Posts Tagged ‘Satan’

5 Reasons for ALL OF US to have HOPE right now…again

Posted: November 21, 2015 in Strength for Today
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Very near 3 years ago, I wrote this post based upon what I sensed and felt going on in the world at that time; sadness and destruction. As I listen and watch the world news over the last few days, with all of the horrific death and destruction in France, Belgium and the Middle East, I once again seek God for the very same thing…hope.

I cannot provide anyone with the reasons why all of this is happening other than simply the Bible talking about “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4, John 12:31, 1 John 5:19) prowling around seeking to devour (1 Peter 5:8) those who don’t resist him. Believe me my friends, NOW IS THE TIME TO RESIST HIM. Don’t give up but rather look to Him for your hope.

God’s word is clear…”I will never leave you or forsake (forget) you” (Joshua 1:5)

So here again, are my 5 reasons we can have HOPE right now…

By its very nature, the word hope concerns the future, our future. However, I am not referring to a simple hope such as, “I wish I had a nicer car or bigger house”, but rather I am talking about Biblical hope, which is very different. Biblical hope consists of an assurance inside your heart or better yet, a firm confidence about future things because of Gods promises and His revelation to us. Guys, real Biblical hope in Christ Jesus is something that is never failing when you place your trust in Him. In fact Paul tells us in Romans 15:13;

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In other words, Biblical hope is inseparably linked with a firm faith in Him. They go hand-in-hand with one another. As a result, what is yielded is a confident trust in God that is unshakable when the adversity of life hits you like a wave….(Like right now).

So with all of the chaos our world is throwing at you every single day, I wanted to give you some actual reasons why you can still have faith and HOPE that things are going to still be alright…So here are my 5 reasons for all of us to have HOPE right now…

  1. God is still on the throne – He hasn’t gone anywhere. He is still alive and at work in our world. I know it is very easy to look at what happens in this world and say God is dead or may he is just sleeping because I have heard that before. But I assure you He is alive and well and knows exactly what is happening on this earth.
  2. With man, things are impossible…but with God, ALL things are possible (Mark 10:27) It is so very easy to just give up and give in to all of the adversity that is constantly thrown in our direction because we simply forget Gods promises. Bottom line, God has NO limitations. His ways are NOT our ways and therefore he will not react or think as we do…our response needs to be to simply ask, to trust, and to hope in Him.
  3. You Are Not Alone – As we are told in Joshua 1:5, He will never leave us nor forsake us and I’ve come to realize that me trying to understand the why’s of this world is NOT my job. My job is to completely trust in Him…even though I don’t understand. LET GOD DO THE HEAVY LIFTING. Do you remember the story of Peter when he got out of the boat and started walking on the water to meet Jesus? (Matthew 14:29-30) He was actually walking on water until he took his eyes off of Christ and then what happened? He started sinking fast…and what was his reaction? He cried, “Lord save me!” which is exactly what we are supposed to do…
  4. All of what you are going through right now is only temporary – Weeping may last for the night…but joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5). It is easy to “get caught up” with what we SEE. But I am here to remind you that Jesus has prepared a place for all of us IN HEAVEN (John 14:2) and this place we see around us, will all pass away. It is only temporary. Heaven is eternal.
  5. I know how this story ends – All of the difficulty and adversity we face every day sometimes can be overwhelming. In fact, it may seem like the bad guy in this world may be winning. But let me assure you with an overwhelming confidence. Have you ever read Revelation? Because I know who wins in the end. You and I will be victorius.

But you MUST STAY THE COURSE. Don’t give up. Have faith and put your trust in Him and He will give you reason to HOPE…

 

Until next time guys…

How is your thought LIFE?

Posted: July 19, 2015 in God Perspective
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thoughts

Are you one of those guys who just absolutely LOVE’S competition? Over the years, I have found that I am a guy who turn’s pretty much everything I do into a contest…and I really can’t help it…I think it might actually be in my DNA because I so enjoy the thrill of competing or engaging an opponent. Whether it’s shooting dirty clothes into the clothes hamper with my son, throwing darts, or playing a competitive sport, I relish my opportunities to compete and be challenged.

