THE DEVIL IS REAL, BUT HE IS NOT THE BOSS OF ME

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8-10‬ NIV)

During this year of moving forward into my SEVENTH DECADE, I think I will take Sundays to reflect on the spiritual journey on which I am still embarked, look briefly in the rear view mirror (You never know whose following you), and share some of the truths I have discovered as a Christian. I can only go on the Word of God, which is unflawed, and my own spiritual journey, which undoubtedly is, so if you are looking for wisdom take what works for you and leave the rest, but I challenge you to keep seeking for ONE sure fire truth is that if we seek, we will find.

In my sixty-nine plus years I have ignored, misrepresented, denied God and my need for Him. I have doubted, questioned, debated, and disgracefully turned down Jesus more than once. I was actually a baptized non-believer; I was not an atheist…I had neatly arranged God, Jesus, really didn’t even consider the Holy Spirit, the Bible, so that they fit with MY mindset, placed them on a shelf to be addressed when I needed them. I was educated, but incredibly stupid. I was in a word LOST! But you know what there were people who thought I was a Christian. Why? Because I was essentially by human standards a good person.

Then a series of events, numerous and painful, people, Christian and Non-Christian, that brought me to the end of myself and the foot of the Cross. During all the time before and after my conversion, which by the way occurred on the road from Bartlesville, OK to Tulsa, OK…did not involve a blinding light but did involve the voice of God in my mind,whispering “Be Still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10).

While I was recklessly careening toward Hell, there were numerous times God intervened in my life while I was bad mouthing Him to literally pull me back from death. Sometimes I even managed a thank you. The Devil on the other hand mostly left me alone except for those times I leaned in closer to listen to the Christians God began planting around me or when he saw something that would entice me to sin more gravely than I had before or to remind me that I was so guilty and dirty that God wouldn’t want me anyway.

The Devil is real, but he is no match for God. The Devil pretends to be tough, but he runs from Jesus. The Devil hates people for God made us in His Image. The Devil will do everything he can to keep the unsaved from salvation and don’t think he stops when one accepts Christ and opens up heart, mind, and spirit to receive the Holy Spirit into Temple where self once ruled, turning the throne over to Christ. The Devil tries to make the Christian ineffective, fearful, guilt ridden, arrogant, virtually anyway he can.

That is why he runs around wreaking havoc, inside and outside, the Devil has an agenda…Take as many folks to HELL with him as possible. He knows his fate and if he has to suffer he wants everyone he can get to suffer with him.

He may look like a lion, roar like a lion, seek to devour like a lion, but he is toothless.
I need to be aware of his agenda and Know that HE WHO IS IN ME IS GREATER THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD! (paraphrase from 1 John 4:4) This was true the hour I first believed thirty-five years ago and it is true today as I enter my seventh decade.

So here I am trying to stay ALERT and of SOBER mind. Listening for God even when the Devil roars the loudest. RESISTing him by STANDING firm and KNOWING I am not alone, there are others doing the same and some of them are really suffering for the LORD in ways I cannot even comprehend.

Enough for now…need to clean mental, spiritual, and physical closets so we can travel south next Sunday.

Objects in My Rear View Mirror–Road Rage

I am appreciative of the warning on my side mirrors. It reminds me to double check before pulling into another lane of traffic avoiding being rear ended,  blasted by screeching brakes, heavy handed horn blowers or obscene gestures.  I learned the top five reasons for “Road Rage” on the Expedia Report 2015 are:

“The Texter” generated the most fury, earning the scorn of 26% of Americans. “The Tailgater” (13%) ranked second, narrowly edging out “The Left Lane Hog” (12%), “The Crawler” (10%) and “The Multitasker” (7%).”

