demons
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:1-3
I believe in demons in today's world and I wonder if you do as well. Do you know why I believe in demons, because not only did Jesus have a lot of experience with demons, but satan is allowed to rule the earth. I watched a show the other night before bed and it had some demonic activity in it. While I knew in my heart it wasn't real, and only a show, the demons saw an open door and wanted to remind me they were there. And sure enough I struggled with sleep and had burning thoughts of issues at work that I am having and they made them bigger in my mind than what they should be. We need to remember that God is bigger than all these things, and can protect us if we call on Him to help. We cannot abandon our faith in our Lord but must continually be thoughtful and thankful for all He provides.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, January 25, 2019
Friday, January 18, 2019
Fantastic Friday #663 - Weeds
Weeds
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Matthew 13:37-39
I had a friend tell me a story about a menacing thick weed in his yard that had been taken down months ago and the weed came back even stronger than before. So strong, he mentioned, it reminded of the Beanstalk, which was going to be a challenge but he got his gloves for protection and began the process of removing the weed. In order to keep the weed from coming back he visited his local greenery to purchase something to keep it from growing even higher. Once he got the weed removed, he thought he was safe and took his protection off to begin removing some of the thorns and sure enough he got pricked by the thorns. This story reminded me of the story in Matthew where the good seed is the Son of Man and the weeds are the people of the evil one. As long as we keep the protection of the Lord around us, we will be protected, but the moment we remove that protection is the moment we will be pricked and engulfed by the weeds. Remember that all we have to do is remind ourselves that God is our protection daily and can help us through those thorny situations.
Have a great weekend.
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Matthew 13:37-39
I had a friend tell me a story about a menacing thick weed in his yard that had been taken down months ago and the weed came back even stronger than before. So strong, he mentioned, it reminded of the Beanstalk, which was going to be a challenge but he got his gloves for protection and began the process of removing the weed. In order to keep the weed from coming back he visited his local greenery to purchase something to keep it from growing even higher. Once he got the weed removed, he thought he was safe and took his protection off to begin removing some of the thorns and sure enough he got pricked by the thorns. This story reminded me of the story in Matthew where the good seed is the Son of Man and the weeds are the people of the evil one. As long as we keep the protection of the Lord around us, we will be protected, but the moment we remove that protection is the moment we will be pricked and engulfed by the weeds. Remember that all we have to do is remind ourselves that God is our protection daily and can help us through those thorny situations.
Have a great weekend.
Friday, January 11, 2019
Fantastic Friday #662 - Hands
Hands
6 Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
with your right hand you save me.
8 The Lord will vindicate me;
your love, Lord, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138:6-8
Have you looked at your hands today? What do they look like? Do they appear that you have worked hard and put forth significant effort, or do they appear lazy, soft and unmovable? God gave us hands to do many things and accomplish things as well, but in order to use our hands we have to use our brain, because this organ controls everything. What have you done with your brain today to come closer to God? Was it prayer, there is a simple one out there you can speak daily. Is it read and absorb God's Word? There are over 800,000 words in the Bible, surely you can absorb some of those, especially if you can remember song lyrics, movie lines, or the latest YouTube video phenomenon. The great thing about this verse is that it shows how God has hands like us, that can be used to protect us from the things of this world that want to pull us away from Him. If you work with your mind and hands to come closer to Him, he will protect you from the trouble you face. The further away from Him we run, the further away from His hands we become. Stay within reach of our Father, for only He can vindicate us.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
6 Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
with your right hand you save me.
8 The Lord will vindicate me;
your love, Lord, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138:6-8
Have you looked at your hands today? What do they look like? Do they appear that you have worked hard and put forth significant effort, or do they appear lazy, soft and unmovable? God gave us hands to do many things and accomplish things as well, but in order to use our hands we have to use our brain, because this organ controls everything. What have you done with your brain today to come closer to God? Was it prayer, there is a simple one out there you can speak daily. Is it read and absorb God's Word? There are over 800,000 words in the Bible, surely you can absorb some of those, especially if you can remember song lyrics, movie lines, or the latest YouTube video phenomenon. The great thing about this verse is that it shows how God has hands like us, that can be used to protect us from the things of this world that want to pull us away from Him. If you work with your mind and hands to come closer to Him, he will protect you from the trouble you face. The further away from Him we run, the further away from His hands we become. Stay within reach of our Father, for only He can vindicate us.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, January 4, 2019
Fantastic Friday #661 - Mercy
Mercy
6 Praise be to the Lord,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him. Psalm 28:6-7
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word mercy? The first thing that comes to my mind is compassion and an act of kindness. How have you shown mercy to someone this week? There is less compassion in our world today, for many reasons, and I think the biggest reason is because we don't acknowledge the mercy our Lord and Savior gives us daily. Once we start recognizing the Mercy our Lord heaps on us, then maybe we can see how it makes us feel and can provide mercy for those others that are less fortunate than us. Take a moment this week and ask God for mercy for whatever situation you are experiencing and then take that mercy and remember that daily for a week. Maybe then you can see how it can make a difference and then show mercy to others whenever you can.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
6 Praise be to the Lord,
for he has heard my cry for mercy.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him. Psalm 28:6-7
What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word mercy? The first thing that comes to my mind is compassion and an act of kindness. How have you shown mercy to someone this week? There is less compassion in our world today, for many reasons, and I think the biggest reason is because we don't acknowledge the mercy our Lord and Savior gives us daily. Once we start recognizing the Mercy our Lord heaps on us, then maybe we can see how it makes us feel and can provide mercy for those others that are less fortunate than us. Take a moment this week and ask God for mercy for whatever situation you are experiencing and then take that mercy and remember that daily for a week. Maybe then you can see how it can make a difference and then show mercy to others whenever you can.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, December 28, 2018
