An Unexpected Refreshing of the Soul...

 

Hey sweet friends, it's been a while yeah? So much has happened in my life since I've last posted on here. I've missed blogging, but I have been so busy and focused on the things that God has placed in my life that it's just been set aside for a while, not gone. ;) 

I have been on quite the journey this past year, but probably more so the last 6 months have been such a rollercoaster for me. A lot of really great and exciting things have been happening, my business is taking off and I'm hardly able to keep up with it all which is both amazing and completely overwhelming at the same time! God has been using myself and my husband in so many ways in ministry with our neighbors and strangers and teaching us how to really be the "church". It has been so rewarding and overwhelming at the hurt and brokenness and spiritual warfare taking place right in our own backyards. My husband has experienced some long awaited freedom and we are currently on a journey of growth and preparation for what God has in store for both of us together and it has not been an easy refining fire. But God is always Faithful and I am looking forward to reach the end of this particular journey.

      So, God did something for me the last few days and I am more and more humbled by His hand in my life and Who He Is. I've been struggling, like a lot lately. And without going into much detail, let's just say.... I have been left spent, weary, burdened, and really feeling alone in life. Now I have many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ who love and care about me, but my role in most people's lives, is the listener, the leader, the pastor, the friend whom they go to when life gets hard... many of you understand this because you are that person too... and it is amazing to be called to be a leader in this world yeah? But sometimes it just leaves us feeling a little lost. My heart has been sad for a while because we have chosen to not go to "church" only because ...God called us out first of all, and we felt released from participating in churches that gave way to wickedness and things that so very clearly grieve the heart of God and we as serious followers of Jesus who can't stand by and spit in His face, could no longer link arms with those who do, regardless of how many "good" people were in the church. There comes a point, where the whole "audience of one" thing... actually needs to happen. BUT, with that change, came the heartache of not "belonging" to a church family and the fellowship and care that one receives when you are a part of a church.. now, I've also realized by not being associated with a church... I've also been forgotten by the "church" people.. Interesting huh? Pretty big light has been shown on how well the "church" is actually doing at loving people.... it's doing a terrible job. At least, around here. 

But even with all that difficulty of changing our lives, if you know me at all in person, you know how "church ministry" was my life, all day, everyday. But... God has been so faithful. We have never stopped ministering since we walked away from the building. God has brought so many people into our lives who have needed Jesus, and He has used us in so many ways. It's why we are confident in our decisions; it's why we are excited in what God has called us to do right now and in the future. 

But.... life has been super hard lately and we have been under major spiritual warfare as a couple and individually. I'm so tired, in every way. And I've been talking to God a lot lately about how I feel "shepherdless" and how I miss that type of care especially when life has been so hard lately. 

 I found myself in the emergency room a few days ago which landed me in the hospital for a couple days... I've been struggling with my health for a while now, we found that our house (which is a super old house) has had a major mold problem, and I have been feeling pretty sick for the last several years that we've lived in that house. I've had a lot of things going on in life so I didn't really pay too much attention to the fact that I wasn't feeling too well most of the time. I also thought stress was playing a part so I was quite dismissive about it all. My family love to talk about how stubborn I am when it comes to going to the doctor if I'm not feeling well... but truthfully, I might be a little stubborn and don't run to the doctor everytime I feel yucky, but there's more factors involved than me trying to be a martyr. Just facts I don't really want to talk about frankly. But a few days ago I had quite the scare and my husband and sister really pushed me to go, I still fought them, but in reality, I was sicker than I realized. 

I was released and went home, I was alone in the camper that we are living in at the moment while we deal with our house situation, and I asked God, why the hospital was part of His plan, I know financially I just racked up a ridiculous bill that we really can't afford right now and I didn't understand why this was happening. In that moment of my asking, I felt God's peace rush over me with the finances, basically giving me the impression that it's not my worry, and the words came to me "He maketh me lie down in green pastures... He restoreth my soul."  Oh sweet friends, the tears started to stream down my face as I realized what He had just done. God knew I needed to be taken care of. And He knew that I also needed to see people care for me. Yes, they were paid doctors and nurses, but they were so much more than that, I felt the care that they have for people. And they cared for me well. I didn't even realize how badly I needed that. I was able to just rest for once and let others care about me for a little while and my soul needed that refreshing. To not feel so invisible.

Now, I don't recommend, going to your nearest hospital to find people to care... that will be super expensive lol  BUT sweet friends, I am so humbled by a God who is MY SHEPHERD and He will always care for me and lead me beside still waters when I need it. And to top it all off, we picked the exact moment when the doctor I've really wanted to be my doctor eventually... was on call. That never happens, We've been in the emergency room so many times with my husband and she has never been the doctor on call. And the one time I go in, she's the doctor on call and I know that was God. She is a sister in Christ and I trust God will use her and give her wisdom in dealing with whatever is going on with my health. God loves us sweet friends, and if we look, we can see His hand guiding and directing our lives exactly as He plans. Trust Him. Be thankful. 

And just know.... YOU are never alone. 

A Simple Altar of Sacrifice

 Pondering God's mercy today... ya know, He's still the same God as He was in the beginning. I think we forget that sometimes don't we? I mean He is still the God that hates sin, who is fierce when it comes to keeping His Children from the influence of the world around us. Seems like a crazy thought especially because all we talk about anymore is how we need to go out into the world and reach people for Jesus... and we should. BUT it's one thing for God's People to influence those in the world and another for those in the world to influence God's people ... ouch right?  We as God's Children today often find ourselves supporting organizations, businesses people of this world who advocate for sin everyday. People of this world that push and move Satan's agenda forward everyday and we as God's Children have fooled ourselves into believing that "it's no big deal" or that maybe by us participating, somehow we are being a "witness" to the lost and they'll find Jesus as they hand us our favorite cup of coffee, or our merchandise, or our thank you for your support letter. It's a hard thing to ponder sweet friends but it's nothing new. The Old Testament talks all the time how the Nation of Israel caused it's people to sin... and we can say the same for our nation as well can't we? But many things that are sin.... we have a choice whether we participate or not. Do you know how important it is to God that His people don't sin? When the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness and God told them to annihilate different places... Do you know why He commanded them many times to not take any prisoners and bring them back to their camp? Because He didn't want the wicked people to influence the Israelites. Look it up! It's all throughout their journey. God was fierce about those ungodly influences leading His people into sin and separating them from Him. Kind of a humbling thought isn't it? Maybe as we go out into the world to reach people for Jesus... we need to keep in mind that we don't allow their influence to be stronger than ours. 

