“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” –Prov 22:6 (NKJV)
We arrived at our destination, and without hesitation- my daughter walked right up to the other parties, confessed her wrong doing, and said she was sorry. There was no need for me to discuss anything any further with her (of course the TV grounding is still in effect), she had fulfilled all that I asked of her.
As I now look back, this was a huge growing moment for BOTH she and I. I can see how God has worked in me by the way I handled everything. It makes me think of when we screw up, how loving and forgiving our Father truly is. He loves us no matter what- that’s always a given. He does not be at guilt or condemnation into us, but rather- teaches us through confession, humility, and love. Yes, we may be punished, but only out of love and for us to learn from our mistakes. Best of all, God not only forgives us- but the Bible says that removes our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He NEVER brings it up again!
I am very grateful for what happened. I got to teach my daughter a valuable life lesson, but I also drew closer to Jesus as well. Best of all, as we closed out in prayer on Thursday night, my daughter repeated what she had done, and promised God she would never do it again- this time without me reminding her to pray that. Case closed, lesson learned- to God be the glory!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Train "Em Up! -Part 1
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” –Prov 22:6 (NKJV)
I had an incident occur last week with my daughter that really caught me off guard. Now, for respect of her privacy, I won’t say exactly what she did. I can tell you it was very uncharacteristic of her and I was quite disappointed. Please keep in mind that she is also only 5 years old, so there’s a lot of growing and life lessons to still be learned. I found out about the situation
as I was heading back to drop her off to her mom, so I didn’t really have much time to absorb and discuss the whole thing with her. What I DID have time to do was pray, and boy did God come through on this one! Here’s how everything unfolded:
1. I affirmed her with love. Based on all of the reading and studying I’ve done over circumstances like this, as well as personal experience, I have learned that our kids need to know first and foremost that they are loved. Yes, there may be punishment involved, but flying off the handle with yelling first is not the way to handle it. I explained to her that I loved her very much, but that I was also very disappointed in her.
2. I gave her an acceptable punishment- one that fit the crime. Basically, she is grounded from TV for 2 weeks and she must apologize to the other people involved.
3. We prayed at the end of the night as usual, but I asked her to throw in a request for forgiveness from God as well for what she had done- to which she complied.
This all occurred on a Tuesday night, I would have to wait until Thursday to finish the
lesson. When Thursday did roll around, the only time I brought it back up was to tell her that we were on our way back for her to make her apology and then it would be done from there.
I had an incident occur last week with my daughter that really caught me off guard. Now, for respect of her privacy, I won’t say exactly what she did. I can tell you it was very uncharacteristic of her and I was quite disappointed. Please keep in mind that she is also only 5 years old, so there’s a lot of growing and life lessons to still be learned. I found out about the situation
as I was heading back to drop her off to her mom, so I didn’t really have much time to absorb and discuss the whole thing with her. What I DID have time to do was pray, and boy did God come through on this one! Here’s how everything unfolded:
1. I affirmed her with love. Based on all of the reading and studying I’ve done over circumstances like this, as well as personal experience, I have learned that our kids need to know first and foremost that they are loved. Yes, there may be punishment involved, but flying off the handle with yelling first is not the way to handle it. I explained to her that I loved her very much, but that I was also very disappointed in her.
2. I gave her an acceptable punishment- one that fit the crime. Basically, she is grounded from TV for 2 weeks and she must apologize to the other people involved.
3. We prayed at the end of the night as usual, but I asked her to throw in a request for forgiveness from God as well for what she had done- to which she complied.
This all occurred on a Tuesday night, I would have to wait until Thursday to finish the
lesson. When Thursday did roll around, the only time I brought it back up was to tell her that we were on our way back for her to make her apology and then it would be done from there.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
How Rich is Your Family?
"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." -Unknown
"But you don't have any money," my daughter replied to me the other day when I told her a brake job on my car is gonna cost some bucks. She's very correct in her statement, as my bank account at the time is less than desirable. Do I sweat it? Not really, because not only has God provided all of our needs (and then some ) lately, but I'm also seeing amazing spiritual growth in my daughter these past few months. Let me back this up. Things have been tight for a while now- but these past few months the financial cushion has been all but eliminated. Somehow through it all though, we've made it. It's not necessarily the money factor that has me seeking Him like never before, it's what God is doing in both myself and my daughter.
