Buddy’s veterinarian has nicknamed Buddy “The Energizer Bunny” because he’s quickly adapted to being lame. In the photo above he’s acquired a stance that stabilizes him while eating.
Despite the critics, I have found Pastor Norman Vincent Peale’s books very helpful and inspirational. When I ran Cross Country in high school, a teammate gave me a copy of his book, “You Can If You Think You Can.” I wasn’t raised in a Christian religion, so the book was not only the first Christian book I’ve ever read, but was also the first book that presented Jesus, and God, in a friendly light.
But I believe his broadly applied application of Philippians 4:13 is not quite correct.
“I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.”
I can repeat this verse out loud as my own personal mantra, but in my heart of hearts, I know that not only I cannot do all things, but God hasn’t designed me to do all things.
I not only have limitations, but God has created me with certain skills and heart desires to guide me in a particular direction. And no one person can do all things. The Church praises the superstars, but most Christians are part of a group accomplishing great things for Christ.
I think Pastor Andrew Farley has the correct interpretation, based upon verse 12, preceding the oft quoted verse 13:
“I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”
Pastor Farley says verse 13 is not about being enabled by God to accomplish a particular goal, but is about God walking alongside us to face every circumstance of life.
The Bible has multiple verses about our Great Shepherd leading and guiding us, the most famous being Psalm 23:4:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.”
When interpreted correctly, Philippians takes the pressure off of me that God has the expectation that I can be a Super Christian and accomplish spectacular results with Christ’s help.
It’s freeing to realize that Christ actually promises to help be through whatever circumstances this life throws at me.
And as we know, “The truth sets you free (John 8:32).”
I think this takes the stress off our shoulders to accomplish spectacular deeds or achievements, and reassures us of God’s attention to survive or thrive during our sojourn here.
Hope this helps you as it did me.
God bless.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
The best thing that’s ever happened to me was to give my life to Jesus, to accept Him as Lord—God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23)—and Savior: Who died for all our sins.
Won’t you please give your heart to Jesus now? And experience the joy of knowing that the God of the Bible is real?
If so, please repeat the below, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask You to forgive my sin and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I’m sorry for my sin and want new life in Jesus. I ask Jesus to be both my Lord and Savior. Please give me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please teach me how much You love me. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
If you’ve prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible as it’s your soul food and the main way God speaks to you. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew 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) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message).
God bless you as you start your new walk with Jesus. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
When I was a teenager, I’d walk my poodle, Penny, and talk to God for at least an hour. Sometimes poor Penny sat on the bed with me as I poured out my teen angst and concerns to the Lord. Although I wasn’t born again nor understood who Jesus was yet, I believed there was a God Who heard me.
That poor dog!
Over a decade later I became born again. And although I accepted Christ was the Lord God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), I then started talking to God like a holy person was supposed to: interceding for people and making other mighty requests that an Almighty, caring God could answer.
And expressing thanks, of course, trying to focus on the silver lining of life and its events.
But over the years I’ve had one problem after another. My pastor talks about the valley every Christian will have to go through eventually. But I’d like to get out of the valley once in a while! Some of us just seem to stay there in the desert without understanding why and if we get out of the valley, we’re right back in another with little rest!
Even when not engaging in any willful disobedience.
So this past holiday season I asked God: “What’s up with that? Why can’t I get a break from things going awry?”
Psalm 55:17 provides an answer:
“Evening and mourning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice.”
What, Dawn? Have you lost it?
I sensed that God was trying to pull me back into a true friendship with Him. To not see Him just as The Big Guy Who answers prayers, but also as my friend Who wants to hear from me. Who wants to be the Heavenly Father Who listens to his child talk about her day, her feelings, her concerns, and her worries.
To engage with Him and not just talk to Him.
So I think God trying to coax me into opening up my heart to Him once again as I used to as a teen. After all, when everything’s going great, I don’t have much to complain or murmur about.
God wants a true relationship with us, to be a friend and not just a Guy Who Answers Prayers.
Now it’s OK to make requests. In the verse before, 16, David cries out:
“As for me, I shall call upon God, and the Lord will save me.”
But I have to remember that He’s also my best friend Who knows me more intimately and completely than anyone else ever could, Who understands me better than anyone else ever could, and is always there to call out to when no one else can always be there for me.
