When I reflect on my time in the wilderness, I see a woman who was holding on by a thin thread. I see a woman who was hurting, physically and mentally. Her world as she knew it had suddenly come crashing down, and she felt like she was drowning. This woman was so overwhelmed that it was hard to breathe some days. Some days she thought she could not take any more. Some days she just wanted to give up. But. She. Did. Not. That woman is me and I am so thankful God did not allow me to give up. Sometimes the boldest thing we can do is take the next breath. I have learned that taking the next breath is easier when you build up your spiritual stamina.  

I think about Elijah the prophet. God appointed this man to go before Kings, bringing the message of warning and repentance. By speaking the prophecies of God, he made enemies, but his enemies could not overpower him. He was a man of deep faith. His spiritual stamina had to be strong. However, this one time it seems his spiritual stamina had weakened. I have read it many times trying to figure out why. Scripture says his enemies could not touch him. So, I guess it is because he was human. We all can relate to that. Scripture says that God had just done an amazing thing, showed up and out for Elijah. And right after, the queen of Israel, Jezebel, threatened Elijah’s life. He was frightened and he fled for his life. He went out into the wilderness to pout. He claimed he was alone, and he sat under tree and said, “I have had enough Lord.” (1 King 19:1-9). You would think he would have no fear after what he just saw God do on Mount Carmel. But before we judge Elijah, if we are honest, we all have been guilty of forgetting how God showed up in past situations. I thank God He has been helping me work on my spiritual stamina. I work on it every day. Because like Elijah I am human, and I want to make sure it is strong. We need spiritual stamina when we are faced with difficult situations; so we don’t just react to the situation. Instead we turn to God and we can remain calm with a certain peace. We can rest, breathe, and wait on God to show up.  

Your health, your finances, your children, your spouse, your job, whatever the situation, may have you feeling tired, frightened, and overwhelmed. You feel like you are alone and that no one understands. You jump over one hurdle and just when your feet are adjusting to walking again, a new hurdle appears. You cry out that you have had your share of troubles; it is someone else’s turn. You may sometimes want to say as Elijah did, I have had enough Lord. You just want to give up. Do. Not. Give. Up! Do not be like Elijah and forget how faithful God has been through past trials and troubles. Stop, rest, and breathe. God’s response to Elijah’s moping was, “get some rest, eat some food, go back the way you came, and find the others who serve me to support you.” Then the Lord sent an angel to Elijah. The Lord will place the right people in our life who will pray, support, and help us through challenging times. Do not be like the woman I used to be and refuse the help God sends. It is also important to work on building spiritual stamina before the trials and troubles come. We must strive to develop spiritual stamina so when a problem occurs, you do not react out of emotion but out of wisdom. Stay connected to God. Study His Word. When we experience moments or seasons of complete and total despair, it is important that we know God, so we can hear His voice. We must be still and breathe. And that is when God refills, replaces, and empowers. He renews our faith. He replaces fear with hope. He empowers us with strength to go on, strength we did not even realize we had. Giving up will no longer be an option! Love and Blessings…

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) 

“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) 

My patience is not good when it comes to putting stuff together. I can get frustrated really quick. Then I will say, “I tried following the directions, but they are too complicated, I’ll just try to do it without them!” I’m sure I am not the only one who has done this. Most of the time I end up going right back to the directions! Sometimes we feel this way when reading the Bible, which is our instruction book for life. I know it can sometimes seem overwhelming and complicated. The thing is, when we try to live life without God’s directions, we are not  properly prepared for our life journey. People often talk about winging it when they have to do something difficult, something that they did not prepare for or had time to rehearse, for instance, make a speech or give a presentation. Unfortunately, life is not a rehearsal, and we don’t get a do over. God has given us directions to live life and live it abundantly, which is His desire. (John 10:10). Let me just say, being saved and living the life God wants us to live while here on earth are two separate things. The Bible says if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. (Romans 10:9-10). Paul clearly states that salvation is the gift from God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23). However, being saved does not mean we won’t have trials and tribulations while on this earth. (John 16:33). How is your life? Do you have joy and peace? Are you blessed and highly favored? How do you face trials and tribulations? How do you treat others? Are you imitating Christ, the man who died so we could live? God gave us the directions for all that and anything else we have to deal with in this sinful and corrupt world. The Bible says satan is the god of this world and he has blinded the minds of unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 4:4). However, we do not have to fear, we can live the life God wants us to, we just can’t do it ourselves, we have to follow His directions. He even gave us a role model, Jesus Christ!

