A Virtuous Women - Meet My Mom!

Mom and Dad - Married over 40 years!

It's Mother's Day…I have to stop the usual inspirational sharing to share about a second women. (The first I wrote about on yesterday's post!) This women is also a "Morning Sunshine" to many, and she is my Mother… 

My mom is simply amazing!! And everyone that knows her, would back up this statement. Although she has spent years struggling with different health issues, she has a strength and fortified and determination that keeps pushing forward. She is a powerhouse and dynamo that gets things done…including keeping our farm running smoothly, keeping the garden growing fruitfully, doing a full time sewing business and much more. But most of all she loves people. Have I shared about the family of seven that she and dad adopted a couple years ago? (See pictures below!)

Of course, it's obvious, my mom loves the Lord too, with all her heart, and she and dad taught us kids to do the same. Memorizing Scripture was her love and I remember some of the many Scripture songs she taught us and verses that we memorized as young children. 

Mom with all her girls!

My mom is a wealth of wisdom, expertise, love and generosity. While she is still going strong, and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, I still get chocked up thinking about what life could possible be like without her. I can't imagine the pain of losing a parent…although I realize that if Jesus does not come back someday soon, I will have to walk this road. But I and my brothers have been given such a blessing. 

There are many things I could say about my mother, but even these things would not hold a candle to the women that she is. In honor of her and mother's day, I just will share the passage that dad often shares as he speaks of his "lovely wife." (They've been married for over 40 years!) If there was anyone who could possible exemplify this passage, that is my mother! 

Our whole family - with additions!

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considerate a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellent them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth theLord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." Proverbs 31

Happy Mother's Day Mom! I love you!

Where is YOUR Treasure?

A week or so ago, I wrote about my grandmother's death. As mother's day approaches, I wanted to share something more about her life! I share this as my "Morning Sonshine" in hopes that it will inspire and encourage you…for my grandmother truly was a Morning Sunshine to so many, as she reflected Christ!

My grandmother was always active, and always reaching out to others. From the time I was very small, I remember her taking me around the community visiting this person or that one. She especially would visit shut-ins and those that lived alone, bringing them songs, sunshine, and cheer. She was always reaching out to the needy and she would give the shirt off her back to help someone, if she needed.  

As I got older, she would take me on adventure picnics, sing songs with me, and tell me stories of days gone by. After all, she was born in 1924, so she'd been around a few years. (Including both World Wars, and the Great Depression!)

There's something else my grandmother was. She was a prolific writer. (Maybe this is where I got my love of writing!) She didn't write stories and things like I do though, but she wrote letters of encouragement, and she sent verses of encouragement out to anyone that she thought needed cheering. (I use to do this, and I need to do it more!) Believe it or not, she mailed her last 10 letters of encouragement to absent church members just two weeks ago - yep, the week before she died, she was still writing letters of encouragement. 

Something else that may be of interest is that in the past several years she has transcribed, copied by hand, the entire Bible books of Ruth, Esther, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Daniel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Colossians, Ephesians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, James, Jude and Revelation. (I didn't even realize the magnitude of what she had written out until we were going through her stuff this week and sorting things to save or give away!) These Bible books remain in 9 notebooks of 80 pages each, copied neatly on both sides. Her last entry of the week before she died was Matthew 6:20-24 which includes the passage: "For where your treasure is there will your heart be also."

I know where my grandma's Treasure was, because that's where her heart was also! All over her room and desk were pictures of Christ. She loved Christ, she talked of Christ, she shared Christ with others. 

Sometimes when I was young, I thought she talked about Him too much, but now I realize that she understand what the Gospel truly was. (Something I am still trying to learn. I'll blog about this more on Monday!) 

My grandmother was not a saint, she had her struggles and trials, as we all do. But her hope was in Christ and in this Hope and peace, she went to rest. But her memory and her legacy lives on, and I pray it will challenge all of us to seek FIRST the things of Heaven, for where your Treasure is there will YOUR heart be also!

