Promises to live by, stand on, CLAIM...

Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!
You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God,
but the things of men."
Matthew 16:23

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And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.
For we do not preach ourselves,
but Jesus Christ as Lord,
and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"
made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4:3~6

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Jesus said to them,
"If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and now am here.
I have not come on my own; but he sent me.
Why is my language not clear to you?
Because you are unable to hear what I say.
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.
He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth,
for there is no truth in him.
When he lies, he speaks his native language,
for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?
If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me?
He who belongs to God hears what God says.
The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
John 8:42~47

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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
For our struggle is not against the flesh and blood,
but against the rulers,
against authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the whole armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:10~20

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Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, standing firm in the faith...
1 Peter 5:8~9

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Who do we believe?

It amazes me how vulnerable we are to the enemy when we don't whole heartedly purpose in our minds to recognize the schemes Satan lavishes on us. The instant he is in our presence we must practice "psychological warfare", a term Beth Moore uses in the current study MaKayla and I are doing in our Sunday School class about the life and destined purpose of Esther. The second we sense Satan's presence or work, we must immediately come against it through prayer and the Word of God...whether it be a lie he is telling, a temptation he is extending, a thought he is imparting...

There have been three specific instances in our home in the past few days where I have discerned that a "trap" has been set and someone has willingly stepped into it, therefore believing the lies of the devil rather than warring against his deception and purposing to listen to the voice of God. Why do we do that when we KNOW that God is faithful...He ALWAYS has been...He ALWAYS will be!

1.) The belief that we are "condemned" to a certain state of mind, a certain stronghold, a certain demise...Of course he wants us to believe that...he has already been condemned to Hell therefore he wants us to feel condemned as well...believing that there is no hope. He wants us to believe the lie that we will always be what we always have been...a failure, a loser, unworthy...No where in God's Word do I find that...in turn we are freely offered love, forgiveness, mercy and grace. We find hope, peace, strength and rest when we turn our weaknesses and shortcomings over to the Lord and allow Him to wash us clean of them...purposing to follow His way rather than the enemy's way. We should see correction from God as a rich investment in our lives and praise Him for the revelation he has given us due to the promise that He is enlightening us to an area of our lives that is dragging us down and destroying us. We ALWAYS have hope in Jesus!

2.) Deceiving us into believing that certain things look "appealing" when we know that is not God's purpose or best for our lives. Deceiving us into believing that "a little won't hurt" or the things we are seeing as "appealing" are just "natural". I am reminded that a little bit of yeast leavens the whole batch of dough (Galatians 5:7~10) and a little bit of invited sin will bring us to ruin.

3.) Convincing us that if we ask God to purge a certain sin in our lives, He will take away anything good that is associated with that sin. God doesn't take away "good things (blessings)" from the people He loves unless it is for our good and His glory. Satan wants us to believe that by "giving up" certain things that are "weighing down", our lives will be empty, void and meaningless. The God I serve promises fullness of life when we strip ourselves away and live in accordance with His will.

As Beth Moore states...

Haman had placed himself in Satan's hands only to betrayed by him.
It happens EVERY time.
First Satan lies to us.
Then Satan lies for us.
Then Satan lies about us.

He convinces us into believing his lies, then he justifies that what we are doing is right so we don't turn back and then once he has us in his trap he turns around and stabs us in the back laughing and telling us what a fool we are.


The Lord reminds me once again this morning that the only way to defeat the enemy in our lives on a daily basis is to:

saturate ourselves in God's Word...
stand on God's promises...
continually place ourselves in God's presence...
be determined to live God's way!

I am determined...are you???

Who will you believe?

Angry...

Are you ever angry at Satan???

Today I find myself infuriated at this enemy and the schemes, deception and lies he is trying to bring to fruition in the heart, mind, body and spirit of one I love more than life.

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:
for we are not ignorant of his devices.
2 Corinthians 2:11

In my anger, I fell on my face before the Lord and entered the 'Holy of Holies' on behalf of this one I love so much! I plead the blood of Jesus over this heart and claimed protection and healing. I offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise for what God has done, is doing and will continue to do.

Submit yourselves, then, to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

I WILL NOT idly stand back and allow Satan who has already been condemned to Hell, wreak havoc...

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night has been hurled down.
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;"
Revelation 12:10~11

I WILL intercede and stand in the gap for a heart who is wounded, bleeding and hurting.

My God is mighty...
My God is powerful...
My God is faithful...

"Trust"

Well, I haven't posted in a while but, today as I went through this day I really felt a need to acknowledge what and where God has me and I see how He is working in the girls also. Proverbs 3: 5 & 6 says "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge the Lord God and He will deliver you and sustain you." These verses have and still ring so true in my life and even today I see them coming true in my girls lives this day. Even this evening as MaKayla and I visited about life, I hear God say so loudly "Trust me my child". I am so thankful that you're here Father and how you teach us it is so amazing! Also, as I think about life and God's blessings I have to say that I'm the most blessed man on earth to have two amazing, fantastic daughters and such a beautiful wife, best friend, soul mate.....the list goes on and on! I thank you Father for their lives! I see how as I continue to "Trust", you continue to speak and bless! I love you Father! I just am amazed by your love and I say again "Father have your way in me". Today I encourage you to let the Father have His way your life, He will transform you and change you. Stand and be silent and you will be amazed!!!!

