What is victim mentality? I use this term to describe a victim of some traumatic event where being a victim becomes a way of life or habitual. This person believes that others owe them and cease to do things for themselves that could help them achieve victory. Once a person is caught in its web, how do they get out? How can we become an overcomer? How can we get healed and move on with our life? Victim Mentality!

This is a very difficult place to be. A person in this place can be surrounded by the enemy. First of all, a tragic event has happened. Please note that this can also effect an entire country, people, culture, family or individual. Anytime a traumatic event happens it opens a place for the enemy to come in and wreak havoc, not only on the victim but to those who are close and also to the perpetrator and then also to those who have witnessed the event. We see it all the time in the news. We see the hatred and rage that can develop if it is not handled correctly. We’ve also seen innocent people pulled in and hurt. It can all stop with one person, the victim. I am not saying that victims don’t have rights because they do. I am saying that it is not good to go beyond those rights and inflict more damage. Please hear what I am saying, it will bring freedom and healing.

By dwelling on being a victim, unforgiveness, and pain, one can propel themselves into a downward pattern. Unforgiveness is the fastest way to destroy a person’s life. Regardless of what happens to the perpetrators, the victim’s life is in danger. The scripture says that bitterness rots the bone. There are a lot of fragile bones in people these days. I am not saying that all of it has to do with bitterness, but it does warrant a look. Unforgiveness also leads to self-pity, which is the beginning of a lot of darkness. Self-pity attracts a lot of other things; anger, resentment, rage, finger pointing, retaliation, hatred, homicide, suicide, and I also am convinced mental illnesses. I am not a doctor and I am not attempting to make a diagnosis. I am merely pointing out things I have observed.

Traumatic events happen everyday to people just like you and me. Some are by innocent mistakes and others are done on purpose and premeditated. For the sake of this post, I don’t want to touch on rights and legalities, my purpose in writing is to help the victim overcome on a personal level. Forgiveness is something that is on a personal basis. It can release the victim from many years of pain and help speed up the healing process. When a person chooses unforgiveness, their focus in tuned in to the pain, the wrong done to them and the focus is always on the negative. This eats at the person and their attitude continues to spiral downward to death. One who asks the Lord to help them forgive begins the journey to healing and victory. They become free of the things that want to bring them down. They begin to focus on the positive and begin rebuilding their lives. If they choose to focus on helping others, their healing is even more rapid. People come around those who are trying to recover versus those who spew bitterness out of their mouths. Who would you rather be around? Would you like to be healed or do you want to hang on to the pain and misery? The choice is yours. No one can make choices for you. At the end of your life on earth, it is your choices that determine your place in eternity. We won’t be able to blame someone else. We’ve all heard the saying, “The devil made me do it.” No, the devil tempted you and you chose to give in to the temptation. Eve blamed it on the serpent, but God still held her responsible for her decision as well as Adam. It is our choices along the way that have made us what we have become.

Accidents happen to a lot of people, the question is whether we respond or react to them. If something has happened to you that is so terrible and you feel you can’t go on, please cry out to the Lord and ask Him for help. Send us an email through our form on our contact page if there is no one else and we will respond as soon as we can. If you find yourself in a place of unforgiveness, ask Him to help. Look at what He went through on the cross, yet He could still say, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing!” He took all of the sins we would ever commit upon His back and chose to forgive us in the midst of His agony and pain, so that we might one day be able to come to Him and be saved and totally forgiven. He weighed every choice in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before and I believe He saw each one of our faces and He knew it would be worth it. He made His choice to endure the cross before He felt any blows to His body. He didn’t deserve our hatred. He didn’t deserve to die on our behalf, but He did. No one deserves hell. He knew that, I know that and if you ever have a vision of hell, you will know that too. Even our worst enemies deserve a chance at forgiveness. What they do with it is up to them, but I wouldn’t want to be the reason they’d never have the chance to be changed. I would rather suffer a loss. Some of the people who opposed me the most, have become my friends and some of my friends have turned away. Only the Lord knows the heart.

