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When I started writing this post, I was thinking of all the things I am thankful for. I was going through the usual things in my mind and then started thinking of how thankful I am that I can go to God in prayer. It seems like I am always in the midst of learning new things about God and lately has been no exception. I really want to improve my prayer life and go to God first before I talk to anyone else. Moving Mountains by John Eldredge is helping me look at God the way I am supposed to when I pray. If you struggle in this area like I have, I hope this post will help you.

Every single day demands an urgent need for prayer. I have prayed most of my life, but I just haven’t felt like I have prayed with the confidence I should have. I want my prayers to be effective, but most of the time I don’t feel like they are because I have my eyes focused on the results. What I need to be doing is cultivating my relationship with the One I am praying to. I need to be real with Him. E. M. Bounds wrote, “The entire man must pray. The whole man—life, heart, temper, mind, are in it…it takes a whole heart to do effectual praying.”

One of the most important things we need to realize is the fact that we are sons and daughters of the King of the Universe. If you have given your heart to Christ and accept Him as your Lord and Savior, then you are an heir to the King. John Eldredge quotes Dallas Willard. “We ought to look at our lives with God as a partnership. We are partners in a shared mission.” So when we go to God in prayer, we need to look at Him as a partner in our lives and in our struggles. I can’t tell you how much this concept helps me! He isn’t someone I just go to in a crisis—He is my partner.

Something else that is amazing is the fact that not only are we a son or a daughter and an heir of the King, we are His friend. John 15:13-15 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

When I look at my friends, I see women who stick by me, listen to me, encourage me, assist me, pray for me, love me, laugh with me and cry with me. I have amazing friends. But I need to look at God in the same way. He also listens to me, encourages me, assists me, prays for me, loves me, laughs with me and cries with me. So when I go to Him, I need to remember that He is my friend, confidant and ally. My life and my work on this earth is because of my partnership with Him.

Another thing that I feel like is so important to do is to hold hands or lay hands on others as we pray. God has been nudging me to do this more. I have to admit that I haven’t been comfortable in this area, but I really want to change and be more open to do this. Physical touch seems to make our prayers stronger when we are gathered together. 

Have you ever wondered why we should say, “In Jesus’ name” when we end our prayers? Let me share with you what John Eldredge says about this statement. “In Jesus’ name” is even more of a command— far, far more declarative and final, like the drop of a judge’s gavel. We are using the authority of the ruler of all galaxies and realms to enforce the power of what we have just prayed.” I have to be honest and say that I have ended my prayers with those three words for so many years and not realized the power and the authority that is behind it.

Jesus wants us to claim the authority we have because of what He did on the cross. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Matthew 28:18 So when I pray, I need to remember that He has the authority to answer those prayers. The hard part is for me to trust His answers. But—when I step back and look at His character—I realize that because He is my friend, my ally, my confidant and my partner—He is doing what is best for me. (And sometimes that is really hard to see!)

There have been so many prayers that I have prayed, that I didn’t like the answer to. I have been frustrated. I have been angry. I have been sad and I have been impatient while waiting. I know that His answers are way above what I can understand. He knows everything from the beginning to the end of our lives—and He sees things that we do not see. I have to trust that He knows what is best for me.

I think that our culture has gotten into a dangerous attitude that God needs our approval on what He does in our lives. I have even fallen into that trap! But, I am not all-knowing. I am human with a limited capability of grasping what is happening around me. I struggle to understand why, but sometimes it just isn’t possible to understand why. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8

I need to remind myself that, “He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4 I have to step back from the situation I am in and remind myself of who God is. When I pray, I am praying to a God who is perfect and doesn’t do anything wrong. Whatever He does in my life is good whether I like it or not. (And there has been plenty I haven’t liked!)

So, when I pray, I have to step out of myself and look at who God is. I cannot humanize Him.  Everything He does is pure and everything He does is from love. Everything He does is perfect.  Just think for a moment, what our lives would be like without Him watching over us every single second of the day. He intervenes constantly in our lives without us even knowing. “He rides across the heavens to help us on the clouds of His majesty.” Deuteronomy 33:26 (Like watching a super hero arrive just in time to save the day!)