Review:

• Bible Thought: Let's remember first things first…to love God and to love each other! This is how my grandma lived! 
• Blessing: I'm so thankful for the gift of her life…now that it's gone, I continue to mourn the loss…but I am so thankful for the hope of the Resurrection when we will all be reunited again!
• Battles: I love to write too…But I've spent a lot of my earlier years writing about trivial things…I pray that my life and focus can be like my Grandmothers, to love others and to love Christ and bring others to Christ. I know that the enemy's battle is to keep me from this, but with Christ, all things are possible!  

A fresh look at the Cross awakens my Dull Senses

This past week, I was taking a break from my writing one morning, and I started re-studying out the topic of the "Gospel" purely for my own spiritual refreshment and growth. Of course, this may seem rather elementary to some. After all, the GOSPEL is something we've grown up reading and hearing about our entire lives, right?? But all too often, I think that we Christian's can forget the basics, or the basics don't touch us, because we've known them from childhood!

So as I began to read…God impacted my heart in a very special way as I realized again the significance of the Cross! In fact, without the shedding of Christ blood, there would be NO HOPE for me!!! NONE!!! Wow… how easy to minimize His sacrifice or forget this!

"Few give thought to the suffering that sin has caused our Creator. All heaven suffered in Christ’s agony; but that suffering did not begin or end with His manifestation in humanity. The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God…"

"Every departure from the right, every deed of cruelty, every failure of humanity to reach His ideal, brings grief to Him. When there came upon Israel the calamities that were the sure result of separation from God,—subjugation by their enemies, cruelty, and death,—it is said that “His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” “In all their affliction He was afflicted: ... and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” Judges 10:16; Isaiah 63:9 (Above two paragraphs from the book Education, p. 263)

Of course, as I looked up verse after verse, and did a lot of cross referencing, and followed a lot of fun rabbit trails, I couldn't believe how fast the time went by. Before I realized it, I'd been studying the Bible for over 4 hours…and I didn't want to stop! When you take time to really dig and to EAT the Words of Life, they really are so filling! :-)

One of the favorite verses that I looked up came from Romans 1:16,17

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."

“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Oh, this is meat in due season from first to last!

"The Jews looked upon a veiled Saviour whom they had never seen unveiled, and many even who claim to be God’s commandment-keeping people are looking upon a veiled Saviour. They have thought so little upon the great plan of redemption, the atoning sacrifice, and the truth that through the shedding of a Saviour’s blood alone the angels could proclaim peace on earth and good will to men. Talk it. Pray it. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Then why not dwell upon the necessity of faith in the blood of Jesus Christ? The things of the Spirit, the preaching of the cross, are “to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 16 Manuscript Releases, p. 232

If you haven't seen this lately, please watch the short GOSPEL YOU link. POWERFUL and most concise presentation I've ever seen! (And, one of my friends actually made this video, so I'm proud of that fact too!) 

Review:

• Bible Thought: The Gospel is the POWER of God unto Salvation! Am I accepting this power, or trying to earn Salvation in my own strength…which is useless? Also, am I still causing Him pain by my careless sins?
• Blessing: So thankful again for Christ's sacrifice and for His righteousness that covers my filthy stinking rags. Also thankful for His Mercy and Amazing Grace!
• Battle: Let me not allow the enemy to dull my senses to this great gift!

Stocking Piling God's promises!

"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger." Zephaniah 2:3

"Transgression has almost reached its limit. Confusion fills the world, and a great terror is soon tocome upon human beings. The end is very near. God’s people should be preparing for what is to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise. The “time of trouble, such as never was,” is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess and which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God. “Though Noah, Daniel, and Job” were in the land, “as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.” Ezekiel 14:20.

