Living In A Haunted House, Psalm 73

Is Buddy still haunted by memories of the abusive behavior of his prior owners? He’s much more relaxed and demanding than he used to be, but when he’s whimpering and twitching during sleep, is he having normal doggie dreams or bad memories? Only God knows what’s in his mind.

Asaph begins Psalm 73 by reassuring himself that the Lord loves his nation and blesses the righteous:

“Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart (verse 1).”

But then his focus shifts to lamenting that the wicked and selfish seem to prosper, are able to bless their children with an inheritance, and suffer no punishment for their wicked behavior (verses 2-12).

What possibly could God have in mind by allowing the wicked to have happy lives yet continue cause so much harm to others?

I can relate. When I focus on world events and on US politics, it seems that wicked people are blessed: They continue to prosper although they murder the innocent, feather their beds with corruption, and spew lies and hatred. It seems their evil is not restrained at all. It’s easy to become angry and discouraged.

It’s as if I’m living in a haunted house, filled with ghouls and angry spirits and I cannot escape. The wicked appear to have free rein in this world, and there’s seemingly nothing good people can do about it.

And then I shift the focus to my own life and realize that God doesn’t give me what I deserve for my sin, but, instead, is gracious to me and permits me the time to grow and become a better person.

Asaph shifts the focus to himself, also, but wonders what’s the use of being a good person, when it seems evil people have blessed lives while he, trying to serve the Lord, suffers misfortune (verses 13-16, 21-22). He became embittered and angry.

And then he enters God’s house, which was the ancient Jewish temple where the Spirit of God rested above the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies:

“Then I perceived their end (verse 17).”

Entering into the Lord’s house reminded him that his service ultimately was not in vain. As Christians, we need to keep an eternal perspective. This world and its material blessings are temporary. The haunted house that we currently live in will one day crumble in decay and be destroyed. People who refuse to acknowledge the Lord are choosing to spend eternity with the enemy of our souls.

Unbelievers will one day discover, to their dismay, that there is an eternal price to pay for their temporary happiness.

“For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You (verse 27).”

Asaph comes to his senses and stops feeling bitter for his suffering. He shifts his focus from his present circumstances to the future:

“With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory…My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (verses 25-26).”

Like Asaph, it’s easy to get dismayed at the present state of this world and wonder where God is. Why is He allowing evil to triumph while good people with the courage to stand for God and what’s right keep losing ground? It seems like America—and Western Civilization—continues its downhill slide into nihilism and self-destruction, while privileged elites prosper from corruption and oppression.

But Asaph reminds us to shift our view from our present time to the future. Jesus has already won the victory over sin and the devil at the Cross. And was resurrected to prove that He is God and can give eternal life to those who ask for it, desiring to be in His kingdom under His authority.

Jesus promised to return (John 14:1-3). Evil will not continue to prosper. God has a plan and will fulfill it.

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”—the Apostle Peter, 2 Peter 3:9

God is working events to bring as many people to repentance as possible. And, unfortunately, it appears that many won’t repent till He allows the full expression of human evil to prevail to demonstrate our world’s need for Jesus to rule.

Stay strong. Jesus is returning.

Evil will be punished when God determines the time is right.

God bless.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy.

PS. I often feel unworthy to minister to you. Daily I fail and fall short, and am reminded that I am still Jesus’ work in progress. Failure reminds me to be humble and how blessed I am to be a child of the Great King.

***

Do you want to live forever in God’s house in heaven?

You see, many people believe that they can rebel against God’s rules their entire life and then knock on heaven’s door and demand entrance.

Heaven would be hell for them, as they don’t want to live under His rules.

The truth is, Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart, asking you to give Him permission to enter (Revelation 3:20). He wants you to voluntarily enter into His kingdom under His rule—because He’s the King! The Lord God Almighty!

Which side of the door Jesus stands on is decided in this lifetime.

If you’ve read this far, you hear God knocking on your heart asking permission for His Holy Spirit to enter. Will you ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior right now?

Please don’t delay.

I’ve never regretted asking Jesus to be my Lord.

If you’re ready, please say the below prayer, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I open the door to my heart and invite Jesus to enter. I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness and a new heart. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please grant me Your Holy Spirit. I want to live for You. Teach me how much You love me and how precious and valuable I am to you. Thank you for hearing my prayer and that Jesus gave His life on the Cross so that I could have new life. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are many other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Spooky Thinking, Psalm 37:8

Buddy playing in shredded paper.

When Buddy and I visit my parents, they have to hide the bag of paper slices produced by their paper shredder. When Buddy got upset, he’d head into their den and tear open the bag of shredding, then spread it all over the room. It was cute, watching him “go to town” in the pile of shredded paper—yet quite inconvenient to clean up. Fortunately, there was no permanent damage to anything but the black garbage bags.

