Abundant living or destructive living?

In our mind's eye, there is so much in the world that is unseen.  We think and ponder and wonder about a vast variety of situations / circumstances, not knowing what is true or what is real, but imagining we know.  Our imagination becomes real and we only see that tiny realm.

We live in a darkened world.

Even as believers in Christ, we struggle to comprehend the Lord's presence with us.

Where do we think He is?  Why do we fail to remember His guiding light is with us?  Why do we let our minds overrule our hearts?  Why do we forget God is only a word away - Help me Lord - and instead render His power useless?

We give in to the thoughts Satan imposes upon us.

We are aware of the Lord, but we fail to respond to Him.  We respond instead to the evilness around us and settle our thinking on that.

Have we forgotten Jesus overcame the world of sin and death?  (John 16:33)  He brings us peace and we can have it too, but not by focusing on ourselves, our mindless thinking.  We are like the disciples before Jesus' death when He proclaimed they would be scattered  (John 16:32)

Fear moves us away.  But Satan does not bring peace.  There is no peace to be found in negative responses or thoughts.

Peace is found only through the One who truly cares, whose compassion and mercy is showered on His own.  He prays for His children and He is glorified through them.

What glory will He obtain when His children turn away and scatter ...

Giving Up
qualities of God's character that should be reflected in us -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)

Giving In
to qualities of Satan's character that should not be reflected in us -- jealousy, anger, dissension, backbiting, complaints, worry, envy, hatred and more (Galatians 5:19-21)?

We are given the commandment as believers:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5)

for "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."  (John 10:10a)

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" Jesus tells us. (John 10:10b)

It is our choosing -- Abundant Living or Destructive Living

Peace and Life through Jesus
-- Staying close to Him at all times, even when most difficult, when thoughts carry us down blind alleys.

or Fear and Death through Satan

If we choose fear and destructive living,  you needn't do anything.  The path,  ever widening,  is before you.

If we choose peace and abundant living,  then we must keep our every thought in check,  ever mindful of the Lord's presence,  seeking Him every time, in every situation, and be obedient to His call. (He) "will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy." (Psalm 16:11)

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
December 7, 2015

His perspective vs ours

God tells us to try to see things from His perspective,  to fill our minds with Him so that when things don't go as we would like, we can shrug it off and just say, "Oh well."

Negativity can take all of us down. I can be there as well as another. I can withdraw, coiled up like a ball, and spend my every thought on all that is wrong.

God wants us to encourage others, not tear them down. I don't imagine He wants us to see things that are not there either.

I am not perfect. I want so much to be the woman God desires of me and I go about it the best I can - from what I read and study in His word and what He shows me in this life.  I am open to His instruction, to His wisdom, even though there are times my instructions and my wisdom supercedes His.

I have been in the world of depression, where you fail to see the joy; a robot moving through the paces but going nowhere.

I left that world. I have no desire to return there.  However, Satan pushes us, prods us, kicks us down, passes out lies that sound like the truth.

The town of Depression is an easy place to be and return to, a hard place to get out.

There is no pat answer. We each struggle to saw the cell bars of our mind in two and escape the inner turmoils playing havoc on it.

Depression is a disease - that can be healed.

Satan will tell you you are destined to stay there, but that is untrue, a falsehood.

Satan is filled with lies. There is nothing about him we should ever believe. Yet we do - because we are human.

As children of the Lord God above, we have His spirit within us and that spirit walks with us and talks with us. He does not simply abide in us and that's that.  He shows us right from wrong. He convicts us to do or say what needs to be said.

When we pray, we seek His guidance, and then we wait, in anticipation of His answer.

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

September 22, 2015 

Are you filled with courage or fear?

Courage is catching, and so unfortunately, is fear. Both come in the face of adversity.

Courage, I believe, shows itself when we are mindful of God at every turn and respond in obedience to His instruction. No matter what comes, when we are focused on the Lord, we can step up, step out and do.

Fear is when our thoughts go haywire and negativity rules. Our response is to withdraw because we can't see any positive outcome. We can't see the Light in the midst of the darkness surrounding us.