"The last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law of God. Upon this battle we are now entering—a battle between the laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah, between the religion of the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition. We should study the great waymarks that point out the times in which we are living.... We should now pray most earnestly that we may be prepared for the struggles of the great day of God’s preparation. Those who place themselves under God’s control, to be led and guided by Him, will catch the steady tread of the events ordained by Him to take place. Inspired with the Spirit of Him who gave His life for the life of the world, they will no longer stand still in impotency, pointing to what they cannot do. Putting on the armor of heaven, they will go forth to the warfare, willing to do and dare for God, knowing that His omnipotence will supply their need." Maranatha, p. 161

"Christians should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise, andthis preparation they should make by diligently studying the word of God, and striving to conform their lives to its precepts.... God calls for a revival and a reformation." Prophets and Kings, 626

Some people look at society and think that stock piling supplies is the answer to being prepared. But God wants us to "stockpile" His promises. THIS IS HOW WE PREPARE!

God wants to have a relationship with us in our hearts. He wants to know us NOW! Not wait until we are desperate and we have no other choice!

So I don't know about you, but I'm asking God to help me prepare… sometimes I'm overwhelmed at how unprepared I am…but I know as I keep seeking Him, He will show me what I need! 

Review:

• Bible Thought: God will hide us in the day of His anger, especially if we've taken time to hide Him in our hearts in the days of peace! :-) Smiles. I guess I've got a pattern going here huh! But this is too important to pass over with just one day!!!!!! I pray many more than just myself are being convicted by the seriousness of our need!!!!
• Blessing: "Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises!" We have been given the treasure house of Heaven!
• Battles: Don't bring on the time of trouble ahead of time, and don't worry about the time of trouble beforehand. Trust that God just gives us strength for one day at a time!

Prepared for Battle!!!!

I touched on this yesterday, but as I was reading, I decided I wanted to share more on this topic for today's Morning Sonshine! :-)

"And there came out against them [referring to Asa's kingdom] Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee." 2 Chron. 14:9-11

In the historical narrative of this event from the book Prophets and Kings, we are told:

From every human viewpoint the vast host from Egypt would sweep everything before it. But in time of peace Asa had not been giving himself to amusement and pleasure; he had been preparing for any emergency. He had an army trained for conflict; he had endeavored to lead his people to make their peace with God. And now, although his forces were fewer in number than the enemy, his faith in the One whom he had made his trust did not weaken.

Having sought the Lord in the days of prosperity, the king could now rely upon Him in the day of adversity. His petitions showed that he was not a stranger to God’s wonderful power. “It is nothing with Thee to help,” he pleaded, “whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, Thou art our God; let not man prevail against Thee.” Verse 11

The prayer of Asa is one that every Christian believer may fittingly offer. We fight in a warfare, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. See Ephesians 6:12. In life’s conflict we must meet evil agencies that have arrayed themselves against the right. Our hope is not in man, but in the living God. With full assurance of faith we may expect that He will unite His omnipotence with the efforts of human instrumentalities, for the glory of His name. Clad with the armor of His righteousness, we may gain the victory over every foe.

King Asa’s faith was signally rewarded. “The Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before His host.” 2 Chronicles 14:12, 13

God tells us in His Word, "If God be for us, who can be against us!" Rom 8:31. But again, God isn't going to be fighting for us if we haven't been seeking Him. So let us do this today, without delay!

Review:

• Bible Thought: It's nothing for God to help, whether by many or with them that have no power! 
• Blessing: I constantly feel how weak I am spiritually when confronted by trials and obstacles. I have to constantly go running back to God and telling Him the same thing that Asa did! But He hears! And He works. He just needs us to get out of the way so He can work!
• Battles: I've got some big burdens on my heart (as most of us do!) I feel overwhelmed sometimes and don't know what to do, then I'm reminded, this is God's battle not mine. Let Him do His work. So my job is just to hold on to Him and surrender the battle to Him EACH and EVERY day!!

Don't Put Off building the Walls till tomorrow…

Cardiff Castle, in Wales! Spring of 2012

Tomorrow may be too late!

I guess I can't seem to get away from the whole "Fortification topic"…although this was not planned! But I've been studying King Asa again (and King Jehoshaphat as well) and something that they did I think is so significant for us today. And it goes right along with what I've been sharing the last week or so… (Forgive me if I've shared this already, but it bears repeating!)