We are living in scary times. I’m often realizing that I’m thinking SPOOKY thoughts; I’m imagining conversations that are not real, like transparent ghosts, because I’m fretting over foolish, ungodly, or ignorant attitudes of people I know.

And I imagine discussing with them why these attitudes are wrong.

But what does the Bible say?

“Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.”—King David, Psalm 37:8

What I’m engaging in are imaginary thoughts with imaginary people. Just like Buddy playing in the pile of shredded paper, I’m prancing around in shredded thinking. My imaginings are NOT changing anybody’s minds or attitudes, because my conversations are not real. I’m engaged in wishful thinking of what I might have the courage to say and speculating about what the other person might say.

I’m fretting.

And the Bible proclaims that it “only leads to evildoing.”

Firstly, I’m disrupting my thinking which could be focused, instead, on praying or whatever task is at hand. I’m wasting valuable mental energy that could be better engaged elsewhere.

I’m also damaging my body, causing stress reactions in my brain and, particularly, my shoulders and back which begin to clench up, creating soreness.

Secondly, I’m not only sinning against myself, but others.

I’m unintentionally thinking haughtily toward others. I know they’re deceived by the media and our culture. They’re not bad people. But I can treat them arrogantly if I don’t guard my attitudes.

Also, the wrong thinking can create the “simmering teapot” effect, where I can become impatient with others, and perhaps even explode in anger, because my internal pressure is already near the boiling point. Just one or two more degrees of aggravation and off blows the whistle.

So, if you’re struggling like me with spooky thinking, please read Psalm 37. Because David reassures us that evil does not last forever, nor evildoers. At least, not in their earthly existence.

I have to remind myself about Palm 37:8 and that, no matter what happens in this world, God’s got this. Nothing that’s occurring has caught Him by surprise.

“The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”—King David, Psalm 103:19

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Do you want to have confidence that God is with you?

Yes, we cannot see God. The Father is spirit and His Son Jesus, Who came in the flesh (Matthew 1:23) over 2,000 years ago is at the Father’s right hand (Mark 16:19) till it’s time for His return.

But we can see the effect of His presence. Like the wind, we cannot see the Holy Spirit of God Himself, but we witness His impact on our lives and this world.

Jesus changed my life for the better, and I want that same blessing for you.

If you’ve read this far, I believe that the Lord is calling to you. Please accept His invitation to enter His kingdom and into a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ.

You don’t have to “clean up your act” firstly. God knows you cannot meet His perfect standards. Jesus came to earth to take the punishment all our sins deserve. As the only perfect God in human form (John 10:30), He didn’t have to be punished for sin as He had known. So He was qualified to take it for us.

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 8:1

Are you ready to accept Jesus as Lord, Who has the authority to define right and wrong, and as your savior from punishment for your sin?

If so, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, Please forgive my sin. Jesus died for me so that I can be forgiven forever and have eternal life. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. And fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Because Jesus was resurrected bodily from the dead, I am able to receive Your resurrection life. I give my life to You. Please help me understand how much You love me. In the marvelous name of Jesus, Your Son, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul; the Bible is your soul food. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew, as it’s easy to understand, and reading forward.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by bad teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well. Sadly, I’m speaking from experience.

God bless you as you begin your journey in life with Jesus as your companion.

May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

An Immediate Response, Matthew 14:30-31

Goofy look.

Buddy’s a clever dog. He’s discovered that if he squeals, rather than barks, I respond immediately, because he sounds distressed, needing help.

The Apostle Matthew relayed an extraordinary experience with Jesus. Jesus had just miraculously fed over five thousand people by breaking and distributing five loaves of bread and two fish. Then He commanded His disciples to get into a boat and travel to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, while He sent the crowds away to spend some quality time alone on a mountain to pray to the Father God and refresh Himself.

Being God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), Jesus surely knew that a storm was brewing, that would capture the disciples in raging waves. Yet, He later walked on the sea, not to rescue the disciples from danger, but to pass them by.

Per Msgr. Charles Pope, Jesus intended to pass by to display His glory, His identity as the incarnated Christ. (https://blog.adw.org/2014/01/why-did-jesus-mean-to-pass-by-his-disciples-when-he-walking-on-the-water/). The disciples did worship Jesus as God after He stilled the storm. After all, Psalm 107:29 clearly teaches that it is God Who has the power to still stormy waters. After the display of His power and supernatural abilities, they recognized it was God in human form they were following.

