🎨Imagination 🖼️

Our imagination is the canvas of our mind. Be careful what you paint. 

Webster says that imagination is “The power or faculty of the mind by which it conceives and forms ideas of things communicated to it by the organs of sense.” 

Proverbs 6:18 (KJV) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 

Proverbs 6:19 (KJV) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

In the beginning we read about the heart and within that heart there are wicked imaginations. Then we read in the next verse of one who is speaking lies and sowing discord that came from their imaginations. The question is can one control their imaginations? I would say yes and the reason I say that is we read in 2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We are told to cast down or destroy imaginations that exalt (To raise high; to elevate.) We don’t read that we are to cast down all imaginations just the ones that exalt above the knowledge of God. Here is where it gets difficult for many. In order to captivate exalting thoughts that are above the knowledge of God one must know something about the knowledge of God. If you don’t know then how is one to know which imaginations are against the knowledge of God? There are those who read a book and before long they are the captain of the ship dashing over the waves winning the victories. That takes imagination. Oh but wrong imagination we must recognize and get rid of it as fast as possible not letting it grow. I have written a lot about the enemy and we don’t have to guess who that enemy is for the Bible plainly tells us. 

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

What is a “adversary” An enemy or foe

Be sober, ”Keep your mind clear” be vigilant “be alert” because your adversary “your enemy” the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: “to eat ravenously, as a beast of prey.” Have you ever noticed that many of those imaginations that you and I have are where we are weak. Why is that? Because the enemy knows he can get you thinking wrong and  it won’t be long before you do wrong. That is why we are to coral those imaginations up and destroy them before they harm us. By doing that we will keep the enemy at bay. I tell you the truth I myself want to win every battle but the truth is I don’t. When I lose I don’t like it. Why?  Because I’m wounded and hurt, I wanted to win but didn’t. Can you identify?

 

😮‍💨Strange Woman🥰

A strange illusion is to suppose that beauty is goodness.

As I drive down the road I hear a voice that keeps talking to me. I hear things like you are going too fast and then telling me what the speed limit is.  I’ll hear things like stay in your lane, stay on the road. Do the grandkids have their seatbelts on? Do you have the window lock on? Questions and more questions that require me to give an answer. You know what? I never hear that voice when I’m by myself. As I read the book of Proverbs I keep seeing this little phrase “strange woman.” It is mentioned eight times therefore I have to take notice. Who is this strange woman and what does she want? I noticed it’s about her morals, her values, her dress and the way she leads men into a sinful relationship. Oh my😱!

Proverbs 2:16 (KJV) To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

She leads away how? Her words of flattery. Flattery is no more than false praise. Proverbs 5:3 (KJV) For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

She is one smooth woman and if you fall for her smooth words of false praise then you my friend are headed for real danger. The question is why?

Proverbs 5:20 (KJV) And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

One has to ask themselves why would you fall for such? First she catches you with her words. Then she goes after your eyes. 

Proverbs 6:25 (KJV) Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

How? By her dress. 

Proverbs 7:10 (KJV) And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

Don’t let her dress captivate your eyes, put a guard over your eye gate. Psalms 101:3 (KJV) I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: 

Run past all the warning signs and you are headed for great danger. Proverbs 7:22 (KJV) He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

Proverbs 7:23 (KJV) Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

Oh my you let someone or something destroy your life. Never forget the enemy is out to destroy you.

😱Whoops Please Excuse My French🇫🇷

The words of a wise man are like raindrops on dry ground. Only the blade of grass that catches the raindrop will prosper and grow.

Ever heard anybody say that? I’m sure you have. They say that by excusing themselves for saying a word they should have never said in the first place. Sometimes someone might say whoops that word just slipped out. Clever, clever, clever. That word didn’t just slip out nor was that word a French word. No, no, those words were already in the heart and come from the mouth fairly regularly. How do I know that? From that song “Jesus loves me.” In that song we see this wording “for the Bible tells me so.” What does that have to do with this French talking person? A lot. Let me show you.

Luke 6:45 (KJV) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

way before the mouth spoke there was a deeper problem going on it was a no fear problem. Let me explain. When there is no fear 

Romans 3:11 (KJV) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Romans 3:12 (KJV) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Romans 3:13 (KJV)  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

Romans 3:14 (KJV)  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

Romans 3:15 (KJV)  Their feet are swift to shed blood:

Romans 3:16 (KJV)  Destruction and misery are in their ways:

Romans 3:17 (KJV)  And the way of peace have they not known:

Romans 3:18 (KJV)  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

No Fear of God and real problems start.

People go out of their way to do wrong things.