I prayed a few weeks ago for God to "stretch" me. For those of you who have requested such things, you know to be ready when you ask God for something like that! My prayer request has been granted in multiple areas of my life since then. I'm being tested in all sorts of areas, yet through the storms I stand strong on the Rock of Christ and withstand. Not only am I growing myself, but in it all I have intensified my commitment to my daughter and her livelihood. She prays regularly for others, even got what I am calling her first conversion the other day. She basically told me she "made" a little boy believe in God by drawing a picture and some words. (Keep in mind she's still 5 years old!) Hey...that's a great start. I see her interacting with kids in a natural-born leader type of way, and she doesn't seem to have a care in the world. When I do have her, I've really been trying to commit to leaving the cell phone in the car or on silent while she and I are playing. We do homework together; we pray; and our favorite- playing board games.
Here's where I'm going with all of this: when we dads are involved in our kid's lives, they flourish. Here is one great statistic that sums it all up: "Children
with involved Fathers are more confident, better able to deal with frustration,
better able to gain independence and their own identity, more likely to mature
into compassionate adults, more likely to have a high self esteem, more
sociable, more secure as infants, less likely to show signs of depression, less
likely to commit suicide, more empathetic, boys have been shown to be less
aggressive and adolescent girls are less likely to engage in sex." These are the reasons we do what we do- not for our benefit, but for theirs. Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (NASB) Where does it start any better than laying down our lives than for our children?
Dad, I'm not writing this to convict anyone in any way. I'm doing this to encourage those of you who are involved to keep it up; and for those of us (we all do) who have fallen asleep on the job when it comes to our sons and daughters- to use this as a spiritual alarm clock and get going! Money is a necessity, that is very true. However, it is by no means THE necessity. A friend of mine once said, "When it's all said and done, it's not the trips to Disney World and stuff like that we remember about our parents- it's all of the little things." I may or may not ever climb out of the financial pit I'm in, but I pray that one day my daughter will look back and say, "I always had clothes, food, and a warm bed to sleep in at night. My dad still found a way to get me some great toys and stuff, but most of all- he was always there. He made the most with what God had given him, and he invested in me." My prayer is that because of these sacrificial investments, she will grow and excel as a godly, strong, and confident woman- with a foundation built on Jesus Christ. My prayer is the exact same for your sons and daughters as well.
"But you don't have any money," my daughter replied to me the other day when I told her a brake job on my car is gonna cost some bucks. She's very correct in her statement, as my bank account at the time is less than desirable. Do I sweat it? Not really, because not only has God provided all of our needs (and then some ) lately, but I'm also seeing amazing spiritual growth in my daughter these past few months. Let me back this up. Things have been tight for a while now- but these past few months the financial cushion has been all but eliminated. Somehow through it all though, we've made it. It's not necessarily the money factor that has me seeking Him like never before, it's what God is doing in both myself and my daughter.
I prayed a few weeks ago for God to "stretch" me. For those of you who have requested such things, you know to be ready when you ask God for something like that! My prayer request has been granted in multiple areas of my life since then. I'm being tested in all sorts of areas, yet through the storms I stand strong on the Rock of Christ and withstand. Not only am I growing myself, but in it all I have intensified my commitment to my daughter and her livelihood. She prays regularly for others, even got what I am calling her first conversion the other day. She basically told me she "made" a little boy believe in God by drawing a picture and some words. (Keep in mind she's still 5 years old!) Hey...that's a great start. I see her interacting with kids in a natural-born leader type of way, and she doesn't seem to have a care in the world. When I do have her, I've really been trying to commit to leaving the cell phone in the car or on silent while she and I are playing. We do homework together; we pray; and our favorite- playing board games.