I’ve been through a lot of pain in my life and I haven’t always responded the way I knew I should. The Lord is just and He will and can protect us. He also gives us the choice to forgive others so that His love can work through us to help others to see Him. We didn’t get what we deserved, for the scripture says that, “the soul who sins shall die” and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of the Lord.” There were times I had to ask Him to forgive others through me, because I hurt so deep inside. He did and then He healed me to where I could forgive them. He healed me and sent the darkness away. He helped me reach out to others and He healed them too. I had every right to hold on to unforgiveness and to demand restitution, but by doing things His way, He poured so many more blessings into my life than I could have ever imagined.

He is the reason for this web site. He is the reason I can write messages of encouragement. In most cases, I have been there. I have walked the miles, I have felt the pain and through it all I have overcome. I didn’t do it alone. He sent others to me to help me and He was always there for me. He will do the same for you. I am here today because He lives and I know Him personally. He has changed my life and I am forever grateful. I have experienced His mercy, grace, loving kindness, forgiveness, joy, peace, love and every other attribute that is His. I have seen a vision of hell and it is a horrid place and no human being deserves to spend eternity there.

It is my hope that this message has brought you hope. There is life after trauma and tragedy. It may take a while, but you can go on. I hope you reach out for His miraculous love and find a new way of life. There are many religions that claim to know the truth, but there is only one Who is the truth. Search for the truth with all of your heart and you will find it. You will know when you have, because your heart won’t be empty anymore. If I don’t meet you on this earth, I hope to see you in eternity with Him. Never give up. Against all hope, believe that while there is still breath, there is still a chance.

Joseph

Comments

What is passion and purpose? Where does it come from and how can we use it to get us closer to our destiny? How can we grab on to our destiny and still be led by Holy Spirit? Are we driven by our compassion and purpose or His compassion and purpose? Sometimes we can do the right things and still be wrong, usually because of the motive of our heart. We can even speak the truth in certain situations and still be wrong because the timing was wrong. The walk of faith takes obedience rather than sacrifice. Passion & Purpose!

I think that one way to find out if we are operating in our compassion and purpose is to ascertain whether or not we are getting burned out in whatever it is that we are doing. If we are operating in our own desires, we will eventually burn out and get worn out. Whatever the Lord asks us to do, He will provide His anointing and strength. Sometimes we just plain need to get to the end of ourselves to see the difference. It’s okay and it is necessary. Are we going to do everything right? No! Is it going to get easier to hear His voice? Yes! How does a baby learn to walk? He watches others and then keeps trying until he gets it. The more he exercises his muscles and mind the better he gets. It’s the same with walking with the Lord. The more we practice, the better we get. Mistakes are just part of the learning process, they don’t mean failure. Failure is sitting down and giving up. With the Lord, we can’t fail unless we quit.

I just want to encourage you today to not get in a hurry and get all stressed out. If the Lord is in it, it can’t fail. It will come to pass. There will be peace in the midst of the storm. Don’t let the enemy get you all stirred up. Rest and regroup if you must. Keep on going. Keep on walking. Keep on believing. You will succeed no matter how many mistakes you made. I know, I’ve been a good example in making mistakes and I am still on my way. Have a great and wonderful day.

Joseph

Comments

The big D’s can shipwreck a successful journey and life. If the enemy can’t get us to quit, his next step is to distract us. There are so many things to do now-a-days. There are so many programs to become involved. A lot of these are even good. In discussing distractions though, it isn’t about good, rather we need to focus on what it best. Dangerous Distractions!

Galatians 5:7 “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.”

1 Corinthians 6:12 “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything.”

1 Corinthians 10:23 “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.”

Evidently, Paul thought this subject was very important. Here we have three examples of different scenarios. Please read each of the chapters and you will find some interesting tactics the enemy uses. A lot of politicians use these tactics as well. They give us just enough information to distract us from the real core of topics that really need attention, what do the people want to hear, rather than what do we need to do for this country. The whole election has become a political game based on greed. My faith and rest lie in this truth. The Lord knows the end from the beginning. We know the end of the story. He is the One who turns the hearts of kings and can turn any situation around for good. In short, He will have His way. He will take care of His people. Only His plan and purposes will succeed. Men can plot and plan until they are exhausted, but in the end the truth will prevail.

So how do we know if we are distracted? What are distractions? Distract, according to Merriam-Webster means, “to turn aside, to draw or direct (as one’s attention) to a different object or in different directions at the same time, to stir up or confuse with conflicting emotions or motives.” Do we find ourself in any of these situations? Is our mind still focused on our goal? Is everything we are doing, helping us get closer or are we finding ourself being distracted by other things and even other people?

