Satan is a TERRORIST!

Gone are the days when we laughed about a red-horned Satan with a pitchfork! Satan’s not playing games anymore. He’s revealed the truth of who he is—and he’s the original and ultimate TERRORIST!

You could probably tell your own stories of his attacks. But let me tell you of one of my own. I’d committed to praying and fasting with a friend this past week. Satan immediately began attacking—Andy had a setback from his surgery. He’d been doing so well! He was already walking about three miles a day and had gotten back to preaching. But as soon as I began praying and fasting, he had a significant setback that landed us in the ER twice and the doctor’s office once. We thought for sure he would end up in the ER again three different times! Just a coincidence? You tell me! The attacks stopped when my fast was completed. *My friend encountered her own form of terrorism.  

Satan knows praying and fasting are terms of warfare. He’s no longer playing around. He sees those moves and counters them with his terrorism. His ultimate goal is to kill us—hopefully before we know Jesus. 

This isn’t to discourage you from praying and fasting!  Oh no!! This is to encourage you to step up your own wargaming! If we want to win…if we want to have sure and complete victory…we need to press into God with all we’ve got. We need to bring heaven to earth! We need to use the keys of the kingdom He’s given us. Pray the Word! Stand in faith with the Word! Petition God to defeat the enemy!! Pray and fast!

Satan is a liar, a deceiver, a bully, a fear mongerer, a sniper, a terrorist. He hates us with a vengeance. But he’s also defeated. Stand with God on that truth! God IS victory!

*By the way…we saw God break through in my friend’s life in a significant, yet unexpected, way after praying and fasting this week! Glory to God!!

Checklist for a Good Shepherd

Jesus was the perfect shepherd. In fact, one of his names is the Good Shepherd. He also gave us a great example by how he shepherded his disciples. So what kind of shepherd am I? If you’re fulfilling the Great Commission by going into all the world and making disciples, you’re a shepherd, too. You also may be shepherding your own children. It’s not an easy job. It may be frustrating, you may get dirty, and it will be time-consuming…but the result of healthy sheep is its own great reward! This isn’t a comprehensive checklist. Let’s ask the Good Shepherd how we’re doing.  

•Are you taking care of the needs of the sheep? Are you giving them nourishing food with truth? Or are you just fattening them up with your own thoughts?

•Do you lead your sheep to quietness and rest? Or are they all running at a frenetic pace in circles, accomplishing very little in the kingdom of God?

•Are you teaching your sheep to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd? 

•Do your sheep know you intimately? Are you available to them? Do you invite them near so they hear your voice—and know your voice? 

•Are you walking in righteousness? Or do you have hidden sins? You can’t lead in righteousness if you’re not walking in righteousness. 

•Do your sheep know you have their back? Do they know you won’t throw them to the wolves? Do you guard them with your life? Are you willing to go into full-fledged spiritual warfare on their behalf?

•Do you teach TRUTH even in the presence of the enemy—fearlessly? 

•Are you a healer? Do you personally care and apply prayer over the sheep? Are you teaching them how to take thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ?

•Do you rejoice with and over your sheep? Do you applaud their growth? Do you celebrate their victories?  Do you encourage them personally?

•Do you extend mercy and grace even when the sheep don’t quite “get it”?

•Where are you leading the sheep? If it’s anywhere other than God, you’re leading them in the wrong direction. 

•A good shepherd isn’t good because he fixates on improving his position.  In fact, he denies himself. He’s good because he has the good of the sheep in his heart. 

•A good shepherd gathers the lamb in his arms and carries him—it may be because the lamb can’t keep up or it may be to comfort him or to hear the shepherd’s heart. He gently leads the lambs. 

•A good shepherd knows how to protect the sheep from infighting. He disciplines them. He may separate rams who become aggressive when there are too many of them together. 

•A good shepherd bottle feeds the young who may have been rejected by their mothers.  

•Sheep smell. Sheep bite. Sheep wander. Sheep fight. The good shepherd knows all of these things and is on constant alert.  Shepherding can be exhausting—but he’s up for the challenge!

•Are you a shepherd or a hireling? 