I admit that I do drive in the left lane quite a bit on the interstate highways, because of the “texters”, “crawlers” and “multitaskers”–I do travel about 5 miles above the posted speed limit only to find myself being tailgated by folks driving 10-15 miles above the posted speed limit, with my mirror’s warning in mind, I realize that they are practically in my trunk.  At that point, I usually start looking for a way to pull over into the right lane, turn on my signal to indicate my intent only to have them surge forward, passing me on the right. I turn off my signal, well usually I remember to do that, as I see them in my side mirror pulled up short by the afore mentioned texters, crawlers, multitaskers with the addition of large trucks.

Last September returning from a Memorial Service for our Aunt Opal, I hit a deer. He was badly injured and unabled to stand. As he lay there struggling, I cried. His distress bothered me more than the condition of our vehicle. A passing motorist in a pick-up truck stopped to check on us.  Assessing our condition, including my hand wringing, tear stained face as I paced around the injured animal, he made a phone call to the Kentucky State Police.  Basically, he asked if he could put the deer down.  I heard his end of the conversation.

Shoving his phone into his pocket, I expected him to return to his truck, pull out a shotgun or rifle.  I was not prepared for him to draw a large black pistol, Terry said it was a 9mm.  I could have cared less what it was all I saw was BIG! BLACK! LETHAL! Pulled it from the small of his back, fired more than one bullet into the injured deer, nodded to us and the State Trooper who had pulled up behind us, strode to his pick-up and drove away.

Viewing this whole event in my Rear View Mirror on Life, has had several effects on me when I am traveling and NO, I have not abandoned driving in the left lane entirely. However, I do put on my blinker and pull into the right lane, when almost being rear ended in the left lane or when I feel like I am leading a parade.  I never text when driving.  No one ever accused me of crawling, except those dudes in the left lane.  I try to stay several car lengths behind the vehicle ahead of me…Terry would dispute this, but hey! this is my story and I am sticking to it. AND, I only put on make-up, adjust the radio, etc. when stopped at a stop light….Does that count? Especially since I usually only wear lipstick.

The media news reports carry alarming stories about ‘Road Rage’ incidents that lead to death and injury. As for me, I still remember the man who stopped to help us last September, the ease with which he pulled his gun and fired.

FACT: LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE CARRYING!  DON’T P…. THEM OFF;  I MEAN DON’T MAKE THEM MAD!

IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING…WELL, I AM AWAKE NOW, MIGHT AS WELL PRAY THEM THROUGH

My brother’s picture of the snow on I-70 Colorado, Early Sunday Morning. Psalm 94:18-19 from my Bible Study this morning.

In the wee small hours of the morning
When you are finally fast asleep
You jolt awake not thinking as you move
Just anything to stop that annoying beep.

Adapted from Frank Sinatra’s In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,

Lyrics Bob Hillyard, Music, David Mann, 1945.

At 12:47 AM, Mother’s Day, May 10, 2015 Terry and I, Max and Emma were all snuggled down in bed fast asleep. Suddenly, a familar run of beeps filled the air.  I attempted to bolt upright, but was hindered by my position against Terry’s back, with Emma scrunched up against me on the other side and Max laying across my feet—God Help Us if there is ever a fire!

Naturally, I reacted by punching Terry in the shoulder with my chin…”You are getting a text!”  My mind, of course, went into panic mode.  Folks you know do not text you in the “wee small hours of the morning” without cause.  Lately in our family there has been plenty of cause, Mike and Jen’s house fire, Martha’s stroke and blocked right carotid artery.  WHAT NOW?

Indeed, as Terry climbed back into bed with his cell phone in hand, I knew something was up. “Going to need you in on this one.”  My brother, Terry, my sister-in-law, Kay, and my nieces were in blizzard conditions in Colorado, traveling from a granddaughter’s wedding in Utah home to Enid, Oklahoma.  After reading the message, we prayed, sent a text to confirm that we had and would continue to do so.  My sweet husband suggested they follow the Lord.  As you can see as you read through the texts…their next text confirmed that the Lord had sent a snow plow…from postings on Facebook since this time, I suspect the snow plow was a semitrailer truck…that is not confirmed.

