Don’t You Hate It When…

It seems increasingly so.  I can be on the phone with an individual who specifically asked me to call them.  As the conversation unfolds – and believe me I don't talk for endless minutes on the phone – the person will inevitably say, "Can you hold on a minute?  I have another call coming."  And before you know it, even before I can respond, I am beeped onto "Hold", until the party comes back on the line.             What is wrong with this picture?  When I went to school I was taught telephone etiquette.  And what makes the person think that I am any less important than the person calling?  Or, that the person calling may be any more important than I am?  Am I THAT boring that a person beeping in - any person beeping in – is a better alternative?  If so, don't ask me to call you.  I would rather keep my thoughts to myself. Typically when I am on the phone with a caller and I have another call coming, I ignore the incoming call.  The most important person at that moment is not the person calling, but the individual I am already speaking with.  Even when the person may hear the new call beeping in, and they encourage me to take the call; I say, "I can only speak to one person at a time while on the phone, and right now I am on the phone with you."             Here's my thought – it seems this is the way we treat God when it comes to prayer or our worship time.  We have time for our Lord as long as someone or something else isn't asking for our attention; but get a call, text, or hear our Facebook push notice say there is a message, and God goes on "Hold", and we're off to do whatever.             Does that grieve God?  It grieves me when it happens to me.  How can it not grieve God?  Come on folks, let's give God our full attention when it is time to worship and petition Him with our prayers.  Listen, you can never recapture the moments spent with God once you have dumped Him for a lesser demand.  And to place God on "Hold"…I don't think so! And by the way, seldom is the incoming call worthy of dumping the person you already have on the line.  That person already engaged in a conversation deserves your full attention at that moment – after all that's why you have voice mail, and it is how you keep friends.  Just saying it like it is!

Five Weapons the Devil Uses

The weapon of intimidation Nehemiah, as he rebuilt the walls and gates of Jerusalem, often said that his enemies tried to intimidate him.  That is they tried to make him look small and themselves bigger, stronger, and more powerful.  Likewise, our enemies prevail when they make us believe that they are bigger, stronger, and more powerful than we are.  It's what we allow the devil to do to us – even more we make him out to be bigger than our God, stronger than our faith, more powerful than our prayers which prevail against him.   The weapon of fear The moment Elijah heard that Jezebel put a contract out on his life he became afraid.  Wait a minute!  Didn't God help him defeat 450 prophets of Baal?  And didn't God meet him again and again miraculously?  Then, why is he afraid?  He was afraid because he responded to a weapon the devil uses against God's people, and it became a critical spiritual battle for Elijah.  When we succumb to fear the devil will beat us with that spirit of fear until we give up and surrender.   The weapon of fatigue Have you ever noticed how much worse things seem when we are completely exhausted and worn out?  Nothing goes right; everybody is against us; we're the only one who has ever walked through the valley we are facing; nobody understands – that's how it is when we are overly exhausted. Elijah cried out to God, "I am the only one left who loves and serves you, and now my life is in danger."  However, look what God does.  He gets Elijah to a place where he can rest and take in nourishment.  So that Elijah could see things as they really were, and so he could be useful to God's kingdom. Whatever you do, try not to fight the devil when you are exhausted.  And if you find yourself there anyway against your wishes, make no permanent decisions regarding your future until God has had the opportunity to refresh you.   A fourth weapon - discouragement and depression Elijah says, "I want to die.  I don't want to live anymore.  The fight is too hard; the battle too great.  Just let me die."  Why would he say this?  He's discouraged – depressed.  He's at an all-time low. Ever been there?  Listen, we can confess with our mouths all we want that life is good and we're the blessed of the Lord, but let's get real – there are times when we get discouraged.  We need to recognize it for what it is.  It's a tool the enemy uses to bring us down so he can defeat us.  It's one reason why we need to gather godly faith-filled people around us, who speak positive things into our lives.  In addition, we have to be rehearsing the goodness of God's mercies over our lives.   Another weapon the devil uses is lies and half-truths. He loves to whisper in our ear things that are not true.  "Well, did you hear what the doctor said?"  "Do you realize what people think about you – what they're saying about you?"  "Do you know that God doesn't love you like He loves others?"  "See, you were prayed for, and things didn't work out for you."  "God is not going to work a miracle on your behalf."  "God doesn't hear your prayers."  All lies and half-truths.  We should expect them and recognize them when they come. After Jesus had fasted and prayed for forty days and nights, Satan came to Him and began quoting the Scriptures to Jesus.  Telling Him it would be perfectly within reason to turn a stone into bread to feed His famished body.  He said, "You could throw yourself off the highest point of this Temple so all those who watched would know that you are someone special, and you'll not hurt yourself, because God's Word says, 'He will give His angels charge over you.'"  And the devil said, "If you will bow down to me, I will give you everything you lay your eyes upon – all the splendor and the kingdoms of the world."  To every one of these half-truths Jesus had to respond with the truth of the Scriptures as God meant them. The way to fight the devil with all of his lies, half-truths and weapons is to stand on the Word of God, gather godly people around you, and believe God – even confess - that greater is He who is in you than he who is against you; and that you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ who loves you.

Casey Anthony – My thoughts

The last six weeks has been a media frenzy in Central Florida, and possibly throughout parts of the country as Casey Anthony was tried.  We have watched two well –versed eloquent legal teams hash every detail, launch accusations, and defend their belief.  And the verdict?  Not guilty.  Social polls say, "The jury got it wrong.  Casey got away with murder.  Another injustice."  What do you say?   I would like to weigh in on this matter, but truthfully I cannot.  I am not attempting to skirt the issue.  I just don't know that I have enough of the details to make an accurate assessment of guilt or innocence.  I must trust the system.  What concerns me even greater is that there is a more accurate – no, in fact, most accurate - system we will all face someday.  And the jury won't be that of 12 individuals.  The jury and judge will consist of One.  Jesus.  The charge – he or she is a Christian; a Christ-follower; a lover of God.  Will there be sufficient evidence to convict you?