That got me thinking about how we men have challenges beyond the physical that involve battles for our thought life. As strange as that sounds, have you ever considered that inside your mind is a war zone and there is a constant competition for who is going to win the battle over what you think about?

Think about that statement for a second…

Inside your head, there is a battle going on where good and evil compete literally every second of your day as to who will gain control.

Now, if you think I am over exaggerating this issue, I have the Bible to back me up. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5:

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Paul tells us that it’s our job to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”.

In other words, we are expected to be in control over what we think and if we have a thought that isn’t “Godly” we are to limit it and make it obedient to Christ.

Now, I may have lost some of you already because what I am saying is very difficult to do…even if we WANT to do it. If you are a guy reading this blog who walks with God then you already know that we are bombarded with images and situations that cause everyone of us to think thoughts that are NOT Godly…

By the way, in case you didn’t know this already, that IS Satan’s plan. You see the way to your heart is through your MIND and if he can gain control over what you think about, then he has you…that is why Paul said this 2000 years ago because he knew even then, that one way Satan would attack men…was through our thoughts.

Hey Guys…know this… there is a way to gain victory over your thoughts but like everything else we do, we have to work at it and most of all, be consistent. Its just like working out in the gym…when we skip a few days, its far easier to just keep on skipping until we never go at all…it takes a consistent routine, day in and day out, to make the physical progress as well as overcoming the mental part of just going in the first place.

Overcoming our thought life is exactly the same; it takes a constant effort on your part to gain victory. In this case though, we cannot skip days…we must be consistent each day and put on our armor knowing full well we are in a battle against and enemy who seeks to destroy us…

I put together 4 steps necessary to control your thought life to help you for the future.

  1. It takes Fortitude. Just like your Coach used to tell you, “you got to want it”. If you are sitting on the edge as to whether or not you want to control your thought life, then you have already lost.
  1. Be Consistent. Each day give your thoughts over to Him and then work to be conscious of what you are thinking about. Some of us allow our thoughts to drift off into what ever and that is a wide open door for Satan to walk through. Paul even tells us in 1st Corinthians that he “dies daily” to Christ, which simply means he hits the reset button everyday before he went to work.
  1. Hit the Reset button everyday. Paul even tells us in 1st Corinthians that he “dies daily” to Christ, which simply means he hits the reset button everyday before he went to work. We are going to fail…we just need to know that we can reset each day and begin anew…clean, fresh and sinless in Gods eyes.
  1. It takes a Team. Sometimes, and I know this is hard for men to do…but if we have a buddy that we can talk to during our weak moments…that just may be the difference between success and failure.

Guys, let me end this post this way. Please understand that even if you work to apply what I have said today, you are still going to mess up now and then.

HEAR MY WORDS!

 Do NOT give up. Keep fighting on. God Forgives and He FORGETS.

 Just because you screw up does not mean it is game over. Life happens and things don’t always go the way we want them to. In those times, we have to seek God even more.

 And He will extend His grace and forgiveness to you. You can count on that.

 You CAN do this…

 Until next time guys…

Guard your Hearts…

Posted: April 25, 2015 in Kingdom Living
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Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

When was the last time someone told you to guard your heart? Has anyone ever told you that before like maybe Mom or Dad? On the outside, guarding ones heart does seem like an odd thing to say, but from a Christian perspective, it makes all the sense in the world.

But I always do find it interesting when I find scriptures that reference exact circumstances I’m in now or see others going through and I realize that God was way ahead of all of us when He gave us this Word of His. Where else will you find instruction about guarding your heart? Who else but God would have cared enough about us to give us instructions as to how to do this in the first place? You see, if you look at the Bible as just a storybook, and I have met many who do, you are missing Gods point. His intent with scripture was to provide us a road map to use while on this journey called life. It is up to us and it’s our choice as to whether or not to use it…

So if we get back to this scripture above about guarding your hearts, and we look at it transparently and think about the FACT that…Satan only wants your heart and nothing else. Because when he gets that, HE HAS YOU.