"My Baby"

"My Angels"

You Know Better Than I...

As I have been doing my Esther study by Beth Moore, I have truly felt God speaking to me in a mighty way. There were so many uncertainties in her life, some that people could see and some that were concealed. As Mom and I have discussed and pondered together through this study, one of the points she (Mom) brought out was, " We know the end of Esther's story and how things turned out. We know that the Jews were not killed and that things turned out good. At that point in time they didn't. They didn't have the knowledge that everything would be okay." And as we discussed that, it really made me think about my life. I don't know what will transpire in my next fifteen or twenty years. I don't know what my "end result" will be, but God does! Those that are closest to me know that I am a worrier and that I allow little things to occasionally send me into a tail-spin and as I have done this week's lesson God has gently held me accountable (as well as Mom) and once again reminded me that He is in control. There is a song that I really like that says "You know better than I"! I have no need to worry because even if I did know His plan I couldn't change it.
So, I have purposed within myself to rest in the arms of Jesus and to let my comfort and assurance come from Him!

Father~
As I come before you this morning I am so in awe of You! You have proven to me that You are truly my Comforter, Savior, Listener, and very Best Friend! You are the One I can come to when I am burdened, the One who I can depend on, the One I can trust, the One I know without any question of a doubt is ALWAYS there! You are the One who guides my every step and knows what my life will entail and has equipped me with the strength to embrace it! I praise You that You reveal your greatness and awesomeness every day! I praise You that You are God and that You are bigger and wiser than I could ever comprehend! I praise You that You know better than I!!!

You Know Better Than I

I thought I did what's right
I thought I had the answers
I thought I chose the surest road
But that road brought me here

So I put up a fight
And told You how to help me
Now just when I have given up
The truth is coming clear

You know better than I
You know the way
I've let go the need to know why
For You know better than I

If this has been a test
I cannot see the reason
But maybe knowing I don't know
Is part of getting through

I try to do what's best
And faith has made it easy
To see the best thing I can do
Is put my trust in You

For You know better than I
You know the way
I've let go the need to know why
For You know better than I

I saw one cloud and thought it was a sky
I saw a bird and thought that I could follow
But it was You who taught that bird to fly
If I let You reach me will You teach me

For You know better than I
You know the way
I've let go the need to know why
I'll take what answers You supply
You know better than I

Swimming is fun!

I enjoy swimming in my pool.
Swimming is refreshing and fun for me.
I can swim alone or swim with my family.
When I am in the water I like to float on my back and watch the clouds.
I also enjoy going under water and picking up rings.
Playing the teacup game is fun and challenging.
I like swimming!

Something To Ponder...

Wow did Oswald (My Utmost for His Highest) speak to me this morning. He always does but today's devotion really enlightened me...I guess it's not Oswald who spoke to me but God through his insight.

An excerpt from today...
If there is even a trace of individual self-satisfaction left in us, it always says, "I can't surrender," or "I can't be free." But the spiritual part of our being never says "I can't"; it simply soaks up everything around it. Our spirit hungers for more and more. It is the way we are built. We are designed with a great capacity for God, but sin, our own individuality, and wrong thinking keep us from getting to Him.

As I read this and allowed it to penetrate my heart I began thinking..."My spirit hungers for more and more...my spirit is hungry, it will get fed..." I had never thought about my spirit being hungry therefore I had never given thought to the fact that I feed my spirit every second of every day. In turn I began to ponder what I feed my spirit... It will live off of what I nurture it with and dependent of what I nurture it with will determine how "healthy" my spirit will be.

Spiritual Life: joy, His Word, hope, patience, love, mercy, trust, faith, rest, sacrifice, abandonment, contentment, simplicity, obedience, humility, courage, determination, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit...

Spiritual Death: criticism, selfishness, negativity, bitterness, resentment, anger, self-pity, frustration, despair, self-righteousness, inadequacy, defeat, jealousy, greed, pride, dread, worry, stress, denial, sensitivity of others offenses...

Many times in listening, watching and spending time with people it is very evident "what" they are feeding their spirit. I desire to feed my spirit life so that the glory of the Lord will be radiant.

A New Kind of Holiday...

I told Kyle last night that MaKayla, Mal and I were going to take a day and "just be girls" today...
no school, no pressures, no chores...
just spending a fun day together.
Typically I will make a comment like this and have good intentions yet with a new morning I renege and don't follow through...
today was different.
I'm ready to be more laid back and relaxed...
more of a mom who enjoys her girls while she has them.
With the newly fallen snow, it made it all the more special and festive so I have entitled this new holiday of ours, "The First Day of Snow Holiday". Mallary sweetly and innocently suggested that we have "this holiday" the 16th of every month.
Imagine that!?!
We have truly enjoyed our day of reading, watching movies, enjoying the beautiful snow fall...
laughing, sharing hot chocolate, coffee and cappuccino...
Bible Study, playing cards, spending time in the snow and just visiting. The only downer...
Kyle couldn't be here with us...
however he will certainly come home to three happy and "chilled out" girls! :o)

The first snow of the season...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Warm drinks...Cherished conversations...

