Dripping Words

So... We have a dripping problem from our heater upstairs. Every second, a drop drips down (try saying that 10 times fast) onto the floor corroding the ceiling downstairs. It is really amazing that a single drop of water can make such a mess. I mean, our ceiling looks like it could cave in at any given second. But on the complete alternate side of the spectrum, this summer I visited a humungous cave in Belize where thousands of stalactite's are found. A stalactite is a type of formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves formed by continuous drops of water. They are beautiful to look at. What is crazy to me is that two drastic differences occurred from what seemed to be the same story: water continuously dripping. One brought destruction and one brought a masterpiece. You see, our mouths work the same way. We have the power to bring destruction or to help form a masterpiece by what we say. We may think that this one measly cut at someone wont hurt them this one time, "cause shoot, they deserve it." When in reality, you have no idea if this could be the continuation of little "drops" of negativity towards them. The word says in 

Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Next time you have the thought to tear someone down, remember that you could be helping bring destruction in their life. Instead, speak life, and help turn the canvas around for the beginning of a master piece to be formed. Andy Mineo said it perfect, "God used words to create this planet, so be careful with them." You have the power to bring life or death: How will you use you words?

The Attic of Our Mind

Recently, I went into the attic of our house in West Memphis. I was blown away by all of the things that I found: My first toy from when I was a little tot (a super manly GI Joe... Okay not really, it was a stuffed animal. But a manly one at that), a box of Christmas Lights that we used maybe once, and bunch of other memorabilia of my childhood, and a lot of garbage bags full of, well, useless junk that we meant to throw away a long time ago. This junk had a leak in it, and was rotting away the wood floor of the attic. What soon dawned on me was this: If you don't get rid of the stuff in your attic, it will always be there - even the junk. We could have good intentions of throwing this garbage away, but that doesn't change the fact that it is still there. What I am getting at is this: your mind works a lot like your upstairs attic. If you don't get rid of the junk that is causing a leak in your mind (wether it's music, movies, or books that are causing this leak), they will always be there, and just like the leak the junk had in our attic, your thoughts can slowly start to rot away your mind. Josiah led by example while he reigned as king. Ruling a nation that had began to worship any false idol that they came into contact with, Josiah destroyed all of the false places of worship.

2 Kings 23:24 tells us, "King Josiah removed from Jerusalem and the rest of Judah ALL the mediums and fortunetellers, and ALL the household gods, idols, and ALL other pagan objects of worship."

Take charge of the daily battle raging in your mind and get rid of the junk that makes your mind wonder in places it has no business. Whether it what you listen to, what you read, what you watch, etc. We must take control, because if we don't, we may find out that "our attic" is rotting.

The Power of Persistence

Tonight as I sat around the dinner table talking to my grandparents, my Nana told me the story of her mom's salvation (my great grandma). She was a Mormon living in sin. Her neighbor would daily tell my great grandma that she was praying for her and that she would "never give up" on her. After months of persistently seeking God on my great grandma's behalf, the neighbor knocked on her door and asked if she could pray with her. That day, my great grandma accepted Jesus' call to follow Him. That day made it possible for me to have the opportunity to be raised in a christian household. Through that neighbors persistence and her loving attitude of "not giving up on you", she not only changed my great grandma's life, but also mine. Too many times we quit on our friends and loved ones who haven't come to accept the invitation of grace Jesus offers. We get discouraged and simply give up. I have been guilty of it. Maybe you have been too. But what if we started back up again? All of us. Persistently praying for our lost friends and loved ones. Encouraging them even though it might be discouraging for us. Because of that neighbors persistence, I was introduced to Jesus. Heaven will look different if we commit to not giving up and persistently praying for our lost loved ones. They may not be willing to talk to you, but they cannot stop you from praying for them.

Luke 18:1, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up" Luke 18 teaches the power of persistence in prayer.

Why is there evil in the world?

Recently I have read and heard a lot of friends use the phrase, "How could such a loving God allow this to happen? How could such a loving God allow so much evil in the world?" What they do not realize is that they are confusing the acts of man with the acts of God. If God were to completely remove evil from this world, he would not just be removing the murderers, the rapists, the pedophiles, etc. We do not get to pick and choose what evil we want removed. Asking why God allows such evil in the world is the equivalent of asking why God allows "me" to live in this world. For we are ALL inherently evil. Romans 3:23 says, "We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God..." Asking the question "why does God allow such evil?" Is really a testament to his grace and mercy. He allows mine and your evil, our sin, our failures to remain in this once spotless world. Why does God allow bad things to happen? Because he graciously allows humans to remain. What we all must realize is that what Jesus did at the cross, NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, communicates how He feels about you. Romans 5:8, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Yes. There is a ton of evil in this world and there are a ton of incredibly awful things that are happening on a daily basis. But don't let what MAN is DOING obscure your view of what CHRIST DID.

The Barrier of Busyness

Many times we find ourselves in situations where we wonder why we can't hear from God. A lot of those times, it is because we have made ourselves too busy. If you are too busy to have quiet times with the Lord, and too busy to hear from God, you are facing a barrier between you and God. It's called busyness. Often times we confuse busyness with productivity, when in reality, they are far from the same thing. If you are constantly going going going, but you aren't spiritually growing growing growing, you are busy, not productive. The word says to, "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10a. It is easy to make excuses when we try to "find" time to spend with God. Stop trying to find the time and make the time that Jesus more than overwhelmingly deserves. Don't just be busy, be productive. Grow.

Identity in HIM

Quit trying to please everyone - 1. You can't do it. 2. It's unnecessary. 3. Rejection won't ruin your life. Be who God made you to be. No one can make you feel inferior or worthless unless you give them permission. Romans 8:31 "if God is for us, who can be against us?" Why live for the applause of man when you can live for the applause of the God whose love never fails? Remember that nothing you can do today can make Him love you less, and nothing you can do today can make God love you more. He loves you completely right now.

Satan's Battle Plan

Satan works like this: He repeatedly attacks our minds with carefully devised thoughts. Thoughts of dissatisfaction, fear, lies, and corrupt reasoning. Satan moves slowly and very cautiously. For a well planned attack takes time. When you do not get these thoughts out, you find yourself making a few bad choices here, and a few there, but you don't look down the road at the consequences your actions will have. Just like Esau trading his birth right for a bowl of soup. One moment of temporary satisfaction can change your life forever. Each step you take off the right path, you begin to justify your actions in your mind. Satan is never in a hurry. All he needs and all he is waiting for is an opportunity to infiltrate your mind with unholy thoughts. These thoughts work a lot like our upstairs attic, if you don't clean them out, they will stay there. Don't let the enemy get a foot hold, fight back with mass artillery God has provided: the word of God. Fight back.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NIV

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive EVERY THOUGHT to make it obedient to Christ."