A gentle reminder for myself and for you—don’t let your feelings control you. It is so important not to allow Satan to get into our feelings. For example, there have been many days that I have felt abandoned. But, does God abandon me? NO! I cannot allow those feelings become my truth. When I feel that way, I have to stop and look at truth! Eldredge reminded me of that fact when he said, “The emotions are real, and they matter, but emotions are not a safe harbor for the soul. Our enemy is always there in times of distress, trying to get us to agree with his lies, You are forsaken.”

My main goal is not to see more answers to prayer, but to learn extensively about the God I am praying to. I want to see my Father’s loving gaze when I come to Him in prayer. You see, I don’t recall a time in my life when my earthly father looked at me with love in his eyes. I have seen pictures of him smiling at the camera when I was little, but I don’t recall seeing those eyes smiling at me with love in them. That has affected me. It has shaken me to the core because the eyes reflect what is in the soul. It is so important that I educate myself and see God correctly when I go to Him in prayer. That frightened little girl inside me needs to learn that her Heavenly Father is completely different—frankly, there is no comparison!

I am going to end with some thoughts on the authority that God has given us when we pray. “You are not the orphaned child, sitting out in the hall hoping your busy Father will see one of the notes you have pushed under his door; you are not a homeless beggar,  standing on the corner hoping God will pass by and hand you a couple of bucks; you are not a refugee, standing in line at the embassy hoping the Ambassador will hear your request. Not even a faithful servant, humbly trying to do your best. You are a son or daughter of the living God, a friend and ally, wielding His authority to get things done. And by the way—your eternal destiny is to reign.” Eldredge

I can’t wait to learn more and share it with you! Until next time……

I love to watch Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies because they depict the fight between good and evil. There are so many spiritual truths in these movies. When I watch them, it makes me wonder what is really going on in the spiritual realm between the angels and the demons. I know there is a war going on that we cannot see—right now— this very minute. Yes, we are in the middle of a war that we cannot see between the Prince of Darkness and the Prince of Peace. One day, the Lord is going to kick Satan’s butt once and for all and there will be no more evil. I personally cannot wait for that day!

With the advancement of the internet, social media, television, technology, we can find out tragedies within minutes. It is out there blasting us in the face 24/7. It is so easy to get bogged down in it and let it rule our emotions. You can become a basket case within seconds of reading the news or hearing about it. Evil happenings are bombarding you all the time. I have to turn it off and keep away from it sometimes because it disturbs me so much.

Allow me to share something with you by John Eldredge. “The invasion of the kingdom of God is something that is still unfolding, right now, today. Jesus is not merely seated upon a throne somewhere up in the sky.” Then he refers to 1Corinthians 15:24-25 which says, “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all communion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” That means that Jesus is working—right now—all the time—to put all the enemies under His feet. All I can say is “Hallelujah!!”

Here is the thing we need to understand. God created the world and everything in it. He picked Adam and Eve to be the first inhabitants on this planet. God warned them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but Eve just couldn’t help herself. Satan convinced her that God didn’t mean what He said and made her think that she was missing out on something better. She then convinced Adam to eat from the tree of forbidden fruit and the rest is history.

When God chose to create us, He gave us free will. Adam and Eve had free will. At a very pivotal moment in history, Eve chose to listen to Satan instead of God. Then, Adam chose to listen to Eve instead of God. They chose to listen to the wrong person! Since then, there has been this struggle for every single human being born on this earth. God could have made us like puppets on a string, but He didn’t because of His great love for us. He wanted us to have free will. It is our fault, not God’s that we choose sin. I get so sick and tired of people blaming God. It isn’t His fault that people are evil. We all have a choice in how we decide to live our lives.

When I was growing up, my chief authority figure was my Dad. Because of his abusive power, I tended not to trust people in authority over me. So, I struggled for years trusting God. When the panic attacks started, I knew deep down inside that I had to start learning who God was. I had to start studying God’s word and learn as much as I possibly could about Him. I knew the only way I was going to survive was to have an intimate relationship with my heavenly Father.

God wants an intimate relationship with all of us. And In order to have that, we need to know who God is. When I go to Him to pray or to study, I have learned that God is my partner. I have struggled with that concept because I was a “Lone Ranger” for many years. Every single day I need to remind myself that I have a partner who wants me to turn to Him for help. He wants me to keep my eyes focused on Him, not my problems or crises. When I take my eyes off of Him, I begin to drown in fear and anxiety. I need to keep my eyes fixed on the One who can truly help me.