I knew I was not going back to sleep until I had traveled this scary road with them providing any support I could through prayer or other means.  I discovered some things that may be useful that night as I sat in my rocking chair with Terry’s cell and my iPad, you can bring up any interstate highway in any state, get conditions, Exits, services at the exits etc.  I had I-70 on my screen in seconds.  I prayed when I knew they were stuck…God sent a man with a flat bed truck to get them out.  Then I knew they were near the Eisenhower Tunnel, so I checked for the next exit with services and the distance, sent that information.  At around 2:30 they had arrived there gassed, taken comfort breaks and gotten food.

During this whole exchange I felt as if I were there with them, but I knew God was.  You may notice if you read through the texts that at one point I asked for their GPS coordinates.  I am not sure what I thought I was going to do with them (way too many TV rescue shows)…Was I going to call the Colorado State Police and demand they send a helicopter, supplies, etc. to their  location?  Well, in my defense…I am not at my best in the wee small hours.

I am thankful however that they texted us, allowed us to participate in their unwanted adventure, and pray for them.

Series of Texts Below:

Next Time We Are Traveling Through Alabama…Trust Me.

On our continuing trek to Kentucky on Sunday, just past Atlanta traveling, Graham requested a bathroom break. Terry and I both started scanning Exit Signs which promised services. Seeing one we scooted right on down the ramp only to find as we turned in the direction indicated that the services were three miles away and required turning onto another road to reach them.

While I scanned the straight path ahead, hopeful for an alternative to a lengthy side bar on a trip that was already stretching into the interminable, I passed the indicated turn. Whoops! So with no other choice I decided to turn around and go back so I pulled onto what looked like an access road. I could even see all the way to where I needed to get to correct my error and get back on track.

What I did not see was a large sign with SPEED CUSHION in bold letters! After topping the so called “cushion” at 40 mph, Terry and I had a brief conversation.

Speed Cushion??

Terry: [groan] Did you not see the speed cushion sign?

Me: No, and there was no cushion to that bump at all? [ Me a little chastened]: Was there really a sign?

Terry: Not only was there a sign, there was that sizable bump you topped at 60 mph.

Me: 40…and there was NO cushion in that bump, whether I saw the sign or not.

Terry: You are obviously tired from driving through Atlanta, pull over and give me the keys. You are right though, the only cushion in that bump was the seat cushion, going up and then coming down…and that wasn’t adequate. Now just pull over. I will drive.

Me: [white knuckles gripping the wheel] Not until we find the bathrooms those signs at the EXIT promised…By the way, I am putting this exit on my never stop here again list. Do you remember what the Exit number was?

Terry: No

Me: That is alright BECAUSE next time we are traveling through Alabama!

With that settled, bathroom break accomplished, I reliquished the driver’s seat to Terry as I hummed, “Sweet Home Alabama”…it has got to be better than this. Guess we will see.

I Plan, God Laughs…Later I Laugh Some, too.

Yesterday did not go as planned! After a hectic “Spring Break” with two grandkids and a grandkid for a week, MY PLAN was:

Rise at 4 am EDT–check
Leave at 5 am EDT–left at 5:12 am
Sail smoothly to I-4, take I-4 to Toll Road 429–check
Sail smoothly to the Florida Turnpike, north to I-75–check

[By this time I was smiling broadly, while the plugged in, tuned out younger passengers slept and Terry rode shotgun…I could see Atlanta in my sights by Noon, home in 12, maybe 13 hours…yes, sir, I was feeling good!]

THEN, Red light, red lights, a whole stream of RED LIGHTS!

Terry suddenly alerted, shouting, “Stop!” [Stop was not in my plan, but I did stop. I did not hit anyone or even squeal my brakes and no one hit us. Whew!]

As far as my eyes could see ahead and soon behind, cars and trucks formed one of those unplanned, no exit in sight, parking lots on the interstate. For two hours we sat, moving inches occasionally. People pulled to the side of the road not to run up the shoulder in an attempt to out fox the rest of us poor dumb souls, but to trot into the bushes to answer the call of nature.

