The greatest threat to Satan...

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,". JAMES 4:7

Every single day, we are surrounded by the devil. Every time I turn on the news... every time I log on to my social media... everywhere I go, I am constantly reminded that Satan is very real and makes serious attempts to poison people, especially Christians.

But the Bible makes it very clear that there is one absolute way to disarm Satan... STICK WITH GOD. The power of God and His constant presence can knock Satan to his knees anytime.  

The temptations in our daily lives seem to increase as the access to information- (social media, news, etc) gets easier and easier.  It makes me wonder if this is the main reason that the family structure in America is crumbling right before our eyes. 

Please take a moment to read the verse below.  There is very little that needs to be said after reading these clear instructions, with regards to Satan. Putting on the armor of God is the biggest weapon we will ever have!

" Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 

 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. T

herefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 

and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 

 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,". EPHESIANS 6: 11-16

The testing of your faith!

Stress is something that all of us experience on  very regular basis.  While there are different degrees of stress, everyone's stress is very real to them.  The effects that stress has on the body is monumental: insomnia, anxiety, weight gain, being more susceptible to mental health illnesses, digestive issues... the list goes on.

So often we are inundated with stress that we forget to count our blessings. We forget to take deep breaths.  We forget that although it seems like we are currently drowning, there are so many things to 
be grateful for.  And most importantly... we CAN do this!  

James 1: 2-4- 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

We can get through anything with the Lord by our side the entire time.  When it seems like things cannot get any worse... believe me.... THEY CAN!  And we need to take stress in grace and remember what is most important in life. God has our back.  He will not give us anything that we cannot handle.  And in the meantime- we need to take care of our bodies and our minds so that stress does not get the best of us!

The 2018 FIFA World Cup- Celebrating others

Over 3 BILLION people, which is more than HALF of the world's population, throughout the world have been watching the 2018 World Cup over the past few weeks.  What an exciting series of games it has been!   The World Cup has always been a HUGE crowd gatherer.  Russia spent close to $9 BILLION in infrastructure alone, and no visa is required to enter Russia to view the World Cup!

I've always wondered what it was exactly about the World Cup that drew such a worldwide following.  It has been amazing to me to see how people of all races, colors, locations, and religions come together with one thing in common: We want to see our country's team playing in the World Cup! (although for the the United States men's team will not be competing for the first time in thirty years!!!)

Wouldn't it be awesome if all of us could come together more often than in just Worldwide sporting events? What about if we came together when one of us is struggling?  Or if someone needs some praise for something positive that has happened to them that is worth celebrating?  Let's focus on celebrating each other more than once every four years at an international sporting event!

Never give up on each other!

I have been GLUED to the news recently as the story unfolds of the boys soccer team in Thailand who have been trapped in underwater caves for over 1 week now. The SEAL Teams are currently debating on the most efficient way to remove the boys from the caves as it is monsoon season.  They have pumped some of the water out but have been ravaged by a giant downpour, stranding them behind a wall of water. 

This has become an international rescue effort that has the world worried and concerned.  The boys are being fed and seem to be in positive spirits even though some of them do not know how to swim.  The current debate is whether or not the SEAL team will need to train the boys how to actually scuba dive to get them out, or wait for the water levels to subside.  I cannot even imagine the terror that the parents of these boys must feel.  But we as a people, globally, will not give up in this rescue effort.  

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could apply this determination to help these boys in our daily lives as good Christians?  So often we get frustrated with those in our lives who are struggling, because sometimes it is a major inconvenience on our end.  But what would the world look like if we took a few extra minutes each day- even if it is just to make a phone call to someone that we know that may have something negative happening in their lives.

Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

Putting in a small amount of effort really does make a MONUMENTAL difference to those struggling. Whether it's giving them a small amount of money, asking how they are doing, or maybe even offering to cook them dinner that night- It doesn't take much to provide relief to someone who is struggling.