                         Do you want to know what is so amazing about God's mercy towards us? 

Lamentations 3:22-23

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness."

His mercies are new every morning! Do you know what that tells me sweet friends? God does not want us to fail. He is always right here and willing to set us back on the path of righteousness! You guys, we are so loved by our Creator. No matter what we do, if we have a repentant heart, He is FAST to forgive us and set us upright again. That is amazing and worth our appreciation as His Children.

And when we realize just how merciful He is to us, especially when He doesn't have to be, we can better understand the beautiful gift of His grace that He gives us... to help give us strength to walk in righteousness, to break the hold of sin in our lives and empower us to turn away from temptation. Isn't it amazing how He has literally given us everything we need to BE His and to please Him with our lives? That verse found in 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.".... that is literally what it means!!! Our excuses we use for our sin... are just that sweet friends, excuses. invalid. a crutch. He has GIVEN us what we need to be holy, we just have to walk in it! Whole heartedly. Intentionally. Everyday. He is always there if we mess up because that is who He is. But He is also with us everyday giving us everything we need so that we don't mess up. Embrace Him sweet friends. 

     

      This brings me to the topic of this post.. Have you ever sat and thought about all the things the Children of God had to do in order to be forgiven or blessed by God before Jesus came? They had to abide by the Laws and customs, rituals, and mostly sacrifices. IF they disobeyed or messed up their sacrifice, it usually was followed up by immediate death. They had to work in order to repent. 

BUT THEN JESUS CAME...

Oh how we take for granted that beautiful awesome sacrifice that was brutally paid on our behalf. We love to talk about it like we really know... but how often do we actually stop and really understand everything that was actually done for us? This ultimate sacrifice came with a price and Jesus was willing to lay down His life and so much more for us to be able to be with Him. In order to come to Him at ANY moment and repent of our sins and be washed clean and made holy again instantly. That's huge.

     But here's the other thing... what is the cost on our end? Of course His mercy, His grace, His salvation... is all offered to us freely isn't it? Right there in front of us for the taking. But the cost is... we have to accept it and allow it to change us. We have to understand that even though we no longer have to work in order to approach the altar of sacrifice...that act should not be taken lightly but seriously. We still serve the very same God of the Old Testament, we have received the beautiful gift of Jesus' sacrifice that made it so much easier to approach God's throne... but we are still approaching His throne. Now that we have a simple altar of sacrifice, we sometimes turn our sacrifice into something much more simpler than it should be don't we?

Micah 6:8

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you 

But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"

   Our attitudes are key when we approach our altar of sacrifice. Jesus paid a brutal price for my altar. The very least I can do is walk humbly to it, never take it's convenience for granted, to understand just how crucial and important it is in my life, and to always remember how much my simple altar cost my Savior.

 This altar is really anything but simple...

it's where I meet Jesus to talk about my life, 

to ask questions,

to seek guidance,

to lift others up in prayer, 

to gain strength,

to repent,

to be restored,

to get to know my God.

It is the most important place in my life... at His feet.

And because of His sacrifice, I can go there anytime I want.

Not simple... it's everything sweet friends. 

"Playing Disciple"?

    

John 8:31-32 says "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Simple Truth: we CAN'T know the Truth....without knowing the Word.

  It really is that simple isn't it sweet friends? Sometimes we over complicate it and sometimes we don't think about it enough. But the reality is... how do we expect to know and understand who God is and what He expects of us, if we are not willing to pick up our Bible's and read it?  

  Today everyone has an opinion about everything don't they? And have you noticed how many people are sharing what God thinks about all these topics? Have you noticed that God's opinion varies depending on who is sharing it? Does that bother you? It bothers me sweet friends! It bothers me because God's opinion does NOT vary depending on who's speaking; He does NOT show favoritism, something is not "okay for me to do" but "not you"... God expects the same for His Children, the rules don't change depending on the kid. Sure, we're in different places on this journey but sin is never okay, no matter who you are.

   The point is... we either REALLY belong to Jesus or we just think we do. And those 2 facts are as far apart as they can be. There is no "in between" with Jesus. God is very clear with us, He's not playing. The ENTIRE BIBLE is about ONE THING: our relationship with Him. Whether we really know Him or not. Whether we really love Him or not. Period. Everything else we try to make the Bible about,(witnessing, works, blessings, ect.) is just part of being a Child of God. God's main concern for us, is whether we REALLY accept who He is or not. And IF we do.... our lives will reflect that decision.

    There is too much confusion in our Churches today. There are too many "Christians" walking around still bound by sin, depressed, angry, living out the things that God tells His Children not to do, speaking the name of Jesus, but have never allowed Him to transform their hearts, set them free, and make them a new creation... which is what a "Christian" really is.

    Collectively as the Church today, we have strayed so far away from the heart of God and what He has called us to be... His. Today, the "Church" is not the same as the Body of Christ. Today, "Christian" is not the same as Child of God. Some have walked away, some have been led away, some just close their eyes and stay away. But the Truth is: He didn't leave. He hasn't changed. We have.

   

We must get back to understanding who He is and what it means to actually belong to Him. In Matthew 7:21-23 it says "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"

   This isn't an unbeliever He's talking about... unbelievers don't do anything in God's name yes? This is someone who BELIEVES in Jesus... but never really accepted everything that means and surrendered to Him. 

    We love to use the beautiful picture of the thief on the cross who repented and believed in Jesus in his final hours and because of God's amazing grace, that man was washed clean and was able to enter Heaven. And all that is 100% true and amazing. The grace of God is what transforms us and makes us clean and worthy of eternity with Jesus! However...it may have been a very different story and outcome if the thief had gotten down off that cross and lived the rest of his life... right? He only had to live for Jesus for like 6 hours.

    I don't say this to take away from the TRUTH of the power of God's grace. That's why we have a hope always, that no matter what we've done, all it takes is one moment of repentance and surrender and God is ready to wash us clean and make us righteous. What we don't have is the guarantee of the last minute opportunity to get right with Jesus before we die. And that is the point isn't it?

