STRONGHOLDS

Fortress the Greek  word for stronghold taken literally means a fortress. It is used in the Bible as a metaphor to represent things that are based only on human confidence or pride as opposed to those that rely on God's input and guidance. Strongholds are walls or fortresses around beliefs and emotions to protect us from further pain. an important part of healing and transforming the deep wounds divinely pulling down the stronghold.

Strongholds can bind us tie us up and keep us from doing and living the life that God has planned for us.
I don't claim to be an expert on strongholds and may be all wrong about them. I have not done an intense study on strongholds but do know that I myself have struggled with some. The stronghold of beliefs that I have had have been powerful. We are fighting a spiritual battle daily. The world, self and the devil. Believing things that are not true can keep us from having the peace and joy and freedom that God has intended for us to have.

This is the area where my struggle has been for years. Believing things that are not true! The only way to free yourself from the stronghold of untruth is to find out the truth. Searching God's word, prayer, seeking the Holy Spirit's leading, and in my case having a husband that is so spiritually and in God's word that we can talk and seek God's word for the truth.

We can really believe something to be so true and it can be so far from truth that when the light comes on you wonder how you could have really believed that to begin with but then realize at the time I didn't know better nor did I take the time to search for the truth. When we are taught something and it is taught over and over generation after generation and you keep asking questions but no one will answer them or know the answer themselves how do you break the untruth.

Now not all can be not true...there may be just enough truth there that you don't ever question it keeping us enough naïve that we just don't think anything can be wrong.

There are a lot of strongholds.....sin.....destructive thoughts, negative thoughts, lust, impure thinking...pride, habits, learned behaviors that enslave us.

But Glory be to God...there is a way...to break down strongholds...whatever they may be....God's Spirit and God's Word.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the life-transforming power of God's Word, our stronghold(s) can be pulled down!

I am so thankful for a loving, all powerful God...nothing, nothing is to hard for Him...

I am so thankful for His love for me and for you that He sent His only begotten Son that we may have everlasting life.
That whosoever believeth in Him will have everlasting life...His gave His life for me and for you..and there is NOTHING I can do to help Him save me...He did it all...and on the cross said IT IS FINISHED...there is nothing left to do but believe.....I have put all my trust in Him....to do what HE said HE has done....He died for my sins and yours!

And He is coming back....soon....

Did I take enough time?

Sometimes as I look back I feel like I never took enough time.
Not enough time holding my babies.
Not enough time sitting on the porch swing.
Not enough time visiting with my Mom and Dad.
Not enough time talking to my babies.
Not enough time telling them how much I love them.
Not enough time sitting doing nothing with my hubby.
Not enough time listening just plain listening.
With not thinking about what I am going to say .

Today I want to stop....I want to take some time...
Not always reading what someone else wrote...
But listening to what my heart is telling me what to do...
And taking the time to do that...
It's pretty late but not to late...
What is my passion....???
What do I love..???

I used to think that I knew...
But somewhere between then and now...
I feel like I lost something...
To much time at work...
To much time thinking how it is all going to end....
I need to stop...breathe....relax....hold my hubbies hand...
Tell all my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren how much I love them...
How much they mean to me....

I want to be just the person God created me to be...not what I think I want to be...
Not who I think that I am...
But who am I in Christ...
I am a daughter of the King....
Blessed beyond anything I would have ever imagined...

I have just the same amount of time today as I did back then...
When I was in school living at home...
When I was newly married....
When my children were small...
When they were big...
And now...24 hours a day....

I don't want to waste anymore time on things that don't matter
I want to live as God would have me live...
Be me....Be me...as He has create only me to be....
Love...as He has loved....
Give has He has given...

Grown Up

What did I think it would be like to be all grown up. All my life I remember wanting nothing more then to be grown up. WHAT was I thinking. Why do children want to grow up so fast.

I used to tell my children to enjoy...could be the best days of your life.....did they listen...I don't think so...

I am so far into grown up I don't remember what it was like to be a kid...even though sometimes I feel like one inside...but then look in the mirror and whoops...not so much there....

Today everything so different...the I pads...I phone....all the games...there is no more imagination being used..everything is right there. They don't even have to do anything....just sit there and use their fingers....

I used to play house...my husbands name was Bob...I thought that Bob and Evelyn sounded really good together...had a doll named Debra....loved that name....played in the back of the garage...mom even let me wall paper in there...made mud pies for lunch..for Bob and Debra....my bike was my car....had so much fun...I was by myself had no one to play with....

We didn't even have a TV...imagine that....no radio....just Dad Mom and Me...I played school....I played church....mom would let me mix flour and water in the kitchen and play like I was baking....she would let me to my math on the kitchen table with a pencil and then would take Ajax and wash it off..never told me I couldn't...