If you aren’t familiar with the Scripture, the disciples became frightened when they saw Jesus walking on the stormy sea. After all, it was likely pitch black and they wouldn’t recognize whoever was out on the water walking toward them. They thought they’d seen a ghost.

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take courage, it is I: do not be afraid.’

“Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to you on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”—Matthew 14:27-30

Now, I certainly don’t condemn Peter for being frightened. He was a seasoned fisherman; those waves must’ve been massively high and scary, besides the flashes of lightning scarring the dark sky and the pounding thunder. But that’s not the point I’d like to focus on right now.

“And beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him…“—Matthew 14:30-31

When Peter called upon the Lord Jesus to be saved, Jesus acted immediately. He didn’t allow Peter to sink below the waves to “teach him a lesson.”

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear.”—Isaiah 59:1

The Lord is always eager to hear a person cry out, “Please, save me!” He will respond immediately. Jesus will reveal His glory, but then stop to reach out to pull any person out of the treacherous waters of sin and death who cry out to Him for salvation with an open and honest heart (Luke 8:15).

“For ‘whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”—Romans 10:13, the Apostle Paul quoting an Old Testament prophet, Joel 2:32

Please don’t wait till you’re sinking. Call upon Jesus right now for your salvation. He’s knocking on the door of your heart, waiting for you to respond to His voice (Revelation 3:20).

“‘For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,’ declares the Lord God. ‘Therefore, repent and live.’”—Ezekiel 18:32

If you’re already a born again believer, Jesus knows every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30). Can you imagine how amazing that is? You shed and grow new hairs constantly. Yet, this incomprehensibly powerful God, Who has named every of the billions stars in the universe (Psalm 147:4) will also respond to the cries of His children when you call out to Him for help.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”—Psalm 147:3

Open up your heart to Jesus today. He loves and wants to hear your voice.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Why delay? Cry out to Jesus right now for salvation from the stormy waves of this uncertain world. Jesus, being God and sinless, didn’t have to pay the punishment for His own sin, so He was able to pay for the sins of others as a substitute on our behalf. He was crucified on the Cross, then rose from the dead on the third day, proving that He is God.

Perhaps that went over your head a little. That’s OK for right now. If you give your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will teach you and help you to understand.

So are you ready to take a different path into your future? If so, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin. But I believe You love me and sent Jesus to take the punishment I deserve. Please forgive my sin. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please teach me, guide me and lead me into a life of love. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all understanding as you read. The Bible is your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand, and read forward.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study, and get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries out there, but it’s easy to be misled by false teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well. Pastors Chuck Smith, Chuck Swindoll, and Max Lucado have also written excellent books, many of which can be found in an American library system.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Surviving A Spiritual Attack, Psalm 115:11

Buddy injured by attack.

Once again, life has proven that a person cannot predict what a day will bring. I was walking Buddy Thanksgiving morning in the nearby green belt as we’ve done many times. But, apparently, two visiting dogs escaped from one of the townhomes. The chow was not aggressive, but for some reason the standard poodle was determined to harm Buddy.

The poodle ran half a block and snapped at Buddy, injuring his back right side as I lifted him up into the air. Buddy struggled and I feared he’d hurt his long back. The poodle ignored me but kept jumping upward to attack my pal. I love dogs and didn’t want to hurt it, so I kept kicking it flat footed against its chest. But it would not back off.

The poodle was tall. Neighbors heard my screaming and invited me into their home to wait till the aggressive dog left the green belt. It was quite a challenge to keep Buddy out of reach as I ran into the home. A few minutes later, it appeared that it was safe to leave. I thanked Maria and her mother.

It wasn’t safe.

The poodle saw us leave and scampered back to attack. I ran between two homes and placed Buddy onto a fairly tall HVAC condenser, while yelling and kicking the aggressive dog away. A resident of one of the homes came outside, saw what was happening, and began picking up rocks and throwing them at the dog. The poodle finally ran off. Fortunately, I was only about a hundred yards from my parent’s home and was able to get us both to safety.

With my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

The attack was unprovoked. Yet that poodle was determined to harm Buddy.

The next day I was able to get Buddy to his vet who cleaned the wound, shaved the fur away and prescribed antibiotics. Although my mother used hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound and neosporin to prevent infection, I was concerned that his fur would cause an infection. I didn’t sleep well that night!

After calming down a few hours later, I realized that I’d been singing and praising Jesus out loud and giving thanks just before the attack. The dog’s persistent aggression certainly ended my praise.

Was it a coincidence or an attempt by Satan to silence my praise? I cannot say definitively as the spiritual world is invisible.

Many born again Christians I know has at some point told me a story about a demonic attack against them. Mostly the encounters are unseen, but, occasionally the victim has seen an entity.