    Are we serious about wanting to belong to Jesus or not? It's not about rules and regulations, it really is
about our relationship with Him. We don't sin, not because we are worried about the consequences (although we should remember that there ARE consequences for our sin) but we choose not to sin because we don't want to break His heart. We want to please Him. We want to show Him how much we appreciate everything He has done for us. We want to love Him back with everything we have because it's all we can do.

    Anyone can call themselves a "christian", a "child of God", a "believer in Jesus", and can go to "church"... but the only thing that matters in the end, when we stand face to face with Jesus... is whether or not we actually are...His.

Goals or Glory?

 

        January 2022 wow it's here! Like most people, I myself like to reflect on the past year, what I did right, what I messed up, how I've grown, and looking to the future full of all the things I want to accomplish. Both of those things can be incredibly overwhelming can't they? The older we get, it seems like time just flies by us doesn't it? Ya know what I've learned through the years... I have exactly 24 hours in every single day and I am 100% in control of how I spend them. Ouch right? That realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I might let my world control me... but I'm the one letting it. No excuses anymore. It's been harsh and I admit, I've felt overwhelmed quite often with how busy my life gets and how many things on my ever growing to do list are not getting done! Nonetheless, the Truth is still the Truth isn't it?

 I am responsible for my days...all of them. 

      My heart has been changed by this revelation and it is still a daily process of reminding myself of this, but I am slowly choosing better things, more important things, intentional things during my day. I'm prioritizing what makes my life meaningful. Choosing what kind of life I lead. Focusing on what legacy will be left behind when I'm gone. Trying to make a difference for the Kingdom of God. Working on loving my husband, my family, my friends, my neighbors well. 

The reality for me, it all starts and ends with this verse: 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

If you asked me whether or not I had a life verse, this would be it. How amazing is it really that God has a specific plan and purpose, a path specifically designed for each one of us. What an incredibly personal God we serve! Sometimes we forget that God loves each one of us individually, and we tend to throw ourselves into one overall group of "God's Children"... but oh sweet friend, we are more than just another number to God... yes we are part of one Body of Christ, but we are individually loved and counted! Don't forget that! This verse, along with many others, makes me feel so loved by my Creator!

      So one thing I've learned when it comes to making goals... I start by seeking the One who has the plan. The One who knows exactly what He created me to be and do with my life. He knows what is beneficial to me and what is harmful. And... I trust Him... even when the answer is "No". Because He created me and because He loves me, and because He has a plan and a purpose specifically for me. Why would I ever want to mess that up!?! 

     In this discovery process throughout my life, I've learned that my ways are not always His ways and I'm continuing to learn how to surrender my will for His, and how to do it with a grateful heart because I know it's what's best for me. No it is NOT easy, we are selfish and we have to fight with our flesh, with our minds, with our limited knowledge of the bigger picture.... but, with the help of the Holy Spirit and a willing heart to surrender our lives and all our desires to the One who loves us more than anything... it gets easier day by day. 

     Sweet friends, I pray for you, that you will seek your Creator with your whole heart. I pray that you are willing to lay down your own desires and dreams of success for His. Your greatest achievement in this life.... will be to love Him well.

"Well done, Good and Faithful Servant." -God

That is the goal sweet friends. To bring Him glory with everyday of our lives. Let's do this!

"Finding Christmas"

 

         So my husband and I did something fun this year.... we took a "Christmas Roadtrip". We decided we were tired of the hustle and bustle surrounding the season. We were tired of everything moving so fast that we were "missing" the entire season of Christmas. As we've gotten older, things seem to be over before they even start! Anybody else? So this year, we took a week off, rented a car and headed out to simply enjoy all things Christmas. We also didn't tell anyone where we were going, made it fun for our family and friends to follow along and guess where we were... plus that helped me to remember to take lots of pictures (because I am really bad about remembering to do that!) It was really fun finding things to post but not give it away too easily. Our family and friends had a lot of fun watching the journey. 

Now of course, Jesus is the real reason for the season and He was very present on our trip! We felt Him in our conversations, He guided and protected us on several occasions, we experienced His favor and blessings as we traveled along. He gave us a great time of resting, peace, and joy.

We live in Nebraska, and our weather has been unusually warm and snowless... so we decided to head

up through Colorado, figured we'd find snow at some point! And we did!! Of course, not until we headed up the mountains!! But it was beautiful....and very "Christmassy". Breckenridge and all those little towns surrounding sure know how to do Christmas! 

 We spent our honeymoon 14 years ago up by Breckenridge so it was definitely fun to head up that way and reminisce a little. I also used to spend lots of time on the slopes of Copper Mountain and Winter Park with my youth group... lots of fun memories brought to mind as we traveled in ski country. Our ride "Rudolf" was full of Christmas lights and music. Rudolf got more decorated as we went along. We're old....but Christmas brings out the kid in you I guess lol. 

As we traveled along, we stopped to grab a coffee or a cocoa (calories were not counted on this trip!😉) And I did really behave when we stopped in at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.... my husband, not so much lol. We pulled off in Colorado Springs because the windstorm came through with 100mph winds... no thank you, so we decided to hang around and do some shopping in Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. We even stopped by the Focus on the Family Headquarters and shopped in the Bookstore... super fun! If you haven't visited there yet, definitely stop by and check it out next time you're in Colorado Springs, the Bookstore staff are pretty awesome as well. 

         

So seriously one of my favorite things we did on this trip, we  brought along a little Christmas Tree. So we put some lights on it and the goal was by the end of the trip to fill it with ornaments to help us remember our trip. Fun right? So yes I would drag that tree in every hotel room light it up and hang whatever ornaments we had on it every night, Shawn even beat me to it a few nights! Now we have a new tradition that will happen on every Christmas Roadtrip we take and our house will become full of little trees with the ornaments from each roadtrip hanging for us to remember. 

It also worked out that about every night in the Hotels, there were Christmas concert specials on tv, which I love so that was super fun to snuggle on the couch and watch fun Christmas concerts. I would have LOVED to go to a symphony while on the trip however, since we went during the week, there weren't any. But... maybe next time! 

If you ever decide to take a Christmas trip up to the mountain towns of Colorado, there are some awesome things to do!! We unfortunately opted out of some of them because we had both just gotten over a horrible flu bug and I still had a bit of a cold and honestly, I don't do well with altitude lol.... so we decided I probably didn't 
want pneumonia. BUT.... there are some AWESOME Christmas activities to definitely try out if you go! In Breckenridge, Sleigh rides through the mountain viewing thousands of lights!!! yes please! The

Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs, has a light show and music. Georgetown, the little tiny mountain town has a full blown Christmas Market on the weekends of course we missed it but it looked like SO MUCH FUN! And... a Christmas Train Ride through the mountain. Plus tons of other activities so... bundle up (trust me, it's freezing) and have some unique holiday fun! 

