Words have power. Written words provide proof. You can read them, and reread them whenever you want. They can speak life to someone who needs encouragement. They can speak death to someone who is being deceived. The choice lies within you. How is it that you want people to remember you? Encourager...that is the gift that God has laid on my heart. To use my written, spoken, and/or sung words to lift people up. To be one link in their road to healing, restoration, joy. I have been without those things, and I claim them to be mine again. If you want me to seek God on a prayer for a specific situation...that is why I am here. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to pray God's Word of Life over you.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

satan’s Scheme…Unveiled, Uncovered, & Defeated!

Notice I do not dignify the enemy with proper capitalization. It makes me happy to know that I don’t even respect him enough as a being to write his name correctly. (And since writing is wired into me…that makes the nerd in me smile.) I realize it is silly. Some may say stupid. But I will stick it to him offend him, whenever I can, since he seems to love to do that to me. =) On the other hand…when I refer to God in any form…I ALWAYS show my respect for Him. See? I even capitalize when I am referring to Him as ‘Him’.  Now that I have gotten that out of the way…I can tell how much you care…I can proceed with the point of this post.

My husband and I are reading “The Bait of satan” right now. I am only on chapter 3 because I keep going to back to things I need to reread in the first 2 chapters. Ha-ha! Really though…they are powerful. I don’t want to miss a single nugget of knowledge and revelation into the ways of this enemy I am warring against. So here it is…chapter 2 again. This is what I know someone needs to read today. Know that I love you…so I do all I can to help you succeed! =)
                                                                    Winter 12 009

…agape is the love God sheds abroad in the hearts of His children. It is the same love Jesus gives freely to us. It is unconditional. It is not based on performance or even whether it is returned. It is a love that gives even when rejected. Without God we can only love with a selfish love-one that cannot be given if it is not received and returned. However, agape loves regardless of the response. This agape is the love Jesus shed when He forgave from the cross.”

Have you ever felt like having this conversation with God? (The following is again from the book listed above.)

“I have had it. Now You are going to have to talk to me about this. Every time I show Your love to this person, I get anger thrown back in my face!”

The Lord began to speak to me. “John, you need to develop faith in the love of God!”"

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption,” He explained, “but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:8-9)

You need to realize that when you sow the love of God, you will reap the love of God. You need to develop faith in this spiritual law-even though you may not harvest it from the field in which you sowed, or as quickly as you would like.”



I am not sure how you feel…but that is a powerful passage to me. I don’t always feel the love that I extend. And when that happens it can easily lead to much offense. What happens is the next time I am confronted with a chance to love someone who I am unsure will return or accept it…I am much more leery. My position to love everyone as God loves me…has been tainted by disappointment.

I expect a lot, I guess. That is what I am realizing. I expect people to want to love me, just because I show love to them. Expectations that are unfair can absolutely lead to offense. Which can then lead to coldness. Harshness. Anger. Unforgiveness. Avoidance. Sin. Sounds a lot like how I behaved and reasoned as a child…”If you don’t like me…then I don’t like you.” That is something that I will NOT allow my children to practice in daily life. I expect more from them. So why have I allowed myself to act like that?

Sometimes, what I expect and teach to my children is not what I, myself, do. It is like the book of Proverbs. A wise man does_______(fill in the blank with any one of the Proverbs). Next it usually lists what I do. The fool. Ugh! I can choose to be offended to be called the fool. I can pretend that it is not talking about me, the fool. I can ignore it, because a fool would think it is too hard to change a habit. Or, I can allow the revealed sinful nature to wake me up to the reality of what I am portraying. What category do I really want to be labeled as? Wise or foolish. Only the foolish would willingly choose it, once they have learned otherwise.

Sometimes it is just as simple as realizing how simple it really is. Revelations from God don’t have to be beyond our human thinking. They just have to placed in front of us at the exact moment that we are ready to hear and handle it. Change is coming…and it begins with the individual. Will you affect those around you? Or will you infect…like a disease.

My prayer is that you will see people through the eyes of Christ today! A phrase that is easily said…but really, what does it mean to you and I? This is how I view it. To see someone in the eyes of Christ is to see only the good in them. To forget their shortcomings. To forgive them before they even know they need to ask! (This is a huge one!!) To love without condition. To want to spur them on in the gifts they have been given from the Father. To know that no matter how badly they mess up, each sin has already been conquered. To want to see them succeed. To pray to the Father for whatever is lacking. To be excited when they accept a blessing. To be truly happy when they finally ‘get something’ that they have been struggling with. The list can go on and on. Christ’s view isn’t tainted with disappointment. His blood was our sacrifice that covered ALL!

“In His presence, Heaven and Earth become one.” Have you heard that song? Click here if you haven’t. Or if you want to be reminded of how much we gain when we allow ourselves, let our guard down, to enter into the presence of God. I stand amazed at His goodness. He provided strength when I felt weak Sunday. I knew He could…and yet I was still a bit shocked that He cared enough to do it. I couldn’t stop smiling at His perfect plan for my day. He is too good to me I feel…but luckily I KNOW otherwise.

This is my life. Taken care of because I serve an awesome, amazing, mighty God. You are missing out if you don’t know how powerful you are in Him. I would love to pray for you if you feel that is you. Message me. Ask me for my email. Ask me for my number. Just ask if you feel this is you. I am praying for your boldness to ask. And I am praying for my obedience to answer the call. =)

Praise God for a new day and a new chance to show love like it was intended. You can not predict…nor can you guarantee how someone will receive your attempts to love. But your obedience is all that is asked of you. Their end…is still covered in grace…no matter what it is. Extend grace because you expect it. Extend love because you are freely given it by the only One who matters. That is a reason to be joyful like no other!
                                                                            New Do 018
Smile when you speak…because you are more lovely when you do.

2 comments:

  1. Love the post it is very encouraging and I love the verse He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption,” He explained, “but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:8-9)

    Thank you Desiray
    The Devotion Cafe'
    http://chosenwoman.wordpress.com

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    1. Thanks Desiray!! I appreciate your encouragement. I'm trying to get my name out there...and am not sure how to do so. So I love to hear from any and all readers!!! It makes my day! :)

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