are won or lost right there.
2. Parrot People
We are constantly bombarded with lies from people around us. Family, church goers, media, government, friends and strangers alike. After a while, it gets hard not to believe them! But, as I told my friend, those lies they are spouting are NOT originating with the people saying them. They are simply Parroting satan's lies - because they have already BELIEVED them, and they now literally see them as the truth.
God says that is a very, very dangerous place to be.
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
Isaiah 5:20
When we believe satan's lies, it is our hearts that our affected. It's like the lie worms its way into our heart and causes it to begin to rot. Once our heart is rotten, it will come out in our actions.
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he".
Proverbs 23:7
"...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."
Matthew 12:34-35
The Bible says there is only one way to prevent ourselves from being overtaken by the lies - and that is to renew our minds daily.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Romans 12:2
John 8:44
I was talking to a friend yesterday, and she was asking me why a certain person, whom she cares for deeply, has come so far from what she knows is Truth. At first my mind went to all these different "explanations", but then God reminded me, "It is because she is believing lies".
All sin, guilt, depression, discouragement - ALL of it - comes from believing lies.
"No one will know"
"You don't have to make this right"
"No one cares about you or what you are going through"
"God doesn't love you, why else would you be in this situation"
"It will never get any better"
"Being a Mother and raising Godly children isn't enough. You have to have a REAL career to be worth anything"
The list goes on and on.
Satan brings his lies to us in several ways.
1. Direct Darts
Satan cannot read our minds, but he can shoot fiery lie-darts into our minds. He will even start the lie with "I..." to make it seem like it originated with us. "I can skip reading and studying my Bible for a while, and it won't kill me." Yes, we CAN skip reading and studying our Bible for a while, and NO God will most likely not kill us for it, those things are true. But it will hurt us and cause damage - not because we haven't done our "good works for the day", but because our mind is no longer being renewed. The mind is satan's biggest battleground, and most of our battles are won or lost right there.
2. Parrot People
We are constantly bombarded with lies from people around us. Family, church goers, media, government, friends and strangers alike. After a while, it gets hard not to believe them! But, as I told my friend, those lies they are spouting are NOT originating with the people saying them. They are simply Parroting satan's lies - because they have already BELIEVED them, and they now literally see them as the truth.
God says that is a very, very dangerous place to be.
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
Isaiah 5:20
When we believe satan's lies, it is our hearts that our affected. It's like the lie worms its way into our heart and causes it to begin to rot. Once our heart is rotten, it will come out in our actions.
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he".
Proverbs 23:7
"...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."
Matthew 12:34-35
The Bible says there is only one way to prevent ourselves from being overtaken by the lies - and that is to renew our minds daily.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Romans 12:2
Thursday, July 14, 2011
O Church Arise
O Church Arise, and put your armor on,
Hear the call of Christ our Captain.
For now the weak can say that they are strong
In the strength that God has given
With shield of Faith and Belt of Truth
We'll stand against the devil's lies.
An Army bold, whose battle cry is, "LOVE"
Reaching out to those in darkness.
A call to WAR, to LOVE the captive Soul,
But to RAGE against the captor.
And with the Sword, that makes the wounded whole
We will fight with Faith and Valor.
When pressed with trials on every side,
We know the outcome is secure.
And Christ WILL have the prize for which He died -
An Inheritance of Nations
~Keith and Kristin Getty
This song has become the battle cry of my heart and life in the past month or so since I first heard it. Fighting for the Truth is NOT easy. It's a daredevil life, one in which I constantly live in a state of "daring the devil" to attack me with everything he has. But I know my outcome is secure. I WILL have the souls that I fight for - IF I'm willing to fight. But if the Church will not rise up and fight, then who will??
Welcome to this blog, where I will be writing about the Truth that God is leading me into. Occasionally, I will publish a post from my Mom, or another fellow soldier seeking Truth.
I can promise you, what you will find here is not conventional. It's not mainstream Christianity, nor is it Independent Fundamental Baptist ;-)
~It is BIBLE.
~It is consistent with God's Character throughout the ages - or I NO LONGER BELIEVE IT.
~It brings freedom, not bondage.
~It bears fruit in the lives of those who live it.
With that said, let me hasten to say that I don't know everything. Lol! God will be teaching me until the day I lay down my sword and close my eyes in sleep.
~It brings freedom, not bondage.
~It bears fruit in the lives of those who live it.
With that said, let me hasten to say that I don't know everything. Lol! God will be teaching me until the day I lay down my sword and close my eyes in sleep.
Please feel free to comment, ask questions, respectfully disagree, and/or show from Scripture where I am wrong. However, please don't quote traditions, Baptist doctrine, Calvin, Arminius, etc, as I no longer care what they have to say. Search the Scriptures for yourself - for in them you think you have eternal life. And they are they, which testify of Christ.
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