We stopped in Georgetown... what a quaint little historic town. Super fun to just drive around and look at all the old buildings. They have an adorable little Main Street full of shops and friendly people. 

This trip was so relaxing and enjoyable. We found the simple things like Christmas lights and decorated trees brought joy and reminded us that people still celebrate the good things. We needed that. We needed to take time to slow down and look around. It was fun just taking our time strolling through the streets entering shops that were full of Christmas cheer. It was fun not being in a rush and talking with shop owners and townsfolk and travelers just like us. We shouldn't have to get away in order to do that, and yet we get into a rushed routine at home don't we? This was a pleasant, enjoyable, relaxed, joyful and much needed trip.                                                                                 When all was said and done.... we came back home, refreshed, relaxed, and definitely felt that we had in fact... found Christmas. Our little finished Road Trip Christmas Tree sat on display in our living room. Friends and family had fun looking at it when they came over and the common statement was "Oooh is this the roadtrip tree?" lol. I'm looking forward to pulling it out next year and remembering... and I'm very much looking forward to buying a new one... 😉 stay tuned! See ya next Christmas! 

Are You an altar of Sin or Sacrifice?

"Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, They have become for him altars for sinning."

Hosea 8:11 

"My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, And their staff informs them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, And they have played the harlot against their God."

Hosea 4:12

       You can read the story in these passages but really, it's all the same compared to most stories in the Old Testament: People serve the Lord, start mingling with wicked people and eventually turn to idols.

    Old Testament, New Testament, us...it always boils down to our choice... to choose God or turn our back on Him. I've pondered these verses a lot and it's actually really a simple concept: IF we REALLY know God (and there are MANY things to know) and IF we REALLY love Him... why would we EVER choose something else to serve and surrender to? I believe the answer is: we wouldn't. 

     This is a sobering thought sweet friends and one I encourage you to look deep inside and consider. It's not hard to connect the dots, we are "living sacrifices" and the downside of that, we are capable of crawling off of the altar aren't we? Free will is a beautiful gift that God has given us because He actually wants us to choose to love Him back. Wow, if that one thing alone doesn't show us our Creator's heart, then I don't know how we will ever see clearly all the other ways He loves us!

    The downside of our free will, we get to choose whether we love Him or not. I use those words "love Him" because that is really what it is, don't you agree? It's not about whether we "know about Him" but whether we really "Know Him". 

    Isn't it crazy how we like to complicate things when it comes to our relationship with God? We have a million excuses for why being obedient to Him is so difficult don't we? But the Truth, the honest Truth... is that every single day, you and I have only 1 choice to make: obey Him or don't.

 

  Because it's not that we don't have what it takes to obey Him (we can list SO MANY scriptures here... my favorite though is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Phil 4:13) When we made the decision to accept what Jesus did on the cross for us, that He is God and His Word is Truth... He gave us His GRACE, that grace is what continually transforms us into who He has created us to be. When we accepted Jesus, we accepted everything that means, which all boils down to our surrender to His will which means Obedience.

      Honestly, our excuses... simply mean that our hearts are not willing to recognize God as our King. Oh how I wish I could tell you that God understands our disobedience and that it's okay if we struggle to obey Him and it's okay if we need a while to "work it out"... but the TRUTH is sweet friends, God understands our "human nature" but He has literally given us everything we need to overcome our sinful human nature. The Holy Spirit is with us 24/7, available to help us choose obedience and walk in righteousness every minute of the day. We have control over all 24hrs of our day, it's our choice what we fill that time with yes? We choose whether or not we give God time in our day in order to know Him better, in order to hear His voice, in order to fall in love with our Savior. So it really is that simple. It's 100% our choice.

    No, it is NOT easy, what "sacrifice" is? But when it comes to the altar of our lives, what does God see? A living sacrifice staying on the altar daily, sacrificing all the things that keep us from walking in freedom and living a holy life before our God, OR.. a life that continues to get up on the altar one day, then crawls off of it the next, or whenever the fire gets too hot, too uncomfortable, too "convenient"(think about this one a bit), and it starts chasing after worldly idols and worshipping Satan instead of the One who sacrificed EVERYTHING for us.... and we expect God to just simply "understand"?

     No sweet friends, it's so much deeper than that. It's all about our choice... to really love God over our human nature, to love Him more than we love our sin. I am learning that THIS is what it means to "belong" to Him. When we finally "get" this Truth... Oh the freedom that floods our souls when we are no longer bound by the chains of our sin but instead are set free by the Power of our Mighty, Awesome, Loving Creator. This isn't always the message we hear, the beauty of God's wonderful mercy and His
loving grace has the ability to reach us wherever we are and transform us into His righteousness. The gift of salvation is free to us, there is NOTHING we can ever do, to "earn" our way to Heaven... but sweet friend, WHEN we accept that free gift of Jesus Christ... we must "accept all of Him"... and that means, we learn how to love Him and know Him and be obedient to Him. Believing He simply exists and died for you.... is that really enough to be called a "living sacrifice"? I'm humbled by these scriptures and I hope you are inspired to take a good look at your altar because sin or sacrifice... it's really up to you. 

Patterns of this World

 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Romans 12:1-2

       Ya know sweet friends, God has really been teaching me a lot lately about recognizing the things that break His heart and things that simply don't please Him. Wow, there are many! It really is amazing when we take a step back sometimes and just allow ourselves to look. I guess that's why God tells us to examine ourselves and to constantly ask Him to show us anything in our lives that needs to go. 

       I think a lot of these things that displease Him, that we allow to come into our lives, are not intentional. But I don't believe that makes them any less wrong, they still hurt His heart and as His Children, if we really do love Him, then it is our job to know the things that displease Him and do our best to intentionally not do them. It's a hard pill to swallow isn't it? But the more I've studied His Word and sat at His feet, the more I've realized how important it is to Him... that we WANT to know those things and WANT to live lives that please Him.