This can be a difficult situation to analyze. There are so many good programs out there. There are a lot of band wagons to get on. We live in a society that is constantly on the go. We have emails and mobile phones that keep us in constant communication with others. Computers have helped us to do more, much faster and they continue to do so. The problem lies in the fact that we usually want to do more instead of take that time to rest, refocus, and redirect our lives.

What is important? Is it those few extra dollars that keep us away from our family or deprive us from spending quality time with the Lord? Is it entertainment or sports? Is it a good benefit that brings us recognition or the satisfaction of doing something good and feeling good about ourselves while it drains the energy out of us.

What is the truth? What is our purpose? Is any of it real? I used to wonder about these things as a teenager. It was then I met the Lord. The emptiness inside of my heart was filled with His love and it was then I knew there is truth. There is purpose to this life and it is real. I don’t know how to reach others except to write about that which I know. If you are wondering, if you really want to know check it out. It is not by accident you are reading this. You have to know personally if the Lord is real for yourself. I already know. Could it be that your heart is tugging at your thoughts right now? It is okay and it is safe. Find out what your purpose is and your destiny. Ask the Lord. I’ve put together a questionnaire on the web site if you’d like to check it out. I’ve also written other posts to help you out. If you’d like to contact me, please use the form on our contact page. There are four photo montage wallpapers I’ve created to help me keep my focus. You are welcome to use them on your desktop for free. Just click on the thumbs and they’ll open into a larger photo.

I have found that life is not about what we can take or do for ourselves, rather, it is about what we can do for and to help others. This brings us joy and it warms our heart. We always receive back more than we give. Giving cannot be measured in money just the same as wealth. Wealth has very little to do with how much monetary gain we have, but everything to do with who we are and our character. To find ourselves we must give ourselves away. The Lord said, “to find your life, you must lay it down.” Dare to lay down your life and find much more than you could ever imagine. Dare to live and be free.

Joseph

Comments

What is faith? How can we get more? How can we become like the great leaders of faith from generations past? Does it seem like you will never get there? Measure Of Faith!

Romans 12:3-8 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

How does an athlete get strong? Does he just go out and benchpress 400 pounds? No, of course not. He starts out with the light weights and then gradually adds more into his workout as his muscles become developed to handle the extra weight. So, how do we increase our faith? We increase our faith in the Lord the same way. He has given each of us a measure of faith to come to Him. We have the choice whether or not to walk with Him. To choose to walk with Him is one of the first steps. As the relationship develops, there appear certain trials and situations that push against our faith. As we exercise our faith by choosing to put our trust in Him, our spiritual muscles get stronger also, ever increasing faith. As we continue to do this we go from glory to glory.

Where are we now? Does it seem like a long way to get there? The Lord has given us a measure of faith to walk in the path He has for us. Some of these are listed above, but there are more. A wealthy person might have the faith to deal in multi-million dollar deals. A cowboy might have the faith to wrangle cattle. Does this mean that one is weaker than the other? No, it means that each must walk in the way of his faith.

Romans 14:23 everything that does not come from faith is sin

If we don’t have the faith to do something, we should really consider waiting. If the Lord is telling us to do something, there will be that measure of faith. It may not be a whole lot, but it will be enough. The more we act on the little things, the greater and stronger our faith grows. We become sure of Father’s ability to help us the more we walk with Him.

Do we worry about things we can’t control? This also decreases as we walk more with Him and discover His ways with us. There is an old song that goes, “One day at a time, sweet Jesus.” It is still true today. Even the highest mountain can be scaled, one step at a time.

What is your next step today? Take it! What is your step tomorrow? Take it when it appears. You will get to your destination sooner than you think. Keep your focus. Measure of faith!

Some of my greatest tragedies, broken relationships, and discouragement have become my greatest foundations of faith. I have endured these things and have built a place of strength. Now, when these things come my way, they don’t affect me like they did. I know who I am, but greater still, I know who He is. I know that He will not leave me, but will help me get to where I need to be. May this be true of you. May you find the strength you need to go on. Climb your mountain. Stare down discouragement in the face and turn it into a pillar of faith. Look back on these times and gain the strength to go further than you’ve ever been before. The only thing that can stop you is you and your choices. Check out the wallpaper I designed on “Greater Things.” Download it to your desktop if you like and stay focused. I’ll see you at the top. If you need help, please use our form to contact us. Here’s to you and your victory.

