WHO IS OUR FIGHT REALLY WITH?

Have you ever did something that God lays on your heart? Only to find yourself in a battle afterwards?

 

     Last week. I decided that I was going to try and witness to my neighbor. She had just moved into my complex not that long ago. I felt led that God wanted me to get to know her more. We had another neighbor moving into our complex and the gardens did not look all that great. So I decided to go and clean them up and make them look nice for when the new neighbors moved in. No one had done them all spring so they were full of weeds and what plants were in there we dyeing due to them being suffocated by the weeds.
I had mentioned to my neighbor I wanted to do this and she suggested that she help me. I though it was very nice of her to help. I also took this as an open door that God wanted me to get to know her and minister to her. The night before I prayed God, shine through me. I want you to use me in this situation.

    The next morning I got up and went to work. Soon my neighbor came out to join me. We had an amazing talk. She shared a lot of her life with me. She had been through a very hard life. I was able to share with her the trials and things in my life that I had endured. I also shared with her that I believe in God and I know that without him. I would never been able to forgive the many people in my life that I have. We finished the gardening and our visit continued on to Tim Horton’s for more fellowship. I was so happy with the way things went. When I was heading over to Tim Horton’s to meet her, I went to get gas. There was this lady there that was very unpleasant and she just wanted to argue with me. She was yelling from her car window at me. She was saying a lot of stuff about me and putting me down. Things she was saying to me were things that have actually bugged me about myself all my life pretty much. I had never met this woman before. Had no idea who she was or anything about her. All I knew is I was under attach from her and I had no idea way. These things she was saying were my insecurities that I had dealt with though out life. Basically the same insecurities that I had shared with my neighbor about.
    I was driving to meet my neighbor and it was really bothering me what she said. I was shaking because I was angry. I thought why is this bothering me so much. Then I could hear a still small voice say to me. I love you. I continued driving and tears filled my eyes. Who was I really fighting? Was I fighting this bitter ignorant woman? Who was my battle really with? My battle was with the enemy himself. He was not happy that I was on a high from doing what I felt God wanted me to do. He was angry that I had actually told my neighbor that there is hope. I find my hope in Jesus. He did not like that I had told my neighbor that I believed in God and without him my life would be incomplete. He was attaching me through this lady at the gas station . What better way to get to me so I would loose focus then to attach me with my insecurities? I prayed and said God be with that lady at the gas station and Lord forgive me for being angry with her. Help me to regain my focus for you.

    Every one of us is at battle everyday of our lives. When we leave ourselves open to minister to someone or to do what we feel God wants us to do. We leave ourselves open for some kind of attach. That is why it is so important that when we go out to battle we are ready. A soldier never goes out to his post without his armor. That would be silly.

Ephesians 6: 11

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. (NLV)

    It also goes on to tell us that we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against the evil ones. It also tells us to stay alert and persistent in our prayers.
When you do things and something happens take it as a sign you are on the right track. God tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. ( Matthew 5:44 )

When you find yourself in a trial with someone pray.



ONLY GOD HIMSELF KNOWS

    I had just settled in for a nice quiet nights sleep last night. It had been a busy day and I was ready for my pillows. I kissed my husband goodnight and pulled the blankets up over me. My eye lids started to close and life was all good. "MOM…MOM WAKE UP. MY FRIEND JUST SENT ME A TEXT MESSAGE…..THE WORLD IS ABOUT TO END!!!!" I jumped out of bed to see what the ruckus was all about.
    Apparently there is a man who is the founder of the Family Radio in Oakland, California. He is an eighty- nine year old man named Harold Camping. He has studied the bible for years and has come up with this prediction. The prediction being that the world will end May 21st, 2011. He says that there will be an earthquake bigger then the one that Japan had. He also states that this will be just the beginning of the end. Events will take place over time and it will officially end October 21st, 2011. It had been broadcasted on the news and on billboards all over the United States. I had been to busy too even hear any part of this news.
    I quickly reassured my daughter that she had nothing to worry about. First of all if God came it would be a blessing for all of us that know him. To which she replied. "Yes it would mom, but not yet.. I am going to Camp Medeba on Wednesday." I thought to myself that is a normal request. I remember as a child my thoughts were. No God can’t come yet, I want to get married and have kids. Now I often think, "Yes it would be amazing to be in heaven but I want my kids married. I want to see my Grandchildren. The fact is…God will come again in his time.

"But about that day or hour no one knows,

not even the angels in heaven, not the Son, but only the Father.