A shepherd cares for every need intimately. A hireling cares for his own needs. A shepherd leads the sheep to pastures. A hireling drives them to slaughter. A shepherd protects the sheep. A hireling protects himself from the sheep. A shepherd is involved in the sheep’s messy births. A hireling is willing to sacrifice the sheep and just count his losses. A shepherd feeds the sheep nourishing food for their good. A hireling fattens the sheep with cheap food to sell them. The sheep knows the shepherd’s voice because he walks with them. The sheep don’t know the hireling—except from a distance. A shepherd grows his flock. A hireling wants growth—but it doesn’t have to be by birth. He’s willing to get sheep from other shepherd’s pastures. Intimacy with the shepherd creates safety. A lack of intimacy with a hireling feels safe—but safe from whom? The hireling? A good shepherd is willing to lay down his life for the sheep. A hireling runs at the first sign of danger. A good shepherd walks in truth and righteousness. A hireling runs from truth and hides his sin.  

•The good shepherd loves his sheep. He will protect them at all costs—even at great expense to himself. He sacrifices for the sheep because he loves them. 

The good news is God shepherds the shepherds. ❤️

The Idol of My Pain

God wants to search our hearts and show us any wicked way in us, according to Psalm 139. What is that wicked way? I went to Blue Letter Bible to see exactly what it means. It means “idol, pain, sorrow.” Instantly, my mind went to “the idol of pain and sorrow!” 

Stop! Look into your own heart. Are you worshiping at an idol of pain or sorrow? It could be something that happened in your childhood—because that’s when Satan starts attacking us. It might be something because of race or gender. It could be a place of lack in your life which caused pain…or the loss of a family member. Possibly it’s a way you’ve been treated by a spouse or friends.  It could be anything!

When we worship our pain and sorrow, we stop there…we stay there. We build a high place so we can go there often. We repeat the same phrases of praise to those idols over and over again, “It’s not FAIR! They hurt me!!” We lay flowers in front of that idol by saying, “No one understands,” and repeat once again as we pet it, “Life could have been so different if ‘this’ hadn’t happened.” Those idols are there to stay…until we tear them down. 

How do we tear down those idols we may have had for a lifetime? I’ll tell you how I did it. Four idols easily came to my mind. I repented of making my pain and sorrow an idol. I asked God to forgive me. Then I found four shards of crock and wrote the names of the idols on them. And I went and buried them. I told God I never wanted to worship there again. I gave my whole devotion to Him. 

More idols may be revealed at another time and I plan to repeat the process. God is committed to revealing any wicked way in me when I ask.  

God’s Blueprint for Your Life

Did you know God has a blueprint for your life?  But He doesn’t reveal everything to you all at once. In fact, many times you have long periods of W-A-I-T-I-N-G.  

Moses, Joshua, Aaron & his sons, and 70 elders were called up to the mountain to meet with God. They didn’t just hear him—they saw Him and ATE with Him!  What an incredible experience. God told Moses to come up higher to receive the 10 commandments, so he and Joshua did—as the others descended the mountain to join the Israelites. Moses put Aaron & Hur in charge during his absence. After all, Aaron had just eaten with God and the two of them had held up Moses’ arms to win a fierce battle. 

Moses was gone for forty days. The people were tired of waiting and hatched a plan. They told Aaron to build them a god to lead them. So Aaron created a golden calf out of their sacrificial offerings of gold. While Aaron was using these gifts to create a golden idol, God was instructing Moses on the mountain to have the people bring their gold to create the ark for His presence.   

Moses was receiving God’s blueprint. That blueprint included Aaron’s robes and breastplate to lead as a high priest. While Aaron fashioned a golden calf, God was fashioning his future. 

What if God is about to reveal the blueprint for your life? I think the waiting is as important as the revelation of the “big plan.” It refines us and defines us. God’s blueprint deserves our attention and anticipation. 

Will you wait? I promise…God’s blueprint is worth waiting for. 

God’s Cycles

“Do I have to go around this mountain one more time?” Have you ever asked that? Since God is committed to our transformation, you’ll go through many cycles of growth. 

You may have found yourself going around a mountain of failure—in the same ol’ pattern—over and over and over. God hasn’t condemned you to that pattern. He wants you to learn more and more and more as you go around that mountain. He wants you to have VICTORY over that sin. He wants you to recognize Satan’s bait, his traps, and learn to avoid them. And you will…if you don’t stop! It’s the cycle of transformation.

I remember when Paul Burleson taught on Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”. Paul taught that we would would know Jesus, and then know His power, then we would fellowship in his sufferings by walking through a time of suffering ourselves, then we would be conformed to Him—dying to self. Then we would know MORE of Him—and the cycle would continue. It’s the cycle of abundant LIFE. 