One lane would move a bit, then another, but it was impossible to tell if there was a fast lane, at .5 mph fast is relative, but I did spot other Kentucky tags from McCracken, Boone, Hardin and Muhlenberg. I rolled down my window and smiled at them, but they kept their eyes fixed on the next 10 inch target, so I could not get a Kentucky party going.

After 2 hours, 10 minutes movement began to filter back to our part of the parking lot. We got up to 25, then 35, then 40 mph. About half a mile up the road, a sign on the right read, “Accident Ahead, Slow Down”.

As we approached the accident site…we were now up to 50 mph…we saw a large box off a semi-trailer truck across the opposing lanes of traffic up in the woods, 10 to 15 emergency vehicles, debris including a shoe, scattered for 50 feet or greater and officials still working the scene, which covered 4 north bound lanes. We were diverted around the scene on the inside shoulder.

So with that and Atlanta Sunday traffic, my plan for a smooth sailing early arrival home to Kentucky dissolved. We did make it safely though.

Considering that, I looked up the accident that stalled us in traffic. It happened at 4 am, about the time I got up. It involved two eighteen wheelers and two cars. One man died.

I doubt that was the plan they had for the day. So please lift these folks up in prayer and remember–talking to myself here–there are more important things than check marks on a list

Welcome to the Hotel Jacaranda

Welcome to the Hotel Jacaranda
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel Jacaranda
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here” Adapted from chorus of Eagles hit “Hotel California.”

While in Florida this season, we have joined a small group of friends for lunch or dinner on Thursdays usually followed by game night at the Porter’s. As a group we have eaten at a variety of restaurants in the area ranging from the local original fish camp experience at Cherry Pockets to well known chain restaurants like Ruby Tuesday. A new one every week because before we joined in, someone had the bright idea of putting names of establishments in a jar and drawing the next dining location from a jar. Occasionally we deviate from the drawing results. Last night was one of those nights. I really wanted to go to the Hotel Jacaranda in Avon Park, because I had heard a little about this hotel which is on the National Registry of Historic Places as a part of a site listing. What little I knew intrigued me.

Let me just say, “I was not disappointed.”

Tucked away on the tree lined Main Street of Avon Park, FL, the Hotel Jacaranda reminded me of a movie set. Were there no modern vehicles parked out front, one might expect to see a parade of the glamorous folks who have stayed there including Babe Ruth, Clark Gable, George Burns and Gracie Allen, the walls of the restuarant display some of the more prominent guests of the Hotel J.

Hotel Jacaranda, Postcard, 1926

In 1923 John Raab and Harry Winters, furniture manufacturers from Grand Rapids, MI financed the building of the Jacaranda choosing William Heim, a local architect to design the building. In order to build the hotel a 150 year old Jacaranda tree with a 14 foot trunk had to be felled. The Hotel was named in honor of that tree. In 1926 the hotel opened its doors to the public. Both Raab and Winters lost all of their wealth during the stock market crash of 1929 and in the depression years that followed, dying destitute. Since then the hotel has been owned by seven persons or organizations and since 1988 by South Florida State College Foundation.

Since opening in 1926, the hotel and restuarant have been in continuous operation, housing baseball players during spring training and military pilots during World War II while they trained nearby as well as a plethora of ordinary folks. In spite of the well known inefficiency of high ceilings for heating and cooling, the structure and architectural integrity of the building has been maintained. The Lobby features a library area, an area for the current art on exhibition, and to truly set the right atmosphere a piano player.

I could have probably wandered around more, wondering about the stories the walls could tell if walls could talk. Standing near the front entrance, staring out on Main Street, I tried to imagine it lined with cars from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s, the lobby bustling with film stars, baseball players and future war heroes. I thought about the dreams of the men who had built it, how their lives ended in poverty. A 150 year old tree died to build a functional life structure that has survived depression, war, the whims of owners and the ravages of time. I should look so good when I am 89 years old.