I think one of the biggest hurdles we have is realizing the truth about who God is. Each person’s view of God is defined by what has happened to them in their lives instead of who He really is. When I first started on this journey, I thought God was angry with me so I was very afraid of Him. I was basing my knowledge of God on my feelings and the things that had happened to me. My view of Him was terribly warped by abuse, so I had major issues talking to Him. I had to learn who He really was in order to overcome my view of Him. I have learned that God is someone who listens. I also learned that He is kind, loving, supportive, generous and even fun! I have come a long way in my view of Him. It is so important for all of us to know who we are talking to. We need to know what He is capable of and the only way we are going to know these things is to study and spend time with Him. I continue to learn and be in awe of Him on a daily basis. 

In our culture today, I think we have allowed God to become small. We have forgotten who He is because of all the violence and tragedies. I think Satan is using all these things to make us doubt the power and might of our God like never before. John Eldredge adds, “The evil one pounces, poisoning our confidence that a good and loving God is in control. As a friend said at lunch yesterday, “It takes everything to believe that God exists and that He’s good.” I think that if we are honest with ourselves, most of us would tend to agree with that statement. That is why it is so important for us to know who God is and what He is capable of. We can’t rely on our feelings. We need to rely on the word of God.

When you read the Psalms, you see the struggles David faces with others, with himself, with tragedies, wars, and with God. He was far from perfect and made a lot of mistakes. But, He is credited for a man after God’s own heart. I personally think the only way we are going to know God is to go after His heart. “The Psalms are given to the church as our prayer book, our primer, and they are beautiful. Assuring us that not only can God handle the full span of our emotional life, He invites us to bring it to Him.” Eldredge

I was reminded this morning by Facebook that it has been two years since I have been writing this blog. ( I can’t believe it!) When I started counseling eighteen years ago, Marcia (my counselor) told me to find a spot in my house where I would feel safe. I picked a corner in my bedroom where I could pray, study and journal. The picture posted above is where I spend most of my time with God unless it is a nice day; then I am outside. I have spent hours going after God in this spot. My pursuit has changed me and I feel like I am just scratching the surface of who He is.

I love my God and I want you to love Him too. I would love for you to know Him and pursue Him. If you are feeling desperate or you just want to know more, then I encourage you to read the Psalms. You will see that God wants to have a relationship with you. He wants to be involved in your life. As you read, I encourage you to journal. It feels weird at first, but it brings intimacy into your relationship with Him. I basically write down my feelings and have conversations with Him over what I am learning or what I am struggling with.

This blog wouldn’t be possible without the support of my family. When I first started I was scared to death to do it. They have edited my writing–looked up scripture for me–supported me and encouraged me. I want to say “THANK YOU!” to them and to you for reading my blog. I pray God is using it in your life. I want to be a woman who goes after God’s heart. I don’t want to stop going after Him until the day I die. I am so very grateful that I get to have a relationship with the God of the Universe. I am so blessed! No matter what happens in my life, I have Him by my side. I can’t put a price tag on that! 

Until next time dear friends….

When I was involved in Young Life back in high school and college, we would perform random acts of kindness when we were on our way out to camp or ski trips. We might clean up our tables for the waiter or waitress or pick up trash or give extravagant compliments or cheer for people. You know, just outrageous things that would bring a smile to a complete stranger. It was so much fun to see the reactions on people’s faces!

Last year at Christmas time, I really wanted to do a random act of kindness. So I brainstormed with my friends AJ, Debbie and Jo and we came up with the idea of walking around downtown Newburgh with coffee and donuts. Jo owns a local coffee shop, so she supplied the coffee and we bought the donuts. AJ also thought it would be funny if I dressed up in a Chewbacca costume as I walked around town, so I did. (I love a challenge!) I invited my daughter Leah to join us and away we went! It was so much fun going around town giving out coffee and donuts. The reactions were priceless.

Everyone can show kindness in smaller ways. You can compliment others. You could give up your seat for someone who needs it more than you do. You can open the door for someone who is struggling. You can say, “Thank you” or “Have a nice day!” or say something else that would brighten someone’s day. The point is, the world seems to be a better place when people show each other kindness.    