Now, my desire is not to frighten anyone. I just want to arm you with a few strategies in case you have an encounter.

My number one warning is: NEVER think you’re an expert in spiritual warfare. And be suspicious of anyone who claims to be an expert. The demonic has been around for thousands of years and has far more intelligence and experience than you’ll ever have. They are deceitful spirits (1 Timothy 4:1) and have had plenty of practice at it.

My number two warning—and this is very important—is never stray from God’s word in spiritual warfare. Do not go by someone’s experience but by what God’s word says. Any deviation can get you into trouble.

And, thirdly, you must be a true Christian, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The seven sons of the Jewish chief priest Sceva were severely attacked by one man possessed by one evil spirit (Acts 19:11-17) because they tried exercising spiritual authority which they did not rightfully have.

Now, between screams I prayed for God to help and protect Buddy. He normally uses people (as does the devil) to accomplish His will. I truly believe that those two neighbors were God’s way of helping us.

But the type of attack I’d like to address in this blog is that spirit of oppression, which often feels like you’ve suddenly been draped with, or encapsulated by, a suffocating presence. You have trouble thinking, or speaking or moving. Often this may occur after you turn out the lights and attempt to sleep. Why darkness matters, I don’t know.

I don’t claim to be an expert!

If you cannot speak, you must at least pray to Jesus in your mind and ask for help and His deliverance. Once you can speak any words at all, cry out to Jesus, even if just to say His name. For it’s only in the name of Jesus that “every knee should bow…and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).” Only the name of Jesus is given “the name which is above every other name (Philippians 2:9).”

Once you’ve cried out in the name of Jesus, keep crying out till the oppression eases. Then take authority by saying, humbly, “In the name of Jesus, and covered by His blood, I command you to leave.”

ALWAYS do so in the name of Jesus and under His blood covering. Not to do so is to be presumptuous, that you have the power over evil. You don’t; it’s given to you by God alone. Only in the name of Jesus must every power bow down.

Jesus wants you to know: “the exceeding greatness of His power toward those who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,”—Apostle Paul, Ephesians 1:19-22

Then begin singing praises to God. Evil hates hearing Jesus, our Lord, thanked and praised. He wants us to blaspheme and curse God (Psalm 139:20).

I also suggest turning on the light and keep praying and praising God till you’re certain you’re delivered.

Those are your weapons of warfare: prayer and praise and the blood of Jesus (Revelation 12:11).

As Jesus said in Luke 10:19-20: “I have given you authority…over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Two further caveats: “Trouble will come to him who seeks evil (Proverbs 11:27).” I highly advise not seeking out spiritual warfare opportunities and don’t watch ghost hunting shows. And stay away from witchcraft and fortune telling and all forms of the occult (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). Stay out of the devil’s domain. If you’ve been involved in these activities, ask God to forgive you and turn away from them. As my Pastor, Jon Bjorgaard, says, “God has Satan on a leash; so stay out of the devil’s reach.”

Secondly, repent from known sin. But, please, don’t be paranoid about it. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” Nobody is perfect. We all have sin to confess and faults we struggle with to overcome. But if you’re engaging in sexually immoral behavior, for instance, don’t count on Jesus to protect you. He may, because He’s kind and loves all of His children, but don’t presume upon His assistance. He may choose to withhold help till you repent of something you know He’s been telling you to repent from but are refusing to do so.

This is definitely not the topic I was planning to blog about tonight, but the unprovoked aggression against Buddy got me thinking about how evil can suddenly attack without warning.

So be ready. Use God’s weapons.

“You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.”—Psalm 115:11

Hope this is helpful.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

If you are not born again, which means you’re indwelt by God’s Spirit, you don’t have authority over evil spirits. They may trick you into thinking you do—through casting spells or giving peace offerings—but you don’t. They will cooperate in any way to keep you from seeking Jesus and His protection.

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 10:9

You see, everyone is born spiritually dead, devoid of the Holy Spirit of God, because our first ancestors rejected God as their moral authority. When you confess Jesus as Lord, you’re reversing that first rebellion against God, by asking Him to be your moral authority and your Lord. You’re asking Him to deliver you “from the kingdom of darkness and translate you into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1:13).” In other words, you’re confessing that God is the boss, not you.

If you’re ready to invite Jesus into your life, please pray the following, out loud if possible:

Dear Heavenly Father, I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive all my sin. I invite the Holy Spirit into my life and give my life to You. Help me to repent and free me of those sins I struggle with. Thank you for my new heart. In the powerful name of Jesus, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible, as it’s your spiritual food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Luke as it begins with the Christmas story.