The hotel and hotel restuarant serves as a classroom for culinary arts and hotel/restuarant management students as well as providing a home for The Artist’s Group, a community of artists who are developing talents while sharing their knowledge and expertise with others, by conducting classes throughout the year.

We went for the food not just the atmosphere. I was not disappointed with either. The Dinner Buffet was reasonably priced, well stocked with appropriately heated and cooled delicious food. I had chicken noodle soup, a hot roll from the bun warmer, fresh fruit, the pineapple was outstanding, a green salad, hot vegetables, chicken, and Key Lime pie for dessert.

I am already planning to go back. I hope to plan enough time, maybe for lunch next time, to browse the Art of the Tag Studio and Gallery in the hotel.

The Hotel Jacaranda heralds a time when buildings were works of art.

“ Every great work of art has two faces, one toward its own time and one toward the future, toward eternity. ”
– Daniel Barenboim

Certainly, the Hotel Jacaranda stands as a testament to the past and a vision for the future. Besides it is a fun place to visit and dine.

In the Company of Others–Walden Shores Flotilla

Flotilla

flotilla
/fləˈtɪlə/
noun: a small fleet or a fleet of small vessels

The sky was clear, the sun was bright, the temperature was 70 degrees unless you were on a pontoon boat zipping across Tiger Lake through the canal to Lake Kissimmee in a caravan of boats from Walden Shores. . .or unless you were Janice, who took the land route. The wind chill factor could not detract from the warmth of good friends, a beautiful setting and three layers of clothing. At one point my windbreaker became inflated so that I looked like a balloon with a tiny head.

Our Captain, Billy Turner

There were four boats and twenty people, who descended on The Port, a restuarant on the water near Haines City, Florida. We were seated on the porch with a view of the docks. The servers were friendly, efficient and I did not hear a single negative comment about the food…which considering that there were twenty of us is pretty astounding. It was fun getting to know people we hadn’t met before…and getting to know people we had met better. I had the grouper sandwich, blackened, in case anyone wondered.

Our First Mate, Linda Turner

The return trip was warmer, with the wind to our backs. We stopped at Camp Mack for ice cream….obviously our body temps had risen enough to enjoy the cold stuff. As we traveled back through the canal to Tiger Lake, we watched an eagle soared over. We observed a myriad of wild life who make those shallow places their home, including two osprey were fishing, water fowl dotted the grasses and lily pads, and we counted six alligators stretched out, sunning themselves along the banks.

So even though the trip to The Port chilled my bones a bit, it reminded me that life is best lived in the company of others with time later like right now to be alone and contemplate the joy of a shared experience.

So though I shivered a bit as our Walden Shores Flotilla advanced, the experience brightened the day.

However,

Did I mention Janice took the land route?

Traffic, Elevators, and Other Minor Glitches

Loved this bumper sticker
“If anything good can happen, it will.”

We have been traveling the last couple of days and I am happy to report we, spouse, brother, 2 dogs and I arrived safely at our destination, warmer climate and place of relaxation and recreation. We broke from our usual “drive until you get there” mentality (15 hours with no traffic) to stop for an over night break. I did the research ahead of time, found a pet friendly Inn at just about the midway point in our journey.

As it turned out that was the correct decision since south of Atlanta on I-75 for some 50 miles they had installed a “parking lot” but still insisted on calling it an Interstate. Except for what appeared to be a minor accident off the road, we have no idea what brought traffic to a standstill. Nevertheless, as we exited to our hotel, everyone including the dogs complimented me for my fore sight in having anticipated that on a Sunday evening traffic would slow to a crawl just 50 miles from our appointed rest stop.

Thank you, Lord, because I had no clue, I simply wanted to cut the journey into two segments.