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6
Please say “hello” to your best friend every day.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Even though I spoke for hours upon hours to the Lord as a teenager, pouring out my heart to Him, it was a one-way conversation as I was not yet born again, filled by God’s Spirit.
Only His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27).
If you’re unsaved, generally the Lord will have only one message for you to hear: Follow Me. Become born again by My Spirit. Come to Me for life (Matthew 16:24, John 3:3, 5:40).
God wants to be your Heavenly Father and best friend. Will you please accept His invitation to enter into relationship with Him?
“Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 10:13)
The Lord’s name is Jesus, the God Who came in human flesh (Mathew 1:23) to die for your sins so that you don’t have to, and rose bodily from the dead to give you resurrection life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Do you believe this?
If not, will you ask Him for the faith to believe?
If you’re ready to enter into a love relationship with God, please repeat the below prayer, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I call on Jesus to be my Savior and God Who died for my sins. I’m sorry for my disobedience and humbly ask for Your forgiveness. Please be my friend and Father and constant companion, my Good Shepherd Who will lead me and guide me now and forever. Please give me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the 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. I suggest starting with the book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand, and reading forward.
Also, 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).
God bless you as you start your new life in Christ.
The thought of losing Buddy one day makes me want to cry. But he won’t ever truly be lost, just separated from me until I join him in heaven one day. He’s been my fur pal for over thirteen years now.
Yet, I’m still hoping to be raptured together. Although he’s 16 years old, he’s still pretty spry,so I am hoping for a few more earthly years with him.
The following is a bit harsh, but want to challenge you to consider something, if you haven’t already.
Don’t deceive yourself. If you don’t have the courage to speak up now for what is right and to defend your liberty, then you definitely will NOT do so when the AntiChrist arises. You will take the Mark of the Beast.
This sounds awful, but it’s the truth: If you’re a coward now when the stakes are lower, you’ll be a coward then.
Yes, if you stand for Jesus and godly values, it’s possible that evil people will attack you. They’ll slander you, maybe try to financially bankrupt you or take away your liberty.
Or even take your life.
For me, the hardest thing would be to witness my loved ones suffering, particularly if the abuse is aimed at them because of me.
But there is something the devil and his servants can never take from you: your soul.
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 8:48-39
Now I’m not sure if I will have the courage then that I have now. Indeed, the stakes are lower now.
So I occasionally pray that the Lord will give me the strength to stand strong On That Day, if the “abomination of desolation (Mark 13:14)” arises and desecrates the temple of Jerusalem (Daniel 11:31) during my lifetime.
Because when it comes to Jesus and spiritual matters, it’s only by the power of the Holy Spirit that I can walk in triumph.
For it is only through Christ “I can do all things through Him Who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).”
For “thanks be to God Who always leads us in triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14).”
If you’re feeling afraid, please remember Christ will strengthen you, if you will ask Him.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy.
***
There’s something way more scarier and awful than being a coward: It’s dwelling in the kingdom of Satan, rather than walking in the kingdom of light in Jesus Christ.
Because being called bad names may hurt our egos, but the devil is damaging souls under his power.
You see, there IS NO neutral territory: You’re either living in the kingdom of Satan or in the kingdom of Christ.
Do you feel like something’s missing in your life? Like there is an empty space on your soul that can never go away, despite how hard you try to fill it with things or relationships you think should make you feel happy—but don’t.
Your soul was created to be united with God’s Spirit. If you feel empty, it’s because the Holy Spirit isn’t filling that space in your heart where He is supposed to dwell.
If you haven’t yet, please consider asking Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. He died for your sins, so that you don’t have to, and was resurrected bodily on the Third Day to prove that He is God and can give you supernatural, eternal life.
Please repeat the below prayer, out loud, if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin. Please forgive me. I call on Jesus to be both my Lord and my Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And please teach me how much You love me. In the mighty name of your Son Jesus Christ, 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.
And attend a Bible-believing church or Bible study, and get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend the following two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be deceived by bad teaching or legalism until you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
As many of you now know, Buddy is a rescue who was abused for three years before I adopted him—furever! At first he was terrified of me, but gradually his focus moved from his awful past to his present life full of love with his new family.
I bought a pocket-sized NASB version of only the Book of Psalms, so that I could focus reading a few chapters every morning without pulling out a heavy book.
Most people focus on Psalm 23. It’s a wonderful Psalm by the ancient king of Israel, David. But there are many other marvelous Psalms that are also worthy of our meditation and focus.