Do you believe that? When Satan breaks through your heart barrier, it takes a superhuman effort to resist him and when was the last time any of us met a super human? That’s because they don’t exist. The reality is, the only way you or me can only hope to resist Satan’s attack on our heart is with Gods help. Our job is to seek God and everything else just works out according to His will. It really is that SIMPLE.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

What I am telling you is simply this…

Be aware of who and what you give your heart to…

Guard it safely as God has asked us to do…

Don’t be ignorant of what I have told you…

Until next time guys…

You must Resist…

Posted: January 3, 2015 in Strength for Today
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I wanted to start this New Year off by going on the offensive against our common enemy…Satan. All of us are preparing on this last weekend of the holiday to head back to our regular routines…whatever that means for you, however before you take that first step this coming Monday in January, I wanted to remind you guys of the power that exists within you as believers in Christ and that when faced with life’s difficulties, we can wield this power and achieve results. I have used the verse below before in this blog but from my vantage point, it never gets old and frankly continually cuts when it needs to. So as you begin your New Year for both you and your family, I remind you to always remember to resist the evil one…

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 5:8-11 NASB

This is one of those very powerful “get your attention” verses in the Bible put there to remind all of us that we are not at a country club in this life. It is an unseen war for your soul and Satan is the General in charge who is looking to beat you at all costs and he does not care who gets in his way because the more destruction he can release on you and everyone you care about…the better. Bodies in his wake are a victory for him.

Guys, I would like to point out the obvious for you…simply by using the word “resist” in the verse above God is telling us that we have the power to resist. Life is not a game of Russian roulette where we know eventually someone is going to get it and we just hope the bullet is NOT in the chamber when its our turn. Just because Satan is out there prowling around looking for you doesn’t mean he will win. My point is that your life is NOT already LOST. It is NOT inevitable that Satan is going to gain victory. In Christ, you have the power to tell Satan to “take a walk, I am NOT interested in what you are peddling today.”

Were you even aware that you could resist him?

I will tell you something else, when you wield the power that His word tells us we have because of Christ, did you know then that Satan is no longer a lion but rather more like a kitten? He can’t devour you, or affect you, or beat you, when you resist him in strong faith. When you deny him access to your personal vulnerabilities by telling him to take a hike, Satan is powerless.

What I don’t want you to hear me say however is not to be aware or be on the alert. Satan still knows your weakest areas where you are most likely to be vulnerable and those are the specific spots he will target in your life. He is not dumb. He knows where to stick the temptation and when and to NOT be prepared for that to happen is your fault not Gods.

Here is my bottom line…

You must RESIST and because of Christ…you have the power to…

Happy New Year…

 

Until next time guys…

 

Sins Destructive Purpose

Posted: August 23, 2014 in God Perspective
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Sin-archery

All of us have had friends or even family that chose to go a different way other than Christianity and for those people in our lives, we continue to pray that they will someday soon, see the light that is waiting for them…In today’s post, I want you to focus on that choice they made and why they made it? Here is what I mean; what was so attractive about sin that made them change their course in life and move towards it, rather than Christ? Now you say, “they didn’t choose sin, they chose (insert choice here)” In reality though, if you did not choose Christ, then you did choose sin. Here is why I think that way…

I have titled today’s post Sins Destructive Purpose because I wanted you to have a better understanding through symbolism, of what sin is and what sin does…

What Sin is:

Sin is dark, Sin is thick, and Sin is dense

In my real life, I work with ink in the printing world and there we have what we call regular black ink we use all the time, but we also have something called dense black for specific applications. Dense black is filled with an overabundance of black pigment to make it ultra-black and highly opaque. You cannot see through dense black and therefore, light cannot pass through. One more point, if you get dense black on your hands, it doesn’t clean off…it takes several times of cleaning to lose the severe stain it leaves.

Please understand that sin is the same way, it’s filled with the darkness of the worst kind and it has a disgusting ability to stick to us. In fact, it’s like dense black like I mentioned above, because even when just a small amount gets on you, sin just doesn’t come off.