     In this journey I'm still on and will be until the day I die, I am starting to recognize and understand what the "patterns of this world" are. Now here's the kicker... it actually isn't a mystery, but pretty plainly laid out right in front of us! Which is what hurt my heart the most when I finally saw it. I think maybe because we are so surrounded by the things of this world, sometimes we have a harder time recognizing the danger and are more concerned with just adapting to it.. yikes right?

     So here's just a few examples, there are so many, but these are the most visibly on display for us.. (now don't worry, I'll get to the encouraging part of this blog soon, bear with me!)

What are the Top 3 things this World LOVES?

1. SEX

2. ALCOHOL

3. MONEY

YES???

     These are the easy ones to spot aren't they? Everywhere we look we see these things advertised, promoted, pushed, constantly in our faces, in movies, in music, in magazines, in stores... unfortunately, in many churches as well these days. We are surrounded.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17

    And then there are many other patterns that this world loves that are just as fluid but not so much in the spotlight. This comes with attitudes of rebellion, hate for righteousness, disrespect and hate for others, a callousness for God, ect.

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying it's power. And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5

    Do you know what I've been realizing lately? How easy it is for us to get caught up in the "patterns" of this world. It's so crazy to me how there is really nothing new under the sun. Sure there might be more of it nowadays and we might have different variations but it's all still rooted in the same sin, the same defiance against God. Back in the Old Testament, you could see the patterns of the Israelites... God told them to destroy all the people in the cities they went to battle with...WHY?.... Because those people were wicked, they worshipped idols (demons), they followed demons, they embraced sin and God didn't want them influencing His people! A little different take than what we're taught today huh? (that's worth a ponder too, yes Jesus taught us how to love our neighbor... but does that mean that this concept of His Children not mingling with wicked people really changed? The verse above from Timothy... is New Testament, after Jesus had come and taught us how to love our neighbors... right?) (also... isn't it crazy how our churches are so focused on bringing in the "lost" "unbelievers" "people who don't love Jesus" and not only inviting them into our houses of worship... but plugging them into ministry!? so now we literally have unbelievers .... ministering and leading God's people.... and we wonder why our churches have lost their power and confuse people in this world more than reach them today? yes?)

      Often the Old Testament also talks about how the nation of Israel (the leaders) led the people into sin.... and look at our nation today. Our tax money goes to pay for abortions and other things that clearly go against God's Word. Places that we spend our money at, some give that money to organizations that spit in God's face and support things that God tells us not to do. We don't really think of those things do we? I know I never really thought too much about it until I was reading about Israel and thought, "How does our nation cause God's people to sin..." and then, wow, it's humbling isn't it? And it can feel overwhelming when you start to see the sin that permeates our world. So what can we do? Are we really supposed to be concerned or worried about what the world is "forcing" us to do? It's not really in our hands is it?.... well, I don't know... is it?

      I'll admit sweet friends, this has been a hard pill for me to swallow because it's forced me to really think about it and we don't like to really think about things do we lol? Because if we stop to think about it, then comes knowledge of what we are doing and we all know "ignorance is bliss" right? Well.. not really, if we actually want to please God with our lives then we don't want to be ignorant about how He feels about things... and that's where I'm at.  So personally, I am in the process of paying closer attention to the world around me and very intentionally deciding what I allow myself verbally to support and also what my money goes to support as well. This has not been easy friends and honestly, I'm scared of what I may find out next ya know? Like I heard that my favorite chips brand might be giving profits to Planned Parenthood... and I LOVE these chips! but seriously... they're just potato chips right? We might think, "what's it gonna do to that company if you stop buying those chips Darby?"... and my answer is, "I don't know, probably nothing...but it shows Jesus that He is more important to me than those chips, that I will stand on and up for His Truth and not support those who choose to advocate for and advance sin in this nation"  And I think it's worth it don't you? 

     "Living sacrifices" can be painful at times sweet friends but I believe when it comes to "not conforming to the patterns of this world"... this is what it actually looks like. Practically living out our commitment to Him in the littlest of things in order to bring Him glory with our lives and to shine a light in the darkness. Love you sweet friends, praying for you as you walk out your life as a living sacrifice, and pray for me... we can do this! 

"If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:21-24

"But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them."  Ephesians 5: 3-7

Fearful Intimidation?

 

"The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them." Psalm 34:7

"You have been given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth." Psalm 100:4

       We are called to be "salt and light" to this dark and dying world. We are called to preach the Good News that there is One who loves us so much that He died on the cross, bearing all the weight of your sin and my sin, sin that carries the death penalty, sin that separates us from our Creator, sin that destroys, sin that binds us and breaks us, sin that takes away our hope, takes away our futures, sin that torments and taunts, sin that permanently separates us from the love of God and sends us to an eternity in Hell.....

                                       Jesus took all of that.

      He laid down His life in our place and died, for you and me so that we could know Him and walk in freedom from sin.

      God calls us to walk in freedom. This is HUGE sweet friends. His grace and power he bestows on those who choose to accept Him, is what empowers us, not to live in sin freely.... but instead to BE FREE from sin and walk in righteousness! No one is perfect and of course there is always areas in our lives that we need to be laying down in surrender to His will. But what an amazing gift He has given us! What freedom we have as we move through this life here on Earth...

      So what happened? When is the last time you heard someone speak of their bondage of sin? When is the last time you heard someone testify of the freedom they have found in Jesus? When is the last time you heard a preacher tell you that God hates our sin?

"In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. To turn one away from the snares of death." Proverbs 14:26-27

       In the Bible, people feared the Children of God. Did you know that? They were afraid to go up against them because they feared the God they served. They witnessed God's power revealed through His Children enough that they understood He was mighty, He was powerful, He was real, and He could crush them in an instant. Nothing was impossible for their God.... What happened? People don't "fear" Christians today, in fact we have become a target for persecution, we are the brunt of a joke, the world has no problem rising up against us do they? Why don't they fear us anymore?

                                                                          It's simple.....

      WE stopped fearing God a long time ago. WE no longer believe that God becomes angry with us when we embrace sin in our lives, we just know that He loves us so that's all that matters. Because of this serious heart condition, we no longer think anyone's sin is a problem, we just focus on God's love and hope somehow that is enough to provide a good witness to the world and we've done our duty to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel."   We've become so polite that we no longer feel the need to take a stand for what we know breaks God's heart and spits in His face because, well, it might make an ungodly person..... mad at us.