And join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org. There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get misled by legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible well enough.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Spooky Stories #1: Deceitful Spirits, 1 Timothy 4:1

Since Buddy had his late summer trim, he’s received a lot of compliments on his wonderful ears. And “What a sweet boy he is.”

Per the old saying, “Looks are deceiving.”

Since Buddy was terrified of me when I first adopted him, I didn’t discipline him as much as I should’ve. He’s got me trained, rather than the other way around.

However, there are times I just pick him up to end his obstinacy. Being small, there’s not much he can do about it.

I guess he really is a sweet boy, as he’s never tried to bite me.

The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, a young man he had trained to be a pastor in Ephesus:

“The Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…”—1 Timothy 4:1

Satan is the leader of demonic spirits. He was characterized by Jesus as “a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).”

Satan destroyed the human race’s fellowship with God by deceiving Eve, telling her lies about God’s intentions for her life (Genesis 3:13).

Satan is still deceiving people into believing that there is either no God, that they don’t need to be in a relationship with God, or that they can earn their way into heaven by being “good enough.” These are lies.

Satan is the ruler of this world. And targets our minds—our belief system. The Apostle Paul warned believers:

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”—Colossians 2:8

Jesus defeated Satan’s lies by repeating the Word of God back to the devilish foe. And when Satan responded by twisting a passage of Scripture, applying it in a way it wasn’t meant to be, Jesus responded by correcting the wrong interpretation.

That’s why it’s so important to regularly read the Bible. You cannot know if someone is misleading you—whether the media, politicians, the school system, even a pastor—if you don’t know the Word of God for yourself.

As Hebrews 1:1-2 states: “God…in these last days has spoken to us through His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.”

Every person needs to make a decision every day:

Do you listen to Jesus, through Whom all things were created?

Or are you going to listen to lies?

It’s your choice.

Familiarize yourself with what the Bible says so that you aren’t deceived. And ask the Holy Spirit to help you interpret the Scriptural passages you’re reading accurately.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Jesus defeated the power of Satan at the Cross. Sin separates us from God as He is totally holy and cannot tolerate any evil in His presence. But Jesus took every single person’s sin on that Cross. And through His resurrection, declared His victory over death and proved that He is truly God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23).

How do you escape the kingdom of lies and come into a relationship with a holy God Who loves you?

“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”—Romans 10:9

A relationship with God is a gift. Jesus already paid the price. But you must reject the lies of our culture and believe:

1. Jesus is God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), died for your sins and was resurrected bodily from the dead to live forevermore.

2. You are a sinner who cannot be perfect enough to enter heaven by being “good enough”. You must confess that you are a sinner and need Jesus to get into heaven.

3. God exists and, as our Creator, is the Lord of the Universe and had the right to define right and wrong. In other words, He’s your boss.

That’s basically a summary of Romans 10:9.

If you give your life to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will begin the process of revealing truth to you and expose the lies you’re believing.

But you are the one who needs to decide. Jesus won’t force Himself into your life. God wants you to love and follow Him willingly.

If your ready to give your heart to God, please repeat the following prayer:

Dear Holy Father, I confess that I’m a sinner and call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive all my sins. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and give me eternal life. Teach me Your truth and deliver me from all lies I’m believing. In the name of Jesus Your Son, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries: http://www.LTW.org or http://www.AndrewFarley.org. There are other godly ministries but it’s easy to be misled or get caught up in legalism till you are fairly familiar with the Scriptures.

God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.

Test The Spirits, 1 John 4:1-3, Part 1

As I’ve posted before, Buddy was terrified of going home with me after his foster mom released him into my custody. At that time I was a total stranger, but after he got to know my character and love for him, he relaxed and became a beloved member of our family.

Christianity is a supernatural religion. People who ask the Lord Jesus into their lives become temples of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13).

As a result, it’s not wrong to believe in the supernatural. But in the Last Days before the return of Christ, Jesus warned that demonic power will increase and to guard against being deceived (Matthew 24).

The Apostle Paul stated that even Satan himself “masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)”.

And, the Apostle John warned that there are false, deceiving spirits that will also try to deceive us, pretending to be from the Lord but are not, 1 John 4:1-3:

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

“By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world.”

Tonight I’d like to address the first portion regarding deceiving spirits.

1. Stand 100% on the Word of God. Jesus set the example when He defeated Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:1-11). Many books and sermons give anecdotal information about the demonic. Never deviate from what is clearly taught in the Bible. And don’t forget that Satan and his followers also know the Bible and will try to either discredit it (Genesis 3:1-5) or twist its meaning (Matthew 4:6-7). Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding when you read the Scriptures, help you handle it accurately and recall it. And to reveal any false beliefs that you may have.