Joseph

Comments

What are excuses? Webster’s defines excuses as “to serve as excuse for: justify.” Why can’t we simply say, “I just didn’t want to do it,” when it applies. Someone may ask us to do something we don’t want to do and we agree because we don’t want to tell them “no” and risk them being disappointed or upset with us. Then we offer up an excuse when we don’t do it.

Sometimes we want to help others so much that we just agree to do too much and find ourselves in a delicate situation. Sometimes we do things for others for the wrong reasons. We are too afraid to say “no” because we don’t want to be rejected. This type of thinking puts us into more bondage than rejection ever could. If we can’t do something, and we explain our situation with compassion, we can generally let it go and then we are free. Most of the time the other person will understand anyway. Now, when this doesn’t happen we need to try and find the root of the problem. Why won’t the other person let us be free to choose? Is there an unholy relationship here?

Rejection is not always a bad thing. Rejection can reveal the truth of the relationship and save us a lot of heartache further down the line. If we want to do something for someone else, we need to do it for the right reasons. I used to be so wounded from rejection that I took on more than I could do. It was then that I also became more frustrated and began to get angry at those who demanded so much of me. It was my fault, because I could have said “no” at any point, but the rejection would have torn me apart. Eventually the rejection came anyway because the relationships were built on a lie. In the end, I suffered more than had I not offered or agreed in the first place. Some lessons come the hard way.

Jesus said something to the effect of, “let your yes be yes, and your no, be no.” Anything more than this opens the way for deceit, deception and all kinds of bad things to enter into the relationship. Ulterior motives have a way of being exposed, even if they take years to rise to the surface. Unfortunately, I am speaking from experience. It took a lot of years and a lot of healing to heal this broken heart. Divorce is a tragic thing. It is even worse when it happens more than once.

Forgiveness is an awesome thing. The Lord desires for us to have godly relationships, yet He gives us the right to choose. We can choose to judge and lock ourselves into a curse. It is like gravity. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in gravity, if you jump off of a cliff, you will fall. Judgments bind us. Forgiveness frees us. Let the past go. Don’t carry it on your back another step. It is too heavy. Be free. Walk tall. The Lord has good relationships for you. Trust Him. He will heal you IF you let Him.

How do I know? I’ve been there. I’ve done that. I’ve walked in these shoes and I am here to tell you if you want to change there is something better for you. You know that I am telling the truth because you can feel it in your heart.

Now, having said all of this, I believe in giving to others. Sometimes giving goes beyond our comfort zone. Sometimes it even hurts. My wife and I support this web site out of everything we have and will continue as long as we can even if no one else helps. We want to give to others. My main reason for going back to school after being out for 20+ years was so that this site could become reality. We didn’t have the money to pay someone to build this site, but I had the time to go to school to learn how to build it. We don’t mind giving all that we are able to give. However, I have learned something in our journey over the years. In order to complete the cycle of giving, we must be able to receive. If we can’t receive, we stop others from receiving their blessings. We provide material things on this site to encourage others. These things cost us more money than we have. We add in the cost of a profit to help in these projects and sometimes in our personal lives. Scripture says not to muzzle the ox as it is treading the grain. If you want to give into this endeavor, please do. If you don’t, that is more than okay with us. If you want to give a blessing, we will not hinder you. We will receive it, period. Please do it though, because you want to and not because you feel compelled to do it. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, who gives out of the willingness out of his heart.

We are on a quest. I want to try and out give the Lord. I know, it is impossible, but I plan to have a lot of fun along the way. It touches me so deeply to see a sparkle in someone else’s eyes. Sometimes it only takes a simple smile with eye contact. It is so easy and yet it means so much. We can change this world one smile at a time and one person at a time. God gave His only begotten Son so that He might receive us back to Himself. He gave and He is receiving. Give and then receive. We must receive from Him. We must receive from others to complete the cycle. Excuses! No more!