Matthew 24: 36

    So no one knows when Christ will come except for God himself. So many times people figure they have studied the bible long enough and they have all the answers. Obviously they did not study it hard and long enough. This simple little verse says it all.
    Instead of studying on the actual date which no one knows would it not make sense to study the bible and get to know God more. To know what we need to do to be ready for his return when it finally does happen. I myself am looking forward to that day when I come face to face with God himself. That day will come in it’s time. Next time you hear a prediction like this, instead of panicking or worrying. Just sit back and take a look at your life. Use it as a reminder.. God will come again one day. If you are ready you have nothing to worry about. In the end the importance is not when but will you be ready?



AM I DOING ENOUGH??

    Have you ever questioned if you needed to do more for God? I know I have many times. I want to do more. I want to be more like him. I go to church every Sunday. I go to prayer groups and I am a member of a very lively and amazing church group, with a goal of seeking and following after God. I am a leader of the local ladies coffee break for one of the local churches. I volunteer at the school and local food bank from time to time. I am the youth bowling coordinator for the local youth bowling league. I help out in the nursery at the church and from time to time I help with the church youth. When I was about 18. I use to help on the Sunday School bus. I would spend lots of time with the kids and we would sing songs and just have a great time on the ride to and from church every Sunday. When I got older, I taught Sunday School and I helped with youth. I worked at a couple of summer camps over the years too. I was on the go for God. However is that enough? When it came to school or work, was I so on fire for God. Did I tell others about him. If I did had I done enough to get the point across?

    I never realized the impact that I make on others until later on in my life. I really took a look at how important it is for us to do more a few months ago. We had a tragedy in our neighborhood. In this tragedy one of my neighbors had died. When I realized what had actually taken place. I remember sitting in my living room on the couch in shock first of all that this had happened. Secondly the question came through my mind. Did I do enough? Had I shared and shown her God’s love? Had I made it a point to let God shine through me? I did not see this woman much as our schedules seemed to collide with the other. But had I shown her in anyway the love of Jesus. Had I touched her when we spoke or when we did things? When the day comes that God comes again. Will I see her or will she say. I never knew. Will this ladies blood be on my hands for not sharing enough with her?
    Many times we hold ourselves back because we are afraid of pushing that person away. We are afraid of what it will make us look like.

Mark 8:38

"If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the son of man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels."

 

    Jesus has very harsh words about those that are ashamed of him. He tells us that when God comes again, God will be ashamed of anyone who is ashamed of him. Having faith in God is not something to be ashamed or embarrassed about. It is something we should be proud about. We should proudly embrace the fact that we know him. Do you remember when you were first saved? I don’t know about you but I wanted everyone to know about God. I remember a few people arguing with me. I have learned over the years that it is not always that person you are fighting. I have learned that when the spirit leads me to talk to that person. It is important because it may the last chance they have to hear it. I encourage you to be sensitive to the spirit and allow God to lead you. He will give you the words to say. He knows what that person needs to hear or see.
    I wake up every morning with a prayer of thanks giving. I also ask God to use me every day. To open my eyes and my heart that I will be doing all that I can for him. I encourage you to do the same. I know it is not always easy to approach some people. I do know that God is with us and he will use us and he will open doors if we are willing.

SUMMERTIME

    About a week ago I was approached about writing something for Coffee Break. Seeing this was our last one before the summer break, I thought about how important it is for us to keep God involved with everything we do.
    Summer time is a wonderful time. It should be a great time to get closer to God. A time to enjoy the nature and all that he has made and given to us. However it can be very busy. The kids are home and our routines seem full. For most of us schedules seem to go out the window. Swimming, sports, vacations, family time, work, sleeping in. All kinds of things to take up our time during the day. There just don’t seem to be enough time in a day during the summer. With this crazy hectic time when church programs close for summer break, people tend to take a break from God too. They tend to leave him there until September.
    Summer is a great way to rejuvenate the mind and soul as we spend time with family and friends. God is the best friend that anyone could ask for. He cares about everything we do. Summer time is not a time to forget and leave God behind. We would never leave our best friends behind, why is it so easy to leave God behind?

Hebrews 13: 5 says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

    God wants us to allow him access to everything we do this summer. He wants to go along for the ride. He would never leave or forsake us. So why not involve him with your summer break as often as possible. He is waiting for the invitation to join you on your summer break all you have to do is invite him to come along.

JESUS LOVES ME

Just recently my youngest made me think of just how much Jesus loves me. I had just picked my girls up from school early. We were dealing with quite a storm. Hydro was out and the winds were unbelievable. I realized that I was very low on gas. With gas prices being so high and all I was trying to hold off. I started to drive into town to get gas, then it dawned on me, once I was almost there. Hey no one has hydro. How are the pumps going to work? I was having one of those moments. I continued to drive and sure enough all gas stations were closed. I was starting to get a little worried, as I prayed I could hear a small voice inside me say "Does God not love you? All things are possible with God on your side.