Please join me in culling some of the wonderful gems in the 43 verses of chapter 107 in the Book of Psalms.
Primarily, the Psalm describes the various ways that people get themselves into trouble by acting without God in their lives. But when they acknowledge their need for the Lord’s help, He responds to their cries.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is forever.”—Verse one
It’s basically a Psalm about how kind God is, rescuing us from our own self-imposed troubles. Unlike Satan, He doesn’t kick us when we’re down, but responds to sincere cries for help.
1. Verse two discusses how God redeems us “from the hand of the adversary.” The Lord Jesus came in the flesh, which is celebrated on Christmas Day, to live a perfect life and redeem us—buy us back—out of Satan’s realm of darkness and transfer us into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13) by dying for our sins.
We cannot earn this salvation; it is freely given to us when we call upon the name of the Lord to save us (Romans 10:13).
And throughout the Psalm, people call on God for help, which He freely gives to them.
2. Verses 4-9 describes people who are wandering “in a desert region” and in great physical distress. They were lost, unable to find an inhabited city to get help. Unable to get human aid, they turned to God, acknowledging they needed God’s rescue—and “He led them also by a straight way, to go to an inhabited city”.
Which reminds me of everyone’s favorite Psalm:
“He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His namesake.”—Psalm 23:3
When we follow God’s path, we discover that the Good Shepherd’s ways lead out of the confusion in the desert of sin and into green pastures of peace and safety.
3. Verses 11-16 describe people who are enslaved by sin and unable to free themselves. They’re miserable because “they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore, He humbled their heart with labor…”
Consequences for sinful behavior are an act of love from God. It causes us to realize our need for Him, to change our destructive behavior, so He allows us to suffer the result of our sin, so that we’ll come to our senses and acknowledge our need to follow Him and not our own desires. When the people in Psalm 107 finally realized, once again, that human effort couldn’t rescue them, they called out to God, who shattered their chains of sin.
4. Verses 17-22 describe people who became seriously ill: “Fools, because of their rebellious way, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.” But when they acknowledged their sin and repented, how did God help?
“He sent His word and healed them.”—verse 20
Deceased Pastor Norman Peale had many different persons approach him, as detailed in his various books, with serious ailments of various sorts that caused them great suffering and interfered with their careers. What the Pastor often discovered is that these men engaged in serious sin, such as adultery. Their guilt and wickedness was the root cause of their illness and setbacks. Once they confessed their sin, acknowledging their need to follow God’s moral rules and stop rebelling, they became healthy—mentally, physically, and spiritually.
God’s word, the Bible, sometimes is the cure for what afflicts us. He gives us instruction, insight, and hope through the promises in the Scriptures.
5. Verses 23-32 describe men engaged in commerce, who “do business on great waters.” But they encountered a great storm which caused them great fear and distress. But when they called on the Lord to save them, “He caused the storm to be still.”
Sometimes we get busy conducting business, searching for wealth or fame, and forget to include God in our lives. Then we encounter obstacles which are totally beyond our control, which reminds us to seek God.
And, God graciously rescues us.
6. Verses 33-38 describes how God can curse the efforts of wicked people, but bless the labor of good people. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the way is death (Proverbs 14:12).” Sometimes our efforts are not succeeding because we’re compromising our moral integrity. If you’re a child of God, He may delay blessing you till you repent and commit to acting with moral integrity.
7. Lastly, verses 39-42 describe how sometimes we suffer because of the wickedness of other people who oppress us in some way, particularly those in high positions of power. But God graciously delivers us.
Why?
“Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things, and consider the lovingkindness of the Lord.”—verse 43
May we always seek God in time of need, Who has the power to deliver us from circumstances and people too mighty for us to combat alone.
And from our own sin.
Please consider pointing unbelievers to this wonderful Psalm, which describes the many ways God will deliver people from the consequences of sin, if they’re willing to acknowledge their need for a Savior.
And recognize that He’s good.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
“Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 10:13
It doesn’t matter what kind of trouble you’re in, God is good and loves you. He’s willing to forgive your sin and rescue you from bondage to the Kingdom of Darkness.
He doesn’t discriminate. No matter how far you’ve wandered in the desert, He’s willing to respond to your cries for rescue if you’re willing to repent and call on Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.
Lord: your moral authority and King of your life and
Savior: The one Who died for your sins, taking the punishment you deserve.