Whisper His name
His Presence with you
closer
Jesus, Jesus

Your strength lies in Him
Whisper
The name of Jesus
The trauma within and around you will lessen
as you feel His Love
Experience His Joy
and
Bask in the Sonlight of His Peace

Be courageous in the face of fear. Don't allow stress to overtake you and cause more trouble.

Whisper His name
His Presence is with you
wherever you are

"Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths,
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
for You are he God of my salvation;
on You I wait all the day."  ~ Psalm 27:4-5

"Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!" ~ Psalm 105:4

"Let not your heart be troubled." ~ John 14:1

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

August 25-26, 2015

Formed, Conformed, Transformed

We are formed
man first
from the dust of the ground
God breathed life
into his body
a living being born
in the image of God
The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)

Formed
man first
then woman
from man's rib
God took
and molded ...
a woman

"Bone of my bones
flesh of my flesh" 
said Adam (Genesis 2:23)

And God commanded
"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24)

A man,
a woman,
united
as one

We are formed
by God
for His purpose
His good will
to bring us peace
a future
a hope

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Do not be conformed
shaped
molded
by the evil in and of the world,
the pressures
what you see happening around you
nor what you hear
Do not let your thoughts --
what you think --
or your emotions -- what you feel --
become your perception of
Truth
your guiding force.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

There is Only One
to guide you
Only One
who always
seeks your best

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." (Psalm 32:8)

"The Lord wll guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." (Isaiah 58:11)

"However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." (John 16:13)

"... let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves." (Galatians 5:16)

Be transformed
changed
renewed

Remember
Jesus
is The Way...
to salvation
to life
to being alive
to peace
to contentment
to love
to hope
to joy
to peace
to patience
to kindness
to gentleness
to self-control
to faithfulness

Jesus
is The Truth
"and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

"He who is of God hears God's words; (therefore) you do not hear, because you are not of God." (John 8:47)

Jesus
is The Life

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me," Jesus says.  (John 14:6)

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

God formed us
Do we conform to the world
and give in to the truths of sin
or do we transform, renewing our minds
to be and do
that which is good
and acceptable
and perfect
in God's sight

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

July 10-11, 2015 

What do we see and hear and understand?

A collage of thoughts … I’m unsure there is a theme, but there might be. I was thinking one day, earlier this month about my eyesight deteriorating and my hearing not being so good and what that might mean in my travels with the Lord.

Eyes to see
but what is seen
Ears to hear
but what is heard
A mind to understand
but what is comprehended
Feet to travel
but where do we walk
© March 8, 2015

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”  ~ Matthew 11:15

“Seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”  ~ Matthew 13:13

The level of one’s commitment to Christ as Lord is demonstrated by the degree of our obedience to God’s will as revealed in His word.

Isaiah prophesies to the people as God instructed (Isaiah 6:9-10, Matthew 13:14-15)

“Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
and seeing you will see and not perceive;
For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”

If we claim to be Christians, we must strive to make our lives obedient and pleasing to God.

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
~ Isaiah 6:21

“Do not be wise in your own eyes.”  ~ Proverbs 3:7

God makes Himself known
He reveals His glory
and all that is ungodly
and how we do not live righteously,
but as foolish people.
We claim to be so wise, so smart,
but our hearts are darkened.
We do not have the Truth of God,
the Light of the Lord within us
and if we claim otherwise
and do have His Light,
we are ignoring the signs
God has given us
and follow instead every lie,
every falsehood
that creeps into our minds.
We lust after another
We dishonor our bodies
(based on Romans 1: 18-19, 21-22, 24-32)

“Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.”         ~ II Timothy 2:7

Continually, I hold on to the verse in II Timothy 1:7 --
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

“Hold fast the pattern of sound (or healthy) words which you have heard from Me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”  ~ II Timothy 1:13

As we trust the Lord more and more, we are able to receive Him and His blessings abundantly.

When we pray, but do not trust the Lord to respond, do not wait on Him,
we will not receive His blessings. We must be still, not anxious. Anxiety and worry are not of God.

Do not let the concerns of another tear you apart. Remain resting in Christ. He will bring you through it.