2. Satan is much older, stronger and smarter than you are. Never consider yourself an expert in the occult. God will allow you to be humbled by not standing fast on His word.

3. Don’t go looking for spirits, particularly if you are not born again (Acts 19:11-20). Only God has power of the evil spirits and those to whom He has granted power through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Too many people are hunting ghosts or exploring haunted locations, placing themselves in danger from the supernatural.

4. God never overrules your personality or ability to think for yourself. The Apostle Paul warned to always hold fast to the mind and that we have “the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)”. Losing control of your mind, behavior, body and words is characteristic of the demonic (Mark 5:1-20, 9:14-29), not God.

Sadly, many Christians do NOT heed Apostle John’s warnings to test the spirits. Some so-called modern apostles claim to “slay people in the Spirit“, ie. cause people to lose control and fall to the ground. The only Biblical example of being slain in the spirit is in the Book of Acts. Ananias and his wife were slain by the Spirit for lying publicly to God. They were killed by God. It’s not recommended.

Also, some people claim to speak in tongues but are in an altered state. God NEVER puts you into an altered state. You are always fully aware and able to function if it’s from God.

My pastor related an instance where visiting Christians from Nigeria entered a church and heard Christians, supposedly speaking in tongues, speaking in their native Nigerian language. They were cursing God in Nigerian.

Even demons attend church. Jesus expelled a spirit from a man who was in a synagogue where people were worshipping God (Mark 1:21-26). False prophets and teachers can be found in churches. Don’t trust someone just because they claim to be a Christian. Be like the Berean church (Acts 17:10-11), who even tested what the Apostle Paul taught by checking the Holy Scriptures daily to see if what Paul taught was in line with God’s Word.

5. You are never told in the Bible to seek out supernatural experiences (except to prophecy or interpret tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:1, 13). When God visited Moses at the burning Bush; the angels visited Zacharias, Joseph and Mary, Daniel, Balaam; or the Transfiguration occurred, as a few examples, the godly people didn’t seek out a supernatural encounter. God initiated the encounters.

Do NOT visualize or ask spirit guides, animal spirits, aliens, fairies, ghosts or other supernatural entities to enter your life. Do not go ghost hunting.

6. God never contradicts His word. Any spirit that teaches anything that contradicts the Bible does not come from God. Therefore, the better you know what the Bible says and teaches, the less likely you are to be deceived. However, please remember you need prayer, also, because the religious leaders at the time of Jesus knew the Bible yet didn’t recognize the Messiah when He stood in front of them.

7. Don’t hold conversations with spirits. They are likely “deceiving spirits (1 Timothy 4:1)”. Don’t commit the same error that Eve did who stopped to hold a conversation with the devil (Genesis 3). Instead, hold conversations with the one true God in prayer. Jesus promised to meet all your needs (Matthew 6:25-34, 7:7-12).

8. Satan and demons can also perform miracles. The Antichrist will deceive most of the human race by performing miracles (Revelation 13). I personally knew a man who spoke in tongues who was demonically oppressed; his gift was not from God.

I didn’t write this blog to frighten you, but to warn you. There are too many media programs about ghosts, aliens and other supernatural beings and occurrences. And too many churches promoting unbiblical practices.

Always stick close to Jesus and His word (2 Peter 1:20-21).

“Be sober, vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).”

The chick that stays under the wings of its mother (Matthew 23:37) won’t get eaten by the hawk.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

Note: I usually use the NASB, but tonight am visiting my parents so am using the New King James Version of the scriptures.

***

The safest place is always in our loving Shepherd’s field. Jesus invites every person to find abundant life by coming to Him.

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. (John 10:9,11).”

Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).” He wants everyone to come into fellowship with Him and spend eternity with Him. But we’re born spiritually dead, in rebellion to God our Creator, wanting to choose right and wrong for ourselves, to do “our own thing”.

If you’re tired of doing things your way and want to become a child of God, learning from Him how to live life and love His way, please pray the following:

Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive my sin. I’m tired of living life my way and bringing unnecessary trouble into my life. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to you. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Teach me how to live. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

If you’ve prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. But just as your body needs daily food, your soul needs daily soul food—the Bible. Please begin reading every day to grow in your faith. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

Also, please join a Bible-based church or Bible study. If they not possible right now, I recommend these three ministries: http://www.LTW.org, http://www.InTouch.org and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. There are other godly ministries, but as a newborn Christian, you can be deceived till you know the Bible better.

And please get baptized.

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).”

God bless you. See you in heaven.

