Greater Than Any StormWritten by Joyce C. Lock
If you have ever known someone that would ask forgiveness (sometimes, even before church), then turn around and do same thing again, you are not alone. Though, that is not anything new to God. We do same thing to Him, all time, "I am sorry for my sin, please forgive me, and I will try to do better." And, maybe we do try, really try. Only, we fail, again. We want to be a better person. However, when 'we' try to do improving, it is a form of works ~ as if we could actually become good enough. None-the-less, as long as there is some secret part in us that wants temptation, it will come back again and again. Once we see sin for ugliness that it is (realizing sin is what put Jesus on cross) and we no longer want to dishonor God with temptation even in our thoughts, all we have to do is to ask God to remove it. God always answers true desires of our heart. We no longer need beg to be made good enough and giving it to God makes Him Divine Keeper. Satan is no longer aloud to tempt us, in that way, ever again! It is not hard to walk a pure life once we have made our heart pure. But otherwise, we are destined to fail. Though, how we let another's sin affect us is a different matter.----------------- Throughout state of KY, people are not prepared for harsh winter weather, as it happens too seldom for them to see reason in financing labor and equipment. So, being that one cannot get up or down even smallest icy hills, as truckers well know, state is pretty much at a stand still until snow and ice melts; good part being that winter thaws much quicker than it does farther north. For three years, my family and I lived in KY ~ where I worked retail. If snow clouds even appeared, employees would periodically go stand at door (all day long), where they could check to see if anything had changed in weather. And, at first snow flake, employees verbally expressed worrying about weather throughout remaining of entire work day. To those accustomed to more northern exposure, it was as if these people had never seen snow before. And for all purposes, it seemed so, as they had no clue how to drive in it. Observing them caused me to realize how truly foolish it is to let weather effect our day. If it so much as rains, people are depressed. Yet, how else will grass, flowers, and trees get water? Otherwise, there would be no beauty for us to enjoy and beautiful KY mountain sides would turn into mud slides at winter's thaw. So, when it rains, I tell Satan he doesn't have a right to ruin my day. Instead of focusing on gloom, I thank God for watering flowers. When temperatures are frigid, I can be thankful for bugs we will not have to contend with come spring. And, when really bad storms come, I still thank God for watering everything that needs it, but ask Him to not terrorize us with weather. Wind calms, tornadoes vanish, lightening is suddenly miles away, hail does not dent my car, white-outs pass, power is restored, and children arrive home safely! I thank God that weather does not have right to ruin my day!
| | Leaving Your Financial WildernessWritten by Joyce C. Lock
~ Leaving Your Financial Wilderness ~ One’s instinct to survive goes against giving all, as if we’d lose all that’s left. And, whatever we think we possess is just a figment of our imagination. Yet, we cling to it for dear life. Consider conscious choices you’ve made. Didn't you think they were yours? Truth is, every thought keeping us separate from God is based upon a lie. Logic, not given us by Spirit, is based upon misplaced faith. Apart from God, we are not even in our right minds. They are not our thoughts at all, but Satan’s planting! Giving all is not throwing everything out window. Neither is it about being good enough. It is a choice, of heart, to choose God and His direction, in all things. Perhaps you want a new sofa, but would have to charge it. So, you seek God, who reminds you of scripture to not owe any man. Do you kick and scream about your wants? Or, have you, yet, been burned enough that, if God isn't in it, you already know you don't want it? Choose God. Soon, someone may be giving away their sofa. Just think of financial bondage you will have averted! Perhaps you want a special blouse. But, there is greater need to pay bills. God knows your furnace will be going out next week and you will, otherwise, come up short. Will you argue? Or, are you finished with being on losing end?
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