No matter how difficult or complicated the Bible may seem initially, we must continue to read and follow the directions. We must read it, meditate and pray on it, study it, memorizing it if we can. Also attending Bible study groups and listening to Bible-focused messages help our understanding. It’s good to have spiritual leaders and other believers to discuss and pray with you. There are answers in God’s Word to even the toughest problems. When someone is going through a trial or storm, we don’t want to hand out religious cliches or just say have faith, we want to offer real hope and help from God’s Word. In order to do that, we need to know His Word. In order to know His Word, we must read and study His Word. We can’t just go to church on Sundays and wing it until the next Sunday. If we don’t follow directions, we will either mess up or have a headache from trying to fix it and give up. In order for our life to be of God and eliminate unnecessary headaches, we must learn how to be obedient and follow God’s directions. Life situations that causes anxiety or worry such as financial crisis, exams, relationship issues, child discipline, death, and even losing a job, all have easy directions to follow in the Bible. We have God telling us in Philippians 4:6 to “Do not be anxious about anything”. In Genesis 37, we have the story of Joseph which teaches us how to respond in a godly way when fired unjustly from a job, or treated unfairly. The Bible speaks relevantly and authoritatively to problems such as anger, conflict, pride, fear and money. God tells us He is working everything out for our good. (Romans 8:28).

I heard someone ask how could a book written thousands of years ago, connect with our twenty-first century problems? He said how can we be sure they apply to the here and now? This is what I know, the Bible is God’s revelation for believers of all ages, times, and places. The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun.(Ecclesiastics 1:9). We share the same struggles common to people of all eras, so we should expect God’s revelation to them to resonate to us. I cannot stress enough the importance of alone time with God. I can honestly say spending time alone with God has helped me to understand even more deeply the Christ-centered perspective the Bible advocates. Spending time with Jesus makes me desire to follow His directions. You will find fulfillment in the Word, you will get closer to Jesus, who will bridge the gap between the Old Testament, New Testament and these modern times. The first truth is, no matter the era, it is the same God, the same Savior, and the same Salvation. (Malachi 3:6). The second truth is Jesus revealed God’s Holiness, he showed us God’s wisdom, and in His death He illustrated God’s love. (1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16). Paul said in Psalm 119:11 that he stored God’s Word in his heart, so that he would not sin against Him. I am trying to do the same. Instead of putting down God’s directions and trying to do it myself, I have learned to seek Jesus for answers. Because even though the Bible was written by man, it was inspired by God.   Love and Blessings…

Let us not give up on God or ourselves as we mature in age. Jesus began His ministry when He was around thirty years old. God used Moses at eighty. God does not do time or age! When we are blessed to age, we must continue to do God’s work. When living by the Word of God, age brings wisdom that is able to help and guide others in need. It is up to us to age gracefully. We can do that by exercising our body as well as our mind. It is our choice what we feed our bodies and what we allow into our mind. I believe what we feed our mind is equally important as what we feed our body. It can take years to rid ourselves of negativity or as some say stinking thinking! God helps us with that when we are in tune with Him. He renews us spiritually daily. So we must not use age as an excuse to not dream or have goals. As long as we have the gift of life, there is much we can still do for God’s Kingdom.The advancement of God’s kingdom never stops. Always remember that you are still alive for a reason. God has a plan and a purpose for you. Go ahead and walk in it! Love and Blessings…