Trust Me
Depend on Me
Do not fall prey to distractions
I will equip you
Must believe in Me,
obey Me
Trust
in My Promises
Do not falter

The new man/woman
You became
he/she
You accepted
Christ
Believed
on Him
in Him
and His Promises

Yet,
a part of you
remains
in the darkness
You are blinded
holding onto your
former conduct
that you remember well
and go back to
again and again

You are
the new man/woman
not the old one
you gave up

Why do you follow after
that which corrupts
your thinking
and takes you down
paths of deceit
and jealousy
and bickering
with another

Be renewed
Be the new man/woman
for  which God created you

Put away lying
Speak truth
not corruption, not dissension, not contention
Build up, encourage

No bitterness
or clamor
or evil speaking

Be kind
tenderhearted
forgiving

You are no longer in the dark as some still are
The Light of the Lord resides in you.
Walk as that Light – the Light of Jesus -
goodness, righteousness, truth
that which is acceptable
to the Lord.
(based on Ephesians 4: 17-  and 5:8-10)

Do not trod the paths
that lead to darkness
You do not belong there

Why do we hold on to things that only bring discouragement?
Why does not former conduct have such a hold on us?

We know the scheming of Satan
for we lived among them
The power of Christ
overcame his strength
at the cross
when upon His death
and burial
He arose to live forevermore
and gave to each
one who believed
on Him
the power to overcome

We know the way of Christ
for we became new
The power of Christ
in us
through the Holy Spirit

Yet,
for all we know
and all we have been given
we do not utilize
Christ’s power in us

We do not turn away
completely
from every disgusting
thing Satan brings out way
We do not turn to
The One
who is always with us
who never forsakes us
whose might is greater
than anything we can imagine

God and Satan
obedience sought
in all things
Satan’s goal
is to take you away
from Christ
to show you how bad
you are
how good you will never be
Satan leads you along the path
of what feels good,
your rights, your needs.
It’s all about you
and the more you lap it up,
the more your faith in Christ
diminishes
and for all God’s calling
The voice you used to hear so well,
so plainly
is growing faint
and His light dimmer and dimmer

Why do you persist in following
the avenues of deceit,
of living to self?

Give it up
Stop this foolishness
It does not build you up
Satan tears you down
and you see that as the way it is
The way you are

It is not! You are not!
Christ died for you!
Whatever did Satan do for you?

Why do you find it easier to stick like glue
to the enemy …
to the sin of
adultery
uncleanness
jealousy
selfish ambitions
envy
drunkenness
idolatry,
fear
anger
lying
witchcraft
hatred
outbursts of wrath
contentions
heresies
murder
gluttony

than to follow
the Way of Your Savior
the way of
Love
Joy
Peace
Gentleness
Kindness
Faithfulness
Self-Control
Patience
Goodness
Honesty
Patience
Discipline

“Lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices.” 
~ II Corinthians 2:11

“Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”  ~                             ~ II Corinthians 3:16

A veil covers their heart of understanding;
their minds blinded

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”  ~ II Corinthians 3:17b

Where the spirit of Satan is, there is bondage, enslavement

When we became Christ’s, “we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully.”                                        ~ II Corinthians 4:2a

“We do not lose heart.”  ~ II Corinthians 4:1

We do not give up nor give in
We do not stay where we had been
We are recipients
of God’s mercy,
God’s grace

God’s image shines on you
for you belong to Him
Do not return to the hidden world of sin

“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed;
We are perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed.”  ~ II Corinthians 4: 8-9

We have God’s power in us

It is His power that delivers us,
protects us
saves us
encourages us
secures us
It is nothing within ourselves
that enables us
to move out
move on
move beyond

As His children, God promises to be with us
wherever we walk, He walks
He is our Father in heaven
We are His son, His daughters on Earth
The promise is two-fold.
If we do not believe,
If we do no act in faith,
If we do not trust,
His promises play forlorn.

It is unfortunate when we restrict His movements;   when we say we believe in Him, but do not trust in His power.