     We've turned our churches into hospitals for the sick instead of universities for the Believer. We have made our churches so focused on this lost world, that that is now WHO is attending... and leading... and teaching.... and ministering... not spirit filled strong Children of God who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind... but the lost are leading God's Church???

     People see "Christians" today and they don't see a peculiar people, they see themselves, and if they simply choose to talk about Jesus a lot too, then they can be just like us. 

      We have become a joke to the world. Because we have become nothing but mouth pieces to God. We stand for nothing. We are too intimidated by the loud ungodly people of the world who are both outside and inside our churches, who make us cower and bow down to their way of doing things, and when we cower long enough.... we begin to find it easier to just join in and go along with their way of "worship". We build up and worship the idols of this world right along side the people we are trying to "reach". We bow down to demonic forces and pray for God's blessings.

        And we wonder why the people we read about in our devotions had such power and authority, nations of people would tremble before a Child of God, prophets would call down fire from Heaven, young boys would slaughter giants... how did these men and women and children of God have their enemies trembling in fear?

                                                  Because they KNEW Him.

                                                  Because they LOVED Him.

                                                  Because they TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD that....

"For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:26-31

"If you love Me, you will keep My Commandments." John 14:15

"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run or labored in vain." Philippians 2:12-16

"Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil." Proverbs 3:7

"'The Lord will judge His people' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31b 

       We are "His people".... it's time we start acting like it. This message is not for everyone sweet friends, there are MANY Children of God who walk with fire and power because they love the Lord with everything they have! There IS a remnant of God's People right now carrying the presence of God with them wherever they go. But there are way too many "Christians" that are in name only and it's time to decide whether you REALLY follow Jesus or you don't. This world will get worse, sin will abound, and the hate for God's people will continue to grow and rear it's ugly head. God tells us so. BUT.... the choice is ours sweet friends, will we BE the Children of God that causes the world to tremble because we carry with us the presence of the All Powerful, All Mighty God, the Creator of All Things... or will we choose to bow down and embrace the lies of the Enemy who's ONLY GOAL is to drag people to Hell? We can't love Jesus only half way.... it's all or nothing. God says if we are found luke warm... He will spew us out of His mouth... that's not Heaven folks. We must CHOOSE TODAY Whom we will serve. The God of the Bible is STILL the God of the Bible. It's time the World got reintroduced to Him... don't you think? Maybe it's time His Children... got reintroduced as well. 

Quick Devotional Thoughts: Joshua 7 Don't hold accursed things!

 Reading in Joshua today (Joshua 7) how God commanded the Israelites to not take any item from the wicked people that they destroyed. And of course, one guy did. (these guys never learned... kinda like the rest of us!) God commanded Joshua to destroy the next city of Ai. The city only had like 12,000 people so it should've been easy but they went to destroy it and ended up being chased away and some Israelites were killed by this small city. Joshua was upset and scared and God told him: (vs. 10-13 in the pic)

Yikes right? Well, as the story goes, they found the guy and the stuff and they killed him and burnt his body along with the accursed items AND THEN God gave them triumph over the city of Ai. This is not a pleasant story, just like many accounts of things that happened in the Bible. But it does drive home one very important thing: God does NOT like our disobedience and He literally HATES sin. He does not want sinful things or people influencing His Children. Has anything really changed????

Sweet friends, there are so many things for us to learn and understand about God isn't there? I read about how God did things in the Old Testament and then He sent Jesus. What an AMAZING MERCIFUL ACT OF LOVE that really was!!! I don't think we can ever fully grasp what an incredible gift Jesus is to us. BUT... through Jesus, brought His grace and His mercy into our lives, taking the place of sacrifices and death on the spot for our disobedience. We should be so very thankful for that!

But here's the thing sweet friends, God still hates sin and God still does not like our disobedience. God still does not want wickedness or wicked people influencing the lives of His Children. And God is still not with us or allowing us to win our battles against the Enemy, if we are indeed embracing the same wickedness that our Enemy (Satan) possesses.

This Truth is still Truth today! If we want God to protect us and lead us to victory, and bless our lives.... we MUST be obedient to Him with our lives and stay away from the wickedness of this world. "But Darby, how do we witness to the lost if we can't reach out to them where they are at?".... We witness to them, by being different, by not engaging in the same wicked things, we love the people of this world... it doesn't mean we act like them. It doesn't mean we participate in evil in order to reach the lost. We, love Jesus with EVERYTHING we do, and we realize that GOD is SOVEREIGN and He is more than capable of bringing lost people into your path without you needing to seek out wicked places and activities to find them. The important thing, is know the voice of your Heavenly Father, if HE tells you to go, then go. But only if it's His voice. He is still the same God who calls His Children to righteousness despite how the world "feels". He is the same God who despises wickedness and is angry when His Children turn to it and embrace it.

As a "Christian Community" or the "Church", we have stepped outside of God's heart on these issues in our own desire to "reach the lost". We have pushed our "seeker sensitive" agendas, patting ourselves on the backs and high fiving each other because we have become so effective in "saving people" and "bringing them into the Kingdom of God" (and I am just as guilty here...) but the real question is: Have we? Have we really led people to the feet of Jesus where they have embraced Him and have allowed Him to transform them into His Children, living their lives in victory and freedom against the Enemy of their souls? Where they love Jesus with all their hearts and strive daily to please their Creator? OR.... have we merely played with wickedness, and not only played with it in order to gain an audience, but have we not also brought it into our Houses of Worship? God is Love.... but He is Holy First. We must remember Who HE is so that we can actually BE Who He is calling us to be. Worth a ponder. Love you sweet friends, praying God will help you in this area and pray for me too, we all have work to do!

Child, Come out of your Mess!

Sweet friends whether you've given your heart to Jesus recently or you gave it to Him many years ago, I'm sure you've realized at least one thing: it isn't easy! Giving our hearts and lives to Jesus is the best thing we could ever do but it does come with a price. As we become "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1) we are constantly learning how to love Jesus more and more with our lives. In doing this, we begin to learn more about the heart of our Savior. We begin to recognize the things which bring Him honor and glory and the things which break His heart, and we do our intentional best to do what we know pleases Him right?

