When Israel entered the promised Land there were 5 kings with armies determined to stop them. But God helped Joshua to defeat them and all 5 kings ran and hid in a cave. So Joshua told his soldiers to bring them out and put their foot on each of their necks and he slew them and hanged them on 5 trees. God's word that day to his people was: "Be strong and of good courage, for thus the Lord will do to all of your enemies against whom you fight." What a promise!!!
So what are the enemies that are hiding within the "cave" of our minds? Are the forces of fear trying to take up residence? Are they causing you to think the worst instead of believing God for the best? Are they telling you that you are unworthy to receive what God has promised you? Or that you'll never fulfill the destiny that God has in mind for you? That your past has corrupted your future?
With God, our victory is assured---but we have a part to play in it. We must go into that "cave" and drag each "king" out and place our foot upon his neck and put him to death.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Monday, December 26, 2011
The Gifts
This morning I was thinking about how my grandchildren are always so excited to open their gifts at Christmas. Every day that they come down here, they look to see if any new presents have been added, how many each of them have, and who has the biggest one....
Every year I have them make me a list of what they would like to have and I see to it that they get what they asked for. It makes me so happy to see their smiling faces when they finally get to open them! The joy of surprise that lights up their faces is priceless.
This morning as I was reliving the memory of this Christmas, a thought came to me.
Why aren't we like little children when it comes to God and His gifts for us? Why aren't we waiting expectantly for OUR gifts? If we have asked, why aren't we expecting to receive?
The simple answer is faith. My grandkids KNOW that whatever they ask us for, we will get it for them. They KNOW that we love them enough to go all over town looking for what they wanted. So, if we love them that much....just think of how much MORE God loves US. Our human minds cannot even begin to comprehend the LOVE OF GOD.
Our heavenly Father is the creator of love. And His love knows no bounds. And anything that we ask Him for, we should by all means expect to receive it. When we go boldly to the throne, we should in our hearts say "It is done." And be just like a little child, waiting expectantly to receive it.
Faith is not believing God can do it. It is KNOWING that He will do it.
Every year I have them make me a list of what they would like to have and I see to it that they get what they asked for. It makes me so happy to see their smiling faces when they finally get to open them! The joy of surprise that lights up their faces is priceless.
This morning as I was reliving the memory of this Christmas, a thought came to me.
Why aren't we like little children when it comes to God and His gifts for us? Why aren't we waiting expectantly for OUR gifts? If we have asked, why aren't we expecting to receive?
The simple answer is faith. My grandkids KNOW that whatever they ask us for, we will get it for them. They KNOW that we love them enough to go all over town looking for what they wanted. So, if we love them that much....just think of how much MORE God loves US. Our human minds cannot even begin to comprehend the LOVE OF GOD.
Our heavenly Father is the creator of love. And His love knows no bounds. And anything that we ask Him for, we should by all means expect to receive it. When we go boldly to the throne, we should in our hearts say "It is done." And be just like a little child, waiting expectantly to receive it.
Faith is not believing God can do it. It is KNOWING that He will do it.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
As Time Goes By
Pieces of me is about who I am
Things that I long for and just where I stand
Though 50 years have come and gone
I'm still finding me and where I belong
Minutes to hours, then days into weeks
Time passes so swiftly, yet always speaks
What have you done? What will you leave behind?
A memory? Or a treasure for others to find?
Stop, I say---and take a good look around
Enjoy the treasures that can still be found
In a hug or a kiss of one loved dear
Embrace them now, while they are still here
Don't let the hand of time come steal you away
For memories are the treasures that fill the day
It's not the money, or the things it can buy
But the memories we cherish as time goes by....
Things that I long for and just where I stand
Though 50 years have come and gone
I'm still finding me and where I belong
Minutes to hours, then days into weeks
Time passes so swiftly, yet always speaks
What have you done? What will you leave behind?
A memory? Or a treasure for others to find?
Stop, I say---and take a good look around
Enjoy the treasures that can still be found
In a hug or a kiss of one loved dear
Embrace them now, while they are still here
Don't let the hand of time come steal you away
For memories are the treasures that fill the day
It's not the money, or the things it can buy
But the memories we cherish as time goes by....
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Food For Thought
There is a scripture that I used to read and never really understood its meaning until I heard a preacher explain it....and Wow, it sure opened my eyes! It is talking about Jesus on the cross:
Colossians 2:15
15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
In biblical times, when an enemy soldier was captured, the first thing that they did was cut off his thumbs---so he could never raise a sword against them again. Then they cut off his big toes---so he could never run after them again. He was then dragged through the streets before all of the people to show them that they had nothing to fear from this soldier again. (See Judges 1:6&7)
Now picture our sweet Lord Jesus on that old cross, fulfilling every prophesy given:
15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
He literally cut the thumbs and big toes off Satan. He drug Satan through the streets.....He triumphed and showed us once and for all time, that the enemy is defeated!!! I don't know about you, but THAT helps me to look at the enemy in a whole new light. I now picture him like I would an old soldier who had been captured....the only power he has, is what we give him.
Jesus whooped him good! Thank you Lord!!
Colossians 2:15
King James Version (KJV)
15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
In biblical times, when an enemy soldier was captured, the first thing that they did was cut off his thumbs---so he could never raise a sword against them again. Then they cut off his big toes---so he could never run after them again. He was then dragged through the streets before all of the people to show them that they had nothing to fear from this soldier again. (See Judges 1:6&7)
Now picture our sweet Lord Jesus on that old cross, fulfilling every prophesy given:
15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
He literally cut the thumbs and big toes off Satan. He drug Satan through the streets.....He triumphed and showed us once and for all time, that the enemy is defeated!!! I don't know about you, but THAT helps me to look at the enemy in a whole new light. I now picture him like I would an old soldier who had been captured....the only power he has, is what we give him.