“And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life”
(1 Kings 5-14)

“Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,the son of Heli,”  (Luke :23)

“So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them. Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:6-9)

“Abraham was now a very old man, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.”
( Genesis 24:1)

“Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever.” ( Deuteronomy 34:7)

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”
(1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
(Philippians 4:8)

“For this cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

“But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, “The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!” (Psalm 92:12-14)

“Now that I am old and my hair is gray, don’t leave me, God. I must tell the next generation about your power and greatness. God, your goodness reaches far above the skies. You have done wonderful things. God, there is no one like you” (Psalm 71:18-19)

I have been told when it comes to friendships, my standards are too high. I have few true friends so I guess that may be true. The question is, is that a good or bad thing? In my humble opinion, I believe people tend to use the word friend too loosely these days. Everybody that is in your life is not your true friend! I do set high standards when it comes to friendships or any other relationships in my life. Someone said to me that everybody they meet is a friend until they prove otherwise. And that’s ok for them. For me, I am thankful for God’s discernment. By using it, I have eliminated a lot of unnecessary drama and hurt in my life. Don’t get it twisted, I love people and I accept everybody as they are. With that being said, as my Mama used to say, ” Some people you have to love with a long handle spoon” (from a distance.) There is also a saying, “keep your enemies close.” Why would I keep a snake close so he or she can bite me? That’s like saying keep the devil close so he can cause chaos and disturb my peace. No thank you. I rather watch that thang from a distance!

A true friendship is one of God’s greatest gifts. One of the noblest friendships in the Old Testament developed between Jonathan and David. They achieved true friendship despite difficult circumstances. The Lord chose David to succeed King Saul. Jonathon traditionally would have been heir to the throne instead of David, so it would have been natural for him to see David as his enemy. Yet when David returned from the battlefield and appeared in King Saul’s court with the head of Goliath in his hand, the Bible says “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul”(1 Samuel 17:57, 18:1). Jonathan’s love for David is even more remarkable when contrasted with his father Saul. Saul, out of jealousy tried to kill David. Jonathan helped David escape while he tried to soften Saul’s heart (Samuel 19:4-5). Jonathan was a true friend.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:13-15) Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for His “friends.” The good news is, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him. We are blessed if we have at least one true friend here on earth. We are more than blessed if we have accepted Jesus as our friend and savior! Just as Jesus can look into our hearts and see our pain, a true friend sees the pain in our eyes while everyone else believes your smile. Love and Blessings…

The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15). Jesus is the pure example of a true friend, for He laid down His life for us, His friends. The good news is, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as his personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him. We are blessed if we have at least one true friend here on earth. We are more than blessed if we have accepted Jesus as our true friend and savior! Just as Jesus can look into our hearts and see our pain, a true friend sees the pain in our eyes while everyone else believes your smile. Love and Blessings…

“The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Proverbs 12:26)

“Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:37)

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ( Proverbs 18:24)

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17)NLT

I know from experience that sometimes what you think is the worst thing that could happen to you, can turn out to be the best thing that has ever happened to you. And what you think is the best thing that has happened, could very well be the worst. Even in our down or bad days, if we wait faithfully, we can see God’s blessing.The truth is, good or bad, only God really knows. I have shared this story before, and I believe it is worth sharing again.

“There once was an old man who lived in the country with his son. He had a beautiful horse that he loved dearly. One day a rich man was passing through and saw this beautiful horse. He offered the man a lot of money for the horse, but the man refused to sell. Then not too long afterwards the horse broke through the fence and ran away. The village people came and said how sorry they were; they said, “If only you had sold the horse to the rich man at least you would have the money. Sorry this happened to you, this is terrible.” The old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” A couple of weeks later the horse returned and he had six or seven wild horses with him. The village people said to him, “How wonderful, now you have your horse back and you have more horses. This is great!” The old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” One day while trying to tame one of the wild horses the old man’s son fell and broke his leg. The son walked with a limp from that day on. The village people came with their sympathy and tears because the man’s son had been injured and now was crippled. They said, “This is the worst thing that could have happened.” The old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” Then a war broke out and all young men were being recruited to fight, except those who had some type of limitation, like the old man’s son who walked with a limp. The village people were happy for the old man, they said, “It is a blessing that your only son will not have to leave you.” And the old man said, “Good or bad, who knows?” I could go on and on with this story because this life has its ups and downs. 