Angel or Demon? 1 John 4:1-3

Buddy

You’ve probably guessed by now that I adore my Silky terrier, Buddy. We’ve been together for over eleven years now. Sometimes he acts like a little devil, but I still love him. He’s my best pal—after the Lord.

Whether Buddy acts like a sweet angel or little rascal, he still has a place in my heart. However, I warned last week that it’s critical to test the spirits. Satan is a liar (John 8:44) and a deceiver, he “disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)”.

Apostle John warned believers in Christ to be on their guard regarding supernatural beings in 1 John 4:1-3 (NASB):

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.”

The Apostle John made several important points:

1. Spirits are real—the supernatural is real.

2. There are good spirits and bad spirits.

2. Don’t believe every spirit.

3. Some spirits serve the omnipotent and loving God (angels) and some do not (demons/Satan).

4. These supernatural beings can influence us.

5. Therefore, test the spirits to determine if they should be listened to or not.

6. The Holy Spirit and angels will testify that Jesus came to earth in the flesh: “Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23)”. Demons will deny that God came to dwell amongst us; (Gnosticism is an example). Jesus is not an angel, or an enlightened being, or merely a good teacher. He is God (Luke 9:20, John 1:1-3, John 5:18, John 9:38, John 11:27, Colossians 1:19, many etceteras).

7. Deceiving spirits will deny Jesus.

8. False prophets will deny Jesus. Don’t believe everything someone says, just because they claim to be a Christian.

9. These falsehood teachings exist now.

Additionally:

1. Satan and anyone influenced by him will deny the truth of God’s Word (Genesis 3:1). They will teach that the Bible is not true, or just some parts are true and some don’t apply in today’s culture—you can pick and choose your own buffet style Christianity. Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 3:16) and Apostle Peter (2 Peter 1:20-21) advised that all of Scripture was inspired by God and beneficial for our lives.

2. You can disobey God with no consequence—not true. You reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7-8), are disciplined by God as a Christian if you refuse to repent (Hebrews 12:5-11), or suffer in Hell if you die in unbelief (Hebrews 9:27, Revelation 20:13-15). God’s rules are for our benefit and protection, not to harm or restrict us.

3. They will hate God’s people—Jewish and Christian (1 John 4:19-21). “God is love (1 John 4:8)” and teaches us how to love others. Anyone who claims to be a Christian but hates those who believe in the Bible—and Jesus—are deceived or deceivers.

4. Deny that they sin or are sinners (1 John 1:8). Any philosophy that denies the sin nature of humanity is a false teaching and leads to bad outcomes for an individual, relationship, culture and society.

My born-again experience (see blog post dated 10/21/21) passed the test. Not being raised Christian, I was surprised when Holy Spirit rushed into my body after giving my life to Jesus. He reassured me Who He was, so that I wouldn’t be frightened to death. He told me three things:

1. The Bible is true;

2. Anyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus is lost;

3. And, although He knew every sin I’d ever committed, He still loved me very much.

So that is why I take the time to write these blogs, because I know without a doubt that God is real, loves us and Jesus came to deliver us from evil. I want you to have abundant, and eternal, life too.

And one final warning: Please take this to heart. The Bible never advises us to seek angelic encounters or to pray to angels. Every angelic encounter in the Bible was initiated by God. There is a good reason for that: Because, as stated above, Satan and his followers will try to deceive you. Jesus has “all authority…in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18)”. Jesus is our only “mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5,” John 14:6). Pray to God in the name of Jesus only (John 14:13-14). Jesus is all you need.

God bless you.

Love from Dawn and Buddy

***

Satan led humanity into rebellion against God’s authority in our lives. Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10) and to bring us back into relationship with the Lord. Adam and Eve wanted to determine for themselves what is right and wrong, not listen to God. As a result of being rejected, the Holy Spirit left the human race so that we are all born incomplete: born just body and soul, instead of as a triune being.

So we all sense an inner emptiness, which we try to fill in our own unique way: with drugs, food, alcohol, pleasure, distraction, relationships, shopping, sex, knowledge, etc. But we never get enough of whatever that filler is, because that hole can only be filled with God’s Spirit.

If you’d like to become whole, accepting God’s authority and presence in your life, please pray the following:

Dear Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus came in the flesh, is the Lord and died for my sins. Please forgive my sins because Jesus already paid the price for me at His death on the Cross. I give my life to you. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I invite the Holy Spirit into my life. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus’ might name, Amen.

If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you are born-again. You’ll become aware of the presence of God in your life. (Remember to test the spirits. The Holy Spirit will never contradict the clear teachings of the Bible.)

Like your body needs food daily to function properly, your soul needs soul food—The Bible. Please begin reading it daily. I suggest starting with Matthew as it’s easiest to understand. Some also suggest the book of John, firstly, as it focuses on God’s love for us.