Silly girls in warm comfy jammies...

I think we all won at least one round...

Nothing like a good book on a snowy day...

Once again my Esther study this week has been profound bringing much comfort and conviction to my life...comfort and conviction I so desire and need. As I shared with some dear sisters-in-Christ Friday evening, the Lord has been speaking SO clearly to me about who I am as a mom, friend, nurturer...to MaKayla and Mallary... Yesterday's lesson in my study completely sealed a huge revelation for me...it all boils down to the ugly word of SELF! All too often I demand what I want, what I expect, the standard I set leaving no room for anyone else in our home to be who God specifically and uniquely designed them to be. The intimidation I have placed on their lives so many times in the past grieves my soul and the manipulation I have used at times to get through to them saddens me. Never, never, never do I want Kyle nor the girls to remember me as a selfish, have-my-own way kind of person and sad-to-say that is who I have been the majority of these last 20 years. God is truly taking me through the fire and removing the sludge of "self" so that He can have dominion. Hallelujah! I always want MaKayla and Mal to remember me as one who loved, accepted, nurtured, trained...with love and in love...I want them to always see their dad and I and our home as a place of refuge, comfort and solace...as if God Himself is here dwelling with us. A place of rest, acceptance, joy...

I'm finding it's about thinking less of self and more of the them...
it's about focusing more on Jesus and not on me...

Yesterday was such an awesome day for us girls here at home as we did school and then CLEANED (the bathroom-ugh...ceiling fans-ugh...windows-ugh...have I ever told any of you that I HATE cleaning!?!...love laundry, dishes, cooking...HATE cleaning...)! I brought myself to the point of delegating jobs, being willing to accept how their work turned out rather than insisting on perfection... We all ended the day fulfilled and I am finding that I've many times damaged our girls from being a mom who was never satisfied...where they never felt that their best was good enough...

I'm so thankful for a God who never gives up on me and finds me worthy of tutelage...

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:3~5

Puzzles, Puzzles, Puzzles...

Puzzles, puzzles, and more puzzles! Our family greatly enjoys spending time together and one way that we do this is putting together puzzles! Mom has always enjoyed this hobby, but several years ago our good friends Mike and Sherri gave us a thousand piece puzzle to attempt to conquer and we have been hooked ever since. At first it was just Mom and I that really spent very much time on them, but as Mal gets older she really enjoys doing them as well. Dad likes to watch and occasionally will put a piece in here or there. Our favorite brand is 'Hometown Collection' which mainly consists of scenes of the different seasons and fun things like that. With all of us working together it usually only takes two to three days to do one. This is normally how it goes: Mom picks out the border pieces and puts them together and then each of us start working a different section. Puzzles have proven to be a great way for us to spend time together and to accomplish something as a family! They are definitely a comfort to me and wonderful way to relax and just spend quiet moments!

A Few of the ones we've done...

Mal's kitten puzzle...

April's puzzle..

Race cars...

Most recent...

God is Faithful...

Every morning Mom and I sit, right after my shower and before Mal wakes up, and talk about her morning Bible study and what God has been speaking to us. This time is not formal or scheduled, just an opportunity for us to share our hearts with each other. These special moments usually end up into thirty-minute discussions which usually leave us both behind in starting our day, but I wouldn't trade them for anything! :-) As we sat and discussed this morning it was proof that God is teaching both of us, as well as Dad and Mal, some very distinct lessons and He is showing us His power day-by-day!

The past three-to-four weeks have not been easy ones in the least as God has been constantly revealing things in each of us that He wants to remove, areas of our lives that He wants to work on, cleanse, and make new! As I have pondered, prayed, asked "why?", and sought His direction in so many things, He has brought one particular verse to mind over and over again.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; GREAT is Your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23

There have been times in these past weeks that I knew with all of my heart that things would never be the same for us. I was angry with God and could not understand His purpose. I asked Him time-and-time again why we had to be the family that seemed to live in constant turmoil and had to live in complete accordance with His will. And then, one, brisk, frosty morning, as I went for a walk through the pasture, before I started school, with the sun just starting to rise, I heard a Still, Small Voice and He told me, "MaKayla, why must you question Me? Don't you know that I know the plans I have for you? Don't you know that My faithfulness in new every morning? You have no reason to be angry with Me or doubt why I have you where I do. Trust, and know that I am God and I know what I am doing!"

So many times I lose sight of the fact that I can only see the present, the now. As I am doing a Beth Moore study on Esther, she brought out the fact that so many times we sit and worry about what might happen when we have absolutely no idea what the future holds. We just assume that God doesn't know what He is doing. We analyze and try to figure it out when He is saying, "I have it all under control".

I praise you Father God, that because of you we have hope in the fact that tomorrow is a new day! I praise You that Your compassions never fail and that You are always faithful!!!