You said What?

This contradicts logic, I thought. I’d prayed for direction. Now, I struggled with an answer that I believed came from God. 

Then I heard His still small voice speak again. "It doesn’t seem right. It doesn’t look right. But this is right."  I asked for Bible confirmations because what I was told was very strange. He showed me two paradoxes in scripture. 

 You go down to go up. “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10 “Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6 

 You give to get. “Give and it shall be given to you.” Luke 6:38 

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse… Test me... and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessings that there will not be room to store it.” Mal.3: 10-12 

Okay God. I hear you. The fact that your answer contradicts my logic is probably confirmation it's You.

Face Check

     Everywhere I went friends asked, “What’s wrong?” I said, “I’m fine.”

     It had been a solid week of battles, and inner questions about how God would help me this time. But why did people ask me, “What’s wrong?”  I didn’t discuss my struggles with anyone.

    The LORD suggested I look in the mirror. I looked, and wondered who that person was. People were used to my face looking happy. A thought came:

The fruit of religion is a long face.

The fruit of His Spirit is joy.

    I realized that some thoughts and even Bible verses going through my mind were from the enemy. Religious spirits were twisting scripture to take me out.

     It shouldn’t have surprised me. The enemy used scripture to trick Jesus in Matthew four. Psalms 91 was a promise of protection to those who dwell in His secret place. The enemy used Psalms 91 to tempt Jesus to do something stupid. Obviously obeying the enemy’s suggestions is never a place to go and expect to be safe.

     I decided I would agree with Jesus response to the enemy. Jesus said, I live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. I knew I needed to go quickly into the secret place, take a deep breath, worship and hear only his quiet voice. There I could find words from the mouth of God, and rebuke the enemy’s religious words.

     There my face could reflect the fruit of the Holy Spirit called JOY as I got rid of religion. And hopefully when I checked the mirror it would reflect joy and other fruits of the Spirit.  Have you done a face check lately?

     Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.

    

A box of Dum Dums

     My son told me a story about a strange gift that he re-gifted.  He made an unexpected stop at his shop in the middle of the day. When a Christian neighbor man knocked, Ron opened the door and the neighbor handed him a big box of Dum Dum lollypops. A few minutes later Ron jumped back in his truck, put the box on his seat and wondered.

     His next stop was a man that he knew as a friend and business acquaintance. He sensed immediately by the man’s face that something was wrong. The man was grieving about a family tragedy that happened the night before. 

     Ron said he prayed for him and shared some scriptures to try to comfort him. When he got back in his truck he saw the box of dum dums,  picked them up and took them into the man.

    When Ron handed him the box the man began to cry. After he composed himself he shared that he just shared with his wife that he was going to get a box of dum dums for his grandchildren. That box spoke to him about God’s all knowing presence in a personal way. 

     Never be afraid to obey God, and be His deliveryman. Even when it’s a box of suckers to a grieving man.

YOU CAN -- IF YOU THINK YOU CAN 

(Philippines 4:13)                              By Walter D. Wintle Poet 

                                    If you think you are beaten, you are

                                   

If you think you dare not, you don’t,

If you like to win, but you think you can’t

It is almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost

For out in the world you find,

Success begins with a fellow’s will -- --

It’s all in the state of mind.

Full many a race is lost

Ere even a step is run,

And many a person fails

Ere even his work’s begun,

Think big, and your deeds will grow,

Think small and you’ll fall behind,

Think that you can, and you will -- --

It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are;

You’ve got to think high to rise;

You’ve got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But soon or late the man who wins

Is the fellow who thinks he can.   

Throw it out!

     "When in doubt, throw it out, " His loud, small voice said to me.

I'd determined to thoroughly clean my refrigerator when I had time

Then the Governor declared a two week vacation at home, and I had no excuse.
In the midst of refrigerator cleaning I wondered about a jar of applesauce. Keep?
Throw out? Not past expiration date, but when had I opened it?

That's when His voice said, "When in doubt, throw it out."
I knew He was talking about more than a jar of applesauce. He was talking
about my life. "Okay," I answered, "Give me three verses to confirm what you said."

"Whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
"Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill its desires"
"Dont miss YOUR day "of visitation."
"Strip off every weight that slows you down."
"Choose you today who you will serve."
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God..."

He had a few others, but you get the idea.
"Okay, LORD. I will get serious about these two weeks.
What are your priorities for my life that I need to hear.
I have ears to hear and a pencil to write."

OUT with the OLD. IN with your NEW.

It's not about me

The LORD stopped me to teach me a revelation after I became a new Christian.

Often when I came to God each day I said, “I love you,

…but I don’t spend enough time with you.

…but I sinned and got angry.

…but I forgot to do what you said to do.

…but I yada, yada, yada.”

This time when I said “I love you, but I…

“STOP!” That’s the instruction I heard from God’s loud; still small voice.

His voice continued, “Do you remember when someone you

love said, ‘I love you, but I don’t ...’”

I thought about it and answered, “Yes, I remember.”

“How did that make you feel?”

“Well, It felt empty. Like it was all about them.

Oh, I get it! You want me to forget my shame and stop pointing back to myself.

You prefer that I simply say, ‘I love you,’ and keep the attention on you.

Since then I simply say, "I LOVE YOU, LORD.”

                                                          

Playing Spiritual Volleyball

                                      

Jesus showed me how to play spiritual volleyball when someone hurt me with their words. It changed my life.

Before he showed me His example I kept my mouth shut when insulted or hurt. I knew it made it worse if I voiced how I was feeling. This created outward peace, but inward turmoil. Often words played on the stage of my mind, and erupted later at the worst time.

Then while I was reading 1 Peter 2:18-24 Jesus showed me what to do with these words. Jesus gave His example on how to deal with insults and pain. I read:

           When he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered,  he threatened not;

           but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously... (1Peter 2:23 KJV).

"What does it meant to commit to Father God who judges righteously?" I asked. Immediately  I saw this vision.

I saw myself throwing a volleyball up into the air so I could wham it over the net to my opponent. But when I hit the ball up it continued like a ballon straight up into heaven and disappeared. I never hit it across the net to my opponent.

I realized the ball represented my words. I was to speak honest words to the Father for Him to judge. I knew the words needed to get out of me, but not at my opponent.

Later a loved ones's words accused me and stabbed me, and I tried Jesus' example.

I spoke the words to the Father that I wanted to say to the person in front of me. Most of my words were not nice or Christian. They were honest. I concluded by saying I would like to hit the person. 

When they twitched in front of me I laughed out loud. I was convinced that an angel had carried out the Judge's verdict, and agreed with me.  I love taking my words to Father's court room and leaving them there. Although I don't always win I always walk away free with a fair verdict. Try it next time words hurt or injure you.