However, we know all good things come from God. But when life deals us a bad hand, it is important during those times that we have faith. Because God is still in control. He can and He will work it out for our good. Absolutely nothing is hidden from Him, our past, present, or our
future. God works in, with, though, and sometimes in spite of our decisions to accomplish His will for our lives. Yes, even when things are going wrong and out of our control, trust me, they are not out of God’s control. He is still working His purpose for our life in the situation. We can’t always understand at the time, but if we look back at some point in our future we can see the workings of God! I have learned to thank God when life is good, and to thank Him in the storms, I have learned to praise Him on the mountaintop, and praise Him in the low valleys. I refuse to be like the village people in the story and let life’s situations determine my joy. Because like the old man said, good or bad, only God knows. Love and blessings…

“For who [limited by human wisdom] knows what is good for man during his lifetime, during the few days of his futile life? He spends them like a shadow [staying busy, but achieving nothing of lasting value]. For who can tell a man what will happen after him [to his work, his treasure, his plans] under the sun [after his life is over]?” ( Ecclesiastes 6:12)AMP

“But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:19-20)

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

This life is full of parasites that can suck  the life out of you if you let them. (and I’m not talking bugs). It seems every day you are ducking and dodging these parasites. You try to avoid them but somehow they keep showing up, again and again. Once they enter your thoughts, they then try to take control of your mind and heart. What are these parasites? There is low self-esteem, pride, jealousy, lying, depression, and guilt. There is immorality, corruption, lust, and greed. There is fear, who creeps itself in your thought life, feeding off your inner struggles and hang-ups. And last but so deadly; there is the past, which just will not let you go! That’s just a few of the parasites the devil will use. If we allow them to, these parasites will attach themselves in our life, and do what the enemy does, kill and destroy. They will destroy our lives if we don’t stop them. Everyone has had to deal with these parasites at one time or another. We all have had them, sometimes for just a moment, or a day, maybe they sneaked in only for a night. And sometimes it may seem like you have had them forever. The Bible tells us to take every thought captive. Now if God says do it, that means it can be done, which means we are not powerless! We have a chance to do something about all the negative thoughts that are not from God, before they enter our hearts and become a part of us!

The good news is we are covered in the blood of Jesus. When we are covered we can always look forward to the joy that comes in the morning. It is then we can rejoice, because God has blessed us with the gift of another day! It is a new day, full of new mercies and grace. We have another opportunity to rid ourselves of those parasites or fears that stop us from living the life God desires for us. It is a new day to regain control and realize we have the power! We can think positive until every negative parasite is choked to death by our positive energy. If we refuse to feed the parasites, they will eventually die.

You may say I’m ashamed and I am broken. I have let these parasites suck the blood out of me for so long, I feel powerless, and I don’t know where to begin. We can start by praying to God the moment when we sense the parasites enter into our thoughts. God will give us the strength and power to take them captive. We can also read and study the Word of God and overtake them with God’s truth. When we surrender our life to God, repent, and believe, God will give us the strength to stand up and the power to release the grip of the parasites. We can thank God for the morning after, a new day, with new mercies. Then we can boldly walk into the joy that comes in the morning! Love and Blessings…

“for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink,” saith he to thee, but his heart is not with thee. “Proverbs 23:7