Here's where I'm going with all of this: when we dads are involved in our kid's lives, they flourish. Here is one great statistic that sums it all up: "Children
with involved Fathers are more confident, better able to deal with frustration,
better able to gain independence and their own identity, more likely to mature
into compassionate adults, more likely to have a high self esteem, more
sociable, more secure as infants, less likely to show signs of depression, less
likely to commit suicide, more empathetic, boys have been shown to be less
aggressive and adolescent girls are less likely to engage in sex." These are the reasons we do what we do- not for our benefit, but for theirs. Jesus said in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." (NASB) Where does it start any better than laying down our lives than for our children?
Dad, I'm not writing this to convict anyone in any way. I'm doing this to encourage those of you who are involved to keep it up; and for those of us (we all do) who have fallen asleep on the job when it comes to our sons and daughters- to use this as a spiritual alarm clock and get going! Money is a necessity, that is very true. However, it is by no means THE necessity. A friend of mine once said, "When it's all said and done, it's not the trips to Disney World and stuff like that we remember about our parents- it's all of the little things." I may or may not ever climb out of the financial pit I'm in, but I pray that one day my daughter will look back and say, "I always had clothes, food, and a warm bed to sleep in at night. My dad still found a way to get me some great toys and stuff, but most of all- he was always there. He made the most with what God had given him, and he invested in me." My prayer is that because of these sacrificial investments, she will grow and excel as a godly, strong, and confident woman- with a foundation built on Jesus Christ. My prayer is the exact same for your sons and daughters as well.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Are You Rowing?
" This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me." -1Cor 4:1-4 (NIV)
I had a friend of mine explain this verse to me in such a way: On the old Roman ships, there were three different levels. The top level was for the elite and free- sort of like on the Titanic. The middle level was for the servants, basically slaves with some privileges. The very bottom was for the slaves- the rowers of the boat. They had one purpose in life and that was to row. As an "under rower" as they were called, you had virtually zero rights. You rowed when told, ate, and slept in the same manner. You didn't even have the right to consider yourself to be a good rower! You were the bottom of the bottom. However, should you do good and receive acknowledgement from someone in high standing- you were allowed to move up a deck. Ultimately, you may even get to the top level to say hi to the elite once in a while- but only if given the privilege.
In today's passage Paul compares himself to an under rower. He explains that none of the Corinthians has the right to judge him (even for the better); Paul says he doesn't even have the right to judge himself! The only One who can judge, elevate, and exalt us is God. Paul's mentality of being a bond servant of Christ, a slave to righteousness, is his way of telling us that none of us should move until God says so. We are also to do this with an attitude of gratitude, not complaining (Phil 2:14). We were created with one purpose: to worship and praise our Lord. When we walk in good standing with Him, He will then elevate us- thus bringing us honor and reward. Just as it is in Jesus' parable in Luke 14, those who exalt themselves will be humbled; but those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:7-11). So the question today is: Are you rowing? Keep those oars in the water and do not consider yourself to be any higher than an under rower. When you stay faithful, God will bring you up a deck. Eventually, we will even be dancing on the top floor with the King!
I had a friend of mine explain this verse to me in such a way: On the old Roman ships, there were three different levels. The top level was for the elite and free- sort of like on the Titanic. The middle level was for the servants, basically slaves with some privileges. The very bottom was for the slaves- the rowers of the boat. They had one purpose in life and that was to row. As an "under rower" as they were called, you had virtually zero rights. You rowed when told, ate, and slept in the same manner. You didn't even have the right to consider yourself to be a good rower! You were the bottom of the bottom. However, should you do good and receive acknowledgement from someone in high standing- you were allowed to move up a deck. Ultimately, you may even get to the top level to say hi to the elite once in a while- but only if given the privilege.