Let's read the passage together, and I'll highlight the parts that I really want to emphasize:

"And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him. And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest. Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor." 2 Chron. 14:2-8

Of course, this whole passage is simply loaded! But what I think is so significant here is that Asa used the time of peace and prosperity that God gave to seek the Lord, to tear down the altars and the idols, to seek God and to obey Him, and to strengthen his walls and his cities. 

I'm looking at this all from a completely spiritual perspective of course. But how often throughout history has a time of war and trouble come upon people only to find them unprepared. Suddenly, frantically, they rush to prepare themselves, to buy the supplies they need, the extra OIL that they don't have, to gain that relationship with Christ. But if we wait till trouble strikes us, just like the sleeping foolish virgins, it could be too late. We need to prepare now!!!!! We need to be building strong spiritual fortification around our lives now, building strong characters now, overcoming sinful habits and selfish attitudes and lifestyles now, and most IMPORTANTLY learning to trust in Jesus as our Savior now!!! Otherwise, when the storm hits us, we won't be prepared to stand! Like most of the world, and most of the "pretenders in Christianity," we will fall, and we will be overcome. 

But if we are WISE…we will be prepared before the hard times come. We have peace now. (At least in America. We still have a semblance of religious freedom, although we are losing that fast, especially by what I've been hearing lately regarding our military.) But we still have peace, let us use this time of peace to become strong for Christ!

This is my Morning Sonshine for today! :-)

As the Bible says, "Work while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work!" John 9:4

Review:

• Bible Thought: I feel an increasing urgency in my heart that we don't have long left to prepare ourselves for the Spiritual attacks that are coming against Christianity. But we've been giving warning, the Bible has told us. So let us prepare!
• Blessing: So thankful again for all that God has given us to prepare. 
• Battle: The battle will come, of course, but no matter what comes, when the hard times hit, and when the enemy strikes, we don't trust in our preparations… just like Asa (read 2 Chron. 14:11) we trust in God. 

If only I'd learned more Bible!!

Just finished reading the book "The Pastor's Wife" by Sabina Wurmbrand who along with her husband founded the nationally acclaimed religious organization, "Voice of the Martyrs." The book, "The Pastor's Wife," tells how Sabina, despite losing her husband to prison for 14 years, and despite being constantly hunted and stalked by Secret Police for her underground church work, and despite spending three years of her own in different prison labor camps (where she had to suffer wild conditions, extreme mental and physical torture, and cruelty, she had to scrounge for food, eating like animals, being treated worse, and sometimes thinking she was about to be killed)… despite all this, she managed to keep her faith and bring others to a deeper walk with Christ. The book is so inspiring and challenging, and I think it gives us a picture for some of what we may experience in the coming days when we again loose our religious freedom. But it's encouraging, because if others survived by RAW FAITH, so can we!! 

Something really stood out to me in this story though, and that's when she shared how having FAITH made such a  difference in the prison camps…and how she just wish she'd learned more in the Bible before she was taken captive.  

Heres some of her testimony:

After spending months in the labor camps, those of us who had faith realized for the first time how rich we were. The youngest Christians and the weakest had more resources to call on than the wealthiest old ladies and the most brilliant intellectuals. It was so sad to watch, but the "upper class" women were often the most pitiful in the prison labor camps. Life was harder for them than for anyone. They’d lost the most, in the material sense; and they had the fewest inner resources to fill the gap. A rubble of old games of bridge, hats, fancy clothes, hotels, luxurious dining, cinema, lost weekends and lovers rattled about in their heads like junk in the back seat of a car. Their nerves gave way first, as did their soft white hands…

After long hours of grueling work, many of the women came to us "religious prisoners" and asked, begged even, to be told something of what we remembered from the Bible. The words we shared from God's Word gave hope, comfort, life.