No need to get your act together first. Just humble acknowledgment of your need for Him. He knows about it all anyway, so why not confess your need to be delivered from self-destructive behavior?
He loves you and is eager to hear you call out to Him.
After I gave my life to the Lord, the Holy Spirit told me that, “He knew every sin I’ve ever committed, but still loves me very much.”
God already knows you cannot be good. Your sin doesn’t shock Him, regardless of how bad you think it is. He wants to rescue you—if you’ll only call out to Him.
Why not invite Him into your life right now? Don’t delay. Tomorrow is never promised to us.
Please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, and confess that He died for my sins so that I don’t have to be punished for them. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. And teach me how much You love me. I need Your help in my life. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus Christ, 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 food daily to be nourished, so does your soul.
And start attending a Bible-based church or Bible Study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend 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 or follow bad teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
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.
Buddy wasn’t happy with me when I returned home today after being away for several hours. He let me know how he felt about it. He almost looks like he’s ready to do battle when I took the photo above.
Speaking of battles, one of my favorite verses from the Biblical book of Proverbs has been on my mind this week:
“The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord.”—Proverbs 21:31
After Moses died, the Lord appointed Joshua to lead the nation Israel across the Jordan River to claim the Promised Land for their territory. Joshua sent the priests carrying the Ark of The Lord ahead of the people before they crossed.
Later, God promised to fight on behalf of the people of Judah after “a great multitude (2 Chronicles 20:2)” of the enemies of the nation gathered together to attack them. Victory seemed impossible.
But Jehoshaphat loved and trusted the Lord. After requesting that the people of Judah fast, the king prayed sincerely from his heart, declaring their dependence upon the Lord to save them as the nation gathered before him. Then he took the following action:
“And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
“‘Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.’
“Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
I think one reason Western Christian Civilization is in danger is because most Christians don’t realize that we’re in a spiritual battle, so they don’t bother to “prepare for battle.”
It’s my belief, and I cannot prove this, is that the lockdowns stopped corporate worship. And too many people have not returned to church once the lockdowns ended. The above two passages from the Bible demonstrate the importance of depending upon the Lord to defeat the enemies of our faith and of the necessity of praise and worship.
Thankfulness expressed to God for our blessings and declaring His magnificence, creativity, power and love, I believe are a vital part of winning spiritual battles.
Satan absolutely hates hearing The Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—praised because He loathes God. He knows his judgment is inescapable, so he’s doing as much harm as he can to those God loves: the human race, made in His image (Genesis 1:27).
We complain about people’s behavior and the seeming onslaught of wickedness in our modern culture, but they are not our true enemies: the powers influencing them are:
“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.”Apostle Paul, Ephesians 6:12
To summarize:
Remember that you ARE engaged in a battle. Ignoring this fact will just make you a casualty.
Prepare your “horse” for battle.
Praise, worship and honor God Who indwells you and fights on your behalf. This also gives you confidence as you remind yourself how powerful that Big Guy on your side is.
And remember that your true enemy is not the hapless people in bondage to Satan; instead, have pity on them and ask God to save their souls.
Pray, requesting God’s counsel and guidance, then step forward in faith, crossing whatever Jordan River our Mighty God has asked you to cross.
God bless.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
PS. I hope you’ll memorize Proverbs 21:31 as it’ll remind you that victory comes from God. I cannot tell, or promise, what shape that victory will take.
***
You cannot defeat the forces of darkness in your own strength. But Jesus defeated Satan and the powers of darkness when He died for our sins and then was resurrected bodily on the third day.
“Having disarmed principalities and powers… (Colossians 2:15).”
So that He “might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives (Hebrews 2:15).”
People who don’t believe in an afterlife just grab all the gusto they can to build their castles and kingdoms in this life. It’s tough being in the rat race, because not all the rats can win.
But knowing Jesus can free you from having to grasp for every little tidbit of cheese you can scramble together. He promises eternal life in His kingdom to those who accept Him as their Lord—meaning acknowledging He’s God and your boss.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”—Jesus, Matthew 11:28
The “rest” Jesus promises is for your soul. You can relax and find spiritual peace in His kingdom.
Are you ready to stop grasping for all the gusto, wearing yourself to a frazzle? Would you like God to start leading your life?