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

“Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16

“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 34:18

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I want my heart to be so consumed with a burning love for God, that there will be less space for myself, and a much bigger place for Him inside me! I want my light to shine, not so others can see me, but so that through me others can see Him! It is only when we, like Paul look away from ourselves and unto Jesus that we receive our deliverance. If you want peace, protection, and provisions, surrender yourself and rest in His waiting arms! Love and Blessings…

“He must become greater; I must become less. The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
John 3:30-36) NIV

“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”
Romans 7:24-25)NLT

According to the dictionary, a bodyguard is a person who protects someone from attack. Their job is to identify suspicious behavior or unauthorized people and to prevent potential threats or disruption in the lives they are protecting. At all times, the primary action of a bodyguard is to guarantee the safety of the person they are protecting. This definitely sounds like my BodyGod! I strongly advise you to try Him. The best part is that He is free to all!

Written by Clifton Johnson aka Vizhun (6/2018)

“My very first second begins when the Lord whispers life into my ears.
Saying arise, awake from your sleep, your new day is about to begin.
Seconds later I’m kneeling on the floor giving praise and thanks to Him. 
God I thank you, I thank you through praise.
I’m grateful for your mercy and your grace.
Your love is endless, all my sins have been erased.
You don’t hold any grudges, you desire faith.
My Protector, My Rock, My Guide to where I need to be.
I’m not where I need to be but I’m not like I used to be.
Uplift me and be the peace I need to survive.
When Satan attacks, I don’t need to hide.
My body is your body to guide.
You are my BodyGOD.”

Love and Blessings…

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm18:2

“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17

I read a post that said, “Cutting ties with the people who hurt you sometimes isn’t enough. You must also cut ties with the version of you that allowed it!” That is so true. Which leads to the question why do we allow ourselves to tolerate unnecessary hurt in relationships. Why is it that we ask God to remove certain people out of our lives and then turn around and let them right back in, or we add people with the same characteristics to do us harm? Why is it so difficult to move on? It may not even be about the person hurting you, just that God is taking you to another level and everybody cannot go where God is taking you! Do not be like Esau and lose what God has for you over a bowl of soup! (Genesis 25:29-34). He lost his birthright because he was hungry, and he wanted instant gratification. How sad is that. Don’t choose instant gratification when God may be trying to prepare you for greater that your natural eyes can see. Do not let someone hold you back from what God has for you! Some folk can block your blessings! One thing I know for sure is if we let our emotions lead us, we may be unable to move on. We let our feelings take control even when we know the relationship is harmful. Most of us have been there at least once. Unfortunately there are some who allow themselves to be in toxic relationships repeatedly. They may think they have their reasons, but trust me, there is no reason that justifies being in a toxic relationship. You are better! You deserve better! God made you better! Don’t let loneliness be the reason you keep a toxic person in your life. There is a difference between being alone and being lonely. Some people hate being alone so much that they settle for a toxic relationship. You have to love yourself enough to know it is not worth losing all that God has for you. If you are caught up and it seems you just can’t move on, there is an answer. God said he will always provide us a way out. First, you must realize that freedom begins in your mind. You can change your friends, your address, delete or block them, but until you change your mind, your way of thinking, you will continue to accept the same behavior. Once you are free in the mind, you can break free from any type of bondage and no devil from hell can keep you from moving on! Once you know who you are and whose you are, you will not lose everything God has for you over a “bowl of soup.”  Let us learn from Esau. My prayer is that we all grow in wisdom and know the difference between a healthy relationship and a toxic one. I pray that we learn when God removes someone from our lives and shut the door, we don’t open it, instead we lock it! My prayer is when God opens a door, we keep it moving, not afraid to walk through it. We must listen to God’s instructions on both sides. Yes, we must love like God loves us. However, sometimes we must love from a distance. This may include family, if the relationship is toxic. Because God does not want us to put other people above our walk with Him or the plans He has for us. Always remember that those of us who love Christ are never alone. The Holy Spirit dwells within us. We have a friend name Jesus who is with us always. He loves us unconditionally. There is no better friend than Jesus!
Love and Blessings…