In today's passage Paul compares himself to an under rower. He explains that none of the Corinthians has the right to judge him (even for the better); Paul says he doesn't even have the right to judge himself! The only One who can judge, elevate, and exalt us is God. Paul's mentality of being a bond servant of Christ, a slave to righteousness, is his way of telling us that none of us should move until God says so. We are also to do this with an attitude of gratitude, not complaining (Phil 2:14). We were created with one purpose: to worship and praise our Lord. When we walk in good standing with Him, He will then elevate us- thus bringing us honor and reward. Just as it is in Jesus' parable in Luke 14, those who exalt themselves will be humbled; but those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:7-11). So the question today is: Are you rowing? Keep those oars in the water and do not consider yourself to be any higher than an under rower. When you stay faithful, God will bring you up a deck. Eventually, we will even be dancing on the top floor with the King!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
When Things Get Hot
"In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;" -1Peter 1:6-7 (NASB)
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." -1Peter 4:12-13 (NKJV)
One of the most amazing creations God has ever put on this earth are the Giant Redwoods and Sequoias trees. These trees, when fully grown, can reach heights of well over 300 feet and live THOUSANDS of years! However, just like everything else on this earth- they are born tiny and must endure trials along the way. One point I noticed in the reproduction of these trees that I thought was particularly interesting was the way they react to and even DEPEND on fire to grow. The sequoias rely on fires to burn and destroy competing vegetation when they are younger to allow them more sunlight to grow; the hot air from fires opens the cones still in the trees to release seeds; and even the ashes on the ground may protect the seeds from damaging ultraviolet rays. The redwoods have both a large quantity of water stored in their tremendously thick bark and a chemical known as tannin that helps guard against fire. In fact, some redwoods have been known to survive multiple fires throughout their lifetime and still stand tall.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we can learn a lot from these examples. We must allow God to rain fire on us periodically, and even rejoice when they hit. Just like the sequoias, a fire can destroy anything that is competing with allowing the fullness of Jesus' light shine in our lives. This includes worldly temptations, trials, and even relationships that may hinder our walk. And, new life can always grow out of the ashes. I had a discussion the other day with a lady pertaining to fires in our lives, and the refining process that goes along with them. Just like the refining of gold: when heat is applied, it removes all impurities. What is left is pure, undefiled, and extremely valuable. As I described to her, "What doesn't burn, stands." In reference to the thick and fireproof bark of the redwoods, we are to put on that thick and impenetrable armor of God daily and keep ourselves filled with the living water of Christ that extinguishes those fiery darts from the enemy. When we apply these principles to our walk and hold tight to the Cross when we're in the middle of a fire, what's left will be exactly what God intended for us all along: pure, holy, and priceless!
"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy." -1Peter 4:12-13 (NKJV)
One of the most amazing creations God has ever put on this earth are the Giant Redwoods and Sequoias trees. These trees, when fully grown, can reach heights of well over 300 feet and live THOUSANDS of years! However, just like everything else on this earth- they are born tiny and must endure trials along the way. One point I noticed in the reproduction of these trees that I thought was particularly interesting was the way they react to and even DEPEND on fire to grow. The sequoias rely on fires to burn and destroy competing vegetation when they are younger to allow them more sunlight to grow; the hot air from fires opens the cones still in the trees to release seeds; and even the ashes on the ground may protect the seeds from damaging ultraviolet rays. The redwoods have both a large quantity of water stored in their tremendously thick bark and a chemical known as tannin that helps guard against fire. In fact, some redwoods have been known to survive multiple fires throughout their lifetime and still stand tall.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we can learn a lot from these examples. We must allow God to rain fire on us periodically, and even rejoice when they hit. Just like the sequoias, a fire can destroy anything that is competing with allowing the fullness of Jesus' light shine in our lives. This includes worldly temptations, trials, and even relationships that may hinder our walk. And, new life can always grow out of the ashes. I had a discussion the other day with a lady pertaining to fires in our lives, and the refining process that goes along with them. Just like the refining of gold: when heat is applied, it removes all impurities. What is left is pure, undefiled, and extremely valuable. As I described to her, "What doesn't burn, stands." In reference to the thick and fireproof bark of the redwoods, we are to put on that thick and impenetrable armor of God daily and keep ourselves filled with the living water of Christ that extinguishes those fiery darts from the enemy. When we apply these principles to our walk and hold tight to the Cross when we're in the middle of a fire, what's left will be exactly what God intended for us all along: pure, holy, and priceless!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
True Relationship
" A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." -Prov 18:24 (NASB)
I just finished reading an article on Yahoo! that basically stated the more time people spend on Facebook, the less happy they are with their lives. Now, I'm sure everyone reading this blog is completely blown away and shocked by this breaking news- not! The article states, "Those who have used Facebook longer agreed more that others were happier, and agreed less that life is fair, and those spending more time on Facebook each week agreed more that others were happier and had better lives." One of the main reasons, according to the research, is due to the fact that on sites such as Facebook one can post thousands of happy and fun pictures. This may give off the impression that your life totally rocks, and may cause others to feel inadequate compared to your life. In other words, you don't have to be yourself online. In fact, you can be whoever you want to be! This is where technology can fail us, and can even be dangerous. We lose that valuable human intuition that we were created with through avenues like social networking sites, texting, and so on. It's not personal, and there definitely is no transparency.