If so, please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m tired of the battle, of trying to live life without Your help. I need rest in my soul. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please grant me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And please show me how much You love me. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. God has given you spiritual life. Please begin to read the Bible daily, as it’s your soul food. Just as your physical body needs daily nourishment to be healthy, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew and reading forward, as it’s easy to understand. And try to remember to ask the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding, as it’s a supernatural book.
And start attending either a Bible based church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest the following 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).
God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
Buddy reluctantly walked into our shower stall to take his weekly “bath”. He thought it’s punishment, but it isn’t. It’s for his benefit to be clean.
This topic tonight wasn’t my original intention, but some recent nasty social media posts prompted me to respond.
Luke 13:1-5 tells of a conversation Jesus had:
“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
“And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?
‘I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.
‘Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?
‘I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.’”
Lately, people have been declaring that the Christians murdered at the church in Nashville probably weren’t praying enough (said sarcastically by nonbelievers), or that people killed by the recent tornadoes in Alabama and Arkansas were being punished for their political beliefs. These comments are not only abhorrent and cold-hearted, but also dead wrong.
What does the passage in Luke instruct us?
1. Bad things happen to people, whether they are good or bad.
Since the Fall, when Adam and Eve rejected God as their Lord and authority, all of creation has been in a corrupted condition. Bad things happen because the world is imperfect: earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricane, tsunamis, building collapses, airplane crashes, etc are the result of living in a world of sin. Sin causes deterioration, and every living thing is a victim of this sinful world. No one is exempt.
2. People do evil things to both good and evil people.
Pilate was a prefect of Rome who acted under the dictator Tiberius’ authority. The people he murdered weren’t necessarily good or bad, deserving punishment. Pilate was a wicked man (hopefully repented), who actually became friends with King Herod after sending Jesus to Herod for judgment. (For a long time Herod had wanted to meet Jesus.) Herod was notoriously evil, not someone a good guy would want to fellowship with.
3. Because we live in a deteriorating world filled with wicked people, every day is full of potential danger. Every day could be our last. So repent and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior to inherit eternal life after death.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life.”—John 6:47
But, lastly, in the first chapter of the book of Job, (which many consider the oldest book of the Bible), God describes Job as “there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” in verse 8.
Yet, although Job is an exceptionally godly man, God permits Satan to destroy his livelihood, kill his children and servants, and strike him with such painful boils that Job wishes he’d never been born.
So how does Satan torment Job?
Sends fire from heaven and a hurricane, and attacks Job’s herds and servants by stirring up wicked men to steal and kill.
The first chapter of Job demonstrates that Satan has the power over earthly forces, over wicked people and over disease. And the people of earth live in the devil’s realm.
But, lastly, Jesus warned that disease, famine, earthquakes, wars, wicked behavior, lawlessness and hatred against godly people will increase dramatically before His return (Mathew 24:4-12) We should expect, but don’t have to like, such events to occur.
Jesus took the punishment for our sins that we deserve. He isn’t trying to punish us, but to draw people into His Kingdom. It’s Satan who wants to “steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10)”.
So, in summary, don’t say God is punishing people when bad things happen. You have zero proof that’s correct. And please admonish others who make that claim.
And repent, if you aren’t a believer in Christ, because you don’t know how much time you have left on this earth—or when Jesus will return.
Once either event occurs, it’s too late to change your mind.
God bless.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Jesus came that “He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8)”. When someone gives their life to Christ Jesus, he delivers a person from the powers of darkness and transfers them into God’s kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13, 15) through the forgiveness of their sins.
God wants every person to escape the bondage of sin and enslavement to the devil and give them eternal life with Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean a person immediately becomes perfect in their behavior, but that the process of becoming a better person starts as the Holy Spirit works in their life. When a person gives their life to God, accepting Him as their Lord and moral authority, they receive a new spiritual heart, becoming born again (John 3:1-8, John 17).
Please don’t be one of those people who wants to wait, sow more wild oats, before coming to the Lord. First, the consequences of bad behavior are usually more severe than you think they’ll be; secondly, Jesus warns that life and death are unpredictable.
Eternal life is a gift from God. You can never be perfect enough to earn entrance into heaven, so Jesus, living a perfect life, paid the price for you. You just need to humble yourself, acknowledge you need His help to live your life properly and ask for forgiveness.
