Saved by the Storm
A story of what seemed a bad thing turn to a blessing!

Have you ever grumbled about rain, better yet a thunderstorm “raining out” your plans??!! Recently I got a glimpse of a new view of that thought. It made me really think about how often I am “saved by the storms” of life. I thought about how many times God has put a “storm” in my pathway in order to save me much sorrow, anguish & possible destruction.
This is how this reality came about. We had a friend who just had a baby and I was going to take a meal to her in the evening. But feeling like I did not have the ingredients for a really nice meal, I decided to go to the store to get some special things. However, right after lunch I decided to take a quick nap before heading to the store. That’s when it happened………..

I opened my eyes to a very dark living room. I awakened to the deafening sound of booming thunder and blazing lightening in the sky! Angry clouds swirling around in the sky above the house. “Oh brother, I don’t want to get out in all that mess to go to the store (some distance away).” It was really nasty outside. Even as all those thoughts were swirling through my mind my oldest son was telling me, that we needed to head down to the basement right now. As it ended up we were down in the basement under a tornado warning for over an hour. Sitting listening to the crashing wind & the storm smashing against the basement walls and watching the bolts of lightening through the tiny windows was a bit scary.

When all was “blown over” there was no time to go to the store before preparing the meal for this family. So I had to change my meal plans to a more simpler meal of roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, peaches, biscuits & blueberry cobbler. My husband had asked that I have it ready when he got home from work so that he could drive me and the kids over (the family lived and hour away from us). So I was ready when he came home. The skies had calmed down and it was just cloudy with a sprinkle here and there.

Off we went to our friends house, meal in the back of the car. We were not 15 minutes down the road, when spssssssssss was heard in our ears. Yes, you got it right, we had a flat tire! Well on these country roads there is not always a place to pull over. We found a house driveway soon and pulled into it. We had to unload all the food. My husband said well what a good time to teach our teen boys how to change a tire. So he went through the procedure all the while the rain began again. When they were done, they dirty and wet. My husband being unsure of the spare tire traveling as far as we needed to go said we needed to head home and change vehicles. Happy groans from everyone!

So needless to say we were very late getting the meal to the family waiting on us. And we ourselves got home at 9 pm and skipped our own meal for a good nights rest.
In the morning as I reflected on the storm & how I thought is messed up my plans, I realized it really saved me!! For I would have been the one out in the NASTY storm flagging down help to change a flat tire in the pouring down rain, severe thunder and lighting. That is if the flat tire had not caused me to get into a wreck. Had I persisted to head to the store against common sense, ignoring the bad storm, it would have been a disaster. Praise God He saved me by the storm!
How many times do I grumble against a “storm” of the Spiritual realm, that “blows” into my life and “messes up” my plans?? How often I do not see the “thunder & lightening” as blessings in disguise. I only see perhaps the pain or turmoil of the situation. How could God want this for me? How could He think this was a “good” idea? Doesn’t He know what He is doing? Doesn’t He care what suffering this is???

The Answer to those questions is an undoubtable YES! Yes God does care and YES He does know what He is doing! It is only when I get down in the “basement”, down on my knees in desparate prayer of surrender, and pour out my heart in His Word, are the eyes able to see. Through the tiny “window” you may get a glimpse of what you are being saved from. But many times we are not given that much sight. We just have to trust!!

We have to trust that God is Wise, Right & Good! All He has planned for us will turn out for His glory. The question is………….will we miss it??

Both Job and Joseph come to mind. Neither knew what the future was going to be. And not only that, but things in their lives kept getting worse. Did that mean God had “messed up” or made a mistake. We can see the end of the stories, and know of course that God had a purpose. So it is with our lives too…….

Don’t resist the “storms” God brings in your life. They are there to make you stronger in your trust in God. They make you certainly more faithful in your Faith. And make for a more easy and complete surrender to the Will and Purposes God has you here for!
So prepare for the “Storm”, it’s a comin’! Get water (The prayer life line) & food (God’s Word) and go down to the basement! You will sure to be safe!

