Cast them down

C.S. Lewis in his tiny but timeless book “Screwtape letters” warns us by bringing to light the fact that our enemy lurks near and whispers tempting and accusing suggestions in our ears.  He sounds so much like us we think those thoughts are our own.

Our enemy lurks ever near urging/ pushing/ prodding us to do or ponder what we should not.   But there is an answer. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to cast down reasonings and every high thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD (of HIS amazing character, wisdom, and goodness) and leading captive every thought into the obedience of the CHRIST. 

I personally, take those thoughts to CHRIST and HE shows me the truth.

So, when you hear those whispered suggestions from our lurking enemy, run boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and receive grace to help in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Hugs

Sharon

How faint a whisper

I was washing the dishes a few weeks back when I heard a crashing boom of thunder and thought, “WOW! That lightning strike was close!”  Then I noticed that things by the windows had been knocked over or down from the impact of the boom.  So, I walked out front, and my son sitting on the porch swing, pointed across the street and declared, “It hit that tree!”  Looking to where John pointed, I saw that undeniably the lightning had hit that tree, debarking the tree and throwing the bark 20 or so feet in all directions.

That single strike had great power!

Job 26:14 NIV “These are just the outer fringes of HIS (GOD’s) works, how faint a whisper we hear of HIM.  Who then can understand the thunder of HIS power.”

“the outer fringes of HIS works” That means,  when we realize GOD made or did something it is just a fraction of 1% of what GOD is doing. 

John 5:17 NLT But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

http://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/michael-w-smith/waymaker

Even when I can’t FEEL it, YOU’re working YOU never stop, YOU never stop working YOU never stop, YOU never stop working. Even when I can’t SEE it, YOU’re working Even when I can’t FEEL it, YOU’re working YOU never stop, YOU never stop working YOU never stop, YOU never stop working Even when I don’t SEE it, YOU’re working Even when I can’t FEEL.

So true the words, “how faint a whisper we hear of HIM.”  Yet hearing about how HE has worked our lives reminds us and others that GOD cares and is working even when we don’t SEE HIM at work or FEEL that HE is listening to our cries.

Both JESUS and our heavenly FATHER have called us to be witnesses.

Isaiah 43:10 “You are MY witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and MY servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe ME and understand that I am HE. Before me no GOD was formed, nor will there be one after ME.”

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be MY (JESUS) witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

So let us obey our GOD who loved us and gave HIMSELF up for us (Ephesians 5:2).

“For GOD (the FATHER) so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes in HIM shall have everlasting life” (John 3:16).  For, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Let me begin to witness, then it will be your turn. 

It is hard to pick from the countless times I have seen GOD working on my behalf.  So decided to choose two dramatic ones that demonstrate that the LORD is always with me and works on my behalf (Hebrews13:5).

The 1^st time I drove in snow I lost control on a curve and would have tumbled down, down to the riverbed far below but a tree stopped me.  I got out of the car and a passerby helped me.  Later, passing the same spot, I looked for the tree and there were no trees whatsoever bordering that curve.  I know GOD delivered me that day.  Perhaps HE even sending an angel who appeared as a tree to stop the car from plunging over the cliff (Hebrews 1:13-14).

Since Luke 16:10 NASB states, “The one who is faithful in a very little thing, is faithful also in much”, now I will tell you of time GOD worked to give me something little.  Something I just wanted, something I didn’t really need.

A few years back I was four-wheeling down winding, gutted dirt logging roads bordered by towering deep green pines in Northern California. As I came to a fork in the road, I stopped since I couldn’t see my husband who followed in a four-wheeler behind me. He needed to see which way I went.  When Mac arrived, he excitedly spurted out a tale of a bear rushing across his path and how it scared him silly.  I didn’t say it out loud, but boy was I jealous!   And I silently said, “LORD, I would love to see a real bear out here.”  Heading out again, I hadn’t gone far when a huge bear was lazily lumbering down the side of the road ahead of me.  The moment he saw me or heard the motor, he sped up and crossed the road, scrambling up the side of the hill darting between the dense trees to my right.  HE was so beautiful, and GOD was so good! I said, “Thank you GOD!”

The episode actually lead to an opportunity to witness of GOD’s gentle goodness to some unbelievers I encountered later that day- to the bemusement of our host.  (Whom I believe came to know our great GOD and Savior JESUS CHRIST before his death).

When troubles come and prayers don’t get answered right away or the way I think they should, I remember my bear and know my request must not be what is needed or that the timing is off.

Psalm 84:11 says, “For the LORD GOD is a sun and shield: the LORDwill give grace and glory: no good thing will HE withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

Now it’s your turn.

Hugs

Sharon

Shout it out!

The reason you hear from me so often is because I read my bible and believe JESUS word, “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of GOD” (Matthew 4:4).

A favorite verse that changed my life is Hebrews 4:12 paraphrased it says, “The Word of GOD is alive (meeting me here and now where I am at) and active… (it separates and clarifies for me right from wrong and puts things in perspective) it detects/discerns my thoughts and exposes the intents of my heart.”  But more than anything else it is GOD talking to me, preparing me for my day.

Waking up with the song THY WORD in my heart, I began to sing it. I wondered how long before my LORD would come to snatch me away along with all other believers in JESUS. When I opened the Word and turned to the promise verse for the day, I had to laugh. Matthew 24:35-36 “Heaven and earth will pass away but MY Words remain forever.”  No one knows the date and the hour when JESUS will come and call believers up and away from what is coming. Not even the angels. No, nor even GOD’s Son, Only GOD the FATHER knows (Mark 13:32).