Of course, we had no Bible. We ourselves hungered for it more than bread. How I wished I‘d learned more of it by heart while still in freedom! But the passages we did know we repeated daily and at night, when we held vigils for prayer. Other Christians like me, had deliberately committed long passages to memory, knowing that soon their turn would come for arrest. So they brought precious riches to prison with them that could not be stolen. While others quarreled and fought, we lay on our mattresses and used the Bible for prayer and meditation, and repeated its verses to ourselves through the long dark nights. We learned what verses new comers brought and taught them what we knew. In this way an unwritten Bible circulated though all of Romania’s prisons.

In the Bible in Daniel 12:1, we are told of what will come at the end of time:

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

Because of what God has told us, we know a time of great trouble is coming, however, I'm thankful for the promise that "every one that shall be found written in the book, His book, will be delivered." But how can we hope to have our names written in His book of life when we don't pay attention to His book of Life, the BIBLE, here???

I don't know what lies ahead in the future, and I can't think too much about it, or I would get scared. But God promises to go with us and strengthen us. And I know He will, just like He did Sabina, and so many others. However, let us prepare ourselves even now, even TODAY. Let us lay up the WORD of GOD in our hearts even now, so that someday, if we are carried away for our faith, we will have a treasure in our hearts that will help carry us, and that no one can ever take away!!!!

This may not seem like "Morning Sonshine" right now… but trust me, it will be in some dark day in the future. Let's not waste any more time, but ask God to help us prepare!!!!

Review:

• Bible Thought: Let us have no regrets when the final day of Trouble arrives. Let us prepare now by laying up His Word in our hearts!
• Blessing: We've been given so many resources, so much freedom. I'm so thankful, but unfortunately our freedom has put us to sleep as a people. (In America especially, we are lethargically out of it, with no idea what the enemy has done while we've been out enjoying peace and prosperity!)
• Battles: Even now, the Communism that destroyed much of Europe during the early 20th century when Hitler and Stalin reigned, is still seeking to destroy even our world today!!!! (If you don't believe me, watch "The Agenda" a modern day documentary - and it's not a conspiracy story - about what is happening to America right now! It's fascinating!!!! And it's just another in-depth look at the "Great Controversy" that we are in the midst of between light and darkness.) By the way, there's no reason to freak out or fear. The best way we can fight back against this evil plan that is still trying to take over the world is to learn the Word of God, stand upon the Word of God, and teach the Word of God to others. Because this is the one aim of the still current Communist plan… and that is to "dethrone God, and destroy confidence in the Word of God." That's from the lips of the leader himself! Heaven help us!

Note: To learn more about Sabina and Richard Wurmbrand's powerful story, please view this website.

Weak points can become Strong points!

The final two things that I wanted to share on Spiritual Fortification are:

• Follow whatever God asks you to do and live in Obedience!
• Fight against any enemy invaders that try to sneak back into your life!

“If the heart has been renewed by the Spirit of God, the life will bear witness to the fact. While we cannot do anything to change our hearts or to bring ourselves into harmony with God; while we must not trust at all to ourselves or our good works, our lives will reveal whether the grace of God is dwelling within us. A change will be seen in the character, the habits, the pursuits. The contrast will be clear and decided between what they have been and what they are.” Steps to Christ, p. 57

For each of us, the battle is different and obedience may be different as well. For me, some examples of my learning to living in obedience has meant putting boundaries around my Internet and social media activities. Rather than they controlling me and eating up so much of my time and attention, I now allow God to control them. Learning to live in obedience and following the Holy Spirit’s conviction has also meant throwing away worldly movies and CDs that I once loved. It has meant giving away some of my clothes to Goodwill that I knew weren’t honoring God. It has meant cleaning out my pantry of unwholesome snacks, and so much more. It has also meant spending hours on my knees asking that God would change my heart and give me a deeper love for Him. As a result, God has filled my life with such an abundant fullness that I don’t even miss the cheap superficial amusements that I once enjoyed. 

