February 2016 - Pondering Paths

New International Version I Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The video below is long and difficult to watch, but this is what is happening to many every day. The enemy comes in looking like your surroundings and you think everything is just fine until you are caught off guard. In this case the buffalo were off on their own, but in some cases the enemy drives a wedge between you and the family that is there to support and protect you. These lions caught her in her most vulnerable state, she had just given birth and probably getting her senses together to head back to the herd, but the enemy is keen and knows when to creep in….and that is exactly what they did. Who did they attack first? The mother. They knew that once they got her distracted and hurt, that the baby would be easy pickings.

Question: How are you like this mother?

The enemy is catching people in their vulnerable states. They are looking for love, can’t see to do without a man, lonely, broken, hopeless, no one will want me after this or that… you name it. What ever your vulnerability is, there is an enemy assigned to defeat you in that particular state. When the enemy can distract and hurt you enough he will move in on you and sometimes will even have the audacity to bring in someone else to destroy your babies, your hopes, your dreams, your destiny.

I am pleading with you today, do not allow the enemy to wedge you away from or catch you out and away from your herd….away from God. Once the enemy separates you he will dominate and devour you at his leisure and anything that is close to you and near you will be destroyed as well.

The Full Armor of God Ephesians 6:10
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.…

Have you ever had someone in your life who only calls you when they need something. They never call to check on you or to see how you are doing but rather they use you as their own personal crisis hotline? Right after they get their help from you they are back to doing whatever it is that they do until the next time they need a shoulder to cry on, some money to borrow, a ride somewhere, food, or anything of the sort.

Questions: How do you feel about that “friend”? Do you even consider them a friend or are they someone you just have come tolerate? How do you feel when they take the advice and support that you have given them and just throw it out the window? What do you think when their number pops up on the ID?

I love the old hymn called What A Friend We Have in Jesus. Oh he is a friend in deed, but what kind of a friend would he say that we are?

I get so mad when people use God like first aid. I need you to pray for this or pray for that. Number 1 -why are you giving me all this work to do and Number 2 – what are you doing to help the situation that you are asking prayer for? A good portion of people asking for prayer don’t even acknowledge God on any other occasion other than to ask for something and then have the audacity to question his existence when the prayer isn’t answered the way they think it should have been. Well, maybe it wasn’t meant for the prayer to be answered the way you asked, but you will not know that if you don’t have a personal relationship with Him. Now you are mad at God for something that wasn’t answered the way you thought but really God is tending to your prayer a whole other way that will work out ten times better for you and there you are sitting up pouting.

Let’s take another look at this…. what about a child who is always asking their parent for something but never, I mean the child NEVER does anything that he is told. HE doesn’t do his chores, lies about not having homework, skips class from time to time and pretty much just does his own thing, but when he needs help, when he wants something, when it is birthday and Christmas time there he is hands out and telling you what he wants……isn’t that how we do God? Good parents would be hesitant to bless such a rotten kid with his wants and wishes…. I think I can say with absolute certainty that our good God is hesitant to bless us sometimes as well. Don’t get mad at him, take a moment and evaluate yourself. Are you doing all that you need to be doing? Let’s stop there for now…..what kind of a friend are you?

Peace- Helen

Articles from February 2016

The Craft of the Enemy

What Kind of Friend Are You?