I daresay many of us restrict His movements – we say we don’t, but if we really stopped to think about it, we’d find we plod ahead, do what we think best before we seek God’s advice and rely on Him. How do we know what is right or wrong?

Is cancer a death sentence?  (Visit the blog,: The Race: our journey with cancer  http://theracetorunwithendurance.blogspot.com/.

Cancer is an enemy.
Can it be a friend
Can you make friends with an enemy
Satan is The Enemy
Why would you want to make friends with him

We react negatively to the threat of cancer.
 We become distraught,
disconnected,
dismayed.
Fear overtakes us.
Who gave us fear --
It is not God!
Fear is a work of The Enemy
Fear does not belong
within us
How do we stand up against it
Trust in God

“Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”  ~II Corinthians 7:1

Open your heart to God

God gives us blessings daily, but sometimes we don’t perceive them.
When we are not  focused on God and His goodness, and when we are stuck on a negative focus, we see only the problems, only the struggle. We do not see God. We do not see His gifts.

Thank the Lord for all that blocks the path to Him and the stones will be removed. Not clear sailing, but a clear path to see the way God chooses for us. If we are obedient to His leading, we will follow Him whatever the cost, because being close to the Lord, being at peace within our souls, is best.

Whatever the cost?!  Best know what the cost is we speak of. You give children to the Lord, dedicate them to His will, His service. Can a spouse, a wife, dedicate her husband to the Lord? What does dedication mean?

Whatever comes, and we do not know what that will be.

Do not fear.
The Lord does not give us a spirit of fear
That comes from The Enemy
The Lord gives us Power and Love
and a Sound Mind – good sense

Power and Strength
Love and Mercy and Grace
Trust more in God
than in the fear Satan drives into you

Jesus is the Song of Life
of Love
of Peace
of Joy
Bring into your consciousness
awareness of Me and My Presence!

Trust Me
Thank Me
I will lift you up
Above
Far above
your every circumstance
Be mindful
of Me
of My Presence
as you
go about
your day
Do not remove
your focus
on Me
Do not
let the spoils
of Satan
drop you
a peg
Do not
let Satan
drown you
in quick sand
Rise up
Rise up
My child
I AM with you
Be thankful
Offer praises
to Me
Do not
give in
Do not
give up

Look onward
Look around
Look upward
I AM there
I will bring you through this trial
Triumph will come
I AM your peace
Don’t let anxiety and worry
steal away My Peace
within you,.
I AM your source
I AM your resource
I AM your life blood
I will lead you through the darkness of this journey
Take hold of MY hand --
Do not release your grip
Rest your head upon My lap
and find comfort
I AM with you
every step of the way.
© March 22-23, 2015)

God shows us
See and believe
See and understand
See and trust more
There are signs everywhere

“Gather up the fragments that remain; so that nothing is lost.”  ~ John 6:12

Utilize everything
what you do not need,
what I have given you
abundantly,
give to another.
The blessings will flow.

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders 

God is ... but are we -- available to our children?

“I AM with you always,” Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:20b

God … Jesus … and the Holy Spirit
always available to us
His children

But what about
our children
Are we available to our children
or are other things
wishes
of more importance
always taking precedence?

Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Are we teaching our children about God, about Jesus, His ways?

Do our children learn about prayer – family prayer / personal prayer?

 Do they learn about faithfulness, patience, fairness, sharing, courage, honesty, overcoming fear?

If we are too busy now to spend quality time with our children,

what will we do when we have time to give and they are not available?

Will our children grow up to be just like us? Will it be a positive thing or negative?  Will we not see it?

Children learn first from their parents or other caregivers, watching their movements, listening to the sounds of their voices. They pick up and put on these traits. And then we wonder the why of it all.

If we do not make time to live our life pleasing to the Lord, our children will see how we live and do likewise.

If our preferences take us away from the Lord’s commands, then our children will follow in our steps.

If reading and studying the Bible is not our cup of tea, then we are missing out on all the Lord has for us – His guiding principles, His blessings, His promises, and so are our children.

We, as Christ’s followers, are complete in Him. He abides in us and we abide in Him. He desires so much for us – His children, as individuals, parents and children. We can be oh so much. Our children – we must teach them, love them, show them the rights and wrongs in life according to our Holy God.