Although progress may be made, remember we can do nothing in our own strength. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit. And the moment we start to relax or pat ourselves on the back for a job well down, the enemy will attack in a new way or compromise will start to sneak back in. We can't allow this! The reason we often become lazy is that we have grown complacent to the little breaches. They don’t seem like such a big deal. “After all,” we reason, looking around at our companions, “Their breaches are much bigger than mine!” But nothing is small in the sight of God. And to Satan, he doesn’t care how he gets a foothold, as long as he has one. It may be an impatient remark, a rolling of the eyes, a slipping of the tongue, going against our conscience in even the smallest way, or something else rather insignificant. But if we let one “character breach” in, more are sure to follow. So we must stop allowing in the unwelcome intruders and take back God’s rightful territory!

“He who has determined to enter the spiritual kingdom will find that all powers and passions of the unregenerate nature, backed by the forces of the kingdom of darkness, are arrayed against him. Each day he must renew his consecration, each day do battle with evil. Old habits, hereditary tendencies to wrong, will strive for the mastery, and against these he is to be ever on guard, striving in Christ’s strength for victory.” Acts of the Apostles, p. 476

Yes, the enemy will keep testing our wall, looking for loose bricks, trying to gain a foothold. We can expect this as long as we live in his domain. But we are promised:

“With watchfulness and prayer [our] weakest points can be so guarded as to become [our] strongest points, and [we] can encounter temptation without being overcome.” Pastoral Ministry, p. 24

So…let us move forward in strength, for God will never leave us or forsake us!

Review:

• Bible Thought: "Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves." James 1:22
• Blessing: If God be for us, who can be against us!
• Battle: To be consistent!

Steps to Spiritual Fortification!

Just a note to my blog readers, I'm not just sharing "theory" here on Spiritual Fortification. These things I'm sharing I've spent a lot of time studying and they've actually worked in my own life in very powerful ways! So I'm sharing here from my heart!! I have one more post I will write on this topic tomorrow, and then I will move on to something new as God leads…

Ok… back to the topic at hand! (And please read the previous week of posts if you are just now jumping into this conversation!)

Once we have taken that time to analyze and see what "breaches" we have in our lives, it's time for ACTIONS!

• Take God's Word and start writing down promises that you can claim for victory over each of the specific breaches in your life! (I already gave some promises on my May 1st entry.)
• Next begin praying and wrestling in prayer that God would give you victory over the weak points in your life!

This is not just any kind of half-hearted lazy praying that we are talking about here. And this praying is not the type of praying you do when rushing out the door for an appointment, or when in direct line of fire from the enemy. (Although you should be praying then too!) But this is a time you set apart for specific wrestling prayer. We are fighting a very real enemy that has attacked us in very real and specific ways. So we must fight back in a very real and specific manner!

As Jacob wrestled through the night, we too must wrestle until the breaking of the day. We must hold on to God saying, “I will not let you go until you bless me! I will not let go until you give me victory!” This is not a presumptuous prayer. We aren’t praying for our own selfish fleshly lusts or desires. We are praying for victory over the breaches in our life, we are praying for spiritual fortification, we are praying to have a new heart and a new spirit. These are things that God has promised to give us. The reason we haven’t received victory yet is because we haven’t really been asking for it. So let us not delay any longer. Let us boldly ask, with a persistence that will not be denied, knowing that we are praying according to God’s will. How ever weak and faulty we may be (and we are all weak and faulty, standing only in the blood of Christ), if we hold on with faith, we can be assured that God will give us the victory we are praying for. It might not come immediately. But if we persevere, like Jacob did, it will come.

“Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined. His victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer. All who will lay hold of God’s promises, as he did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. Those who are unwilling to deny self, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God – How few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out to God with intensity of desire until ever power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.” Great Controversy, p. 62

Let us cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God. Let us hold on and not let go until every brick is back in its rightful place in our wall, and until all strongholds of the enemy are broken down. If we don’t feel like praying, this is the time we especially need to pray. As we keep pressing forward in faith, the feelings will come, and soon victory will as well.

Review:

• Bible Thought: We are in a battle, but God promises victory if we hold on to Him. Like Jacob we can say, "I will not let go until you bless me!"
• Blessing: God ALWAYS promises spiritual victory. This is guaranteed. If there is sin in our lives, He will give Victory. He may not always give us what we want, but He will not allow us to be overcome by the enemy if we come seeking His help!
• Battles: To be faithful until all the "known" breaches are covered. As long as we live in a world of sin, we will keep finding new areas to pray about, but we must keep attacking those areas we know about.