Jesus whooped him good! Thank you Lord!!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Rebuilding the Wall
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
So many times in our walk with the Lord, we lose sight of one of the most precious things that He gave us---our faith. We have this big mental picture of how we think our lives should be, and when things don't happen as we had planned, those precious walls of faith begin to crumble.
We get sick. We get hurt. We lose our jobs. Our friends betray us. Our children stray. A loved one dies.... The list is endless when it comes to things that attacks our faith. So what do we do? We rebuild the wall!
Just like Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, we can rebuild our faith. Piece by piece, laying the foundation and moving upwards. The most important thing to remember is just who God really is....He is Faithful and true. Every word that came forth from Him will never change. Ever. So, we know that every single promise that He made is good.
Read the promises over and over. They are yours and they are mine. Rebuild the walls of faith, piece by piece.
.
So many times in our walk with the Lord, we lose sight of one of the most precious things that He gave us---our faith. We have this big mental picture of how we think our lives should be, and when things don't happen as we had planned, those precious walls of faith begin to crumble.
We get sick. We get hurt. We lose our jobs. Our friends betray us. Our children stray. A loved one dies.... The list is endless when it comes to things that attacks our faith. So what do we do? We rebuild the wall!
Just like Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, we can rebuild our faith. Piece by piece, laying the foundation and moving upwards. The most important thing to remember is just who God really is....He is Faithful and true. Every word that came forth from Him will never change. Ever. So, we know that every single promise that He made is good.
Read the promises over and over. They are yours and they are mine. Rebuild the walls of faith, piece by piece.
.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Cleaning out the closet
I am starting a major clean-up process---not in my clothes closet, but within the closet of my mind and of my heart. Old ghostly things from the past that try to creep out every now and then, shall finally be put to rest.
I have decided that to keep moving forward, I must stop looking back. There is no future in the past. The past is dead and it is time for a proper burial. Bad memories from my childhood, hurtful words and actions from friends and even family---they have no place here, where I dwell now.
There are scars within me. But they remind me that the wounds are closed and I am healed.
I have decided that to keep moving forward, I must stop looking back. There is no future in the past. The past is dead and it is time for a proper burial. Bad memories from my childhood, hurtful words and actions from friends and even family---they have no place here, where I dwell now.
There are scars within me. But they remind me that the wounds are closed and I am healed.
Friday, December 2, 2011
My First Love
As far back as I can remember, my Mom took me and my four brothers to church. It was just a simple little country church made of cinder block and painted white. A few wooden benches on an old cement floor, along with an old piano were the only decor. There was an old stove for heat in the winter, and in the summer we just left the doors open to try and catch a breeze. "His" and "Hers" outhouses were out back by the woods. It was a far, far cry from the "Mega" churches of today.
So many times, I find myself thinking about that old church. It was ugly to anyone that ever saw it I suppose, but I loved it. I met Jesus there. I was baptized at a little creek right down the road from that old church. I was so young, but I had met my first love. And his name was Jesus.
Sometimes, when I feel a little down or disappointed in the way things are going, I think back to that old church and how simple everything was. There were no fancy messages, nobody dressed to the nines, no big band played in the background, and there was no set time for service to end. You knew to eat supper before you came, because sometimes services would go a little close to 11pm.
A lot of wonderful people came through that old church. There were visiting preachers, evangelist, and singers....and they all left something with me. In things that they said to me or messages that they preached. One minister went outside to pray for a young boy who had been hit by a car and was bleeding and I learned the scripture that stops the flow of blood. A couple who evangelized together came and I remember her looking at my shoes and saying "Lord , she needs some shoes. Give her some shoes." Imagine my surprise when someone brings a whole bag of shoes to my house a few days later! At that young age, I had no idea that you could ask God for SHOES! I had thought that you could only ask him for forgiveness of sins, and to take you to heaven when you die...
I am so thankful for that old country church and all of the people that passed through it. It was the seed that took to root and stayed with me, softly calling me back to the Lord when I strayed.
Thank you Mom for taking me to that old country church.
So many times, I find myself thinking about that old church. It was ugly to anyone that ever saw it I suppose, but I loved it. I met Jesus there. I was baptized at a little creek right down the road from that old church. I was so young, but I had met my first love. And his name was Jesus.
Sometimes, when I feel a little down or disappointed in the way things are going, I think back to that old church and how simple everything was. There were no fancy messages, nobody dressed to the nines, no big band played in the background, and there was no set time for service to end. You knew to eat supper before you came, because sometimes services would go a little close to 11pm.
A lot of wonderful people came through that old church. There were visiting preachers, evangelist, and singers....and they all left something with me. In things that they said to me or messages that they preached. One minister went outside to pray for a young boy who had been hit by a car and was bleeding and I learned the scripture that stops the flow of blood. A couple who evangelized together came and I remember her looking at my shoes and saying "Lord , she needs some shoes. Give her some shoes." Imagine my surprise when someone brings a whole bag of shoes to my house a few days later! At that young age, I had no idea that you could ask God for SHOES! I had thought that you could only ask him for forgiveness of sins, and to take you to heaven when you die...
I am so thankful for that old country church and all of the people that passed through it. It was the seed that took to root and stayed with me, softly calling me back to the Lord when I strayed.
Thank you Mom for taking me to that old country church.
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