Sin has an Odor

Without being completely disgusting, you can think of the worst experience you have ever had that involves smell…road kill, skunk, changing a diaper…the smell of sin is far beyond our ability to imagine. It infects, permeates, and overwhelms an environment like nothing else. Sin is a “senses overwhelming” experience…that CANNOT be hidden. If sin is near, and you are tuned into its presence as a Christian, it cannot hide. However, believe this or not, the stink of sin is attractive at some point…otherwise why would so many people go that way?

What Sin does:

Sin is Alive

Sin is a disease that understands you…and you are a fool if you think otherwise…sin is driven to destroy. Sin’s only purpose is destruction. Satan is behind sin…he controls its desire to seek, hunt, and attack and YOU are in his crosshairs. When you move, it moves. When you think…it stops to wait to see what you are going to do…then it reacts. Sin is the ultimate in negative interactivity…

Guys, After reading the above, you probably feel like you need to take a shower but I felt impressed today to share the reality of what sin really is so you are prepared for defense. The bottom line is right now, you have the same sin as I described above, in you or on you and if you don’t do something about it, well, I think you know what ultimately will happen.

Let me briefly share with you an experience that Christ had and how it moved him when he encountered sin. There is a story in the New Testament about a friend of Christ that was ill and then died shortly after that. His name was Lazarus. Jesus was in another city and when he got word of his friend’s illness, he delayed another two days before leaving (you will have to read the story to understand why he did this) but when Jesus did arrive, he encountered a great deal of sadness and weeping people that leads us to the verse I want to share with you:

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. John 11:33

In this instance, why was Jesus so deeply moved in spirit and troubled? After looking into this further, I found that Jesus was grieved and angered by all the misery resulting from sin, Satan, and death.

The anguish He saw around him saddened him greatly, but it actually made Him angry even more. Jesus hates sin for all of the reasons I showed you above because of what it does to you and me…He hates sin. And guess what? He wants you to hate sin as well…Look at Hebrews 1:9;

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

I am not going to leave you hanging though…sin can be defeated through the redeeming power of what Christ did on the cross. All of the nastiness I described above can be wiped away by simply submitting to Christ’s plan for you and most importantly, asking for forgiveness…

Today’s title was Sins Destructive Purpose; which means, God has a plan for you, but so does Satan and for any of us to think otherwise is certain death. Guys, I care about you enough to be truthful to you and to share what I think is important for you in your own spiritual lives. Satan seeks to devour and God seeks to save…is sin really that attractive when you know what happens at the end of life’s story?

You get to make the choice…

I choose to eternal life…what say you?

Until next time guys.

Make Serving God…Your Resolve

Posted: June 25, 2014 in Strength for Today
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resolveSometimes I find myself sometimes frustrated with people who struggle with making what I call “simple decisions”. Have you ever been in a line behind someone who can’t decide what kind of coffee they would like or whether to use paper or plastic bags? I often wonder how indecisive people make it through life when basic decisions seem to elude them. Now please don’t misunderstand me, I am not picking on anyone here, I am just very different about things like that.

With that said, I have found the same to be true when people choose religion or a god based upon that lifestyle. For some, they pick gods that are very similar to themselves in that there are very few rules or guardrails to worry about which means they can do what they want…no real decisions or commitments to make but the best part is, they can opt out at any time.

Other people go down a completely opposite path where they decide to commit totally and give up huge portions of their time and money to stay connected to their god. Some even commit their families and give up personal opportunities all in the name of religion…On this side, opting out is far more difficult.

Now again, please don’t misunderstand me here, I am just trying to point out the vast differences between how and what my observations are when I watch people and the great differences in what I would call resolve.

In the dictionary it says about resolve:

To come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something): I have 

resolved that I shall live to the full.

Resolve is a strong word in my mind because it connects directly to making a decision and being determined to stay the course. When it comes to becoming a Christian, it takes great resolve to make that first step and move forward in young faith and I admire the ones that do. Many times however, like other things in our lives, the “new” can wear off and frankly, that is where your resolve comes in. Only because I have been a Christian for many years do I see this more in my own life. Honestly, sometimes I have to “make up my mind” that will not deviate from the path I am on even though it may be tiring or NOT the path of least resistance. I have determined for my own life that I am choosing God and where He takes me I do not know…but I do know that on this journey, I will not stop holding onto Him. Determined. Resolve. Anchor.