     So why is it in our "Christian culture" today, that we often find ourselves celebrating our "beautiful mess"? Now I totally understand the concept that "no one is perfect and Jesus loves us anyway" which IS TRUTH however I am afraid that this attitude that seems to be sweeping across our Christian community is incredibly dangerous to the minds and hearts of Believers. Here's Why:

    Our sin... is a big deal. Jesus died on the cross for it. Not so that we could freely sin but that we can be free from sin, no longer bound by it, no longer overcome by it. FREE. When the World looks at us they should see people who are different, who walk in Freedom and Victory. What an incredible witness to the power and love of God, if His Children are walking examples of how He can change a life! And that is exactly who He calls us to be sweet friends. We are the example of what a "New Creation" looks like. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

      So what is the danger of living a life drenched in our failure to be free from sin? Or even basking in the fact that our lives are a little messy? or we are a mess because of... what? What type of things in your life is causing you to label yourself a mess? ..... This mindset is dangerous because, we are missing out on God's Plan for our lives! Let's tackle the first LIE we have allowed ourselves to believe: 

Lie #1. God loves you so come just as you are... and STAY just as you are! 

You wanna know the crazy Truth about Christianity? Christianity is THE MOST INCLUSIVE Religion on the Planet. No matter who you are, what you've done... Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open to you. His love is unconditional. God loves everybody. AND..... Christianity is THE MOST EXCLUSIVE Religion on the Planet! Once you've decided to give your life to Jesus, He sets you on a path of Transformation as you continue to grow closer to Jesus. See, you have to actually "mean it", you can't just say "yes I want to give Jesus my life" and then not give Him your life. Lip service will not get you an eternity in Heaven, only a heart surrendered to Him will. He makes this VERY clear in His Word. (there are many passages of scripture that address this but Psalm 119 is one of my favorites)

Lie #2. Our sin doesn't really bother God. 

Oh sweet friends, our sin breaks God's heart! Yes, Jesus came to this Earth and willingly took every sin you and I have ever and will ever commit and He placed the weight of the death and shame of those sins on His own shoulders and died a long, painful, agonizing death for you and me so that we still had a way to an eternity in Heaven with Him.... because He loves us that much.  We can never fully understand what a HUGE deal it was for Jesus to do this for us. It was so bad, even God turned His face away... do you think after watching His Son die so brutally with the entire weight of OUR sin on His shoulders, that God doesn't get angry when we treat His sacrifice so callously by having the attitude that it's "no big deal" if we continue to sin? Do you know why it breaks God's heart sweet friends? Because when we casually sin and we don't stop and think about what we are doing as His Children, we are missing the point and the freedom of what God actually did for us! It means we don't really have a grasp on Who He is and who we can be through Him! We are missing out on so much more because we choose to live selfishly and we miss out on the true freedom and victories and blessings that God has for our lives if we would just give Him our hearts completely. 

Lie #3.  Striving for Righteousness is prideful and self-righteous....

Huh? I cannot tell you how many times this attitude comes out in people. I think we have adapted to this attitude of "no one is perfect" so much that anyone who literally strives to live a life that is pleasing to God, gets labeled as something bad; as someone who "thinks" they are better than those who choose to live in sin and talk about Jesus. Sweet friends, we have stepped so far outside of God's Word in our world today, that actually living for Jesus seems radical and crazy. How sad is that? Let me reassure you, if you are striving to live for Jesus and please Him with your life, there is NOTHING "prideful" about that. In fact, it takes more humility to walk closely with the Lord and seek His face daily over the decisions in your life. It takes humility to ask Him to show you the things in your life that don't please Him and work to get rid of those things. It takes humility to lay down things that you want to keep simply because He tells you to let them go. It is more "self-righteous" to think that you can embrace the things that God tells you to stop doing and somehow it won't really matter to God that you walk in disobedience because somehow you think you "deserve" Heaven despite walking all over His sacrifice simply because you can point out to Him that "nobody's perfect"?  Don't be deceived sweet friends, it is never wrong to strive to love Jesus with your life. It all boils down to your heart attitude. You can "pretend" with words and deeds or you can "do" with words and deeds. God knows your heart and He calls us all to WALK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, never apologize for taking God seriously with your life!

 "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know hat He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him." 1 John 3:4-9

     Now it all comes down to this, We are Children of God and we need to be so very careful where we set our minds. No, we are not perfect and we won't be until we are safely in the arms of Jesus in Heaven, but until then, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and PERFECTER of our Faith (Hebrews 12:2) We need to continue to allow God to transform us as we grow closer to Him, we need to AIM for perfection (2 Corinthians 13:11) This world that we live in.... might be messy, that is to be expected, but WE are not supposed to be like the world but set apart, full of the Spirit and everything that entails, none of which implies that we are left a mess in Jesus. If you truly find yourself feeling like you are in fact, a "mess", I encourage you sweet friend, don't stay there and don't be comfortable there. Jesus died for your mess so that you would not have to live in it and be bound by it. He came to set you free and through His Grace, you can walk in victory! 

"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless. Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy." Jude 1:24

"Little Children (new believers), let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." 1 John 3:7-9

God offers us hope doesn't He? We do not have to be a mess! That is Awesome! We have the choice sweet friends, we can spend our time practicing sin, or practicing righteousness... now, which one will you choose? 

How can a Christian help a ghost?

      

How do we help them GO INTO THE LIGHT? How do we help them BE SET FREE? How do we help them REACH OUT TO THEIR LOVED ONES? How do we help them FIGURE OUT THEIR PURPOSE? How do we help them take care of their UNFINISHED BUSINESS? How do we help them CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE?

               We don't.

Because "ghosts" don't exist.... but demons do. Angels also exist. "Paranormal" is real because there is a spiritual realm that is very real and that spiritual realm meets this physical realm all the time. If you believe strange things are happening that you simply cannot explain... you are not crazy, but you may be misinformed as to what exactly you are dealing with... and that's where it can get very dangerous if you are not careful.

     Brothers and Sisters in Christ, those of you who love Jesus, who read His Word, who believe that what He tells us is the Truth..... you know better. Maybe you've never really thought about it and it is so easy to get caught up in the fascination and mystery of it all, and the world we live in is definitely spellbound by it all (why wouldn't they be?) But sweet friends, we must take a step back and seek the Truth about the paranormal before we engage in something designed to destroy us.

     How can we be certain that there aren't any dead people still wandering around with unfinished business? 

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" 

Matthew 25:46

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 6:23

"Jesus answered him, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise'."