If you’re ready, please repeat the below prayer, out loud if possible:
Dear Holy Father, please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and teach me how much You love me. I believe Jesus died on the Cross for my sins and was raised from the dead on the third day to give me eternal life. Thank you for hearing my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily as it’s your spiritual food; just as your body needs daily nourishment, 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. 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 (The Grace). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled or trapped into legalism until you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you. May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
Just a few hours ago, I was walking Buddy when a man approached with his two little dogs, one of which was barking rambunctiously. I tried to pull Buddy back, in case the dog was a biter, and lost my balance and tripped, falling backward onto a gravel area. Fortunately, I wasn’t injured. If it hadn’t been evening time, I probably wouldn’t have fallen, but the uneven ground was not visible in the darkness.
Many Christians are walking around in the darkness buck naked, an easy target for Satan’s deceptions and pitfalls. They’re saved, but have forgotten a fact vital to their daily survival: We’re living in the devil’s territory.
When Adam and Eve listened to Satan and ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they rejected God’s authority and gave dominion over humanity to the devil. This world came under Satan’s jurisdiction.
Fortunately, God sent His Son Jesus “to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).”
Apostle Paul explained to King Agrippa that the purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ was to:
“Open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in (Jesus).”—Acts 26:18
Spiritually, Christians live in the kingdom of light, but Satan is “the ruler of this world (John 12:31).” Until Jesus returns to gather His elect, we are living in a broken world of sin and darkness. And despite the efforts of many well-meaning people, I think most people sense that our planet is slipping rapidly into some sort of worldwide catastrophe.
Jesus has given His people a mighty weapon against dark forces, yet it seems to be rarely utilized or is sitting in the closet, getting rusty. Jesus demonstrated the power of this awesome weapon when He battled Satan, who tried tempting Him to sin and demanded His worship.
Jesus used only Word of God to counteract Satan’s lies and twisting of the Scripture. He didn’t argue with Satan, debate Him, or try to punch him out; Christ repeated the Scriptures that were appropriate to the temptation.
The Apostle Paul warned the Ephesians in his letter, chapter 6:10-17, that the Christian needs to daily put on “the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (vs 11)” because we are fighting supernatural “forces of this darkness (vs 12).”*
The only piece of our spiritual armor that is an offensive weapon is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (vs 17).” But many Christians are walking around with very short swords or have left them sitting in their scabbard, unused.
Reading your Bible doesn’t make you “more saved” or “more born again” or “more forgiven,” but it makes you more discerning about the devil’s tactics to lure you into sin or despair, and better equipped to take back territory from the enemy of our souls.
Multiple times in the Bible, the Word of God is described as a light that shines into the darkness of this confused world, helping us to navigate safely and not stumble:
“Your word is a lamp into my feet and a light to my path.”—Psalm 119:105
So, are you stumbling around spiritually naked in the dark without God’s armor of light? Do you have a stubby sword—or one that’s thick and strong, forged in the power of God’s Word and Spirit? Does God’s Scripture light your way so that you can stay on the Good Shepherd’s path? Or are you straying into bad behavior and stumbling about in confusion, or vulnerable to deception by wicked people twisting God’s Word for their own selfish purposes?
It’s up to you to spend time in God’s Word.
Or keep tripping yourself up.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
*It’s worth your time to read Ephesians 6:10-17, but for the sake of brevity and emphasis, I didn’t quote all the verses.
***
Western culture will tell you that the Word of God, the Bible, is no longer relevant to living in the modern world. And many religions teach you how to be a good person. But only Jesus can give you eternal life and a new spirit. When you become born again, you become united with Christ at the spiritual level. You do NOT become a god, but somehow the Holy Spirit gives you a new spiritual heart and life (Ezekiel 36:26, 37:14, John 17:23, 2 Corinthians 5:17).
I hope you understand from the above blog post, that the Word of God helps a person recognize the devil’s temptations so that you can lead a healthier spiritual lifestyle. But you also need the Holy Spirit working in your heart to reveal the meaning of the scriptures.
If you’re ready to become born again and learn how to wield the Sword of the Spirit, please repeat the following prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Please forgive my sins. I’ve wronged You, so Jesus had to be born in the flesh, God incarnate, to suffer the punishment for my sins on the Cross. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I give my life to You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Reveal to me how much You love me and teach me Your word. In the mighty name of Your Son Jesus I pray, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment, 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, 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).
As you now know, Buddy once lived a life of abuse till a Silky Terrier breeder rescued and fostered him. I’m forever grateful that she connected me with for my goofy pal.
