Pick Your Battles

This week I was again reminded that the battle is the LORD's. HE has won the victory. I need only believe and not doubt (which I am finding to be two things not opposites of the same thing). Not that we should cast our armor aside, nor be ignorant of satan's devices. Looking back I have been successful in turning away the fiery darts of fame and fortune, although it was not my plan at the time (Prov.30:7-9). Who am I trying to kid, I've got two 4x4's, a motorhome (so what if they are 15,15, and 30 years old), a house and land in the mountains of Colorado. I have people that I've never met, might never meet till Glory, who are praying for me. Good grief, what kind of a hand out am I looking for?
Jehovah is on my side! When Timothy (Carden,) was here, he shared a fictitious story, I don't really advocate, of standing in the middle of a golf course, in a thunder storm, holding up a 9-iron, is like unto proclaiming, Job 13:15 "Though He (Jehovah) slay me, yet will I hope in Him". Point being the more we stand up for God the more we stand out to Satan. No matter how uncomfortable a foxhole is, it feels better than stepping into the line of fire, yet we are called to stand, not hide.
With all the wars, disease, crime, and hatred ... it is because of God's Love that we are going to die. Do we really want to be stuck here? Motel 6 can leave the light on for a while, but they have NOTHING on Jesus who will light up the New Jerusalem. We won't need any pathetic little earth lights.
Let's be fools to the world, knowing that when the Heavenly award ceremony comes, HE WHO IS THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE will greet us and promised even a cup of water given in His name will not be forgotten. I don't know if you saw in the news, there was an article this week where someone calculated that the Saudis and Iran together have enough oil reserves (at todays prices) to buy, lock-stock-and barrel the USA. All the land, houses, cars, businesses, roads, utilities, railroads, and even Park Place with hotels, could be purchased with petroleum cash. The once most powerful nation on the planet could theoretically be sold out from under us, even forcibly taken.

In the upcoming election, as in several past ones, candidates are promising a health care system where everyone gets all the care they could ever need. Is that even possible? New technology is creating machines, (expensive machines, multiplying like rabbits) that someone will have to pay for. I can tell you first hand that existing tests, even though covered by insurance, are expensive. These are well intended, but no matter how altruistic, there is still a bottom line that our kids and great-great-great-grandkids will be stuck with.

Our sin nature also leaves a legacy for now and for coming generations. Proverbs 6:26 says, by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to (bought for?) a piece of bread. "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt16:26). Alcohol and illicit drugs have destroyed countless millions.

Then there are legitimate battles. The other night, even with prescribed medications, sleep was elusive. For those who know that nightly battle, What would you give?, after a week, a month?, six months of intervals on/off?, after years? What would you pay to sleep?

"Every good and perfect gift comes down from above."James1:17. Put yourself (as if you were not already) in the place of the one who lacks, Love, or Joy, or Peace, or Long Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance. Can we put a finger in their face and say, "Go have Joy!" or whatever. They or we can no more "DO IT" than we can jump off a cliff and expect to fly. Fruit, such as apples or bananas ripen in due course of time, but until then poking at them or calling them names is definably a sign of mental instability.

In our struggles, God offers a way, and Satan offers a way. We then, must seek in the Bible and in Godly counsel what is the way of life and what is the way of destruction.

How much gold would we give for Love?
How much silver for patience?
How many diamonds for peace? (wait, someone did that movie already)
How many dollars for sleep? (I think all of them!)

Will we sell our soul to be happy now, or will we surrender this life and its temporary glitz to be held by the nail pierced hands?
Remember me when I get to the top of a single flight of stairs and have to stop and catch my breath, I will remember you in the battles you fight, body and/or spirit.

This is war, none among us is strong enough to strike out alone, hence the encampments known as "church". Seek the safety and renewal of the gathering. If they are not a safe place, then maybe they need a top down inspection from the Commander-in-Chief. For those of us ordained to handle the Word of God know "To whom much is given, much shall be required", Luke 12:48 and, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God", Hebrews 10:31.

In this world where everything is available to be bought and sold, our God, His gifts, and His children, are secure forever. Praise His Name.
In the "Old West" it is reputed that the gunslingers would cut a notch on their belts for every time they won a shoot-out. In modern war-fair fighter pilots would paint a symbolic character on their plane in like manner. In movies and songs there have been references to various methods of marking conquests, but most all have been negative in their nature.

What if we made a notch for giving a word of encouragement to a fellow christian? Some of us might have to turn our belts back in "as good as new". It is not like we are pulling teeth here. For example Jesus Himself spoke of the Roman Centurion, (Matt.8, Luke7) "I have not found so great Faith in ALL Israel!", that is a praise, from the BOSS no less. And what of the Canaanite Woman seeking her daughters healing, (Matt.15, Luke7), that, in Jesus own words again, she had GREAT Faith. If our Lord was not above giving positive edification (hey, I can read a dictionary too, ya’ know), what is standing in our way?

I propose a sure fire way to reach an easy goal of one a day. Find one of those spring clip type clothespins and clamp it on to your lip or ear (we wear all manner of other things dangling there anyway, so why not?). Leave it there pinching some skin until you find something nice to say to someone each day, then take it off till tomorrow. That should make the task rather simple and high on the list of things to do.

To help you along, I will provide the following starter pack. "I am so glad you got up this morning!". Don't use it twice, so move on to, "Thanks for trusting God today". That one is on Faith, but it might inspire them to actually do it, which in turn they might pray for and praise you. "Thanks for taking out the trash, the cat, the papers, the dinner, the car, the dishes, homework, reading your Bible....",(the things you should be doing?). Get creative, who knows, the blessing might even come back to you.

I remember my Dad saying so many times, "Is God a liar?", (obvious rhetoric), "then _____________", (what ever Biblical point he was making).

God has said in His Word, "Seek and Ye shall find", IS HE A LIAR?, are you looking for good things to say about someone, want to put a few notches on your belt? There is nothing to do except do it.

Like the NIKE commercial, JUST DO IT!