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.
Psalm 33:11

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Beltloop Bondage
The “Cell” Jail
The “bondage” to cell phones in today society

This particular article has been on my heart for over a year now. But for fear that all my friends & family will be disgruntled with me, I have not written it until now. And though I could still stand the chance of unhappy responses, I must write on. And I might just say here, this is not about any one person, but a society in general. Nor am I saying that having a cell phone is a sin or wrong. I am NOT saying that at all, so please do not misunderstand. And as I write I realize that there is not a family I know that does not have a cell phone………..but please hear out my “call” to you!

I have been observing this trend for some time. Since it has come from a trend into full bloom of necessity, it has changed quite a bit. From the beginning of a few business or traveling men having cell phones as a means to more easily contact their business or home it has become a blown all out of porportion. Due to being busy and away from land phones most of the time this was an extreme help.

However, it has rapidly moved from a convenience of a few business men to become a monster of necessity! Now you see everyone has a cell phone. Family packs are the norm for selling packages. So everyone can have one. You know you need one! So now every man has one, and the wife needs one too. And don’t forget the kids, they may have an emergency we are told.
While I don’t think the cell phone is a bad thing, what is happening in our society because of the availability & miss use of cell phones is sickening!

What would you do if you had an accident or a flat tire one might ask? Well, we have had many of these type of things happen where a “Cell phone” would have been “handy”. And I am not doubting the “handiness” of cell phones in such times. However, each and every time God has allowed us a way out without needing to use one. What did they do years ago before the development of these “beltloop bondage phones”? A good question. Huh?

Now I will say again, I do not have a problem with the idea of the cell phones. I so have a problem with what it is doing to people’s lives. Here is what I see as the “cell jail”. One can not seem to live without one. You see it on every beltloop & purse around. Kids that have no business having one do. And the rudeness that has come along with them has turned me away from ever considering one. I have been in a grocery store and heard women talking to “the air” only to see they are on the cell phone and you can not even get by much less do I want to hear this person’s private conversations. I do not want to hear someone’s heated argument that he is lost into at the gas station counter. It has been proven that there has been a trementdous rise in car accidents since the invasion of high cell phone usage. People just don’t pay attention to their driving when on the phone! It is irritating to get behind someone on their phone! Not to mention, is it not extremely rude to be in a car with someone and be on your cell phone holding a conversation with someone else. Rudeness has come in like a plague. Or better yet better explained as a by negative product of a potential positive helping tool. People don’t even talk to one another anymore they just “text” one another on their phones. What is this world coming too?

Not to mention having the annoying little things beeping off at the most inopportunitive times. Such times as in church services, in the bathroom (made me jump out of my skin!), in a nice restaurant, the library, the hospital, in line. Really anywhere that it invades the quietness or space of another individual is inconsiderate. This is the real problem I have with the cell phones. Is the rude inconsideration our nation now thinks is OK. I mean how rude is it to listen to another woman in the bathroom stall next to you answer her phone and hold a conversation all while using the bathroom! How rude! It concerns me the “craze” of the convenience now claimed “necessity” of cell phone ownership. And that we are becoming a less friendly & gracious people because of this phenomenon is a bit concerning. We are becoming more introverted, lazy, rude & inconsiderate in the mist of valuing this intended helpful convenience.
So I just ask, are you one of these who use your cell phone irresponsibly? Have you thought about the rudeness of having “public conversations”? Have you considered that you might be in “beltloop bondage”~~ cell jail and not know it?

Which is it? You make “The Call”!

Cross eyed vision

Having this eye problem, you will be laughed at & mocked.
And the world will want to change it!

This thought struck me recently as I was contemplating The Breaking of Bread and Drinking The Cup. “Cross eyed”, yes, “Cross eyed” is the way I want to be…………..

For you see, if I keep my focus on the cross. My eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, His sacrifice for my redemption, I am transfixed! All else falls away at The Cross. All my hurts, fears, sorrows, worry, future concerns etc. melts at the Cross. For you will find it all comes back to the Cross. If I have learned anything in my journey as a Christian it is to bring it back to the cross! Even all you read about in the Bible either points to or comes back to The Cross.

