I hate the devil. I hate what he does, what he stands for, how he destroys lives and how he uses the simplest of tricks to accomplish his deeds. I thoroughly hate the devil. it's the only time God will allow you to reference yourself as all other times it must be to Him. yet even then it is He that gives you that hate for the devil.
this past weekend was a milestone in the path of God's direction for my life. I made it public to my parents and church family that I have surrendered to God's calling to the mission field. do I know to where God has called me? the answer is yes... where ever He wants me. right now it's my hometown, the surrounding towns and the state. no place like home. but what many times we fail to realize is we are all called to be missionaries. if to no other place than our own hometown.
that's exactly the same place where the devil wants to stop you. see if he can stop you there then he knows you won't go where God wants you. this is no more evident than in Genesis 25:34 when Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob. and for what, a bowl of beans? no. he sold it to curb an appetite. one that could never be satisfied. and where did it happen? AT HOME! it wasn't at a conference in the next city, it wasn't in the next state and it wasn't in the Bahamas. it was at home. the exact place where the devil knew he could curb his appetite.
God has opened my eyes to see that I have a huge bullseye directly above me with the devil aimed and ready. and he's begun in my own comfort zone. exactly where he knows I can curb my appetite. so how will I make it to where God wants me? by realizing that, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power (II Timothy 1:7)” and relying on that,“Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). that's why I hate the devil.
Showing posts with label genesis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label genesis. Show all posts
4/5/09
escape to the mountain
once upon a time I was given the directive to “escape to the mountain” by God. now this mountain He directed me to was in full-time Christian service. first as a missionary then to preach. little did I know then that God would; 1. get me to the mountain, 2. get me up the mountain, 3. get me on top of the mountain, 4. keep me in the mountain and 5. get His glory for doing number's 1-4 as He rightfully should.
I take this line from Genesis 19:17, “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” see Lot had everything going for him; he was nephew to Abraham, was blessed with money and possessions, and had seen God work and move in his Uncle's life. yet he desired the plains of Jordan (Gen. 13:10).
after all that God had blessed him with, after all that God had graciously done for him and after all that God had allowed him to see what His mighty hand could do; Lot still wanted more... the plains. yep, me to a “T”. but this is the good part! God still loved Lot, ie: me, as He mercifully pulled him out of Sodom (Gen. 19:16). He was not obligated. Lot, ie: me, should have been consumed as he put himself in that position. but no. God in His love, grace and mercy bestowed upon Lot, ie: me, something he was of by no means worthy.
His calling is once more in the same order and to the same positions.
God, as you want me on that mountain and not in the plains, please, get me to that mountain. I trust you. I submit to you. In my own strength I cannot accomplish this endeavor as there must not be any “I”. It can only be You.
Your Will. Your Service. Your Glory.
I take this line from Genesis 19:17, “And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” see Lot had everything going for him; he was nephew to Abraham, was blessed with money and possessions, and had seen God work and move in his Uncle's life. yet he desired the plains of Jordan (Gen. 13:10).
after all that God had blessed him with, after all that God had graciously done for him and after all that God had allowed him to see what His mighty hand could do; Lot still wanted more... the plains. yep, me to a “T”. but this is the good part! God still loved Lot, ie: me, as He mercifully pulled him out of Sodom (Gen. 19:16). He was not obligated. Lot, ie: me, should have been consumed as he put himself in that position. but no. God in His love, grace and mercy bestowed upon Lot, ie: me, something he was of by no means worthy.
His calling is once more in the same order and to the same positions.
God, as you want me on that mountain and not in the plains, please, get me to that mountain. I trust you. I submit to you. In my own strength I cannot accomplish this endeavor as there must not be any “I”. It can only be You.
Your Will. Your Service. Your Glory.
4/2/09
the seeds of just imagine
my mother had not one but two green thumbs. growing up I honestly believed she even had green toes as her silk plants would bud and blossom. alas I only have one green thumb as even my silk plants will die. as with all life, plants start as a seed. they are germinated, bud and eventually bloom into the beautiful flowers or foliage we admire and adore.
such is the case with our thoughts. a “seed” called imagine is planted within our head. it’s where we store our dreams and fantasies; this land of imagination. our head is fertile soil in which to plant our thoughts and ideas. Genesis 8:21c says, “for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.” hmmm seems one obtains this fertile soil at birth. not like we get an option.
now how we germinate those seeds is left up to us. see the devil would like for us to germinate his way. evil, wicked, sinful thoughts and ideas are his specialty. God, on the other hand, wants them to be pure and pleasing. Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
sounds good but how does one think this way? glad you asked. James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” DON'T LET THE DEVIL GET ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR FERTILE SOIL WITH HIS SEEDS! you by no means can do it alone! so you must submit your thoughts, mind, ideas, imaginations, dreams, fantasies and even your thought process to God. the whole bundle just wrapped up and handed over.
a few posts ago I mentioned that my mind is one area that I battle in. God and I are going to war with the devil in this arena. it won't be easy but I know that “Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world.” bring it on.
such is the case with our thoughts. a “seed” called imagine is planted within our head. it’s where we store our dreams and fantasies; this land of imagination. our head is fertile soil in which to plant our thoughts and ideas. Genesis 8:21c says, “for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.” hmmm seems one obtains this fertile soil at birth. not like we get an option.
now how we germinate those seeds is left up to us. see the devil would like for us to germinate his way. evil, wicked, sinful thoughts and ideas are his specialty. God, on the other hand, wants them to be pure and pleasing. Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
sounds good but how does one think this way? glad you asked. James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” DON'T LET THE DEVIL GET ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR FERTILE SOIL WITH HIS SEEDS! you by no means can do it alone! so you must submit your thoughts, mind, ideas, imaginations, dreams, fantasies and even your thought process to God. the whole bundle just wrapped up and handed over.
a few posts ago I mentioned that my mind is one area that I battle in. God and I are going to war with the devil in this arena. it won't be easy but I know that “Greater is he that is in me, than he that is in the world.” bring it on.
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