I drove into one of the local gas stations realizing all I had was a bank card to pay. No hydro not only means no gas but no debit machine. I sent my oldest to see about the debit machines. The lady at the station told her that as we pulled in, the hydro came back on and they were ready for business. Even better yet they had a running debit machine. So I proceeded to pull into the long lineup to get some gas. I must have sat there for about ½ hour to get my gas. People were getting inpatient and restless. At one point I thought that there was going to be a fist fight in front of the girls. I soon used it as an example to my kids of what happens when we let things get to us, and we try and do things in our own strength. Finally the way was clear for me to get to the pumps. Only to have the gas attendant inform me that the debit machine had crashed since I pulled in. So I asked her to put the gas in for me, while I ran to the other side of the parking lot to a local bank machine. I figured by the time I got back to my truck the gas would be in it. I could pay and get out of this crazy place. Just as I got back to my truck I heard a lady from inside the store yell out to the gas attendants. "Sorry Guys our hydro is out once again." I looked at the attendant and said "I guess I am here waiting for a little longer." She looked up and smiled. She then continues to tell me on how lucky I was. Not only had the hydro turned on as I pulled into the station, but just as she put the last drop of gas into my tank and put the gas cap on the hydro shut down. I just made it. She told me to go and buy a lottery ticket with my luck. My youngest in the back seat yells out to her and said. "My mom don’t do that, she has no luck. What my Mommy has is Jesus and she got gas because he loves her. The gas attendant just smiled at me. As I was driving home my daughters words continued to swirl around in my head. Jesus loves her. He loved me enough to make sure I had gas in my truck. He knew my need at that moment and he met it.

Jeremiah 31:3 says " I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

When we love someone and they are in need and we can help them, Do we sit and say no way? No we try our very best to help them. God don’t care how simple your request is, He wants to meet our needs. My need at that time was gas and he loved me enough to make that happen. Sometimes it take the simple things for us to realize how much God loves us. I knew all the time that God loved me, However I needed that little reminder. The voice of a very special child saying

"JESUS LOVES YOU!!"



ARE YOU ROOTED?

I was out driving this weekend and I saw some of the after mass of a wind storm we recently had. There were trees down. Some of the trees looked to be very strong and healthy. They looked as if they could handle anything when you looked at them. There was one problem with them that allowed them to fall. Their roots were frail and week. They stood strong and because their roots were not rooted very well. The storms came and they fell. The storm had taken that tree roots and all out of the ground where it was planted. It looked like it was firmly planted but in the end it was not.

I was reminded that this is like us as Christians. We seem strong on the outside and we look so spiritually healthy but our rooting system is frail. We need to develop and grow our roots and hook our roots into the solid ground. We do this by studying God’s word. Prayer and spending time with him is also a great way to develop those strong roots. Faith also helps to develop our rooting system, when we have a rooting system that is based on our faith, nothing can knock us down.

THE WEDDING FEAST

I got up a little early this morning to watch the royal wedding. I was so amazed by the parties and the events that are all geared around the royal wedding. I watched as people were going into the church. The streets were filled with people just wanting to get a look at Kate’s dress. The event was full of joy and excitement. People were screaming and yelling with joy as the Queen and many other royal family members drove by. They had all taken time out from their busy schedules to be at this event. There were also many weeks of preparations put into this event. Weeks of rehearsals and preparing to make sure that William and Kate where ready for this great event. Later people would crowd into the Buckingham Palace circle just to see that first kiss. They did not want to miss any part of this wedding. They all took the time to be there for them and to share the joy with this royal family. A reporter had also said that apparently the local pubs would be having special things going on such as free beer and food. They had also commented on how the pubs went into bankruptcy about 30 years ago when Prince Charles and Lady Diana were married. After the royal couple had shared the kiss they proceeded back into the palace to have a wedding feast and such celebrations. I was so happy for this couple to be able to start a life together. Although the whole time I could not get out of my mind another wedding celebration and wedding feast that the bible talks about.

 

Revelations 19:7

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

We are his bride and we need to be ready. Kate took many weeks to prepare and make herself ready for William. We need to do the same when it comes to God. He wants us to be ready. We do not know the time nor the hour of when he comes. We need to prepare ourselves to be ready. We need to praise and worship him. We need to spend time with him in prayer and reading his word. We need to give him everything and learn to lean on him. We need to die to ourselves and give our lives over to him. When he comes again we will be invited to that great wedding feast. Will we be ready?