Our rooms at the Inn were on the 3rd floor requiring us to take the elevator, which certainly beats climbing 3 flights of stairs, UNLESS one is traveling with someone who suffers from elevator phobia–there is no special phobia name for this. I know because I looked it up:

“Take claustrophobia and agoraphobia (the fear of panicking), add some social anxiety disorder, throw in funky odors and bad music — what do you have? A little slice of hell called elevator phobia. It’s a serious fear that’s rarely discussed, despite periodic stories like the recent one of a freight elevator dropping three floors with a group of construction workers aboard. If elevators elevate your heart rate, here are some expert tips from The Anxiety and Phobia Treatment Center at White Plains Hospital.” (20/20 ABC News, June 9, 2011)

Unfortunately, none of the following tips would work in our situation, but I am including them just in case you are or know someone who panics at the mere thought of taking the elevator:

“20 Useful Tips for Elevator-Phobes

1. Carry a book of crossword puzzles you can take out when you need to.

2. Snap a rubber band on your wrist.

3. Put your keys in your pocket and try to distinguish which is which by feel.

4. Have some coins in your pocket and try to distinguish which is which by feel.

5. Pop some strong mints or sour candy in your mouth.

6. Circle all the five-letter words on a newspaper or magazine page.

7. Put a pebble in your shoe and press your foot down on it.

8. Make lists: ordinary tasks, people to catch up with, life goals, etc.

9. Count the tiles on the floor or ceiling.

10. Go through the alphabet and think of a girl’s name that begins with each letter.

11. Do the same thing with boys’ names.

12. Play a memory game by recalling telephone numbers you call often.

13. Needlepoint or any other type of sewing.

14. Count down from 100.

15. Count down from 100 by threes.

16. Carry a prickly hair curler and squeeze it in your hand.

17. Choose a word and see how many other words you can think of that are related to it.

18. Read. If necessary, take your newspaper, magazine or book and try to read it upside down.

19. Smelling salts.

20. Most importantly, lower your fear by riding an elevator every day!” (20/20 ABC News, June 9, 2011)

Our solution was to drag, haul, lift Max’s resistant but surprisingly strong 18 pounds of terror into the elevator, while one of us held the door open, and suffer with him as he spread his paws out on the tile floor seeking any purchase he could find while the evil elevator transported him up or down.

I admit I do have sympathy for him since I would rather take stairs than an escalator anytime. You cannot imagine the horrors I imagine OR maybe you can. Guess we all have our fears. Age diminishes some of them while increasing others, because I remember when I would leap off a porch and keep running across the yard. I watch my grandchildren do that now. Today I sit down on the porch ledge, and gently rise to walk on the ground

Keep in MIND Scripture says “Fear Not” or some equivalent 365 times…one for every day of a normal year.

Max clings to the elevator floor

“Grow Old Along with Me”* Companionship on the Journey

I had a vision of what life in retirement would be like. Terry and I as healthy vigorous senior adults. There would be travel, I could see us in Africa, Europe, Australia; there would be dancing; there would be life on mountain tops and life with our toes in the sand. The two of us, together with all the energy of our youth. Just Terry and I enjoying our children and their families, but in a way that did not intrude. Ah! I had a dream!

And then there was 2010! My unmarried brother who had taken care of my mother for many years had a debilitating stroke in late 2009, that robbed him of some cognitive function. He came to live with us for what we thought would be a temporary time, but has become permanent. My mom went to be with my older son. We were blessed that he would do that. In July 2010, Terry was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, which required aggressive chemotherapy and radiation, leaving him without cancer (Thank you, Lord) but changed physically, mentally and spiritually…in many ways better but in other ways not so much.

I continued to work through this time postponing retirement until January 2012. We lost both of our remaining parents in 2011 and my brother was diagnosed with cancer which required radiation treatment.

Still, in my head I still held MY VISION of what we would be like in retirement, even though evidence stacked up suggesting the need for a new plan. We were discovering as I am sure other senior adults do that our bodies and minds were not fully cooperating.