I hope this message blesses you. I hope it encourages you. I went to a meeting this week with people from more than 10 different countries around the world. We couldn’t even understand each other without interpreters. I experienced a wonderful thing. 10+ countries gave honor to the Lord. Was this a church? No! It was a Christian business. The Lord formed it and He is protecting it. It is expanding all over the world. He is the reason. He is the center. His love is spreading. We are giving and we are receiving. There is a new thing happening in the earth. Can you see it? Do you want to be a part of it? Do you want your life to change and more important do you want to see others change? No more excuses! Reach out and touch someone. If you want more information about this business, please use the form on our contact page. We are here to help. Would you like to help too?

Joseph

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What do you do when you feel weak? What do you do when you need strength that you don’t have? How can you find the strength to overcome a weakness in your flesh? What do you do about these little areas in your life that bring you to your knees? Weakness & Strength!

2 Corinthians 12:7 “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”

Paul had seen all of these visions, including seeing and speaking to Jesus, Himself. It must have been wonderful to have been blessed like this. But then we come to these words in the next sentences about a thorn in the flesh and a messenger of Satan to torment him. What is all of this about?

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong”

Somehow Paul understood that weakness made him strong. Weakness in our culture is not a good thing. A lot of people look down on weakness like a sickness. Paul learned to boast in his weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on him. It took me a long time to understand this. When I was a teenager I thought I was invincible. I was in the process of buying a motorcycle one afternoon, when I had a wreck on my test drive. I had ridden for years and I was really happy about getting a new bike. I never made it back from that test drive and to make matters worse, I stopped by and picked up my sister to go with me. A few minutes later, we were in the ambulance on our way to the hospital. Miraculously, my sister was okay and I would spend 13 days in the hospital with a broken knee. It was as if the angels picked us up and placed us down on the roadway. Invincible, not in the least. I learned that day how precious and fleeting this life really is. The accident was bad, but now as I look back on it, I can see that it was truly a blessing. That was a huge turning point in my life and my relationship with Jesus Christ. I don’t know what would have happened had I not experienced that.

The focus of my life changed. What would have happened if that would have been my last day on earth? Did I finish everything I was supposed to finish or was there more? Did I let my loved ones know that I loved them? Did they really know how I felt? I felt like I was given a second chance. I was engaged to be married at the time and that fell apart quickly. I spent a lot of time and years searching after this. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been totally worth it. I understand the scriptures more and more as I walk them out.

I read the words of Paul in Philippians 3:10-11 “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” I had heard a lot of people ask to know the power of His resurrection, but I didn’t hear anyone ask for the rest of the passage. I thought, “how can we know the power of His resurrection without fellowshipping in His sufferings first?”

I became determined to know the fellowship of His sufferings. I wanted understanding. Proverbs say that understanding costs us everything. We are told so much about prosperity these days. The power of His resurrection seems like a glorious place to be. However, a greater journey is the experience to understanding what His love is all about. What did He experience? How can I know except I touch it too? How can I know what my brothers and sisters are experiencing unless I touch them also? With understanding I found that I developed more patience. With more patience, I became more gentle. It became much easier to give others the benefit of the doubt before passing judgment. Have I attained it? No! However, I am a lot closer.

No matter what you have been through, don’t quit. Let these areas of weakness become places of God’s strength. Let Him shine through you and let others touch Him through you. Only through brokenness can His light shine through. If we keep bandaging and covering up the holes, His light can’t be seen. Let us be weak and let Him be strong. Glory!

I pray that you find His strength to guide you through this path. May you rest in His love, grace and mercy and come to peace. These weak places will become pillars of strength if you let them. Humble yourself and let Him lift you up with His resurrection power. You will never be the same.

Joseph

Comments

The devil says, “I am going to be like God.” God simply smiles and replies, “I Am God!” End of story!

In the garden of Eden, the devil’s dialog to Adam and Eve went like this: Genesis 3:1-5 ‘Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”‘

This is the core of human struggle and it has been since the beginning. It wasn’t good enough for Lucifer to be an anointed guardian cherub, but he had to have more. Ezekiel 28: 13-17 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.”

How could one, who had so much splendor and glory, do what he did? It says that he became proud and that his wisdom was corrupted because of his splendor. Pride was the essence of his fall. When we look at the major problems with our world, pride is at the top. This same sin is repeated over and over again throughout the centuries. It started with the devil and was then introduced into humanity through Adam and Eve.