Their tongue utter deception with a mouth full of cursing. There is murder, there is ruin, there is suffering, and there will never be no peace. Why? Simple, No Fear of God! When there is no fear then one believes there’s no danger. Oh but there is a danger therefore there should be a fear. Fear may be the greatest survival we have. Fear of fire doesn’t mean we never use fire. oh no fear of fire means we have a great respect for fire. I have heard more than once that the word fear is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. That sounds good; and then they go on to say that Our Heavenly protects us from fear everyday. That sounds great but after looking for myself the word fear is not mentioned 365 times in the Bible I read and study from. after looking for myself I found it was mentioned 400 times. Hallelujah that thrilled by heart, Why? Because 400 is more than 365; meaning that the God I serve is more than enough. 

First time we read the phrase “much more” in the New Testament is here Matthew 6:30 (KJV) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Bottomline: never fear God is here! Know God, fear not. know God and know He will not leave you, no separation. Romans 8:35 (KJV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

oh but there’s much more. Romans 8:38 (KJV) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Romans 8:39 (KJV) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Fear comes when we have no fear of God. 

1 John 4:18 (KJV) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Do we know Who God is? Fear Not!

🎬Contend🏁

Focus on standing up for your beliefs, facing your challenges, and debating ideas without anger.

Jude 1:3 (KJV) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

I have read that verse many times but today it jumped out at me. Maybe because of some recent things that just happened to an outstanding Pastor that just blew my mind as it shook the Christian Community that knew of him.  Are you ready, this is what jumped out at me “it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith.” When I heard the bad news my heart sink my mind couldn’t understand what I was hearing. This Pastor who has reached more people than I ever will fell into sin. 

I needed encouragement and a moment to gather my thoughts, I first looked around and asked myself do we as a Christian people fear God? I have seen the day where you couldn’t get in the Church house. People at the altars with tears running down their cheeks and many asking Christ to come into their heart and forgive them of their sins. The uplifting music about our wonderful savior and this without padded pew, sound systems, FB, Youtube or any other electronic device. I lived when there was nothing open on Sundays, no shopping, no amusement parks, no youth baseball tournaments. I wasn’t brought up in a strong Christian home; what I mean is we didn't read the Bible as a family nor pray as a family. My dad would say prayers with each of us boys as we lay down for the night. We went to Church and Sunday was a special day given to the Lord. I can’t remember Ever seeing anyone get saved or can I remember ever hearing about Salvation. Then in 1968 off to the military I went and that changed my life forever. It wasn’t all bad. I learned a lot real fast and I grew up quicker than most, which helped me greatly. When I got discharged I came home with a bunch of mental  baggage. It wasn’t hard for me to see I was a sinner and in less than 6 months I had given my heart to the Lord and was saved.

Back to the contending for the Faith. Contend means to “continue” . I need to know that I can’t help nor undo what others do. Just because their FAITH got weak and their FEAR level got low and they became a wash out as far as people are concerned; I didn’t say God but people. Paul said to examine your faith. 

2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Examine who? “yourselves” and see where my faith level is. If I were in court and questions were asked could I prove myself without question? How do I know Christ is in me? What’s the proof? Why do you know that? I’m glad I asked myself that question and here is why. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

• Did anything change the day I asked Christ to forgive my sins? 
• Has anything  continued since that day? 
• If so, why what made the difference? 

I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins which were many.  Romans 10:9 (KJV) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

Although no one showed me that verse that morning, that is what I did. I didn’t leave that Church feeling like a rocket scientist but I did know something happened to me. 

• What was that? 

I was now in Christ and Christ was now in me. 

• How did I know 

because the old things began to pass away and my desires changed and I started walking in a new way with a new mind. Is it real? You better know it is. What happened to that Pastor? Two things, 

• his faith weakened and 
• his fear level of what would happen for his disobedience diminished. 

That is what happens when my or anybody else's self level gets to the point of selfishness. One might say that “God made me this way.” That’s half right because we are all sinners but sin is not to have dominion over us. Romans 6:14 (KJV) For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Don’t let sin captive us.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

How does one keep from being “captivity?” One must have the “the knowledge of God” how does one get that? Proverbs 1:7 (KJV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

I just believe I will keep contending for the Faith that was once delivered unto the saints. I know what Jesus Christ did for me; do you? Never forget that God hates sin but also that God loves the sinner and there is forgiveness for our sins. Never let anyone tell you or try to teach you that God won’t forgive you of your sins. Because He will and the proof is in God sending Jesus into this sin cursed world to do just that which he gladly did.  

Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

🏃🏿‍♀️‍➡️So Fast💨

How we think determines how wisely we choose.

Proverbs 29:1 (KJV) He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

One that has been warned many time yet refuse to be corrected will suddenly understand when it’s to late and no remedy is available. 

Have you ever heard a similar conversation? "I told them numerous times and they didn’t believe me.” They were set in doing things their own way. Doing things our own way which brings me to my thought. If one person tells another about Jesus and His death for their sins. All they have to do to go to heaven is believe and trust that Jesus Christ is the their redeemer. Simple but what if a person was told that numerous times by more than one person and they never trust Jesus as their savior what would be the results? Destroyed without remedy? This is an interesting question. Is the Bible with or without errors? As one man said; “writing about an occurrence long after it happened depended on memory and word of mouth, which we know to be unreliable at least some of the time.” That sounds reasonable until you read this 2 Peter 1:21 (KJV) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.  Which am I going to believe? If God can’t remember and can’t get His own wording correct then I have to ask myself what is true and what isn’t? How can I possibly know that? I can’t. Then who will? Think if God can’t get it right why in the world would I even begin to believe one of us could? Goes back to where we first started “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck. The results “suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Something happened to me that no one can explain outside of God saving me. Life changed instantly; read you Bible and you’ll read about the blind, the lame, the diseased and many more. What you read every time is when Jesus touched them they were healed immediately. That day when I asked Jesus to save me He did right there and right then. I left different, I left changed for ever. My walk changed, my talk changed, my actions changed for I had been changed for eternity by the Master, Jesus Christ. What happens at death? I don’t know fully but I do know what the Apostle Paul said. 

2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

I can say that I have seen more die than I would like too. Some left peacefully and some left terrified. Some left smiling and hands in the air and others left trying to hold on to anything they could. My Pastor James A Peppers said this and I have never forgotten it. “Know why we don’t hear dying people yelling and begging not to go to hell anymore?” “Becasue now they are all drugged up leaving for hell and they don’t realize it to they are already there.” Could it be they were often told but they refused to listen until it suddenly was too late. Oh I’ll wait when the time is near and when will that be? You nor I know the day nor the hour. Wait you say; well morphine may not let you realize what time it is. Death may come unexpectedly in the way of an accident, real fast; then what are you going to do? Remember today, why? 

Hebrews 2:3 (KJV) How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Hebrews 9:28 (KJV) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

If we can be suddenly destroyed we can be suddenly saved from sin. 

🥺Who Am I🧐

It’s where thoughts take shape and where we make choices. Therefore, we must know how to guard it, for it’s crucial.

Have you ever asked the question who am I? Or maybe a similar one like it. We might have taken a questionnaire to know what we were best suited for so we might know how to better be equipped. Casting Crown came out with a song in 2004 named “Who am I.”

At the beginning of the song they say 

“Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth

Would care to know my name

Would care to feel my hurt?”

We all may have felt like that at times when we are asking ourselves questions like why did I say that, or do that? Why did I make that mistake again? I told myself I would never do that again? Why would the Lord want to know me or my name let alone my hurt? The Bible says this in Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Here we are told about the mind. Steve Curington always said “before you do it you thought it?” In the book of Proverbs chapter 24 and verse 9 we read 

“The thought of foolishness is sin:” The, What? “The thought” it’s not only the doing, oh no it is sin when we think about it. Isaiah is saying in order to keep wrongful thinking out then we are to keep our minds on the Lord. I know that is not the easiest thing to do but look at it this way. If you see your thinking is going in the wrong direction don’t you think it would be good to change it?  Before you said or did something you later wished you hadn’t? Maybe that is why the Apostle Paul wrote 

Colossians 3:16 (KJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

So we have to change the way we are thinking. With the Lord’s help we can take control of our minds. Why is that so important? Because that is where our enemy the devil is going to attack, therefore we must guard it. 

You are the keeper of the keys

You are the Guard at the Gate

Waiting in line to go through that door

Is LOVE. And also HATE.

In line to enter is GENTLE PEACE.

And also VIOLENT WAR.

You must choose who may, and who

May not come through the door.

INTOLERANCE tries to sneak on through

On wings of FEAR, or PRIDE.

It hides behind DREAMS of BELONGING,

And tries to sneak inside.

Oh! Be alert! You’re the Guard who decides

Who GOES and who may STAY

You are The Keeper of the Keys to your Mind.

WHO WILL YOU LET IN TODAY?

Don’t keep thinking the devil is a red figure with a pitchfork in his hand. While on the other hand we are welcoming him in with open arms into our mind. 

You are the keeper of the keys!