As you can see the Word of GOD spoke to my thoughts.

Perhaps that is why GOD tells us to share what HE says to us in HIS Word. The LORD has a word for you today.  Matthew 10:27 “What I tell you now in the gloom, shout abroad when the daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ears, proclaim from the rooftops.”

Did you get in the Word today? Did something, a word, a phrase touch your heart? That was GOD talking. What did GOD tell you today? I want to hear it!

Hugs,

Sharon

Flies

This time of year, those annoying flies can be so irritating, that is why this comical picture and statement made me laugh.

Sitting out on my porch swing reading the Word and talking to GOD 2 pesky flies kept landing on my arm.  I’d shoo them away, but over and over they came back.  They were determined!  All of a sudden, I remembered.

The LORD of hosts (armies) is the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY (Psalm 24:10) but the evil one/ the prince over the devils (Matthew 12:24) is called Beelzebub which means “lord of flies”.  This was the name used for devil worship by the Philistines.

So, do you know what I did?  I asked the LORD of hosts to rebuke the flies since they weren’t listening to me.

Thinking of flies and how dirty and germ carrying they are, and how determined they are to pester us, refusing to leave us alone, and how distracting they can be, I couldn’t help but think that really shows the nature of demons.

But the demons pester us with whispered deceptive suggestions over and over. What they say are lies from the devil they make their voice sound just like ours and unless we examine what is suggested in light of the Word of GOD we can really get in trouble.

Dead flies make perfumed oil stink, just as a little stupidity outweighs wisdom and honor” (Ecclesiastes 10:1)

But test all things carefully. Hold firmly to that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).

Hugs

Sharon

What about?

What do you do when the accuser whispers something to you? Such whispers are often accusing negative thoughts that generally come out of nowhere, though they can be enticing thoughts with some provocation. Either way, how do you handle them?

This morning I had such a thought, quite out of the blue as I was preparing to pray.

So, I took that thought to JESUS, because that is the only way I know how to take a thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) as we are commanded. If I don’t take such thoughts to HIM, they can go wild.

“…YOUR face LORD will I seek” (Psalm 27:8).

This’s morning’s accusation was, “What about the starving babies in Africa?” So, I said. “LORD, what about the starving babies in Africa?” And verse after verse came (that is generally how GOD talks to me) to help me see a mere glimpse of GOD’s perspective on this issue. HIS perspective (ways and thoughts) is not ours by a long shot, as high as the heavens are above the earth so much higher are HIS ways and thoughts from ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Our sun is a close object in the vastness of the heavens, and it is 90 million miles away.

Let me lay a foundation so we are on the same page.

From forever GOD ALMIGHTY eternal all-encompassing knowledge included foreknowledge (knowing what would happen in any given situation by any and all HE chose to create. In other words, HE knew what our choices would be if HE chose to make us and give us the ability to choose. It is recorded in Genesis 1:26 that in the counsels of the GODHEAD it was determined, “Let US make man in our image.” The pronoun US shows plurality of persons-and GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON-the Word, and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT are all three seen in Genesis 1 if you look.

Now to be in the image of GOD means many things and it takes in HIS glorious character. Since GOD can choose so GOD gave man the ability to choose, fully aware, for HE knows all things, of how each of us would choose. Doesn’t that just boggle your mind?

The Bible records that Adam and Eve were the 1st people and from them came all nations of men to dwell on the earth (Acts 17:26). In the beginning they were in Paradise and walked and talked with GOD, but then they chose to listen to the Accuser’s suggestions (Revelation 20:2, 12:10) that GOD was trying to keep something good from them- the ability to act independent from HIM- so they acted in independence and lost everything.

Now GOD knew this would happen and it is recorded that before time HE preset the exact times and places setting the stage while allowing man to choose what he would do within those boundaries.

It is NOT that GOD is a micro-manager but that HE desires fulfillment and joy for HIS creation. HE created man in HIS image with the need for fellowship with HIM, just as GOD the FATHER fellowships with GOD the SON. Without that fellowship man is empty and chasing after the empty things of this life empties him out even more (2 Kings 17:15).

It is declared that the purpose for presetting the times and places things happen to us (the good, bad, and ugly in our lives) was so that we would reach out to HIM (Acts 17:26b-27);

In 2 Corinthian 4:15 GOD tells us what comes into our lives is to benefit us;

2 Corinthians 4:16 says that though our physical bodies are sick, or hurt, or decaying with age, our inner man is being renewed day by day;

2 Corinthians 4:17 claims that our temporary troubles are actively achieving for us eternal things that far surpass the pain of today;

Romans 8:28-29 declares that GOD uses all that comes into the lives of those who love HIM for good to transform them into the image of JESUS (who by the way is the image of GOD the FATHER Hebrews 1:2-3). Mind blowing though it seems,

Hebrews 2:9-10 declares that JESUS/ GOD the SON’s suffering in HIS human body was for the purpose of preparing HIM to accomplish HIS mission on earth.

So, what has all that to do with the starving babies or any tragedy on earth for that matter?

When we hurt it is an invitation from GOD to reach out to HIM, and when we reach out to GOD, HE meets us and that prepares us for eternity.

I know that doesn’t answer all the questions, but it is enough for me.

I hope you will consider these things and talk them over with our FATHER who is in heaven for HIS SPIRIT can explain it far better than I.

Hugs
Sharon