Are we obedient in all things of God or do we allow Satan to take advantage of us? We cannot pretend we don’t know what Satan is up to. (See II Corinthians 2: 9, 11)

When will we turn away from that which is wrong? If we claim we do no wrong or we see no wrong, then we are not honest or faithful to God or ourselves. We let Satan lead our every movement and then we say we didn’t see it coming.  But we do see it coming… we choose to ignore, we refuse to ask God for help.  

The Holy Spirit within us shows us, tries to get us to see the error of our ways, but when we have no regard for Him, refusing to see or hear, we are effectively saying God is not important, and our children follow suit. They too question the importance of God and don’t know who Jesus is or what He represents.

Whose way do you follow?

 Whose way do you obey?

 Whose way is your master?

 Whose way will bring you through the many perils of life?

 Whose way has your best always at heart?

Do not forsake The Way of Christ.

 He who loves you is there for you Always -- for you, for me, for our children past, present and future. Do not turn away from Him who gives you the gift of life to a life that is filled with death and destruction.  

Take to heart the message in this song, The Cats in the Cradle -- 

Spiritual Growth - Christ in You (A Basic Principle to Choose by)

Week 1: CHRIST IN YOU
Day 5: A Basic Principle to Choose By


TODAY'S READING:
I Corinthians 10:31, Romans 14:7-8


The Christian religion does not have a long list of do's and don'ts for you to follow, but rather a simple principle to follow.  It is stated clearly in I Corinthians 10:31 NLT

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Now read Romans 14:7-8 NLT 

"For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."

These verses make it clear we should

• have behavior that shows our new life with Christ
• do everything we do to bring glory to God

For Example ... You visit a friend for supper. Your friend brings a bottle of wine to the table and wants you to drink a glass with him. What do you do?

A. Take a small sip and then no more. ____

B. Scold the friend for drinking wine. ____

C. Avoid facing it and make up an excuse. ______

D. Explain that you are now a Christian. Tell your friend that God has taken away your desire for a drink of wine. _____

Which one brings glory to God? 

Life is full of choices. It is best to always act in ways that show Christ living in you and controlling you. You do not have to act like a crazy person to do this. You should have a gentle and loving expression. People will respect you for that attitude. 

One way to help us with those situations is to know Bible verses. Write Psalm 119:11 here. 

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Writing your own Scripture memory cards is a good way to help you learn more quickly. I keep a journal and write verses in it daily to help me remember. 

Remember to have a regular Quiet Time ... to pray as you memorize and think about God's Word. A daily time of prayer and Bible study can be the best way for Christ to live in you and control your life. 

Spiritual Growth - Christ in You (Understanding the new you)

Week 1: CHRIST IN YOU
Day 4: Understanding What Has Happened to You

TODAY'S READING:
II Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 1:21-22, 27

As you develop your Quiet Time you will see changes. II Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) explains some of these changes. Read the verse and fill in the blanks.

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

Your ________________ life is passing away.

Your _________________ life is beginning.

All of these changes are made by ____________________________.

Yes, Christ makes the difference between your old and new life.

Read Colossians 1:21-22 (NLT) and fill in the blanks.

"This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault."

What was your attitude about God before you accepted Christ and became a Christian?

____________________________________________________________________________


Because you and God were enemies, you did things that were ___________________________


Now you are learning that some things you did when you were not a Christian are no fun. God is changing you! He is making you

_____________________________________________________________________________

Holy means you are reserved for God's use and no one else's. II Corinthians 5:17 explains that a different way.

Read Colossians 1:27 (NLT). 
"For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory."

Where is Christ now? __________________________________________________________

Remember discussing the hand?  Write what the palm of the hand is ____________________

Spiritual Growth - Christ in You (Learning to Pray)

Week 1: CHRIST IN YOU
Day 3: Learning to Pray

TODAY'S READING:
Matthew 6:9-13

Some Christians are afraid to pray in a public place - perhaps you know some. Praying is really pretty simple, whether it is done in front of others or in private, because all you are doing is talking to the Lord -- sharing with Him your attitudes, fears, wants, frustrations, etc. He understands, He listens, and He answers.