It took a while but I have gradually turned loose of the idea of climbing mountains and traveling the world. We have settled a bit in two places, Kentucky and Florida. Our explorations of the world have become more manageable. We still are active. Terry still plays tennis. We enjoy making new friends in our two communities. My brother has settled into our lives. We have two dogs, who are great furry companions.

Folks often think older adults are “set in their ways” and perhaps we are a bit, but I am finding that the key to not being discouraged by physical and mental decline is flexibility and determination not to give in, plop down on the sofa, and wither away alone. Isolation and rigidity lead to misery and eventually suck all the life out of how ever many years one has here on planet earth. So I am glad for family, old friends, new friends, my husband, my brother and these two little dogs.

Gotta keep moving and it is more fun with others along for the ride!

Happy New Year!

*Elisabeth Barrett Browning

THE DEVIL IS REAL, BUT HE IS NOT THE BOSS OF ME

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (‭1 Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭8-10‬ NIV)

During this year of moving forward into my SEVENTH DECADE, I think I will take Sundays to reflect on the spiritual journey on which I am still embarked, look briefly in the rear view mirror (You never know whose following you), and share some of the truths I have discovered as a Christian. I can only go on the Word of God, which is unflawed, and my own spiritual journey, which undoubtedly is, so if you are looking for wisdom take what works for you and leave the rest, but I challenge you to keep seeking for ONE sure fire truth is that if we seek, we will find.

In my sixty-nine plus years I have ignored, misrepresented, denied God and my need for Him. I have doubted, questioned, debated, and disgracefully turned down Jesus more than once. I was actually a baptized non-believer; I was not an atheist…I had neatly arranged God, Jesus, really didn’t even consider the Holy Spirit, the Bible, so that they fit with MY mindset, placed them on a shelf to be addressed when I needed them. I was educated, but incredibly stupid. I was in a word LOST! But you know what there were people who thought I was a Christian. Why? Because I was essentially by human standards a good person.

Then a series of events, numerous and painful, people, Christian and Non-Christian, that brought me to the end of myself and the foot of the Cross. During all the time before and after my conversion, which by the way occurred on the road from Bartlesville, OK to Tulsa, OK…did not involve a blinding light but did involve the voice of God in my mind,whispering “Be Still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10).

While I was recklessly careening toward Hell, there were numerous times God intervened in my life while I was bad mouthing Him to literally pull me back from death. Sometimes I even managed a thank you. The Devil on the other hand mostly left me alone except for those times I leaned in closer to listen to the Christians God began planting around me or when he saw something that would entice me to sin more gravely than I had before or to remind me that I was so guilty and dirty that God wouldn’t want me anyway.

The Devil is real, but he is no match for God. The Devil pretends to be tough, but he runs from Jesus. The Devil hates people for God made us in His Image. The Devil will do everything he can to keep the unsaved from salvation and don’t think he stops when one accepts Christ and opens up heart, mind, and spirit to receive the Holy Spirit into Temple where self once ruled, turning the throne over to Christ. The Devil tries to make the Christian ineffective, fearful, guilt ridden, arrogant, virtually anyway he can.

That is why he runs around wreaking havoc, inside and outside, the Devil has an agenda…Take as many folks to HELL with him as possible. He knows his fate and if he has to suffer he wants everyone he can get to suffer with him.

He may look like a lion, roar like a lion, seek to devour like a lion, but he is toothless.
I need to be aware of his agenda and Know that HE WHO IS IN ME IS GREATER THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD! (paraphrase from 1 John 4:4) This was true the hour I first believed thirty-five years ago and it is true today as I enter my seventh decade.

So here I am trying to stay ALERT and of SOBER mind. Listening for God even when the Devil roars the loudest. RESISTing him by STANDING firm and KNOWING I am not alone, there are others doing the same and some of them are really suffering for the LORD in ways I cannot even comprehend.

Enough for now…need to clean mental, spiritual, and physical closets so we can travel south next Sunday.