My mom would always make my bed....have lunch ready for me when I came home from school...when I was young and before I went a little crazy she never screamed at me..or at least I don't remember her doing that....I got in trouble but that was usually a spanking or had to sit on a chair....but she was a patient momma....I would ask her if she loved me and she always said yes...

Wonder why all this is coming to my mind...I last week fractured my foot...and have been in a Big Black Boot...now listen I know that this is NOTHING compared to what is going on in the world...and what others are going through..I  know that...I do....it has for some reason made me very emotional....tears..even...and it makes me want my mom...to hold me to comfort me to tell me it will be OK...

God is teaching me something through this..just don't know what yet but when I find out I will tell you what it is...maybe to let go and let HIM....maybe to slow me down as Steph said I have a hard time doing nothing....maybe none of that...but something else...I am now going to let HIM.....

Also another thing happened this month besides my foot...I had a pretty big birthday....didn't really bother me so much...thankful that God has given me all this time...healthy time for the most part...really mostly healthy...not sick much...and oh what a family..I have..love each and everyone of them...so much...I thank Him daily for all of them...ask Him to protect and keep them from harm...

Everett and I have a good life...so for my foot...it will all be ok...could have been so much worse...

And I am going to go camping again....love to camp....

Looking Back

Looking back......how often do we look back....the Bible says that we should put our hands to the plow and NOT look back. Luke 9:32 Jesus says "No one who puts his hands on the plow and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God." so I would say we should not look back. Maybe some Bible scholars might come up with a different meaning and if there is one I would like to know but I take this verse to mean that we should not look back but look ahead....Lots wife was told not to look back or she would turn into a pillar of salt...she did and she did turn into a pillar of salt...one of my hubby's favorite sayings is " Don't look back unless that is where you want to go"

Reflecting on my day and sometimes or maybe more then I want to admit I want to think back to my past...like a lot of people I am sure...wishing that I could do things over...and most likely do them the same way or maybe worse...my prayer is that I have learned from my mistakes...and will keep learning from them...but not to dwell on them..letting them steal my joy or worse yet keep me from doing what God has called me to do....

What have I said today that could have hurt someone,s feelings...did I make someone feel bad.... or did I encourage someone who was struggling..did I misunderstand? Did someone misunderstand me? I would hate to count how many times I could have done better today...looking for something...my proof of insurance for my car...couldn't find it...got anxious..leaving tomorrow and needed it...Everett tells me to calm down...we will find it and we did...he said I had little faith..sometimes I do...maybe more then I want to admit...he has enough for both of us..but that doesn't really count of me I need to have my own faith...I do it is just hard...I tend to look at the negative more then the positive I am really trying to change on this one...God has given us so much time here...our days are set...don't think I can change that and the only time I have is right now and what I do with this moment counts...for now and for eternity...I certainly won't be able to change anything then...not when I leave this earth...my time here is now...oh how I want to make it count...

On the news lately ( and why I don't know) but they were saying how the F word is used so commonly today. They say that everyone uses it and thinks nothing of it...I hate that word....we were talking today at work and I asked one of my younger employees if she ever used it...she said all of her friends use it all the time...and so does she.. ( I said she needed to get different friends) .and then she said you know
" I am not perfect",,,,will me neither...but does that mean we should go screaming that word around?

The Bible does say that what is in our heart comes out of our mouth...ouch...that's a strong one...do we really know what is in our heart...we best if Jesus is living there....Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord......

Being here, after living 60 some years has made me look at life in a different way...I want to trust God more and most of the time I think that I do...but then...do I really...as much as I should...sometimes it can be scary especially if we tend to have a controlling personality...maybe that comes from being the baby of the family or being a boss for 30 years ...need to let God....

I do know one thing that God's word is true...it is the living breathing word of our God...our Creator, our Savior and if it is in His word it had to be true... and very important...and as a Christian we best be listening....and doing what He wants us to do....when He opens the doors we need to go through and when He shuts the doors we best stay put....

I want to be what He wants me to be and that is to be a servant....He came to serve and that is what He calls us to do...to serve....and sacrifice...for Him...and almost all the time..that is something that is not in our comfort zone..but we must rely on Him....and put our hand on the plow and go forward...and not look back....and live in the what if's...that is not what He wants......

Behind Closed Doors

Have you ever heard the saying....I wander what goes on behind closed doors. Walking by a door that is closed and you might know that there is a business meeting, or at the Dr's office wandering what is going on, on the other side?

Closed doors can bring about a lot of curiosity. Sometimes maybe the door is ajar just a bit and you want to peek in.

The baby is sleeping and you have the door almost shut and you want to look in and see if she or he really is sleeping or just wanting to see them sleep and afraid that if you open the door it might squeak and wake up the baby.

Why is it that things we can't see can bring about a curiosity in us. The unknown is always fascinating.