Jesus' disciples asked Him how to pray, so He provided them and us with a model -- a roadmap for us to use when we pray. It is called the Lord's Prayer.

The Sunday school class of which I am a part has spent the last year studying prayer, and the last two weeks specifically on the Lord's Prayer.

Here are things to consider and how to make your prayer life more meaingful.  I have used the New Living Translation, but I learned the Lord's Prayer from the King James Bible.

v.9 - "Our Father in heaven, may your name by kept holy."  =  we acknowledge and give praise to God

v. 10 - "May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." = we pray over our needs (not our wants) and bring them into line with God's.

v. 11 - "Give us today the food we need" = we remember that the same God we worship, the same God who is in control of our life, is the same God who wants to provide for our daily needs.

v. 12 -  "And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us." =  we ask God to forgive us when we do wrong as we likewise forgive another

v. 13 - "And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one." = we remember that the God who provides is the God who protects.

 v 13b KJV: For Thines is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." We  acknowledge God's eternal kingdom, His power, His glory. All to Him belongs.

The best way to learn how to pray is ... to pray!

Delivered from Satan's power, yet ...

We have been delivered, set free
from everything that keeps us prisoners to the world
Yet,
what do we choose?

Jesus set us free
God delivered us from the power of darkness
Yet,
we are like pigs in miry clay
We stay where it is familiar,
where we are comfortable,

even though it’s not where we ought to be

We accepted God’s gift of eternal salvation through His Son’s death, burial and resurrection. We were set free from every bond that kept us prisoners of Satan. We repented, turned away from Satan’s rule and turned to God’s way.

Yet,

we do not turn away completely.

 We repent, we believe God’s promises

Yet,
our faith is weak

We know we are saved,
we are children of the Living God
Yet,
we do not obey His commands
or study His Word

We cling to being Christian
Yet,
we do not follow Christ

God is always with us
When we accepted His Son as our Savior,
His Spirit came to live in our hearts,
a helper to live with us forever
God provides protection and security
His lifeline of hope
prevents the path of depression and self-pity
from swallowing us
Yet,
we look within ourselves for aid.
We think it is our resources
that will get us out of the mud
and onto solid ground.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.” – Psalm 46:1-2a

The Bible tells us to walk in the way of Christ
so we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh
Yet,
we travel paths of impatience, unkindness, unfaithfulness, disgust,
frustration, hatred, defensiveness, and much more