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” (Ecclesiastes3:1)

“Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm”
(Proverbs 13:20)

“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” (Romans 16:17-18)

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)

My desire is to be obedient and follow God’s will for my life. It is not always easy. The enemy is always around, seeking to kill and destroy. He will use illness, love ones, finances, or anything else hoping that we will lose focus or give up. First we need to know that everything that occurs in the visible, physical world is directly connected to the war being waged in the invisible, spiritual world. The effects of the war going on in the unseen world reveal themselves in our strained and damaged relationships, emotional instability, mental fatigue, physical exhaustion and many other areas of our life. We can feel pinned down by anger, unforgiveness, pride, comparisons, insecurity, conflict, and fear. We feel and see these things physically, but behind the scenes, what we cannot see with our physical eyes is the primary nemesis behind it all, the devil himself. When Paul talks about spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6, prayer is the seventh piece of armor. It activates all of the rest of the spiritual armor. When we refuse to pray, it’s like having a refrigerator without plugging it in. Prayer is the divinely authorized mechanism God has given us to tap into His power. Without prayer, we are ineffective in spiritual warfare. But with it, we are victorious.

My heart aches because of the tragic, senseless deaths and injustices of this world. It breaks my heart. Also the last months have been challenging for me healthwise. When we deal with things of the world, our emotions can be all over the place. For me, it has brought me to my knees, crying out to God. And as always, He has brought peace to my soul in the mist of it all. I hear His voice. This is why prayer is important. When we choose to stay close to God and His Word, we are able to control our emotions instead of them controlling us. The Holy Spirit will guide you and keep you on the right path. Study His Word. God’s instructions are clear on anything and everything we may encounter in this life. God made us so we have emotions, emotions are normal, but it is our choice on how we respond to them. We should not let our emotions cause us to hate or seek revenge. We should not let our “feelings” cause us to give up or be afraid. Remember there is usually spiritual warfare going on and it is more than we can see. Our emotions are based on feelings, God’s Word is based on fact. We should study His Word and pray, asking God to open our spiritual eyes, asking him for understanding and discernment. When we operate in the spirit, we are in tuned with God, so we know who we are fighting, how to fight, and when to fight. We cannot lose! This is especially important when we are dealing with spiritual warfare. When we ask God for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, when we stand in alignment with His Word, He will protect us, gives us peace, and give us a weapon to fight the enemy with. The enemy hates it when we love as God loves us, when we forgive as God forgives us, when we have mercy as God has mercy on us. The devil does a happy dance. He loves it when we try and fight without God because he knows we have no power without Jesus. Our strength comes from Him.

I do not have all the answers. I am still crying out to our God. However, what sustains me and gives me peace and hope is knowing that no matter what it looks like to the natural eye, God is always and forever in control. He will not only fulfill His promises in His time but will also sustain us until that time. This is the double promise we have; the hope of deliverance one day, plus the provision of His comfort, strength, and shelter throughout our lives. Our role is to simply love God and each other. The Lord our God’s role is to save us and give us a purpose that extends beyond our small vision of the world. We are not perfect; we all are flawed. However, as we follow Jesus daily, He transforms us while using us to encourage others as we share His love and truth. With God, we can stand boldly in physical and spiritual warfare, we can channel our our emotions. We will trust justice will be served, we will be healed, and everything will work out for our good.  When we fight the right way, which is God’s way, we will be victorious. I believe this not because I have faith in man, but because I have faith in God! Brothers and sisters, when emotions hit you hard, don’t allow your “feelings” to take over. Pray even harder, let God’s Words penetrate your hearts and heal the pain. Love and blessings…

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.” Phillippians 4:6-7

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” John 10:10

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. “(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

“Agree with God and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.” (Job 22:21-22)

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

“If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day.” (Ephesians 4:26)

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

“For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-lasting help in trouble” (Psalm 46:13 1-3)