Just Blind

Luke 4:1-7 "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."

I read that and it blowed my mind to think how blinded Satan was by his pride.

Satan is very aware who God is and the Trinity at that! He knew Jesus was God manifested in the flesh.

Really think about it. Satan once was the most esteemed angel, Lucifer. He was the one who stood behind God and covered Him with his wings. He knew who and what God was and is! Yet he stood in front of Jesus, the Son of God and showed Him riches of this world, hoping Jesus would fall for it.

It's the first time I actually see how self centered Satan really is. Someone who is self consumed and centered has no clue of reality nor of who is hurt by their actions.

When we are selfish, we are sooooo blinded from truth, we don't make rational judgements. It sounds a lot like Satan's situation.

We think of pride as a little o'l sin. A sin that everyone has, it's bad but just do the best you can to not have it; that's all you can do.

Wait a minute! Doesn't Proverbs 6:16-17 say that pride is one of seven things that are an abomination unto God? If it's something God hates so much, don't we think God would love to help us get rid of it completely, from our life? Don't get me wrong, we are all born in sin and will die sinners, but if we have been born again; born physically then born spiritually, the second done on purpose, by our own will, are we not new creatures? (2Corinthians 5:17). Isn't our past swiped away (Psalm 103:12)? Doesn't Philippians 4:13 say, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."? If we sincerely want to be used by God and not be a stumbling block to others, especially our younger brothers and sisters in Christ, don' you think Psalm 37:4, "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." or Matthiew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." would come into play?

Jesus said if we ask in His name, in other words, ask for things that He would agree with or ask for. If we ask God, in Jesus' name, to free us from the pride we carry in our minds and our hearts; He will answer those prayers, the Bible says so in John 16:23.

What stops us from asking God to free us from our pride? We asked Him to free us from drinking, smoking, drugs, premarital sex, anger lying etc. Why not pride? Let's face it, pride feels better than all those thing I just mentioned, but fro a season. I think it's because we too wear the same shoes as Satan did that day when he dared to try to "trick" Jesus into desiring worldly riches but end up bowing before Satan in the end.

Can you imagine the look on Jesus' face? Something like, "You're kidding right?!" "HELLO Satan! Remember me? You know... J-E-S-U-S... God in the flesh?! I made those cities you're showing me. I gave power to those people in those kingdoms. If I wanted it I could get it by myself... thanks. Good try though!... *wink*"

That's where spiritual battle gets a little clearer for me. He doesn't just attack me, tempting me because he knows I'm weak and I'll fall to his devices. He just wants to be worshiped so badly! He is blinded by his desperation, his pride. He'll attack anyone who is weak at any moment. The only smart thing he did when he tried to tempt Jesus, is that he tried it when Jesus' flesh was weak since he hadn't eaten for 40 days while in the wilderness.

3 major things I learnt in this passage:

1. pride blinds us from reality and of your direction and directives to others


2. Satan will attack me because he wants worship and my fall


3. wilderness= hard times (trials). When it's walked without being in prayer and reading God's Word, it now means weak, in the wilderness. Be sure we'll be tempted

Keep strong, even if in the wilderness.

In our weakness

1 Corinthians 1:21"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."


Over and over again, God uses what we would consider the less intelligent, the weaker and foolishness to show His awesomness, strength and wonder.


Something as simple as the grass growing, the rain falling, the young child's first steps shows us God's infinit wisdom in creation.


In the bible specifically, He used a group of fisherman THEN more educated people to spread the Gospel. He used a weak and posessed man, Legion, to glorify His name. He used people in bondage to sin and brought freedom and truth through His Son.


Why don't we accept what and who we are, that God may be able to use us?


I found this video. It is a man who is paralyzed in his right arm after a car accident with a pickup. He is playing "The Lord's prayer" which is a song I've been practicing to sing in church. He plays the piano with one hand.


Watch this and keep in mind that God can make beautiful music of our life if we just let Him guide us, and trust in His will, and love for us.

Anyone for Grill Pizza

Pizza is not very spiritual but I love that too.
I always wondered how to do pizza on the grill and found this video and it's really well done. Enjoy!

A heart like David's

Psalm 26:2 "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart."
A scary prayer!
VS. 3 "For thy lovingkindness [is] before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth."
David had confidence in his prayer of judgement because he knew that his relationship with God was pure, honest, and his steps ordered by Him. He knew he was right with God and understood that by guarding his life, keeping it pure, the outcome would be praises to God.
Psalm 26:7, "That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works."
David loved being in that place in his life where he was near to God, when he had fellowship with Him. He did so to the point that he later pleads God to not allow him to be at the wrong place with the wrong people. (Psalm 26:9 "Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:")
David understood that he was in THIS good place or standing, at THAT particular time in life, because of God's mercy on him.
Someone could think he was bragging about his own self righteousness but he wasn't. Listen to him. He praised God for the opportunity to be on even ground; a plateau, smooth sailing.
Oh how the world would be different if we loved being with and like God, more than ourselves, to the point we would beg God to not allow us to follow the lust of our flesh.

He always rises to the top

Have you ever noticed that if you place an object, like a straw, in a glass of water, it will float to the top. How about those oil filled balls that you put in your bath... press them down but they will bop back to the surface?
Here is what "Spikes World Science" says, "The truth is that objects float in water because the water pushes up against them. I guess it isn't an invisible holder or pusher-upper. There are several things to do that let us feel the push of a liquid. That push is called buoyancy (pronounced "BOY-ann-see")."
In the world, since God created it, recognizes God's holiness and mightiness therefore automatically "pushes" (magnifies) God. He rises to the top.
In Exodus 7, God is talking to Moses and telling him what to expect when commanding Pharoh to let "His" people go. It says,"
But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, [and] my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them."
The world will mimic the things of God, but God will dominate when given the glory.
Moses must have wondered ho could the Egyptians know that God was God when the magicians could copy evey miracle God did when it came to the plags, but God always showed himself more powerful.
EXAMPLES:
When Moses threw his rod to the ground in front of Pharoh, it became a snake. The magicians threw theirs and it did also. Moses' rod which was now a snake ate the magicians snakes...
When Moses smote the water with the rod, all water was turned to blood. The magicians did the same but now there was no water which they could drink of and their body, which God created, was thirsty. Imagine, it was seven days before they got drinkable water.
Again with the frogs, the magicians copied the infestation but could then only rely on God to get rid of them. The bible says in Exodus 8:14, "And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank."

HELLO!?! Was it worth it being able to copy God in miracle making?

God rose to the top when He showed that He was the CREATOR of all things and not the copier of all things when He could reverse the miracle, the magicians had to beg and plead for God to reverse it.
Sometimes, we recognize that life is bigger than us but we forget that God is bigger than life. Let Him rise to the top, let us give Him the glory He deserves in our lives. Let's let Him have freedom to work in our lives and be "pressed up" by the copiers in our lives that He may be exalted among all men.
Proverbs 3:5-7, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil."

Funny Friday

What could He of thought?

I was reading Psalm 22 the other night. It reminded me that although Jesus was all God, He was also all flesh.
You are probably aware that in MANY places in the Old Testament, are prophecies of the birth, life, death and resurection of Jesus. In this passage, it is a prophecy of His moments surrounded His death on the cross. Here is a glimpse on the thoughts He had.
Psalm 22 "(vs 1.) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (vs. 6-8) But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.(vs.13) They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. (vs. 16-18)
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture."
When I read those passages, I could help but hear Jesus' human heart.
We often are afraid to speak up for the sake of Jesus Christ; afraid of the rejection. These passages put this one into context. Hebrew 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
He knows what feeling rejected is like, but He went all the way. I want to serve Him all the more when I know what sacrifice He did for me. Why can't we sacrifice even just a little.
Remember yesterday? What your heart meditates on? His sacrifice for you, would be a good thing to meditate on.
Phillipians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."