The Christian church has been doing a poor job, in my opinion, in explaining to people why they must follow Jesus or need to repent of their sin. Of how to connect with their rescuer.
Church to nonbeliever: “You need to repent of your sin.”
Nonbeliever: “Why? My life’s going just fine.”
Church: “You need to get right with God.”
Nonbeliever: “I’m a good person. Life’s good.”
People need to know that they’re not right with God because they were born spiritually dead and live under Satan’s rule and control.
“For He (God) rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in Whom there is redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”—Apostle Paul, Colossians 1:13-14
I’ve used this analogy before, but it illustrates the human condition very well.
The human race resembles the passengers on the Titanic. As a result of the first couple rejecting God’s authority in the Garden of Eden, the ship of the world has hit an iceberg and is sinking into the icy waters of sin. Jesus came into the world to pilot a lifeboat, searching for survivors. But most people, tragically, refuse to accept His hand, offering to pull them out of the water. Instead, they swim away, preferring to perish amongst the ice floes.
People declare that life sucks and then you die. That’s because everybody lives on the devil’s turf. Satan is the “god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).” The devil is described by Jesus as “the thief (who) comes only to steal and kill and destroy”, but that Jesus “came that they (people) may have life, and have it abundantly.”—Jesus, John 10:10
During your lifetime you are given the opportunity to choose to continue under Satan’s rule and authority, or accept Jesus’ rescue out of this world system. If you die, never accepting Jesus as your God, then you will spend eternity with the god of your choice, Satan. It’s totally your decision.
Jesus promises: “I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”—Revelation 3:20
As Pastor Andrew Farley states, Jesus knocks on the door of your heart but doesn’t bust it down. You have the choice to open the door to Him or not.
I truly believe life would be even more awful if God didn’t restrain the devil’s power. Jesus steps into this world with gifts of love and beauty, to demonstrate there’s a different way to live, a better kingdom, a rescue raft out of darkness.
Blooming flowers, mighty oaks and mountains, rushing waves and sweetly singing birds, majestic lions and purring kittens, faithful dogs and stained glass windows, acts of kindness—are all gifts from the Creator reminding us there is a better world coming one day, a world unspoiled by evil and the demonic. And begging, “Choose Me.”
The Church: “You’re spiritually dead. Jesus offers you eternal life if you’re willing to repent of your sins and declare Him your Lord and God.”
Nonbeliever: “I’m dead? No wonder I feel empty inside!”
The Church: “Accept the life of the Holy Spirit and enter God’s kingdom of light. You can do nothing to earn God’s gift of eternal fellowship, except humble yourself to receive it for free.”
Nonbeliever: “Free? You mean I don’t have to earn God’s love or clean up my act first?”
Church: “No. Jesus lived a perfect life for you to die for your sins. As God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23), He could accomplish this. He’ll work to improve your character once you invite Him into your heart through the power of the Holy Spirit working within you.”
Nonbeliever: “What a deal! Get me out of this icy water of Satan’s kingdom!”
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
Buddy realizes that his new life with me is far superior to his previous life with an abuser. When you choose to remain in the kingdom of darkness, you are permitting Satan to mistreat you.
The world is full of disappointment, disease, death, broken dreams and heartache because Satan and his demonic followers are continually at work to influence people into destroying themselves and others.
But Jesus offers a better way to live, guided by the Holy Spirit. He is going to return one day to end Satan’s rule. God’s children will live in His beautiful kingdom free from sin, death and sorrow as He had originally intended. Satan and his demons will no longer dwell in earth or in heaven; we’ll be free from his evil terrors forever.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”—Apostle John, Revelation 21:4
All you have to do is open the door to your heart and He’ll give you spiritual life by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what being “born again” is: Your soul becomes alive.
If you’re ready to take Jesus’ hand and allow Him to pull you out of the icy darkness of sin, please repeat the following:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m tired of Satan as my god. I accept Jesus as my God, the Lord, and my Savior. Please forgive my sin. Give me Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please rule in my life and heart. In the name of Jesus, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re a born again child of God. Just as your body needs daily food to be healthy, your soul needs daily food—soul food—which is God’s word. Please start reading the Bible daily. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand. Also, ask the Holy Spirit to guide your understanding; this is critical.
And please attend a Bible believing church or Bible study and get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these three ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.InTouch.org, 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 till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you. May Buddy and I see you in heaven one day.
Meditations About God and Buddy 