Fantastic Friday #660 - Fear
Fear
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4
I experienced a great moment of fear this week and was really shaken up. Those of you who know me, know my faith in God and how I turn to Him when I need Him. I was really scared during the moment this week and was yelling at the top of my lungs to get the attention of someone, but I realized after the incident that I should have been yelling for help from my father in Heaven, or maybe I really was because I was not hurt and neither was my dog. It is times of desperation like this that can throw us into a period of reflection and need. A need for God to be in every part of our lives. If we remember that God is always with us and reflect that God is necessary in our lives, then we won't have the fear that pervades this earth. The enemy wants us to feel fear and that is his ultimate glory. We can destroy the enemy's hope for us to feel fear when we call on our Lord.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4
I experienced a great moment of fear this week and was really shaken up. Those of you who know me, know my faith in God and how I turn to Him when I need Him. I was really scared during the moment this week and was yelling at the top of my lungs to get the attention of someone, but I realized after the incident that I should have been yelling for help from my father in Heaven, or maybe I really was because I was not hurt and neither was my dog. It is times of desperation like this that can throw us into a period of reflection and need. A need for God to be in every part of our lives. If we remember that God is always with us and reflect that God is necessary in our lives, then we won't have the fear that pervades this earth. The enemy wants us to feel fear and that is his ultimate glory. We can destroy the enemy's hope for us to feel fear when we call on our Lord.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, December 21, 2018
Fantastic Friday #659 - Sing
Sing
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:1-5
How many of you sing with the radio, sing in the shower or sing while you are by yourself. I would guess almost everyone at least hums a tune when they are alone. There are several things I love about these five verses from Psalm 100. One is the shouting for joy, and we should probably do more of that, it is a good release. But the other thing that sticks out to me is the coming to Him with joyful songs. I was driving to work and O Holy Night came on the radio, in this case being sung by a very famous musician. I love this song and its message, so much, that I sing along with it any chance I get. I am nowhere close to being as talented as the famous singers who perform it, but boy am I belting out the words to this fantastic picture of Christ's birth. The part that gets me the most is the phrase "fall on your knees". How many of us actually fall on our knees to praise and pray to God regularly. There is something about humbling ourselves before the Lord that makes this picture complete. When we are humble, we can truly be thankful and provide God the worship He deserves. So this week, belt out those tunes at the top of your lungs, and fall to your knees, just be careful that the neighbors don't call the police on you.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:1-5
How many of you sing with the radio, sing in the shower or sing while you are by yourself. I would guess almost everyone at least hums a tune when they are alone. There are several things I love about these five verses from Psalm 100. One is the shouting for joy, and we should probably do more of that, it is a good release. But the other thing that sticks out to me is the coming to Him with joyful songs. I was driving to work and O Holy Night came on the radio, in this case being sung by a very famous musician. I love this song and its message, so much, that I sing along with it any chance I get. I am nowhere close to being as talented as the famous singers who perform it, but boy am I belting out the words to this fantastic picture of Christ's birth. The part that gets me the most is the phrase "fall on your knees". How many of us actually fall on our knees to praise and pray to God regularly. There is something about humbling ourselves before the Lord that makes this picture complete. When we are humble, we can truly be thankful and provide God the worship He deserves. So this week, belt out those tunes at the top of your lungs, and fall to your knees, just be careful that the neighbors don't call the police on you.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Friday, December 14, 2018
Fantastic Friday #658 - Answer
Answer
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me. Psalm 86:1-7
We are always looking for answers. We look for answers of why, how, when and where. I bet if you look back this week you can take each one of these words and see where you used them in a sentence. Then I imagine you can take each one of those words and see where you used one to ask God something. Did He answer you this week? Probably not, or maybe He did, but most times God takes His time to answer the questions we ask of Him. He is usually waiting until we are ready to receive the answer. Many times we want that immediate gratification with a clear path and answer that we are hoping will come to us. What usually happens is that God will hear our prayer but also listen to our heart. Depending on our heart condition at the time, it can impact the answer we receive, and more often our fist answer we get is going to be no or not yet. I have two friends that are suffering terribly right now and I pray for them daily, but I don't use the words why, how, when and where. I pray for them now, here, and forever. It is a change of condition and praying for an answer with full reliance on God. I was able to share with a young man, that I care deeply for, this week that God has us in these places to learn and all we can do is rely on Him. We just need to wait for the answer He will show us down the road. So, everyone put your immediate needs to God through prayer and let Him answer you in His time.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me. Psalm 86:1-7
We are always looking for answers. We look for answers of why, how, when and where. I bet if you look back this week you can take each one of these words and see where you used them in a sentence. Then I imagine you can take each one of those words and see where you used one to ask God something. Did He answer you this week? Probably not, or maybe He did, but most times God takes His time to answer the questions we ask of Him. He is usually waiting until we are ready to receive the answer. Many times we want that immediate gratification with a clear path and answer that we are hoping will come to us. What usually happens is that God will hear our prayer but also listen to our heart. Depending on our heart condition at the time, it can impact the answer we receive, and more often our fist answer we get is going to be no or not yet. I have two friends that are suffering terribly right now and I pray for them daily, but I don't use the words why, how, when and where. I pray for them now, here, and forever. It is a change of condition and praying for an answer with full reliance on God. I was able to share with a young man, that I care deeply for, this week that God has us in these places to learn and all we can do is rely on Him. We just need to wait for the answer He will show us down the road. So, everyone put your immediate needs to God through prayer and let Him answer you in His time.
Have a great weekend.
Matt
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)