God has also been reminding me lately that He shows me kindness in many different ways. One of the ways He shows me kindness is giving me His comfort. When I think of the word comfort, my mind goes to someone wrapping their arms around me and telling me everything is going to be ok. One of the actual definitions of comfort is “the easing or alleviation of a person’s feelings of grief or distress.” Hugs seem to be a good way to show someone you care. 

When I was growing up, hugs weren’t a part of my culture — performance was. So, I was very deficient in knowing what it felt like to be consoled by physical touch. Because my environment was so performance oriented, I really struggled with believing that God wanted to comfort me. That concept was completely foreign to me because I was rarely consoled as a child. I thought I was on my own. So as the years went by, I became very self-reliant emotionally. I didn’t know that God wanted to help me with my burdens. I was oblivious to that fact. I thought I had to be a good soldier and suck it up and deal with everything all on my own.

I am much better now, but I still struggle at times to get my brain to understand that my God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3 He is present in my suffering, so I don’t have to “handle” it on my own. I still forget that point because I was conditioned to think I was on my own for so many years. But, I have a Heavenly Father who is compassionate and He actually wants to give me comfort.

One of the reasons why I struggled for so long was because one of my Dad’s favorite sayings was, “Pain doesn’t hurt.” So, I denied and hid my pain because it wasn’t supposed to hurt. (No wonder I was screwed up!) NEWS FLASH—PAIN DOES HURT! I shoved years and years of pain inside me because I thought I had to.

Kelly Minter explains what the greek word for compassion means. “The Greek word is oiktirmos and is used only five times in the New Testament. It means ”Bowels in which compassion resides, a heart of compassion, emotions, longings, manifestations of pity” or the inward parts. When we look at the definition of this word, we get a strong sense of feeling. According to Scripture, I want you to hear today that the Lord feels for you.”

THE LORD FEELS FOR US! Let that soak in for a minute. That aspect of God is so important for us to know. If I would have known that long ago, it would have saved me feeling like I had to handle everything on my own. (And a lot of money on counseling!) I didn’t realize that I had God to turn to for comfort until I was in my forties! That might sound crazy to you, but it’s true. My brain couldn’t see that side of God because I was so screwed up!

When there is suffering, He is there to comfort us. You will not have one without the other because suffering and comfort go hand in hand. And—He not only comforts me—but He uses my suffering so I can comfort others. 2 Corinthians 1:4 So, I have been able to relate to all kinds of different things because of my suffering. God has used my suffering in other people’s lives and I find great joy in that fact. I want God to use my suffering to help others and for His glory!

So—if you are suffering—let me tell you that God will comfort you—if you let Him.  The reason why I say, “If you let Him,” is the fact that it is a two way street. There have been times when I have been in so much pain or been so angry or inconsolable that I didn’t want to be comforted. I wasn’t able to receive comfort from God or anyone else for that matter. Pain and anger have a way of messing with our minds because they misconstrue our thinking. That’s why we need to be very careful when we are suffering to focus on truth and keep our hearts open to God’s comfort. We need to allow Him to console us.

Kelly Minter states, “When we traverse through difficulty, it’s often hard to see outside of our pain. But we find great purpose in our suffering when we realize our experiences will serve as unique comforts to others going through similar trials.” That means that my pain and your pain has purpose. There is purpose in our suffering!

I don’t know about you, but that truth makes my suffering worthwhile. All my pain, abuse, anxiety, depression and struggles have a purpose in my life and also enable me to help others. I am going to be honest and say that I don’t like suffering. I don’t like to be in pain. I don’t like it at all! But—when I look back at all that has happened—I am able to see what God has done for me and in me. He has taught me so much and changed me. I wouldn’t be who I am without the suffering. (I know. I wish there was an easier way!)

Everywhere I look today, I see suffering. No one is exempt from it. But, I can’t think of a better person to turn to than my Lord and Savior. He is always there to give me what I need. He truly is the God of all comfort and the Father of compassion. I can’t live my life without Him and I really don’t want to handle things on my own any more. It’s just too hard to be self-reliant—and it’s exhausting! 