Humility, what a weapon it is. It has no hidden agendas. Those willing to obey the prophet’s orders in humility obtained their miracles. Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Proverbs 22:4 “Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.”

In reality, there can be only one God. There can be only one creator. The rest are created beings and things. As humans, we create robots to help us and not to rule over us. We would immediately disconnect or destroy a rogue robot. Should we expect God to be any different?

God created each of us for a special purpose and destiny. He showed us how much He loves us through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who died on the cross for all of our sins, both past and future. We each have different talents and abilities. We each have the ability within us for greatness. It starts with humility. It starts by us acknowledging who we are and who He is. Without His grace and power, we are nothing and would cease to exist. God has a plan and a destiny for us. It is greater than we can ever imagine or comprehend. The question remains. Do we want to be like God, knowing good and evil or do we want Him to be God? Do we want to be on His level fighting against Him or can we trust Him to be Who He is?

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The Lord is for us. He knows us each by name. We are not a number to Him. We have an enemy who would like us to join him in his rebellion. Be like God, no thanks! I enjoy letting the Lord be Himself. It’s a good place to be. It’s a safe and glorious place to be. What choice do we make?

Joseph

Comments

Who is my enemy? Is it the person next to me? Is it a corrupt government? Is it a terrorist? Who is our enemy?

As the Lord dropped the title for this post in my mind, I began to meditate on it. I began to realize that the first answers that popped into my mind were incorrect. Almost as soon as I began to write I thought of the scripture, Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle (fight) is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” I wrote a post previously on the Armor of God and this verse is right in the midst of it. One thing that is very interesting is the only post I receive any spam on is the Armor of God. The enemy doesn’t want us to know how to fight and where to focus this fight. He wants us to fight and destroy each other. This way we fight his fight for him. We need to turn it around on him.

Every day we are bombarded with news headlines and propaganda. We are led to believe that certain individuals, groups and countries are our enemies. Sometimes it is difficult to stay focused on the truth. Something I am going to start doing, because I just received the revelation, is start looking for who my brothers and sisters are? Where are they? When can I meet them? As brothers and sisters in Christ, we have a big family. Some we won’t meet until we enter eternity or until the Lord establishes His kingdom on this earth, but what about now? I meet new brothers and sisters all the time. Some have even been my enemy in the flesh or so I thought. It is possible that someone reading this blog will become my new brother or sister and that would be wonderful.

I always think of Saul of Tarsus when I think of an enemy who became a brother. Acts 9:1-31. Here was this man going zealously after the Christians. He was a man of the law and He hated the Jesus people. He even witnessed the stoning of Stephen and the mention of his name put fear in most Christian’s hearts. Then Jesus showed up and the rest is history. His life changed in an instant, his eyes were opened and now the same zeal that persecuted the Christians was now proclaiming the Gospel. How awesome is our God! Sing it and shout it because it is true. The person we are having the most difficult time with can be our closest friend tomorrow. It happens all the time. Who is our enemy?

Our greatest enemy is fear. I remember when I was bound by fear. I stayed in this one little area of my life because it was safe. Tragedy was the main thing that brought me there. It took several years to get out of that place. While in that place, I realized who I was and just how much I could accomplish with human hands, absolutely nothing. The Lord never left me during that time, in fact, he sent others to me to help. If you were to look at my life during that time, you might have judged the situation differently. Herein lies the problem with our judgments and opinions. We can’t, nor do we know what someone else is really going through unless we go through it also.

Bullies, cowards, terrorists and the like live in fear. They all fit into the same category of fear and it is only degrees of violence that separate them from one another. They would like us to think otherwise, however it takes courage and a strong character to admit things, especially that we might be wrong. What will people think? How will they react? Will I will be exposed again?