Luke 23:43

The story of the rich man and Lazarus after they both died found in Luke 16:19-31

       Jesus tells us that there are only 2 places we go when we die: those who have given their lives to Jesus and live for Him = Heaven, those who have rejected Him and embraced a life of sin = Hell. Period. There are no second chances to take care of "unfinished business". We all get one chance at life here on Earth. 

      What we fail to understand is that demons have been around since the beginning, they know history. They know all the stories, many of them were the influencers of terrible things that happened to people in their homes, ect. They are exceptional role players, and we are so gullable to be tricked into believing what they want us to believe. We might ask ourselves "Why? Why would demons pretend to be a person that haunts a place?" Answer: Because they will go to ANY lengths possible to get you to believe there is ANYTHING other than Heaven or Hell when you die.

       Demons know the Truth and they are desperate to keep us from knowing it as well. God tells us time and time again (1 Thess 5:22, Rev. 21:8, Eph. 5:11, 1 Peter 3:11, 1 Cor. 5:11, 1 Tim. 4:7, Isaiah 1:16, Micah 3:7, Lev. 19:26, Deut. 18:10-13, Rev. 18:23, Isaiah 47:12-14, Isaiah 8:19, Lev. 20:26-27, 1 Chron. 10:13-14, Eph. 5:11, 3 John 1:11, 1 Cor. 10:21, 1 John 4:1-3, 2 Chron. 33:6, Nahum 3:4-5,) to stay away from evil. He talks to us about Mediums, witchcraft, astrology, speaking with the dead, ect. because it's the work of demons. These practices have been around FOREVER, they are nothing new. Demons use these practices because it is easy to pull us in and cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus. Mediums are not talking to your dead loved ones, they are talking to the demons that watched you grow up. Demons know things about your life! They know your uncle bought you a little red wagon when you were 4, they know you lost a button off of your favorite sweater, they know you need to hear your loved one say they are proud of you... it's not hard for them to know exactly what you need to hear in order to get you to open yourself up to them and their continual influence in your life! 

      We are so desperate to contact those we've lost, and understandably so. We miss them and that's ok. But it's not okay to buy into the lies of Satan and disregard the Truth of God's Word. Even the Disciples bought into the lies of the Enemy and believed in ghosts, did you know that?

"When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 'It's a ghost!' they said, and cried out in fear." Matthew 14:26 (Mark 6:49, Luke 24:37)

But.... then Jesus taught them and showed them the Truth, with the same scriptures and parables listed above.

     Angels and Demons do exist, and we do see them, the affects of them, we sense their presence... because it's all real. We just must get to a place that we know which ones we are dealing with. Demons disguise themselves as "good" and "light". Angels don't come and play with us either. Your cupboard doors are opening up on their own, stuff is moved to different places, loud noises scaring you and keeping you on edge.... probably not an angel. Dead people are showing up in your house... not an angel. Some child or lady in white wandering around... not angels. Demons LOVE to play. (not in a fun way by the way) The question is WHY?.... Because, if you knew there was an actual demon living in your house, you'd probably want it to leave yes? But, if you think it's some old war vet or lost child roaming your halls... well, you might offer your friendship and tell it you have no problem sharing your home with it, you can simply co-exist. And that is exactly what it wants you to do, welcome it into your life. Demons are not wallflowers... they are there to work.... on you. 

     It's time we wake up to the Truth. Ghosts are not real but demons are. So what do we do Christian? We can't sage them out, no wooden cross replica is going to do a thing, holy water...nope. (the demons might make you think that it does for a while) but the ONLY WAY to get rid of demons, is to 

1. Get right with Jesus first. Make sure there is nothing going in your life that may have allowed demons access to you. Sometimes unknowingly, we've invited demons into our lives by our own choices of sin and reluctance to be obedient to Christ in our lives. God does tell us that rebellion against His Word does attract demons so to speak. So check your life first and ask God if there's anything in your life that needs to go and be repented of. He'll tell ya.

2. The Holy Spirit "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world." 1 John 4:4 We have the ONLY TOOL needed to make a demon leave, living inside of us! How cool is that! Some people get caught up in long wordy prayers, some people take time to literally ask the demon 20 questions.... do you know that in the Bible... neither Jesus or the Disciples spent that much time dealing with the demons? Most of the time Jesus uttered ONE WORD: "Go" ... pretty contradictory to what we've seen and heard nowadays huh? There is Power in the name of Jesus and when we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit.... those demons don't stand a chance! *whenever I face demons...and it happens often enough.... I generally ignore the demon and start praying out loud to Jesus that He would fill my home with His presence and drive any evil thing out... and He does. I also pray in the Spirit when I don't know what to pray and that works too. Because it isn't US that drives out the demon but Jesus who drives it out. 

Remember that #1 is first... because the Holy Spirit and a life of sin do not live together, and if you are not right with Jesus, honestly, you have given that demon permission to stalk your life and that demon, doesn't have to do a thing you say, because YOU have no authority. Only through Jesus and the Holy Spirit do we have any authority. So be very careful, because it can get ugly really fast if you try to face those demons on your own power. "I'll fight the demons with the light of goodness I have within me" is the dumbest thought process ever. You need Jesus. Period.

"Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, 'I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims,' Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?' And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded." 

Acts 19: 13-16

Demons aren't stupid. They know whether you have Jesus or you're just using His name.

It's also very important that you get right with Jesus and stay right with Jesus because...

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation." Matthew 12:43-45

Now, this particular verse is talking about demonic possession of a person, but I want to warn you... i believe that is the goal of demons. To play with you enough... that eventually you give in to them completely. I've seen it happen with people and it is not pretty. This is serious stuff and the way to stop that from ever happening... is to put a stop to demons even hanging out in your life. The only way to do that.... is to get serious about your relationship with Jesus. 

      If we are IN Christ, we have NOTHING to fear. Churches no longer preach about demons or Hell but they are still very real. This world is getting darker by the day, just as Jesus told us it would. Wickedness is running rampant and the truth sweet friends, there literally are demons behind every bush. But we do not need to fear, the army of the Lord, the angels He puts charge over His Children, and the fact that Jesus has already defeated every. single. one. of. them. when He died on the cross for us gives us the VICTORY! His redemption lives in us sweet friends!  We must let Truth rule and reign in our hearts and in our minds. This world is lost and it is quick to buy into the lies of the Devil. Protect yourself by putting on the "Full Armor of God" so that you can stand firm against the tricks of the Enemy. Demons have a plan... it's ultimately your soul that is in play. Don't let them win.