I once worked with a man who was a former mason. He would tell me stories of how they would build these huge, towering brick chimneys for condos and homes. If the boss didn't like the work, or if the chimney was tilting- they would tie a chain around the base and rip the whole thing down to the foundation! Then they would start over. When we come to the Cross, God does the same with us. Obviously we can't hide anything from Him, but He wants us to expose ourselves to Him completely as well. God desires that true one on one intamacy with us through Jesus. Unless we are willing to finally surrender and let Him take the reigns, He can only do minimal work with our lives. WE must be ready and willing to allow Him to do so. So, forget about how many "friends" you have on Facebook and don't worry about what everyone else seems to be doing with their lives. Rather, spend more personal time with God and with other believers! We were created for worship, but God also gave us the need for other human relationships. According to Webster's dictionary, the word "virtual" means "being such in essence or effect though not formally recognized or admitted." It's not real. I believe that is one reason so many people are scared to become a Christian, they know there will be a refining process and require vulnerability. We need to encourage them that God will walk with each one of us through these times, and let them know just how truly amazing this walk can be once we give our Lord the control. Listen to the apostle Peter's words in his first epistle: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen." -1Peter 5:6-11 (NASB)
So keep those relationships open. If you aren't already, get involved in a small group. Find an accountability partner and/or mentor; go have a cup of coffee with someone you haven't connected with lately and find out what's going on in their life. Sit down with your kids and hang out with them for a while! Play games, talk, or go to a movie with them. Most importantly, connect with God in one form or another today, and be sure to make that a daily priority. Once you've established that perfect and eternal relationship with our Father, other relationships and friendships will grow and flourish as well. Be blessed.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Stay on Guard
" It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
-C.S. Lewis "The Screwtape Letters"
A coworker of mine was telling me the other day about a movie he recently saw. It is entitled "Devil". Now, I've seen the movie in the video store, but obviously never rented it. He went on to tell me about the movie: basically seven people trapped in an elevator, one of whom which is Satan himself. Throughout the movie, random things happen, lights go off, people die, etc... The movie seems to portray Satan as this gruesome, violent, and murderous monster. No one knows who's doing the killing in the movie, and I guess it has a twist at the end. My coworker explained to me that movies like this really get him thinking, that maybe Satan really IS for real. Well, he's half right: Satan definitely is for real, but hardly ever does he show up like that. Rather, he often will show up in ways that we never even know we are being deceived. For example, our enemy can use something such as a relationship, our jobs, even our kids to knock us-and keep us-off track. Basically, whatever keeps our eyes off of the Cross is to his advantage.
Peter tells us to "be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1Pet 5:8 NIV) He's looking for chinks in our armor, for vulnerability and weaknesses, such as a lion looks for his prey. However, sometimes it's even more difficult to discern than that. As C.S. Lewis stated in the quote above, sin can be extremely gradual and with nothing flashy. Thus, the whole "angel of light" disguise. Even the strongest of Christians and believers can be fooled from time to time, but it becomes more difficult for the enemy as we grow in our walk with Christ. If you have not read The Screwtape Letters, it is basically about a veteran demon training his nephew in the damnation of a human. Lewis uses the analogy of believers who are completely walking in the Spirit being immune to demonic attack in the following conversation between the demons: "As you ought to have known, the asphyxiating cloud which prevented your attacking the patient on his walk back from the old mill, is a well-known phenomenon. It is the Enemy's most barbarous weapon, and generally appears when He is directly present to the patient under certain modes not yet fully classified. Some humans are permanently surrounded by it and therefore inaccessible to us."
I often write or discuss about the importance of staying committed to our personal relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and quiet time. Whether you choose to use the metaphor of the two foundations, the armor of God, or anything else, the fact of the matter is that anyone who is walking solid and in complete obedience with our Lord really has nothing to fear from Satan. Yes, he will attack us. Yes, bad things may happen and we will go through all sorts of seasons in life. However, when we stay strong in the Spirit, "test all things" (1Thess 5:21-22), and remain sold out to the Lordship of Christ, we've already won the battle in a war that was won 2000 years ago. And, if you are young in your walk with Jesus or not a believer, I would encourage you to seek answers through God's Word. There is a very real battle for our souls, with either eternal rewards or eternal consequences. Be encouraged though. Salvation is for everyone. Instead, rejoice that you have a Savior who died, rose from the grave, and has reserved a seat- just for you in His Kingdom!
-C.S. Lewis "The Screwtape Letters"
A coworker of mine was telling me the other day about a movie he recently saw. It is entitled "Devil". Now, I've seen the movie in the video store, but obviously never rented it. He went on to tell me about the movie: basically seven people trapped in an elevator, one of whom which is Satan himself. Throughout the movie, random things happen, lights go off, people die, etc... The movie seems to portray Satan as this gruesome, violent, and murderous monster. No one knows who's doing the killing in the movie, and I guess it has a twist at the end. My coworker explained to me that movies like this really get him thinking, that maybe Satan really IS for real. Well, he's half right: Satan definitely is for real, but hardly ever does he show up like that. Rather, he often will show up in ways that we never even know we are being deceived. For example, our enemy can use something such as a relationship, our jobs, even our kids to knock us-and keep us-off track. Basically, whatever keeps our eyes off of the Cross is to his advantage.
Peter tells us to "be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1Pet 5:8 NIV) He's looking for chinks in our armor, for vulnerability and weaknesses, such as a lion looks for his prey. However, sometimes it's even more difficult to discern than that. As C.S. Lewis stated in the quote above, sin can be extremely gradual and with nothing flashy. Thus, the whole "angel of light" disguise. Even the strongest of Christians and believers can be fooled from time to time, but it becomes more difficult for the enemy as we grow in our walk with Christ. If you have not read The Screwtape Letters, it is basically about a veteran demon training his nephew in the damnation of a human. Lewis uses the analogy of believers who are completely walking in the Spirit being immune to demonic attack in the following conversation between the demons: "As you ought to have known, the asphyxiating cloud which prevented your attacking the patient on his walk back from the old mill, is a well-known phenomenon. It is the Enemy's most barbarous weapon, and generally appears when He is directly present to the patient under certain modes not yet fully classified. Some humans are permanently surrounded by it and therefore inaccessible to us."
I often write or discuss about the importance of staying committed to our personal relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and quiet time. Whether you choose to use the metaphor of the two foundations, the armor of God, or anything else, the fact of the matter is that anyone who is walking solid and in complete obedience with our Lord really has nothing to fear from Satan. Yes, he will attack us. Yes, bad things may happen and we will go through all sorts of seasons in life. However, when we stay strong in the Spirit, "test all things" (1Thess 5:21-22), and remain sold out to the Lordship of Christ, we've already won the battle in a war that was won 2000 years ago. And, if you are young in your walk with Jesus or not a believer, I would encourage you to seek answers through God's Word. There is a very real battle for our souls, with either eternal rewards or eternal consequences. Be encouraged though. Salvation is for everyone. Instead, rejoice that you have a Savior who died, rose from the grave, and has reserved a seat- just for you in His Kingdom!
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