Who are these people? They’re the ones who most likely have been crushed by someone close, maybe abused, ridiculed, and told a bunch of lies. They are hurt, broken, and bruised and they are really looking for love. Everyone is looking for true love. How will they ever find it if no one shows them? Why do they fight and how can they be so violent? I believe they are like a wounded dog that feels cornered. It doesn’t matter who the next person is that approaches them, they are going to strike out, even if that person came only to help. Now the person that came to help can assess the situation in two different ways. Number one, they might give up and walk away wounded themselves and think that the person doesn’t stand a chance. Number two, another person might be able to see through all the pain, grief, and brokenness and reach out anyway while taking every blow from the person. Once the wounded one sees that they won’t get hit back, they start to receive some comfort. After a period of time a relationship develops and the wounds get healed. If everything continues to go well, they can become whole. Remember the demoniac in the gospels. This person was totally given over to demonic spirits. He was a totally different person when Jesus set him free. Mark 5:1-20.

Who will be that person? Who will dare to reach out to others no matter the cost? Who will share the love of Christ? Is another soul worth it? How can we do this? Walk with the Lord, lay down our lives and let Him live through us. Is it easy, no. It is impossible without Him. Is it worth it? Only you know the answer to this question. Who is your brother? Who is your sister? Who is your enemy?

Please don’t get the wrong impression from this message. I am not saying we shouldn’t have laws and justice. We need these things and it is right. I am saying that as far as it is within our means and with the Lord’s direction, we should extend His love towards those who might not deserve it. Please catch the spirit of the message, love. Love is gentle and firm. God’s love is different from our definition of love.

My friend, one person can make a difference. Saul (Paul), witnessed the stoning of Stephen who forgave all those in attendance. Later on, this one person wrote most of the New Testament. There are many stories of one person who has made a difference. May we also be like them. May our treasure be in heaven and may we hear the words, “Well done, My good and faithful servants.”

Joseph

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Are we covered in fig leaves? Do we find ways to protect ourselves and hide our actions? Do we feel naked and exposed unless we do something about it? FIG LEAVES!

Genesis 3:6 Some of the first times I read this chapter, I couldn’t figure out why the Lord would want us naked. Why didn’t He want us to know good and evil? I was looking from my perspective backwards in time. It wasn’t until I asked for His understanding that I began to get the message. I began to realize, that up until this point, Adam and Eve were covered totally in the glory of the Lord. They lived in innocence. I then began to meditate on the words of Jesus in the gospels.

Matthew 18:2-4 ” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

In this passage, I believe Jesus is calling us back to a time in Eden. Unless we become like children we will never enter. How do you become like a child again? In one of my previous posts, “Like A Child“, I discussed being born again. I want to go on from there so that we can find out the relevance of the fig leaves. In verse 4, He mentions “humble himself like this child.” Well, I thought, the opposite of humility is pride. That’s it! They were filled with pride. Adam and Eve committed the same sin as did their tempter, Lucifer, the devil. They could become like God, knowing good and evil.

“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the GREATEST in the kingdom of heaven.” What, on earth, does this mean? Our society, in general, is built on pride, competition, greed, lust, etc. How do we humble ourselves in the Lord’s sight and not look stupid to the world? It isn’t possible. The great king David of Israel, humbled himself before the Lord and all of Israel. His wife was humiliated and despised him because she thought that kings weren’t supposed to do this. David chose to honor his Lord and King. Read the following and see how David answered her and how the Lord judged her. Pride is very dangerous.

2 Samuel 6:14-16 “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.”

2 Samuel 6:20-23 “When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, ‘How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!’ David said to Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.’ And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Children and innocence, how do we do this. Children put their faith in their parents. They trust them unconditionally. They believe they are protected. They know they are loved. They love to play, dance, and have fun. They don’t even care to wear clothes. They don’t hide things well and it is hard for them to keep secrets. Wow! There is a gem here. Parents are responsible for their children up to a certain age. They are totally covered and protected. Where are we?

When we become born again, we become as children again. As we lay down our lives and take off our filthy rags, we put on the Lord’s righteousness. We become clothed in Him. Once again, we are naked, but now we are clothed in His glory. This is the way it was in the beginning. Pride exposes us, humility covers us. Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” If we humble ourselves and become transparent before the Lord and others we will receive grace. The Lord loves us and He protects us. We can choose to cover ourselves or we can let Him cover us.