I saw another pattern this week. It’s the cycle Jesus established in the beatitudes.  Read Matthew 5:3-12. Jesus says the poor in spirit (those who see and admit their spiritual poverty) are blessed—and they will possess the kingdom of heaven.  You move from poor in spirit to those that mourn (over their sin), to the meek, to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness—and on and on. It’s a cycle of spiritual growth. At the end of the cycle, there are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It’s the very same reward as for the poor in spirit. I believe when we are persecuted, we again see our spiritual poverty. We can do nothing without the help of God. And the cycle starts all over. It’s the cycle of the blessing of spiritual growth.  

Don’t panic if you feel like you’re going in circles spiritually. You are! But you’re moving through the cycles of growth which never stops. But each time you begin again at a more mature starting point. God is committed to your growth. He is bringing you from glory to glory! Keep going around that mountain—it's a cycle of transformation, blessing, and growth which never ends.  

Date, Retreat, Vacate

As part of our pre-marital counseling, our pastor, Paul Burleson, gave us some sound advice. These ideas were all implemented on a pastor’s salary—with four kids. It can be done!

 

1. Date weekly. That idea sounds easy before you get married, but add a couple of kids and a busy job or two, and it becomes hard. But the intent is spot on—stay connected. Don’t just go to a movie—go somewhere you can talk. Go on a walk or go get a cup of coffee and look into each other’s eyes as you talk. Listen to one another. Put a babysitter in your budget. Or better yet, trade out babysitting with friends.  

2. Retreat monthly. Get out of town as a couple. Ask the grandparents to watch the kids. Make it a priority to go somewhere overnight. Plan a romantic retreat or go camping somewhere you love. Take turns planning something and make an effort to really enjoy what the other has planned. Their plan will tell you a lot about who they are. And after all, that’s why this time away is important!  Get to know one another’s hearts. 

3. Vacate yearly. Again…just the two of you. Get away for a few days. Borrow a family cabin or motor home.  Get creative! You could even trade houses with friends from another city or state. Spend time talking and evaluating where you are relationally. Determine to make corrections where they’re needed. Make goals for your marriage and your ministry together. Listen to one another—really hear each other’s heart. It usually takes a couple of days to finally RELAX!  So spend more than a couple of days away. The whole family will benefit. 

These were some basic suggestions for our marriage—and ones we honestly took to heart. I would recommend these ideas to a new or even a long-lasting marriage. We can’t expect amazing returns with no investment. Invest in your marriage! More than that…guard your marriage. 

According to…

Andy once preached on Philippians 4:19 which says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” He made this point…

If a millionaire told you they wanted to give you a gift, would you be disappointed if they gave you $20? Of course you would! They didn’t give “according to” what they had. They gave chump change. If they’d given “according to” their riches, you would have been given thousands of dollars.  God owns it all. So when He gives according to his riches, He GIVES ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES!!

So take that same phrase, from the same Greek word “kata,” (according to) and look at Ephesians 3:20 with me. “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work within us.”  God wants to do more than we can imagine!!  But it’s ACCORDING TO His power that is at work within us. What is that power? It’s His dynamite power—explosive power, power to work miracles! But is it effectively at work in you? 

How does that work?

1. We must believe we have this power living in us. This power is the inherent power of the Spirit and it moved in when we invited Christ into our lives.  

2. We have to be walking in faith—believing God for what He’s said. It’s hearing and believing the Word of God. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17. It’s standing on truth, believing the truth, speaking the truth, walking in truth, and acting on truth!

3. It’s giving up our power. “Not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah 4:6. We begin to think that what we can do is pretty good! And sometimes we CAN do some pretty profound things all on our own. But the question is, will we settle for what we can do?

4. We release the power of God which resides in us by faith. 

     a. We ask God if we’re agreeing with Him. Are  

         we walking in truth? Any sin to be confessed?

         Sin shuts down the power of God. 

     b. We purpose to do nothing on our own. We don’t 

         take a step without Him. We don’t use our power. 

     c. We listen and wait.  

     d. We obey what God tells us to do. 

Many times we miss the spectacular because we choose to work according to our power—which is finite and limited. If we’re walking with and obeying God, explosive, miraculous power could happen instantaneously. Many times though, God waits…waits to see if we’ll wait on Him. The point is, God WANTS to release His power through us!  He WANTS to do miracles. And He WANTS us to be the funnel through which His miracles flow! If we release His power that is in us through faith, He will blow our minds! We will be walking in the miraculous…all ACCORDING TO the power that is at work in us.