So, let’s give each other hugs! Let’s go the extra mile and say something nice to someone. Pay things forward. Do random acts of kindness. Go out there and look for ways to make someone’s day. Pray for one another. You never know what kind of impact your kindness will have on someone. Kindness gets me more than almost anything else does. I actually cry when I witness it. (I just can’t help myself!) I’m the one who cries when people win on game shows. I’m also the one who cries during the Hallmark commercials. I just want everyone to be nice to each other for goodness sakes! (RANT OVER!) 

I always think of this saying when it comes to being kind. “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.” That’s what my Momma taught me. Until next time friends…..

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” 

 

There is a scene from the movie Freaky Friday that cracks me up every time I watch it. Jamie Lee Curtis is the Mom and Lindsay Lohan is the daughter. As Jamie Lee drops her daughter off for school, she yells out the window of the car door, “Make good choices!” You can see the horror in Lindsay’s face while her fellow classmates nearby hear those words. After watching that movie, my daughters will tell you that I used to love to say those words to them when I dropped them off at school. (Oh yes, I did!)

Every day we live on this earth we make choices. We choose to wake up at a certain time every day. We choose to wear certain clothes, eat certain foods, exercise or not exercise. Basically all day long—every single day—we make choices. The best choice I ever made was to give my heart and my life to Christ. After I made that choice, my life didn’t instantly change. My home environment was still terrible and I still had many issues in my life. But I knew–the only way I was going to be able to survive– was Jesus. And I was right! (Sometimes that happens!)

Here is the thing–we all have problems and issues. There isn’t one person I know who doesn’t have struggles. We can all say that we have experienced good and bad things in our lives. What we need to learn is how to handle those issues and problems. Now, I haven’t been perfect in how I have handled my issues. I have made many mistakes. I have overreacted a lot! But, I think if we could just pause– pray– and think before we react, it might be extremely helpful in all areas of our lives. We need to be willing to admit that we need help and guidance with these issues. And, we just might need to invite God to help us! (Ya think?)

Let me share what Louie Giglio says. “There is no God like Him in this world. He is the God of mercy, kindness, grace, compassion, and love. He is the God who does not hold our sins against us. God is just—and He’s also the Justifier. God both offers His Son as a substitute and a sacrifice so that then He can be just, but then God also justifies all of us who went wrong. No other god is going to do that. No other god is going to enter humanity. No other god will humble Himself and come to earth to be born a baby because He loves us so much. But the God who is the God alone in the heavens will do that.” (Can I get a “Hallelujah?”)

For years, I didn’t believe that I had freedom. I didn’t think I was worthy enough to be set free. I believed so many lies about myself. But, then my eyes slowly (let me emphasize slowly) started to open to the freedom that comes with my salvation. For years, I let my mind go down the wrong road and believe lies! I let Satan win. (I’m about to get fired up here!)

Friends, listen to me!!! Don’t fall for the lies! Don’t listen to them! Run as fast as you can to get away from them. Let me share something Louie says about David when he was getting ready to meet Goliath. “David was motivated by something far greater that compelled him to take action — and we’re invited to climb into this same headspace right now. What motivated David was that this giant was cursing the God of the army of Israel. David said, “Oh, whoa. Wait a minute, Goliath. All that other stuff you’re saying. Maybe. But when you start talking about my God, then we’re not tolerating that today. You’re going to stop taunting my God right here and now and you’re going down. In fact, you must go down because God’s glory is what we’re all about.”

In this world today, that is the headspace all of us need to be in. We need to be saying those words all day—every day and we need to be aware that the enemy wants us to fail. Because God has done so much for us, we simply can’t tolerate Satan discrediting Him any more. Yes, we have problems. Yes, we have issues. God never promised us there wouldn’t be. But, He did promise us He would be right there with us the whole time giving us what we need to deal with them.

If you are anything like me, I have allowed the stupid mistakes I have made in my life define me. I have let them whisper in my ear that I would never change, or I would never be able to handle certain things, or there was no hope, or I was going to lose my mind. I listened to those lies far too long. My mistakes are in the past and that is where they need to stay. I have confessed them and asked God to take them and make something beautiful out of them for His glory and for my good. He promises to do that for us!