I want to walk in His glory. I want to be innocent of evil. How can we be tempted if we can’t see the temptation? I know that I am only seeing a small portion of this, but I want to go deeper. How can we walk this earth clothed in His glory? How can we walk alongside this world system and not be crushed by it? How can we let Him shield us from all the insults, misunderstandings, hatred and violence? How can we become as a child again? What about all the wounds, the broken promises, the broken relationships, the judgments, and all the other things that have hindered our walk? How can we get past it all? We must lay it all down. We can be healed. We can be made whole. We can overcome. We can walk as we were meant to walk. Jesus made a way. I know who I am and I am familiar with filthy rags. I know who He is and I choose to be clothed in His righteousness. I don’t need to defend myself, He will. FIG LEAVES? No, thanks!

As humans, none of us are perfect, but we expect everyone else to be. Heroes are only so until their weaknesses are exposed and then we drag them through the mud. Let’s be real. Our humanity is all we have. Only in Him can we be righteous. Extend grace, mercy and love to those around you. Everyone knows we all make mistakes, why can we just admit them from the start. May your life be blessed. May you find what it is you are looking for in your life. Be encouraged, you are not alone.

Joseph

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What do you remember about your childhood? Were they days of love and laughter or have you forgotten most of it because of the hardships and problems? Can you remember the good times?

Children are a gift from God. They come into the world totally helpless and dependent on their parents. Will they receive love, neglect, or possibly abandonment? That depends mostly on the parents and which part of the world they are living. For the sake of this story, let us imagine that a child is brought into this world into a loving family. This family also has the wealth to provide everything that will be needed for the child. This is the start of a wonderful life for this child.

In the beginning years the baby is nurtured in love by the mother and father. They make sure they have the time to spend with the child. They choose to tell the child the truth about things as it is growing up. They don’t give in to fairy tales and false customs. The child learns that if its parents tell it something, he can count on it being the truth, because mom and dad would have said they didn’t know the answer if they didn’t. The child has been in a constant atmosphere of love. When he does wrong he was corrected so that boundaries are set. This child has security, stability and love. As he grows older, he is subjected to other people and their ideals. Now with the foundation that was established by his parents, he knows he can get good counsel from them, so the young man doesn’t hesitate to run things by them. His parents aren’t afraid to let him try and fail, however, they keep a watch to make sure he is protected.

How do you think this child will do when he becomes a man? He understands that not everyone is the same. He has developed compassion for others. He knows that not everything is the truth, yet he understands that people need to be loved. He has no need to prove himself to others because he is secure in who he has become. His goal in life is to simply walk and make a difference. It is to journey down the path the Lord has for Him and to reach out in His love. He is a very humble person, and won’t be moved by others shouts and challenges. He knows what is important and the things that are distractions. His parents have raised him well.

Wouldn’t you have loved to have been raised this way? It really doesn’t seem fair that we weren’t? But we still can? How? This is how Father wants to raise us. Luke 18: 16-16 ‘People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”‘

John 3:3-9 ‘In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, one of Israel’s teachers and he didn’t understand this. It doesn’t matter if we didn’t have the best family growing up, here is a chance to have what we always needed in the first place. When we ask Jesus to come into our lives and change us, we become born again. We become a child in the Kingdom of God. We are surrounded by His attributes of love, peace, mercy, grace, loving kindness, etc. This is Who He is. Father is the perfect loving Father. He knows everything and He will speak the truth to us through Jesus, Holy Spirit and His angels. The Holy Bible contains His words to us. As we read, Holy Spirit interprets them to us. The Word was given to man by Holy Spirit and He is the one Who can show us what it means. Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” If we accept it, we can grow up in His love, no matter what age we are on this planet. The soul is ageless. It is only our physical bodies that will see decay. Our soul and spirit will live for eternity.

The good news is that Father loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us. We can be a part of His family. We can experience True Love and security. He will tell us the truth and not lie to us. He pours out His love, grace and mercy on us so that we can live our lives to their full. He wants us to have a relationship with Him like the parents of the child I talked about above. He wants the best for us and His provisions are unlimited.

Dare to find out what True Love is all about. Find the family that really cares. Ask Him to show you the truth. Ask Him to help you to trust again. He was betrayed by a friend, he really does understand. Ask Him about rejection, He was rejected by His own people. Ask Him about His Father’s love, He knows it well. Dare to walk with Him and get to know Him. Dare to walk with Him and be His friend. Dare to give your life to Him and find something more wonderful than you could have ever imagined. Live your life to its full and let no one keep you down. Be blessed today and everyday in His love.

Joseph

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