The importance of Pain!

When we look at the holes in our spiritual walls, it is always discouraging. But let us take courage! I know that "pain" is no fun. But "pain" is actually a gift from God that alerts us to the fact that something is wrong. Physical pain tells us that we injured ourselves and we need to see a doctor or take some rest. It also keeps us from continuing to injure ourselves. Spiritual pain is the same. It's not easy, but it's necessary sometimes!

"We must have a knowledge of ourselves, a knowledge that will result in contrition, before we can find pardon and peace. The Pharisee [speaking of the story found in Luke 18] felt no conviction of sin. The Holy Spirit could not work with him. His soul was encased in a self-righteous armor which the arrows of God, barbed and true-aimed by angel hands, failed to penetrate. It is only he who knows himself to be a sinner that Christ can save. He came “to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” Luke 4:18. But “they that are whole need not a physician.” Luke 5:31. We must know our real condition, or we shall not feel our need of Christ’s help. We must understand our danger, or we shall not flee to the refuge. We must feel the pain of our wounds, or we should not desire healing.” Christ Object Lessons, p. 158

It is only by casting ourselves upon God, by standing upon the power of His Word, and by claiming His promises that we can hope to obtain deliverance and victory. The enemy forces may appear daunting. They may appear unconquerable. But we must remember that our God is greater than all the powers of darkness. (See 1 John 4:4, and John 12:31.) And if God is for us, who can be against us?

“They are to contend with supernatural forces, but they are assured of supernatural help.  All the intelligences of heaven are in this army. And more than angels are in the ranks. The Holy Spirit, the representative of the Captain of the Lord’s host, comes down to direct the battle. Our infirmities may be many, our sins and mistakes grievous; but the grace of God is for all who seek it with contrition. The power of Omnipotence is enlisted in behalf of those who trust in God.” Desire of Ages, p. 352

So let us strengthen ourselves in the Lord, knowing that God will fight with us.

Review:

• Bible Thought: "Let us be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might."
• Blessing: That God gives us strength according to our days! Sometimes I think I don't have strength for this "great controversy" battle another day, but the next day God always supplies the strength.
• Battle: To not try to fight alone. We must depend on God!

When you loose someone you Love!

I have several more posts that I will share regarding spiritual fortification, but I thought I'd insert a separate personal post here considering the events of this past week. 

We've probably all lost someone that we loved dearly. I have several times now. But this time it was especially difficult…

Yesterday my grandma, 89 years, passed away after a long seven year battle with breast cancer. She was alert and oriented until 1 day before she died. It was amazing. Thankfully, she died without a struggle, and we are relieved that her years of suffering are over.

We will miss her dearly… We've all cried more tears then I thought possible this week (mostly before she died as we sat and sang songs to her and talked to her, even when she was too weak to respond), but we are so relieved that she is now at rest until the resurrection morning when Jesus will come back to take us Home. When you loose someone you love, it makes you even more eager to go to Heaven, and I keep praying that God will continue to use her life as a witness and testimony to others.

You would not believe how strong and courageous and peaceful my Grandmother was…even to the end. She was ready to go and claiming the promises and encouraging us in the faith. One evening after I prayed with her, this last week, she told me: "It's so neat that tonight I can pray with you and in the morning (speaking of when she wakes up in the resurrection) I can wake up and talk to Jesus face to face." Another thing she told me was, "Keep praying and working and win as many souls to the Kingdom as you can and when you get to heaven you can tell me all your stories." :-) Finally, two days before she died, as she was too weak to get up anymore and we were providing bedside care, she grabbed on to my hand and wouldn't let go as she said teasingly, "I've got you! And you can't go!" I'm amazed that even to the end when her body was failing (she hadn't eaten in 2 days), she was still cheerful and praising God. The last days were difficult seeing her suffer, but God gave her strength and now the battle is over!

