The Greatest Enemy of the Best

What do you think is the greatest enemy of God’s best for your life? Is it Satan? Is it some evil plan for your life that you just can’t break free from? What keeps you from embracing and running with God’s ultimate purpose for your life?

Let me share an experience in my life. I was in a bad car accident 14 years ago which resulted in neck and back pain. I went to an Orthopedic Dr., Physical Therapy, chiropractor, Pain Center, had acupuncture and got massages regularly. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. So I gave up and accepted my fate. I took ibuprofen most days and was okay with it.

Five years ago I started having migraines frequently. I was a stay at home mom with a two-year old. At one point I had a migraine for three months straight. Medication would numb it but I could not kick it. My Dr. said it was either my sinuses or a brain tumor. I had a scan on my skull to see if it was sinus problems and they were fine. Time to start including God in the situation. Up till now I believed God healed people through modern technology, but when that wasn’t working and the pain was too much I changed my belief and started praying for a miracle. Next was the neurologist. It wasn’t a brain tumor much to my relief!! He gave me a medication to take everyday to prevent migraines and one to take when they came. By this point I was tired of taking pills all the time and did not want to depend on medicine to keep me from migraines. So I started memorizing and standing on healing scriptures and getting my belief system in line with the word.

We figured out that the migraines were caused my a hormone I was on, so I quit taking that. I started working out at the gym, and after a few months my neck and back stopped hurting. Now I am virtually pain-free unless I do something stupid like ride a rollercoaster or carry my toddler on my shoulders. I do still have migraines a particular time of the month, and am believing for healing even from that.

I wrote all this to say. The pain probably was caused by Satan, or at least the accident which caused the downward spiral. However, I allowed it to remain as long as I could dull the pain through medication. As long as I could get comfortable it was good enough. It wasn’t until I was consistently uncomfortable, and medication was not helping that my life was disrupted enough to cry out to God. When I prayed, it wasn’t just to get back to the chronic neck pain I could tolerate. I asked for complete healing in my entire body.

The truth is Satan is defeated, and he has no power over us except what we give him. This doesn’t mean life as a Christian is a bed of roses. We will all face trials. We still live in a world where Satan does have authority, just not over the children of God. But in all these things we are more than conquerors, and God works all things together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. So if evil is not the greatest enemy of the best, what is?

Good enough is the greatest enemy of the best. For nine years I tolerated neck and back pain because as long as ibuprofen took the pain away it was good enough for me. It wasn’t until my life was completely disrupted and the pain unbearable that I threw away good enough to embrace God’s best for my life. His plan is to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a future filled with hope. There is no hope in a future filled with pain and suffering, this is not his plan.

The enemy takes us all into murky waters in life. Are we content to stay confined in the boat as long as he doesn’t rock it too hard? I was content to stay in unchartered waters far from God’s plan for my life until I was drowning in a sea of despair. I hope you will embrace God’s plan much sooner, and defeat your greatest enemy – settling for good enough.

A Sure Foundation

We started seriously tithing in the last year. It was an easy decision to make because we didn’t have any income to tithe on. Tithing became top priority because I was too afraid not to tithe when we only made a quarter of what we’ve been accustomed to the past ten years. Even though our income last year was only 25% we are in a better financial situation than we were before.

Before we were living the American way, buy now based on your expected income and pay later. However, the reduced income caused us do finances God’s way. We have paid off more debt this year than we ever would have with a steady income. The lack of income changed our perspective. Before we were willing to tolerate debt. Now we hate it because we have seen the stress it causes. Living God’s way brings peace. His plan for us is freedom. Being in debt is not freedom.

My two year old loves Mickey Mouse and I really wanted to take him to disney while he’s so into it. I never even mentioned it to my husband because it was so far fetched, but I did mention it to God. A couple weeks ago my mom got some inheritance money and she decided to take me and the kids to Disney. We just up and went over spring break last week. The attached picture shows my kids getting to meet Mickey.

Right now we don’t have a financial foundation, but God is the sure foundation for our times. He has a plan for my family to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us a future filled with hope. We just have to surrender our plan and embrace his.