Every day there are so many things coming at us that are simply lies. It is becoming harder and harder to discern the truth. We used to be able to rely on the news to tell us the truth, but we can’t any more. We used to be able to rely on people to tell the truth, but sadly people prefer to lie. There are lies all around us. But because God is holy He cannot lie. He is our source of truth. Whether we like what He says or not, we can rely on Him to tell us the truth.

We can’t blame our mistakes on anyone else but ourselves. We need to say, “Yes, I screwed up. Yes, I shouldn’t have said that or done that. It was my fault.” (How often do we hear that today?) “I am sorry” is also a forgotten saying. Claim what you have done and then ask for forgiveness from God and others. Make the choice to change the way you handle things. God will help you! I have asked the Lord to change me in so many areas of my life because I saw the way I was simply wasn’t healthy. We need to be willing to look at ourselves and ask God to change us.

Just imagine what this world would look like if people would quit pointing the finger at others and sit down and look at themselves in the mirror for a change. It’s so much easier to see someone else’s mistakes than our own. But, we all make mistakes and we need to realize that we have a God who can forgive us and make something beautiful out of the messes we make.  And, He actually wants to do that for us!

I hope my words are encouraging you to keep moving forward one day at a time. I pray that you will choose to follow Him and allow Him to work in your life. I want to leave you with some words from Louie Giglio. “But a victor has emerged in our story and He is sitting with you right now. His name is Jesus, and He takes down the giants and announces freedom for us all. He sees the stain and the pain you have endured. He knows the “less” you have grown accustomed to and is still committed to leading you into His best. Jesus isn’t asking you to try harder. He isn’t asking you to make everything new on your own. He is simply asking you to see Him—to see the work He has done for you and to believe again that He can raise any of us from the ashes of defeat. Jesus is inviting us to set our attention on Him and to rest in His grace. Follow Him in this moment with your next step. And keep on doing that step after step today. If you do, His glory will ultimately result.” 

I want to tell you that I have seen Him work in my life. He has made something beautiful out of the messes that I have made. He will continue to bring beauty from my ashes of defeat. Help us Lord to keep our eyes fixed on you and rest in your grace. Amen! Until next time dear friends….

Joshua 24:15 “But if you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord.”

Many of you know that I have been involved in a ministry called Young Life since I was in high school. There are so many things about this ministry that I love, but my favorite thing is hands down being at Young Life camp. I pretty much love everything about camp. But the one event that stood out to me last year was banquet night. They took all the tables that were in the dining hall— put them outside— and made a really long table for the kids to sit at for the evening meal. As I sat there and watched them interact with each other, my eyes filled with tears. I got to witness kids from diverse backgrounds, different states and schools and socio-economic levels, sit down and share a meal. I witnessed fellowship going on between everyone seated at that table. And I imagined God— sitting there —listening and smiling—while lives were being changed.

There is something about sharing a meal or a cup of coffee that breaks down barriers. God obviously knows this to be true. He created fellowship so we could help one another and be there for one another. Jesus spent many meals with His disciples teaching and sharing life with them. He was giving them the teaching they were going to need after He was gone. Jesus knew the importance of sitting at His table.

I was recently reading the 23rd Psalm in Goliath Must Fall by Louie Giglio. It says in the first part of verse 5, “You prepare a place for me in the presence of my enemies.” I have seen this verse and read it many times, but it has new meaning for me now. This verse states that God is promising to provide everything you and I need to be in the presence of our enemies. Louie says, “Right in the midst of the fray, in full view of the things that are threatening us, our Shepherd spreads a table of provision for us. It’s a table for two. One seat for you and one seat for the God who is for you.” (Isn’t that amazing???)

So, let’s take a look at what it really means to sit at a table with our enemies. Now, most of us wouldn’t choose to sit at any table with an enemy. We want to avoid them like the plague. But, let’s be real. Most of us have had to share a meal with people we don’t like or want to be with. I know that I have endured many of those meals. I have seen food thrown during dinner by someone who was very angry. (For real!)

Usually when I find myself in a stressful situation with an enemy,  I want out!!!!! My first response is, “Lord, get me out of here!! I don’t want the table of provision! Get me to the nearest exit please!” (I am so glad He is patient with me!) When I calm down and realize that I’m not going anywhere because God wants me there, I need to realize that He is giving me the provisions that I need to handle that person or that situation. It’s a promise that He is preparing a place for me to in the presence of that enemy.