The Bible talks about closed doors. The door to our heart can be closed to hearing the truth about the Gospel.
Jesus is standing at the door knocking wanting to come in but we must open that door to let Him in.

What about the doors in our mind....wouldn't it be fun to read someones thoughts? But on the other side of that I really don't think we would want to. But then don't we ofter wander what caused someone to do what they do? What were they thinking?

Suicide bombers for example...what would make a person strap on a bomb walk into a crowd and pull the cord?
What would make someone want to go blow up innocent people that have never done anything to them?
I know none of us know the answers to that but I do know one thing that people left on their own without any knowledge or belief in God or His son and keep refusing to believe the truth the Word of God says that He will turn them over to their own sin.

Romans 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29:Furthermore, since they become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy,murder, strife deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful, they invent ways of doing evil...31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless...

This sounds like our world....oh there are a lot of good people in our world today but the bad are very bad.....and getting worse...

Open the doors of Heaven and come quickly Jesus!

Forgiveness

We attended a Southern Gospel songfest in Tulsa OK this last week-end. Such an inspiration! Praising the Lord, in song and testimony.
We as Christian are suppose to be forgiving. Many verses in the Bible speak of forgiveness one verse Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Also in Matt. Peter asks Jesus how many times should I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answers, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Why is it so hard sometimes to forgive? Why can we become so bitter? Is it because we are so focused on self...we can't see any other way?

I struggle with this....then one by one, I prayed about it, and I started to let it go and forgive those that hurt me. It gave me so much freedom....but there still seemed to be a lump that didn't want to go away...

At the songfest there was a group there " The Isaac's" Such a good group....They ended their set with a song called " Why can't we"

The song's message is about a man that can't sleep at night, because he lays in his bed and thinks of all the things that he has done wrong in his life...how he wishes he could go back and do things over. The song goes on and talks about The woman at the well.

Where Jesus said....He who has not sinned cast the first stone...they all walked away...

I have been like that man that couldn't sleep...wishing that I could go back and do things over....I would be a better daughter, defiantly a better mother...a better wife...a better friend...surrendered my life at an earlier age....on and on...

Then I realized...we ALL have sinned...made mistakes...things we all could do different if we could...we can't...that is why the Cross is the most important thing ever...that is where when we accept the free gift of salvation...we are totally...totally forgiven because of what Jesus did at the cross..He paid it all...now He forgave me...for all my sins and mistakes...now why can I not forgive myself...where can that come from.. If I could have lived the perfect life He would not have had to die for me....He has set me FREE!!
What a peace...what a joy!!

The Empty Tomb

Just coming off Easter Sunday and what it really means to me some thoughts are coming to my mind.
Easter has a lot of different meanings to a lot of different people. To some it is just another Sunday.
No thought about it being any different then any other Sunday.

To others it is a time for family. To get together, eat a big meal, hide eggs for the kiddos, and sit and visit. Sometimes this is the first day of sitting or playing outside. It usually is warmer on Easter for some reason.

Others have to go out and get new Easter dresses for the little girls ( or bigger ones) new hats maybe, new white shoes...this would have been me a number of years ago and especially when I was growing up. My Mom always made me a new dress to wear on Easter. Loved it, all my friends had new dresses on too. Pretty...

A lot of different religions have a lot of things or traditions that they do coming up to the day.

Giving something up for Lent....Special services for certain days...ash Wednesday comes to mind..ashes on the forehead in the shape of a cross...Palm Sunday...Sunrise service's...lots of songs about the cross...

In a Bible Study class that I was just in one of the questions was: What is your favorite holiday?
Mine is Christmas...love all that goes with it. Christmas eve my very favorite day of the year. Anticipation...more so when I was little. Now it is just the silence I feel on Christmas eve...the candle light services...Silent Night....Holy Night....

Off track here....the tomb...the empty tomb....Easter is not about the Easter Bunny, the colored eggs filled with candy...the Easter baskets, the new dresses, the new shoes....seems like in every Christian holiday we can go the secular way....here, there, here, there one foot in one foot out...it is what we make of it and what we add to it and what we take away from it. It is tradition...it is what we were brought up with it is how we do life....what really is right...what does Jesus think...when we are running around.....looking...searching....shopping....putting ashes on our foreheads...is He saying come on people...it is about ME....I was nailed to the cross....I bore the sins of the whole world..once and for all....I was in agony....I cried...." My God, My God why have thou forsaken me??? Jesus is saying I did it for you...and you....and you....

The Tomb is empty...It is finished....He paid it all....ALL...What did He do for us....He gave us life..through His resurection...WE now have hope.....What are we doing for HIM....

I love my family....God has blessed us so much....I love hiding the eggs for the little ones...but they are here because of HIM...and I can take them with me into eternity because of what He did that day...on the cross and on Easter when He rose again......because of me....and because of you!