He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. – Isaiah 33:6

Trusting God rather than men

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. 1 Samuel 17:50

David used what he was skilled in to defeat his enemy. King Saul tried to arm David with his armor, and encouraged David to fight like a soldier. Often people with expertise in a certain area will try to get us to do things their way. Just because someone else has had success doing it their way does not mean that is God’s way for us. We need to use our specific talents and skills to serve God in the area he calls us. It is wise to see how those who have gone before us have done things. It is not wise to try to be like someone else. Often we look only to the lessons from others rather than following God. Under no normal circumstance could a shepherd boy defeat an experienced soldier with a sling. This would be foolishness to anyone experienced with fighting battles. But God is always doing new things. We need not to limit ourselves to the knowledge of men. Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” Mark 10:27.

Disciplined Thinking

Most days I wake up in the morning and think of all the things I did wrong the previous day. I look at all the improvements I need to make to be a better mom and wife. I focus on my failure with others- things I said when I should have kept my mouth shut. I set my resolve to change myself and not do those things again.

I spend time in the Bible. I beg God to change me. I cannot accept myself with these failures. I have to change! Daily I reject myself because I focus on everything that’s wrong with me, and I wonder why fear of rejection haunts me.

…Fix your thoughts on whatever is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me- everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. -Philippians 4:8

This verse tells me to focus on what is true, honorable, right, pure etc. because what I focus on I will gravitate toward. If my focus is on everything I do wrong I will gravitate toward failure. If I focus on what is excellent and praiseworthy I will gravitate toward that type of behavior.

Paul is inspiring those addressed in his letter to practice disciplined thinking. I have a choice what I think about. I need to take every thought captive obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). I will not rise above myself until my thought life rises to a godly standard.

Establishing a disciplined thought life is especially challenging in the technologically advanced day in which we live. Silence is a rare commodity. We are bombarded by media which is overwhelmingly negative in its reporting. A minuscule percentage of television and radio shows broadcast what is pure, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy. If we spend 30 minutes in the Word each morning, yet four hours taking in secular radio or television, that is a 1:8 ratio of truth to secularism. Is this ratio showing up in our thought life? Do we have only one godly thought to every eight worldly thoughts?

No- we can’t sit and read our Bible all day. We are however instructed to meditate on the word day and night (Joshua 1:8). Our Bible study does not have to end when we close the book and dive into our daily routine. We can write a scripture down in a note card or post it to reread and meditate on throughout the day. Then peace will come and guard our hearts.

Lord guard our hearts against the bombardment of negativity in our society. Give us a hunger for your word. Help us to search out truth and meditate on it day and night. Help us to be disciplined in our thought lives. Draw us toward character which is Christ like. In Jesus name. Amen

Bed of Freedom

Two years ago today my aunt passed away. This is the poem I wrote after her death.

For some freedom comes with

a missed breath and a stilled heart.
Laboring is finally over.

Life was too unkind to them distorting its meaning.

They were blinded by rejection,

and peace was always out of reach.

You watch them suffer endlessly;

ever pursuing them with your unfailing love.

But they cannot recognize it.

They are to broken to receive it.

You wait with infinite patience for them

to stop fighting and surrender the pain.

They struggle with you their entire life

until they are driven to you out of fear.

Then you lay them down on a bed of freedom,

and pick them up with your everlasting arms.

Foundation

1 Samuel 20:3 …”But truly as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me (David) and death.”

These were the words spoken by David when he visited Jonathan after Saul pursued him to Naioth. David’s situation was dire. The weight of his circumstances were weighed on his shoulders. No doubt he was praying for God to change Saul’s heart so David would not have to live on the run. David likely longed to return home to be with his family, live in his own home, and have the security of his job. Imagine him sitting behind the rock pile all alone in the field. His life hung in the balance as he waited for the verdict. Then it came. The news he dreaded most. He again had to flee for his life. Think of the rejection, the loss, uncertainty, the pain. He wept embracing his best friend in a final good-bye.

We all want security, stability, a sure foundation. Some of us may know, as David did, what its like to have our world shaken and no foundation to stand on. Sometimes life is a terrifying free fall. When it hits bottom we may wonder if the pieces are even big enough to rebuild. God did not deliver David from his circumstances, but he delivered him through. In the end God was David’s rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, salvation, stronghold, and savior (2 Samuel 22:2-3). When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze (Isaiah 43:1-2).

Thank you Lord that you are my sure foundation. I am completely secure in your arms. Help me to hold my peace when the tide of trials sweeps in. Help me to keep trusting you in the fire of adversity. Thank you that you work all things together for good and you give me a crown of beauty instead of ashes.

Humility

Humility. What exactly is it? It is certainly to be desired much, because God promises to give grace to the humble and lift them up in honor. However, God himself opposes the proud. What does it look like to be humble?