That which we repented from, turned away from, but have we? 

~~~~~

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” – I Corinthians 16:13-14

Watch… be ready … be prepared … be alert

“Watch therefore for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” – Matthew 24:42

“Therefore you (also) be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.” – Matthew 24: 44

Stand fast in the faith … secure in the gospel of Jesus Christ of which you have received … let your conduct, your actions be worthy of the gospel of Christ, whether seen or unseen

Be strong … be strengthened through the Holy Spirit, so we are able to bear up under whatever comes upon us … persevere… push on, not giving up … endure … strengthened by the power of the Lord in us to be patient and have patience

All done in Love … rejoices in the truth… godly love believes all things, hopes all things...never gives up…endures…accepts hardships or rejection, builds up and encourages another

Don’t let the obstacles that you encounter as you walk with the Lord discourage you. Do not give up. The path will never be easy, but with the Holy Spirit, our ever-present helper, we can overcome any obstacle.  We must remember to walk with Him, in His power, not ahead of Him. It is in His timing that what He wills will be accomplished. Do not give in to stress, but slow down, keeping your focus steady and sure on Him, and through Him the darkness we experience will turn to joy.

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” – Psalm 30:5

We must be prepared to do battle with everything and all that God has provided to us and for us.

“Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly (decently), as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”  – Romans 13:12-14

“… Walk as children of light. (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth) proving what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”  -- Ephesians 5:8-11

To expose the unfruitful works of darkness, of which Satan and the devil and his workers prevail, we need to put on the Armor of God – the Armor of Light. That armor is not the weaponry of physical battle, but spiritual.

Jesus defeated Satan.

“He (God) has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”  -- Colossians 1:13-14

 “…Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil.” – Ephesians 6:10-11

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (to overcome).” – v. 13

Satan is cunning. He undermines us by our very own words and actions to another. Instead of love and compassion and concern and well-being, we act destructively, we hear and respond to criticism, tones of dissatisfaction and defensiveness, condemnation, complaints, fear. That which we do not want to do, we do -- Satan helps us along to achieve all those “don’t wants.” Even with the “do wants, but know we shouldn’t,” Satan works to deceive us, and we fall prey to his every trick. Have we forgotten Jesus defeated Satan and with His power in us, we too can defeat the Enemy? I fear we do not believe we have the power, we do not believe God’s strength is in us. We give up and give in before we take any step of faith.  Satan has us where he wants us and we do nothing. We do not watch, we do not stand fast, we are not brave, we are not strong  and we are not loving. We claim allegiance to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, but we fail to utilize all His provisions. It seems we still live in the world. 

God provides us with armor -- armor at our ready disposal, in His Word, in our hearts when we become His Children. We are to put on the whole armor, not just bits and pieces. How can we ever hope to defeat the Enemy if we’re not ready or only half so?!

Jesus defeated Satan and we can too, when we are encased with the battle gear God provides us --

His TRUTH

 His RIGHTEOUSNESS

 His  PEACE

 His FAITH

 His SALVATION

 His SWORD – His WORD

And PRAYER.
Without prayer, we are incomplete, unsure how to proceed.
(Ephesians 6:14-18)

With all that Jesus is in us, with us, through us, we cannot fail. But the success we look for can only be found when we abide in Christ and He abides in us, when we travel His path, when we look to Him for everything that crosses our path,  when our spiritual faith is stronger than our physical desire, when we say NO to the world, and YES to God. 

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

January 7-9, 2015

Only One Thing Is Needed

God says,

Do not let distractions of life, of day-to-day living, lead you away from Me.

 Do not be weighed down by problems, trials, frustrations.

 I AM the one to go to at all times.

 I AM the one to carry your burdens.

 Come, devote time with Me and I will strengthen you to face whatever comes

 Do not think about this and that.

 Distractions come in many forms and each and all are meant to take you away from the very private, intimate relationship I have with you– souring it, dampening it.

 In Me, with Me, through Me, you have everything you now need and will ever need.

“And Jesus said, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’ ’’ - Luke 10:41-42

“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” – Psalm 27:4 

Mary has chosen that good part, the one thing that is needed --

To be in The Lord’s Presence, in the midst of His glory, to listen and learn and apply that which He teaches.

Have you chosen that good part too, the one thing needed?

 Or are you like Martha, worried and troubled about many things, letting other things take precedence over that one thing?
                                                                                                         (c) Cathy Orrick Luders 

Pressing On

Why does anger show itself so vehemently?

Why do we allow it to supersede God’s Presence in us?

Why does our flesh nature -- our old self that we gave up -- rear its ugly head at times when we definitely don’t want it?

Why is our spiritual nature – our new self that we seek, that we gravitate to and for – often hidden?

Sometimes, when studying God’s Word and listening for what He might have to say to us, we hear. We are grateful for His mighty words of wisdom.

Other times, however, although we may listen and we may hear, we also remember words said by others, unnecessary words spoken that send up a red flag and result in anger.

Why can’t we just let go of the words, the comments that we have made wrong assumptions about? Just let them flow off our back. Relax. Be still. Be mindful of God.

We need to rearrange our perceptions, our misconceptions.

I struggle with this. I know where I want to be and need to be and where God wants me to be. I go up and down. On a hilltop, blessed and secure in God’s love for me – and in a valley, darkness dulling my senses.

It is a journey we all travel.

None of us have reached perfection. Only Jesus is The Perfect One and it is Him we strive to be like.

I must press on, continue seeking all He has to say to me and there is much. It is unending.

As Paul writes (Philippians 3:13a-14), and it is true,
“forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

2014 has passed -- A new year upon us.

What will your 2015 journey be like? Who will guide you along the way? What will be your response?

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders