Use the Enemy's Attack for Powerful Insight

A friend sent this to me this morning. I found it so encouraging. We don't have to take the enemy's bait. Instead, we can ask really good questions about why the enemy is putting the pressure on. Indirectly, the enemy points out the very thing in us or in the situation that he fears. We can definitely push back with praise and prayer, but we can also learn so much about some really AWESOME things that are going on.

Spiritual Warfare: The Real Battle

Permitted Pride

"Pride is ever the deceiver. With it, we become vulnerable to our old offenses and wounds and then permit ourselves to make assumptions, agreements, and judgments based on nothing resembling truth."

This concept has been rolling around in my brain a lot this year...most unfortunately because of some pretty icky situations. BUT...it has also been a good check to evaluate myself. Why?...well, it's so very easy to respond to pride with pride (and excuse it in ourselves while judging it in others). So unacceptable. 

It is so true though...pride is a dangerous thing! A serious sin that the church in America would rather leave unaddressed. In fact, it seems we would rather spend our energies on making sure we really nail people with the sins we don't think we have to distract from the ones that are close to home. 

But pride is likely the most dangerous of all. It is the grand deceiver. It will puff us up to irrational images of self. It will permit us egregious judgments of others. It will manipulate us to actions we would, in humility, never consider. 

We need to get serious about it. Why?...because "pride goes before a fall". Yep, it's true. God, in His goodness towards us, doesn't want us lost in pride. Lost in polluted identity and purpose. He will allow us to fall because of it if we so choose. He will give so many invitations along life's way to acknowledge it and turn around, and He will be faithful to meet us in our "splat". Sigh. 

So...time for self-reflection. No more permitted strongholds of pride. 

Worship...Better Than Ministry

Check this out! This is one of the latest posts by Graham Cooke on the importance of worship.

Worship Is Better Than Ministry

Yes and Amen

Oh my...we sang this song at the Graham Cooke conference this weekend. Yes and Amen...I'll take it! :)

 

 Oh yes...and this one too! :)

 

Foil for Darkness

Wow, Beth Moore! I'll tell ya...she's been on a roll on Twitter lately! This one is just a public agreement with a pretty accurate critique in my view, but still...she's challenging some of the sadder "evangelical" (but really "less-than-Jesus") norms. YES! You go, girl! :)

"Newness Advantage"

The previous blog and then a realization that I get to go to a conference in a week by another inspirational person! Goodness! God is so good at being GOOD! ;) The "Newness Advantage" is something that I am super excited to see, read and grow in! The lifestyle of heaven's realities. Yep!

Say What Now? Wow!

Sometimes we have these opportunities that just come out of nowhere yet leave us with material to last a lifetime. I just had one of those. I can't talk about it too much yet, but I definitely will soon. All I'll say is that I had the opportunity to talk to a hero...and besides almost falling off my chair and peeing myself...I feel so very hopeful about the future.

An awesome challenge..."love the presence of God, love worship, and love how the Holy Spirit moves."

Heck ya! I'm all in!

And now to explore those more!!!

Fierce

Strength Aligned With Judgment

Strength wrongly aligned with judgment unleashes destruction.

Yep, it's something God was challenging me about a few months ago to NOT do, and unfortunately, my eyes are now open to how easy it is to do and how much it actually happens all around me.

Justified. "Christian-y" even.

Here's what I'm talking about...

Humanity was made to create. Well, co-create really. We were designed, through our agreements and disagreements, to align with the desires of the divine to release goodness. It really is one of the most beautiful aspects of free will. Alongside those agreements, we can bring our particularly beautiful ways of thinking and unique abilities. A partnership of belief and action that creates..."amazingness" in the our spheres of influence.

Think about it... People who internally agree with the notion that beauty is real and important...who then align their abilities to design architecturally or artistically with that notion...and create some of the most beautiful structures, paintings, sculptures, poetry, music, theater... Example after example. Humanity at our best.

Unfortunately, because we took a bite of that forbidden fruit (the tree that deceives me to elevate my role in judgment to that of God), we tend to agree/disagree with really sad sentiments. And when we attach our talents/strengths/abilities to those, ugh...it ain't pretty.

We can be agents of unleashing destruction...with no one else to blame really. My power paired with a critical spirit, an offense, an arrogance, and on and on... My responsibility.

So...it has me considering things. I want to be an agent of LIFE, of beauty, of goodness, of forgiveness, of restoration, of unity....

Have your way, Lord! Have your way!

Modern-Day Pharisee?

Oh dear...interesting challenge. I don't know anything about who the author is, but the concepts are interesting to consider.


12 Signs You Are A Modern-Day Pharisee