It is not about us, it is about what our Savior did on the cross that should fill our minds and hearts. And thus flow out of us a deep appreciation for our Salvation & an intense love for God’s Word and to know what pleases the Lord with the heart & readiness to obey.

I am in no way advocating just “wear a cross necklace” and you are good to go. It has amazed me the amount of immoral, wicked people parade themselves with a “cross necklace”. Do they have any idea what The Cross really means? I dare not think so.

But if you are “single minded, married to Christ” my way of thinking “Cross eyed” you will be ridiculed, made fun of. Just like those who have the physical eye impairment are harassed and uncared for by many. And you better believe that if you are going to “make it” in this world you better get that “crossed eyed” vision impairment fixed! Is that not so true in this “world” !

But in the hearts of the believers may we grow more and more crossed eyed everyday! until we are TOTALLY fixed on glorifying Christ in ALL we think, say and do!

The eye is the door to the heart, stay looking to The Cross!

A Sinsative Subject
Notes from a Sermon & and a few added thoughts

Are there too many sermons, messages about sin?? I think not! Sin is at your door even as I speak. It is a daily visitor and most of the time sure enjoys a good long visit with plans to move in. So for me, I can not listen to enough admonishment in this area. My prayer is that you will feel the same. I heard a great message this morning. Actually one out of a series on Coming out of Temptation a Winner, by Rex Blankenship. I hope you will be encouraged by my feeble notes to grasp all he had to say from the Lord concerning this “Sinsative Subject”!

A question to think about: DO I HATE SIN THE WAY GOD DOES?

*Sin is enmity toward God. Enmity is a MUTUAL hatred. Sin actually hates you (it seeks to destroy you) and it hates God.
*Sin comes after you. It does not dawdle around, it is swift, fast & seeks to over come you and destroy you. It is must like the Kudzu Ivy wild plants that you can see just covering the sides of the forest with relentless smothering attacks. You can not see any signs of life after the Kudzu covers the trees and foliage with it choking vines. That is much like sin. Just thought I would share a visual that came to mind.
*Sin wants to steal any happiness from you if you are a believer. Sin wants to steal the souls of those in your family, friends and sphere of influence.
*Sin says “I leave you alone & you leave me alone” But what it means is that it does not want you trying to kick it out, just let it be……….
*Sin is transgression of the Law.
*Sin is disobedience.
*When we transgress the Law, we see what sin looks like.
*Sin is Spiritual deadness. Even though as believers, we do not have the penalty of sin (eternal damnation), we do still have a “death” of sorts. We quickly “die” to: the love of The Word, desire to witness, to purity & dignity, to fellowship with others. We lose the steadfast pursuit to righteousness. Sin causes a “death” to the desire to love God more than ourselves.
***Sin is a “defection of an Affection to God***
*Sin is deception and causes a person to think & act irrationally.
*What is sin? Desiring to please oneself! (Oouch!!)
*No one sins while trying to please God!! (if we could just live that out!)
*Sin lures us away from God and The Bible.
*Sin is a DAILY battle.
*Sin always desires to go after God and those who belong to Him.
*Christ died to delivered us from the penalty (curse) of the Law, but not
From obeying the Law!
*We are to keep the Law: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength, and others better than yourself. Since fulfilling this sums up the Law.
Five Points of Victory over sin
Gal. 5:16-26
1. The Condition: If (Romans 8:13)
If you live by the Spirit, If you live by the flesh both have end results!

If you live by the Spirit, You shall live!
The “If” is connected to the promise—you shall live

If you live by the “Flesh” you shall die!
The “If” is connected to the promise—you shall die

How to get to the place to “Live”

2. The Subject: You
If YOU (me) put to death the deeds of the body (vs. 19-21)

What are the deeds of the body? Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

Put to DEATH the enmity of sin.
That is our “Business” here on earth!! This is what will bring Glory to God!


3. The Means: By The Spirit
(The transportation between the Obedience & the Promise)

Walking, living in The Spirit is how you get there.