Have you made up your mind to do something and then resolved to stick with it until theI-resolve end? Maybe your marriage is on rocky ground but you are resolved to continue to work things out? Maybe your job stinks but you are determined to bloom right where you are? Sometimes we choose “resolve” in these areas because we don’t think there is any other way but to be truthful, there is. We can also choose to change or even improve these areas with effort…but when it comes to your God…it takes all the resolve you can muster…why? Because God has never promised an easy road for you or me. Your road as a Christian will probably be a rocky one not because you are a Christian, but because you have CHOSEN to be a Christian. Because of your choice, that puts you in a different category in the eyes of Satan. It will take all of your resolve to stay committed…because you are under attack.

Remember this for your dose of encouragement:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

The purpose of this post is NOT to convince you to have resolve in your journey but to encourage you to KEEP your resolve. Guys…make your choice and then move on…be consistent, push forward, and know that God will not leave you hanging out there alone…He will be right there at your side honoring your resolve to serve Him.

Guys, today I encourage you to make serving God your resolve.

Make your choice…

Stay determined…

Live for Him…

 

Until next time guys…

 

Set Your Minds on Heaven and NOT on the things of Earth

Posted: March 30, 2014 in Kingdom Living
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Reality of Heaven

One of the hardest things any Christian must do is to try to block out all of the earthly distractions that we see around us and to focus on Christ and the things we “don’t see”. This very second, Satan continues to turn up the pressure on this world as we near what I believe are the “end times”. This means that we are constantly bombarded with things that are specific targets at your personal weak points. In other words, Satan knows what you struggle with and he will continue to give you even more to see. Guys, for those of you who struggle with pornography, drugs or alcohol…guess what? You will find yourself in circumstances with your addiction right in front of your face and you will be forced to make a choice.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

I have spoken of this before because I believe it to be true. There is a war going on right now for your soul. Satan seeks to lure you by using what you can “see” because that is all he has to use against you. He will promise happiness and all the “whatever your weakness is insert here” that you can handle. It will sound great…she will look great but let me remind you that HE, SATAN…only possesses “temporary” anything. He has nothing permanent of value that he can attract you with…only what you can see…Remember that…

What I am suggesting as an alternative is simply a heavenly perspective. I am asking that you recognize that everything around you right now is only temporary. If you do not believe me, then I suggest you read Revelation 21:1-4 because this is where we are told about the New Heaven and the New Earth. Frankly, this is what you have to look forward to guys but you must seek Godly pursuits while here in earth. If your only desire is what you can take or what you can conquer, then I recommend you read Romans 1:18-25. God cannot be any clearer than this when he speaks through Paul in these verses. God hates wickedness…Even though you think you are wise and you may be “killing it” financially, it is only temporary…trust me, you cannot take it with you when you die…

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Here is the bottom line…a lot of us work hard to prepare for our eventual retirement so we can enjoy the last few years of our lives. We put away funds in order to live at the level we want to as seniors but the only problem with that thinking is what about your eternal retirement? Why not set your sights while you are here, living and breathing on earth, for your eternal future? Read this verse below:

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Again, I can’t be any clearer than this…seek Him first, set your sights on the things of Heaven, and God will bless you while you are here on earth. But the best news is still that He will provide you an eternal future like nothing your mind can possible imagine…

 

Until next time guys…

Sin is NOT my Master…

Posted: January 5, 2014 in Strength for Today
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opinions_freewill2I was listening to another Podcast recently and something that Andy Stanley from North Point Ministries said struck a chord within me. How many of us actually do what we know we should do 100% of the time? This would mean when temptation strikes you and for that period of time where all of us have a choice, sin or not sin, how many of us really make the right choice? In my opinion, probably not very many of us could raise our hands here because that statement is very near impossible. In fact, Paul struggled with the very thing and asked the very same question:

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.?” Romans 7: 15-20

Honestly, its kind of encouraging that I struggle with the same things the Apostle Paul did but that is another blog post…the point I am trying to make here is that Paul is simply saying that what causes us to do the things we shouldn’t ALREADY LIVES inside of you and me. Honestly, we were born with it…into it…and it covers us…what is “it”…

Sin…

I don’t know about you but it drives me crazy when I find myself literally doing something that I told myself not to, 30 minutes prior…and that happens all the time! Why do I let myself fall into the same pit over and over again? Honestly guys, it’s a human problem that affects everyone who was ever born on this earth. It started when our buddy Adam sinned inside the garden and that single act affected mankind forever…and without the cross, we were absolutely doomed!

But you already know all of that…

Lets get back to Paul…because he is pointing out something that affects you and me and he is asking the same questions we do. If I was to summarize what Paul is saying I would say, “Why do we let SIN control our lives?” I think that sometimes we are sold short on the idea that we get to sin all week and then on the weekend, come to church to wipe our “sin slate” clean. That was NOT Gods intent. His intent was that you live a life of freedom from sin all of the time. Well how does one do that? Let me tell you what Andy Stanley said from above to help all of us:

The 3 “D’s”

DECLARE – SIN IS NOT MY MASTER. Say that out loud to yourself…seriously, say it. SIN IS NOT MY MASTER. You don’t have to let sin control you. You don’t have to let sin reign, or be in charge, of your mortal body.

DECIDE – You have a choice to say NO to sin. I am speaking the truth to you guys. You can decide to not let sin rule over you. Everyday, Satan will secretly ask you if he can borrow your mind for a while so you can think about something you know you shouldn’t.

Do not lend Satan control any part of your physical body in order to sin.

DEVOTE – Every part of your life to God. Take a chance and be humble by submitting every part of your body during your prayer time to God.

Guys, look at what he is saying…YOU HAVE A CHOICE. SIN IS A CHOICE…saying NO to sin is literally the hardest thing in the world but yet at the same time, to overcome sin…well that is something a warrior would do…defeat an adversary in a battle.

Paul said it this way:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2

Guys, all He is saying is this: as long as you stay focused on Him, each day, living our your life with your eyes pointed towards heaven…YOU ARE FREE TO MAKE A CHOICE AND HAVE VICTORY OVER SIN.

Does that mean you will stop sinning? Heck no, remember Adam from above? Sin seems to be a part of our DNA but with Christ, we can overcome…

Guys, I challenge you today when you get up each morning to say out loud…Sin is not my master. Say it as many times as necessary until you believe this in your heart, then you can have that victory I know you seek…

Until next time guys,

Andy Stanley is the Pastor of  North Point Church and  North Point Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. His Videos and Podcasts are available at yourmove.is.

Friendly Reminder…

Posted: December 31, 2013 in Faith Journey
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Responsibility-ahead-Blog-14

I don’t know about you, but I like to use those digital reminders that are available in online calendars so I don’t forget those critical dates and other important things. So in honor of this new and upcoming year of 2014, this last post of 2013 will fall under the category of “critical” due to its utmost importance for you and I as believers. This is my last friendly reminder to all of us for this year…and it is simply:

All of us who have ever lived or died on this earth…Not one of us will be left out of ultimate accountability with God.

So I will pause for a moment while I let that statement sink in…

The reason we find the accountability idea difficult is that no one wants to think about the future because it makes us uncomfortable…it “cramps our style” in our everyday life.

Being completely transparent, I can identify with the “uncomfortable with accountability” point of view. In fact, I have held that point of view before in my own lifetime.  Because the truth is, when life is going your way…I found little reason to be at church or for that matter, to focus on making the “right” decisions that might make God proud. And why should I?

The answer is simple; Because while the world is going on about its own business, you and I are trying to live out Christianity in the present…and at this very point in history…it is very hard not to get tangled up in ourselves.  Between what you see advertised as “right” and our natural tendency to fall in love with ourselves; Satan slowly and masterfully weaves his work until we have lost our focus…and our anchor. When we shift our gaze from God to man…It is NOT a good ending.

Guys, I am NOT telling you a new story. It is one that has been told many times throughout human history, it’s just a new generation that gets to learn it all over again. So here is the important point I wanted to remind you of today.

AN IRONMANSTRENGTH FRIENDLY REMINDER:

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13

For those of you who are reading this verse for the very first time and are skeptical, look it up…I do not make this stuff up…it’s in the Bible for all of us to read and apply to our lives.

So here is my $1,000,000 question of the day:

When you read this verse, does it have the impact of getting smacked right in your face?

If it does, that is good…because that means the Holy Spirit is within you and telling you that you must change…you have to change…

Guys…I encourage all of you to look away from the mirror and up to Him…

Get focused back on God by getting on your knees and try humility.

God understands everything you are going through and I assure you, He wants you back…but YOU must take the first step towards Him…Prayerfully consider these words today.

They are not my words, but Gods.

Reminder: You, me, all of us, will ultimately be held accountable for everything we do, everything we think, and everything we say in this world…I hope you recognize this is something none of us can afford to ever forget…

 

Until next time guys…

Satan has a plan for you…Part 2

Posted: August 26, 2013 in Kingdom Living
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the-stranger1(Continued from previous post)

We, you and I, can only grasp small fragments of who He is.

As I mentioned previously, what we see being put on display before our very eyes is NOT a mistake…it is a part of Satan’s master plan in the process of being unfolded. Did you know he has also has a plan for this world? It is a plan that you and I have the advantage of watching from ringside seats…and we are right in the center of the action. (Please note: I refer to above as an advantage simply because I believe I know how this story ends.) Let me just say very clearly that his plan does NOT have your best interests in mind. Remember what Peter said:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I don’t know about you but the word, “devour” is very clear to me what the end looks like for someone who stays on the path of least resistance, or in other words, the path that has no accountability. Guys, what do you see each night on television that gives you hope in this world? I am NOT trying to be negative but from my vantage point, there does not appear to be very much “positive” going on out there…and for that matter, coming in the future. So far, it looks the same to me. Has what I see now happened before?

Is History is repeating itself? Do you remember the Children of Israel?

Have you ever heard the word crescendo? Its definition is “the peak of a gradual increase.” Crescendo is seen mostly in musical pieces where the orchestra will start softly and gradually grow louder as they crescendo to the finish. If I were to apply the “gradual increase” to what I see going on today, I would say (and I think we would all agree) we are seeing the speed of the world-changing to a rapid pace. Look around you…Why is this happening?

A.W. Tozer quote from the “Spiritual Warfare” book:

“How different it is today. The fact remains the same, but the interpretation has changed completely. Men think of the world not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic. We are NOT in a foreign land; we are at home. We are NOT getting ready to live; but we are already living, and the best we can do is rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations and live THIS life to the full.”

As mentioned above, we are all in a spiritual battle and frankly, if you don’t see that I am worried for you brother. Things may be going well for you now and I say, “good for you” but I also know, “This too shall pass”. Unfortunately, “things going well” may only be for a season and when the good is gone, then what? My response to you is look up and see what God has for you especially during this time of certainty. Jesus said, “if you seek me you will find me…knock and the door will be opened unto you” Please remember this;

This earth is NOT Gods plan for you!

Pastor Rick Warren said, “Earth is simply preparation time for Heaven” which means that Earth is not your final destination. There is something far more fantastic in your future than your existence upon this earth.

Right now, in the middle of all this chaos of the world, God is trying to get your attention but guess what? So is Satan…

I will end this post with another A.W. Tozer quote:

“There is a glorified Man on the right hand of the Majesty in heaven faithfully representing us there. We are left for a season among men; let us faithfully represent Him here.”

Guys, I know I gave you a whole lot in these last two posts or in other words, a whole lot of “meat” to chew on. I pray that His words will rest upon your hearts so the Holy Spirit can use them to soften your mind to His what He has for you…

What He offers is Eternal Life…

Until next time guys…

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