While it's sad, I'm so excited that someday we will all be together again. I can't imagine what it would be like if I thought she was FOREVER gone!!! It's so encouraging to have this blessed Hope and it reminds me of one of my favorite songs we sang while I was in high school. The words to the song came from 1 Thes. 4:13-17

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thes. 4:13-17

So, although it's hard to let go of those you love, let us look forward toward Heaven, knowing that one day soon, He will wipe away all tears from our eyes! He is coming soon!!

A memorial will be held for Grandma on May 19th - 2pm, here in our community. Will return to "normal postings" on Friday. This has been a tough week! Thanks for understanding

Where are the Breaches in our Wall??

As we recognize how the enemy is trying to weaken our spiritual fortress, let us ask God in prayer, “What access points does the enemy have into my life? How am I giving the devil a foot hold to harass me?” Before we can fill in the “breaches” in our wall, we have to know where the holes are.

The following are common categories of breaches. As you look over this brief list, ask God to show you where you might be weak and then claim the promises that He has given us for victory. I'll include those here as well! :-)

•       Unconfessed sin

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

•       Idols

“Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” Ezek. 36:25-27

•       Addictions

“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” Isa. 45:2,3

•       Ungodly Mindsets

“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Prov. 25:28

•       Ungodly Conversations

“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” Isa. 6:5-7

•       Ungodly Behaviors

“Great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them.” Ps. 119:165

•       Ungodly Relationships

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Ps. 27:4

•       Worldly Preoccupations

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Col. 3:1-3

•       Satanic Strongholds

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. “ James. 4:8

•       Breaches of Omission - things we don't do that we should do!

“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isa. 1:16-18

A few years back, a friend of ours was traveling as a missionary in South America when he had the unexpected opportunity to visit with a “witch doctor.” They happened to be stuck side by side on a public bus as it bounced over the bumpy mountain roads. And so our friend, David, asked the stranger, “What do you do?” The stranger replied, “I’m a witch doctor. I cast spells on people. I make people sick, and I also make people well. I make people get rich, and I can also send them a curse where they will loose all their riches.” And he continued to elaborate. “That’s very interesting.” David responded. “Yes…” the witch doctor continued to boast. “In fact, if you wanted, I could cast a spell and make your wife leave you, and I could bring you the women of your choice.” “Oh no! You couldn’t cast a spell on my household!” David responded firmly. “Yes I could!” the witch doctor countered. “No you couldn’t!” David stood his ground. “Let me ask you some questions!” the witch doctor insisted. “Ok, fine. Go ahead.” David replied. And so the witch doctor began. “Do you ever view pornography?” “No.” David replied. “Do you ever watch magic or movies with the occult?” “No.” David replied again. “Do you ever watch soap operas?” “No.” David replied. “Do you read worldly magazines like (and he named a few common to the region)?” “No.” David answered. “Do you ever listen to Rock n’ Roll (and he named some other worldly music styles common to the region)?” “No.” David shook his head, beginning to smile, as he knew where this conversation was leading. Finally after the witch doctor had exhausted his list, he looked at David with new respect. “You are right! I can’t touch you or your family! But the moment you take part in any of those activities I mentioned, I can exercise all the power in the world over you!”

Whether we live in a South American jungle, in a village in Africa, or in the bustling modern world of Europe or North America, the devil’s power and the devil’s presence is very real. And all he needs is a little foothold of sin to sneak into our domain and work havoc in our life! While his tools and methods of operation may vary slightly from place to place, his tactic is always the same. He’s just looking for a breach in our armor. He’s just looking for a way to get in and tear our walls down. And it doesn’t take much for him to be successful! That’s why we must have God’s help to become fortified and strong. We cannot stand against the attacks of the enemy alone! If we try, we will fall. 

Review:

• Bible thought: God is calling us to build up the walls and fill in the breaches. But we can't do it, we need His help!
• Blessing: Again, I'm just so thankful that what God has asked us to do, He will give us strength to do! 
• Battle: To not listen to the suggestions of the enemy any more, but to keep building and moving forward!