A. TRUST: What Christ has done on the cross. Do you place your trust in that? Do you believe you have been set free not to sin any longer?

There is no other way/help to get rid of sin. This world will offer a cheaper, better, quicker, easier, and painless way to rid sin, but it is a LIE. Jesus is The Only Way!

B. EXAMPLE: The example of what God did on the cross is in you and me!! We need to put our Faith in God for what He wasn’t to do in me!

***No other way to rid sin but by The Spirit!***

If one should succeed at getting rid of sin in their own way, then at the very least if would be called “Self Righteuousness”!

So think about how you are going about sin ridding! Is it to just do better, resolutions, therapy, works, determination, self invoked pain, denial etc.
*If self can do it, then it is not the work of God!*

4. The Act: Obedience -- to put to death the deeds of the body (flesh)

*The body (flesh) is opposition to Christ

*Son of snake or Son of Christ
*Son of sin or Son of Christ

Crucified with Christ is what we must be

*Annialate – kill- the sin in my life!---By the power of Christ on the Cross!
***Not Perfection BUT Direction!***
*Not being perfect is NO EXCUSE not to pursue Righteousness. We are to go after EVERY sin in our life—AGRESSIVELY!

How do we do this? How to get rid of sin?

To do this you WALK WITH GOD! IT is not about going after “The Big Sin”—It will just turn around and bite you from another place!!

***THIS IS KEY***
****Get a greater Affection!!****
As you love God MORE your sin will grow LESS!!
That is a WONDERFUL thing! The more you love God the more you will put to death the evil deeds of the flesh!

*How do you love God more? By having a greater affection for the things of God. Like: Reading/studying His Word more and more, memorizing/meditating on Gods Word, Believing, Obey, and Trusting what you read about God in His Word, Finding out what pleases God and doing it, Singing praises to God, Fellowshipping with the people of God and so on…
5. The Promise: You shall Live!

And He means REALLY live! You will have joy and abundance of His Mercy & Grace. Abundance of the Fruit of The Spirit!
Your main goal now is to: *Live to the Praise of His Glory!

*If you stand firm in The Lord---Then you are really Living!

*Standing firm in The Lord IS standing (crushing) on the sin in your life!

*A stronger affection & addiction to loving God, will result in a habitual lessening (weakening) of sin in your life!
***The “Struggle” is the evidence of The “Fight”!***
Are you going to stay fighting???
*Pursue Holiness with all diligence!
*Obedience to our Faith in Christ will see results: a weakening/
lessening of sin in our lives.
***Ask God to give you a greater love for Him!***

Hit by Sin
Sin will come on so fast you won’t know what hit ya!

Not too long ago we were coming home from a Bible Study late in the evening. As we were driving down this country road talking about what we had just studied it happened!! All of the sudden out of the dark night an eight point deer jumped out into the road right into our head lights! Bam! All I saw was eyes and antlers!

Coming to a screeching halt, we took a deep breath, and backed up to find this magnificent creature, our lips licking thinking of the delicious jerky it would make! And the rack, well it would be awesome. Especially since we have not ever killed a deer in all our hunting attempts. So I must say this was an easy catch, so we thought!

When we hit the deer we were by a field, ah very easy to find him we cheered. Only to find NOTHING! He was GONE! I mean “out of this chicken outfit”! We could not find a trace of it anywhere. We looked well with our headlights, looking here and there. No buck to be seen. Where oh where did it go? There was quite a bit of damage on the car. It sure happened. It was not in our imagination.

Yet it hit us so fast then was gone just as fast. I thought about that a lot. It is so much like sin for us. Here we are “driving” down the road of “life” when all the sudden we get hit by sin. I think the thing that bothers me so much is that is like the deer, the destruction it leaves behind, yet it is no where in sight. I thought about how satan works. He has no scruples about you and me as far as the extent of devastation he desires and pursues for us. But guess what?? When we wake up and find ourselves surround by the consequences of satan’s lies, wallowing in a pit of raw sewage (those are the nice gifts satan gives us). Where is that “little devil”??? Have you ever given thought that satan is no where to be found when the “police whistle” blows? When you are caught “red handed” so to speak, you look around to point at your “partner in crime (satan)” --- he is no where to be seen. He’s out of there! You can’t find him anywhere.