And find a Bible-based church or Bible study to fellowship with other believers and to be strengthened in your faith. You have joined the family of God; families gather together. If that’s not possible right now, these are my three favorite ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org, http://www.InTouch.org and http://www.BasicGospel.net.

God bless you. Buddy and I will see you in heaven.

Is The Supernatural Real? 1 John 3:24

This story starts with another dog, far different in character than my beloved Buddy.

My mother and I traveled to the UK and split our stay in the city of Liverpool, spending one night before moving on to a private tour of Wales and Chester the following morning. Then returning for another two nights at another hotel, due to cost, to explore the hometown of the Beatles and the port that my great grandpa traveled to the New World from.

Though we enjoyed visiting the lovely city and its friendly citizens, we will never return, due to the frightening experiences we had at both hotels.

In the middle of the night at a remodeled brick hotel, sleeping in a loft room, I awoke to a suffocating presence. The air seemed oppressive, as if it thickened somehow, making it difficult to breathe. I sensed the strong presence of a Bull Mastiff sized black dog, sitting between my and my mother’s twin beds. Recognizing it as a demonic presence, I earnestly began praying and praising God, being particular to mention the most powerful name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, God in the flesh Who defeated sin and death for us.

Do you believe me? You see, I feared waking my slumbering mother, so I prayed in hoarse whispers. I continued praying until I sensed that the presence had left, which seemed an eternity but was likely about twenty minutes.

The next morning, I discovered that my mother had also been awakened and was praying quietly, trying not to wake me. She also sensed the presence of a large, black dog sitting between our beds.

We also had a bad supernatural experience at the other hotel: We both sensed/saw a dragon like figure.

Neither presence exuded the loving presence of God, Who is love (1 John 4:8).

Why we had these experiences, I cannot say. Only that we’ve been to the United Kingdom twice, visited several cities, yet only had these negative experiences in Liverpool.

How do I know that these spirits were not from God?

I was not raised in the Christian faith. And the Christians who witnessed to me during my college years never explained to me what being born-again meant. Nor was it explained that those without Jesus are spiritually dead. I didn’t understand why I felt so empty inside and incomplete.

So it was a total shock when, after I gave my life to Christ through talking to a volunteer with the Billy Graham organization, the Holy Spirit swooped into my body. Being kind, God immediately reassured me Who He was. I was filled with the amazing sense of God’s presence, of love that is indescribable.

I had a “born-again” experience.

Which was totally unanticipated. And could not, therefore, have just been a product of my imagination as I had zero knowledge this would occur.

I became a new creation through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Now I had read through the Bible a few times, but a lot did not click or make sense. Yet, after becoming born-again, I became aware that there are many passages in the Bible that declare that a true Christian had the life of Christ within themselves:

“We know by this that He (God) abides in us, by the Spirit He has given us.”—Apostle John, 1 John 3:24

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,”—Apostle Paul, Galatians 2:20

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”—Apostle Paul, Colossians 1:27

“Guard, through the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us,”—Apostle Paul, 2 Timothy 1:14

Next post I’ll explain more about testing the spirits to discern if it’s from God (1 John 4:1) or Satan, masquerading as “an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

But can I leave you with this advice: Don’t listen to the atheists. They are dead wrong about the supernatural. It’s real.

God bless you.

Much love from Dawn and Buddy

***

What I didn’t understand as a nonbeliever is that every person is born spiritually dead. Because our ancestors (Adam and Eve) rejected God’s authority to tell them right from wrong, the Holy Spirit left the human race. All of their descendants were, thereafter, born incomplete. Made in the image of God, we were intended to be triune beings: flesh, mind/soul and Spirit of God. If you sense that there is an inner emptiness that cannot be filled, you are correct. No amount of pleasure, drugs, sex, food, possessions, or money can ever fill this empty space in your soul: only the life of Jesus can.

If you’re ready to give your life to God and become born-again, please repeat the below prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Lead me, guide me and teach me to discern right and wrong. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. N the mighty name of Jesus I pray, amen.

If you prayed sincerely, congratulations: You are a born-again child of God. You may have a dramatic experience of the Holy Spirit or come to a gradual awareness of His presence within you.

As your body needs food daily to be healthy, your soul needs daily feeding through the Word of God. Please begin reading the Bible. I recommend starting with the New Testament book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.

Also, please attend a Bible believing church or Bible study. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these three ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.BasicGospel.net, http://www.LTW.org and http://www.InTouch.org.

Good bless you. Buddy and I will see you in heaven one day.

And please read next week’s blog post. It’s very important so that you are not misled by deceptive spirits.