It is humble to serve and expect nothing, including recognition, in return. Pride looks at who I am and what I deserve. Humility looks at who God is and what he deserves. David was anointed king over Israel. He was a mighty warrior and a great leader. Yet he still considered himself unworthy to be the King’s son-in-law. There was no one more worthy. David did not evaluate himself based on his accomplishments, but attributed them to God’s grace and favor. That is true humility-getting to a place of success and not thinking I earned it but instead looking at what God has done.

Pride thinks of what I deserve. It considers itself more worthy than others. It always thinks about its rights and what it’s entitled to. It is by God’s grace we can do anything. We are nothing on our own. Yet pride wants recognition for everything it does. God is the one who deserves the glory. We are his humble servants. We should live our life as an offering to him, to do his work.

I must serve God out of appreciation for the eternal life which he has freely given me. I am only one cross away from eternal damnation. I must cling to that cross and give him all the glory. I must live with a fresh revelation of grace which will inspire me to give grace to others. I must live out of the spirit of generosity and daily bring my pride to its knees before the cross.

Recently I discovered the Amplified Version of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 which I believe defines humility, because a humble heart is a heart that beats out of love for God and others.

Love endures long is patient and kind, love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. it is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is never ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to and end].

Shine

Precious blood cleansed my soul
A healing flood made me whole
Righteousness not of my own
Now I stand faultless before your throne
Help me bring more to be redeemed
And through salvation be set free
Draw them, Lord, into your arms
Where eternal souls are free from harm
Make me transparent so they see your light
Like a beacon of hope in the dark of night

Come Lord

Dealers sell drugs to misguided kids
A mother gives up rights to get high again
Everyday fathers walk away
From children who beg him to stay
A woman with child feeds her addiction
Sacrificing her unborn baby on the altar of affliction
Come Lord

One of two families are torn by divorce
The children distraught in the court
A dollar sign placed on their heads
They travel between houses to go to bed
Come Lord

Students are shot down at their school
But we can’t teach them the golden rule
Inappropriateness they will defend
Yet your holy name is an offense
Come Lord

Society has rejected your principles
Of ourselves we are completely full
We promote religious equality
But are hostile to those who would bring relief
Come Lord

Many churches are religious and unkind
They criticize others and are totally blind
They worship tradition and pile up burdens
Unity and love they have deserted
Come Lord

You gave us this land to be free
Long ago we left our knees
We trust the government to be our guide
With half truths they tell us lies
They rob us with taxes again and again
Our hard earned money they frivolously spend
Come Lord

Come back and bring pain to an end
Heal our hearts eliminate sin
You are the messiah the only one
Who completely saves and it is done
Come to us prince of peace
In holiness bring us to our knees

Encouragement for parents of rebellious teens

From a psychological perspective- The transition from adolescence to adulthood is the stage when one struggles to accomplish separateness. The goal is to know “I am the one making my decisions. I am not simply a puppet on a string, or an extension of someone’s will.” It is a time of breaking away to define oneself as an individual through trial and error of my own choices, uninfluenced by an authority figure. Parents must try prevent a fracture in the relationship though it is greatly strained.

From a spiritual perspective- “Raise your kids in the way they should go and when they are OLDER they will not depart from it.” The brain isn’t even finished growing until 22 years of age (obviously). I can’t imagine the ache from watching your child make bad decisions, but God uses it all. People with perfect families can’t minister to anybody. Only humble broken people who have seen God move in desperate situations have a testimony. No one appreciates freedom till we have experienced bondage. Those who have been forgiven much love much. Many have mediocre relationships with God until receiving his love and grace when we don’t deserve it. That is what sets a heart on fire and fuels us to pursue him. Passion comes when we get a revelation on grace. Faith is believing what you cannot see. Set your mind that your children are blessed because they are chosen by God. Right now you may be the only one making a positive confession for your kids releasing faith for the angels to work with. Don’t let the enemy have that it may prolong this process.

 Lord I pray you will fill these parents with all joy and peace that they may overflow with hope by the power of your holy spirit. I thank you that the happiness of their future is not determined by their current circumstances. I pray they will be filled with peace as though they have not a care in this world because your power sustains them. You are their strength. We trust in you fully and we lift their children up to you. You can make a way where there seems to be no way. You are the one who gives us a new heart and puts a new spirit in us. We believe our kids will fulfill your calling on their lives. We cast down every lie of the enemy that says otherwise. Help us to surrender this situation fully to you today. In Jesus name, Amen.