All you are left with, like the deer, is the damage! This was such a clear analogy, it made me shiver. What a mess to our car being hit by a deer made. What a mess to our lives when hit by sin. I would like to make a more at home comparison to this thought. For example, in many adulterous affairs, the fornicator does not set out to fornicate. But because of many reasons (we will speak on them) before he/she knows it they have committed this most serious of crimes, when the act is over, the devastation that is left behind is staggering & scarring for life. Where is satan?...............off to his next victim, laughing all the way.

How could we have prevented being hit by the deer? (Not that this is a complete exact comparison, for accident like this are not sin, and they are not always preventable!)

~We could have been aware of the darkness.
~Believe they are out there.
~We could have slowed down our pace.
~We could have been more watchful for them.
~We could put a deer alert signal on our car so they would know danger was ahead.
~We could take a more populated route.

As I made this list, notice how similar it is to the list of prevention to being “Hit by Sin”

~Be aware of the darkness--
Romans 1:28-31 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have 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; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Do not be ignorant of the world, just don’t be part of it!


~Believe they are out there—
1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

~We could have slowed down our pace---
Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
It is true that the busier you are the less time you have to pray, meditate, put on the WHOLE Armor of God, thus making you easy prey for satan to grab.

~We could have been more watchful for them---
Luke 21:36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

You need to be aware of what sin tendencies you are prone to, places you go, things you read, watch or hear, things you may lust after etc.
When you see the sign—deer crossing here--- PAY ATTENTION! They are to keep you out of trouble!

~We could put a deer alert signal on our car so they would know danger was ahead.
Philippians 4:6-8 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things.

Absorb yourself with God’s Word, think on Godly things, surround yourself with God fearing friends that will hold you accountable to follow in the ways of Jesus

~We could take a more populated route.
Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Prevention is the best Intention

……….Walking thru “Closed Doors”
If God has closed the “door” why do we try to bust it down!

This particular thought has been on my heart recently. It is a difficult thing to ponder. That is the “doctrine” if you will, of “Walking in The Spirit”. This is the “Spirit” of our “walking out The Gospel” in our lives. I will further explain & give some examples.

But before I continue, I just wanted to make clear that I am NOT talking about doing things on a whim. I am not saying that you can do whatever you want and call it God told me to yet it is against Scripture. That is NOT right nor what I am speaking of. Walking in The Spirit gives no freedom to us at all, but more bound to Him to listen ever so closely.

I am talking about such things as regarding to relationships. For instance that you take The Word & and use it as The Holy Spirit guides you. I have had several situations with people lately who are lost that my heart just bleeds for them. I want so badly to just spell it out to them in black and white, bull dozing where I am not invited. As I see their deep sin and desperate need for a relationship with Jesus and I know Scriptures that will change their lives of despair to joy, do I just spill it out on everyone wherever I am?. Does that give me “license” to bust down the “door” that God has clearly NOT opened? Are we His tools are not? Yet I want so badly to just blast in on those who are SO CLEARLY in rebellion to God & tell them all that is on my heart & mind.

Yet am I listening? Am I walking in The Spirit to know the when to speak and when to be silent? There has been times that in earnest prayer about these particular situations I have agonized before God to save these people. Only to have no doors open at all. So my tendency is to push harder on “the door”. Surely He wants me in! I must remember I am NOT the “eye opener”, God is. God opens eyes as He so deems.

I have known people who have made themselves such a stench to the lost around them by bulldozing Scriptures over and over without being in The Spirit. I am sure the non believer really does not want to have anything to do with being a Christian after being barged in on by someone walking in the flesh. This is not the work of Christ Jesus, nor does this please God! Not to mention the more damage is done when the door is finally burst open!

If I walk thru a “closed door” I walk in alone!
God is not with me, I will be in the flesh not in The Spirit!