Now, here is the other thing that I have done way too many times. I am having a nice meal at my table and without realizing it, I have invited the Enemy to have dinner with me. The talk at the table has turned to gossip, or anger or cutting someone down and I have just given in to the Enemy’s lies. I start feeling the panic welling up in me and realize that I have invited a killer to sit in my midst. That might sound dramatic to some of you, but it is true because the Enemy is out to destroy me and you. He loves it when we tear each other down. Satan is thrilled with what is going on in the world today. He loves the hate, the evil, the dissension, the strife, the brokenness, the self-harm, the doubts, the division, etc.– and we are playing right into his hands!

So, what can we do about this Enemy? First, of all we need to pray and be aware of him. You can’t go around in denial that he exists. Second, don’t give him a seat at your table. DO NOT LET HIM COME NEAR YOUR TABLE!!! You have every right to tell him to get away! If your issue is spending too much money, ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of your need and ask Him to help you stop before you start. If you overeat, ask the Lord to make you aware of what makes you want to put certain things in your mouth. If you have a problem talking about others or saying unkind things, pause before you speak and pray about what is going to come out of your mouth. I realize we are human and we are going to make mistakes, but we need to be aware of the Enemy and what he is tempting us to say or do.

The Devil is sneaky. He tells lies. He wants you to fail. He wants to isolate you. He wants you to live in defeat. I have let him sit at my table way too many times. And to be perfectly honest, I didn’t even realize what was going on because I wasn’t aware of his schemes until I was already into something I didn’t want to be in. My heart was broken and my mind couldn’t think straight so I fell for his lies. Louie Giglio states, “Our hearts are genuinely broken, and in our pain we often don’t respond all too well to logic and we become subject to the lies of the Enemy sitting in our midst.” (This so so true!)

Here’s the thing, God has our back! He knows exactly what is going on. I know that there are a lot of things going on that are pure evil. Satan is out there causing as much trouble and confusion as he possibly can! He is the enemy, not God. When I look at all the horrible things that are happening in our world today, it is easy for me to be afraid. But I know someone who can handle everything that is happening and I need to run to Him and pray for His help!

It is also very easy to think that everything is out of control in our lives. We think that there is no way out. But let me tell you right now, that I wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t a way out. My way out has been God and His mighty power in my life. I have gone through some pretty horrible things and I am stronger because of my Savior. God can redeem any situation in your life. He is the Good Shepherd and He does take care of His sheep.

We need to go to God daily and admit we need His help. We need to ask Him to show us the areas of our lives where the Enemy is tempting us to be deceived by his lies. I struggled with my view of God for so many years because of my father and now I finally see that God isn’t looking to control me like a puppet master. He wants to lead me to what truly satisfies. He knows that the things of this earth don’t satisfy me. He is my satisfaction.

Dear friends, please listen to me. We are in a war! The Enemy wants to take everything we have. We just can’t let him. We need to stand up to him. We need to tell him to go away. Don’t let him near your table! Life is short. God is big! He is on our side! We are on the winning team! (Don’t forget that!) Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire in the end. But until then, he is going to try to take as many people with him that he can. Don’t be one of those people! Stand firm! Pray! Turn to the Good Shepherd and let Him lead you towards the life you are meant to live on this earth. I am so passionate about this because I was deceived for so many years. I allowed the Enemy to lead me down too many destructive roads. So, he is going down in my life and I want that for you too! Trust God to lead you and guide you. He is goodness and light. I want Jesus at my table — not the Enemy — so I can listen and learn from Him. 

Let me say one more thing. I was just looking for a verse to end with, and this statement that I had written on a 3×5 card just fell out of a binder that I keep scripture in. (Not a coincidence!) You aren’t going to believe what it says! (God is so cool!) This is from Beth Moore’s Esther study. “No matter what life — or Satan himself — hands us, the favor of God has on His children causes that “lot” to tumble out on the table in such a way that, instead of destruction, the child will discover that her portion turned into destiny one trusting step at a time. When all is said and done, she will see that the portion God assigned her was good. Right. Rich. Full of purpose.” (Amen!)

Until next time…