Masquerades...

People seem to think of Satan as a red-eyed hideous evil being with horns, long pointed tail, carrying a pitchfork. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If Satan came to us as this red-eyed hideous evil being, we would be so terrified that we would run straight to God's arms.
Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, and he is the master of lies and manipulation, to keep us from serving God. The greater the plan God has for our life, the harder Satan will try to deceive us and to destroy us.
Satan will use anything and anyone he can to accomplish his goal, of getting us to serve & follow him and not God. Satan can even come in the form of humans: false Jesus, false prophets, false preachers, etc., so what makes us think he can't infiltrate our lives using people to destroy us and God's plan for us? We as humans are so blind to Satan and his disguises.
Satan can use parents, children, spouses/mates, someone we care for and/or love, friends, false preachers/teachers, money, computers, TVs, phones, games, hobbies, drugs, alcohol, pornography... the list can go on and on.
Satan's masquerades to disguise himself into something that will attract us and capture us in his snares of destruction. His main goal is to send something or someone into our lives to take us away from the plan God has for us and to stop us from serving God, so we will be another one of his trophies in hell.
Not all parents are bad parents but so many are in today's society. They do not raise their children to serve God and not Satan; to have respect for others and themselves; to stay away from the drugs, alcohol and the wrong people; to work for what they need and want instead of using, manipulating and stealing as a means of getting; they do not teach their children ethics and morals; etc... This is only leading their children right into Satan's traps of destruction and hell. When a parent chooses drugs, alcohol or even a person over their child, then they are leaving that child defenseless and wide open for Satan to step in and take control of that child and the child's future, because the parent isn't there to protect the child from the damage of rejection.
Parents do not look at their children as a tool for Satan but we need to open our eyes. Children are a blessing from God and they can be a blessing but they also can be used as a tool for Satan. When children give us grief; are defiant and rebellious; in trouble/causing trouble; using and manipulating us; draining us dry mentally, emotionally, physically and financially; and distracting us from keeping our focus on God and serving God, then yes, Satan is using this child as one of his tools of destruction. That is why it is so important to speak and pray blessings over our children, and to raise them to serve God and not Satan.
A spouse/mate can be a one way ticket straight to hell if we are not careful in choosing our spouse/mate. Good and evil cannot connect with a good outcome because the evil will do everything in its power to destroy any and all good in it's path. We tend to think our spouse/mate loves us and will not do anything to hurt or destroy us because they love us. Question: Is that love true Godly love or is it just another word you want to hear, for you to be drawn into Satan's trap? When we think someone loves us we have a tendency to close our eyes to the truth, real-life reality, the true nature of this person, their self-centered agenda's, their lifestyle choices and their faults, and the fact they could be nothing but a tool for Satan. Everyone is guilty of this at some point in time, even myself, but this is from wanting to be loved, blinded by a human love/lust and being human.
If you choose a spouse/mate that doesn't honestly and openly serve the one and only God (be careful of what god they serve) then you best run as fast as you can away from this person because they are there as a tool for Satan. Whether you have a spouse/mate that is as good as they come or not, if they do not respect you and themselves, and serving God above everything else, then they will probably lead you to hell with them. They can be abusive or good as gold but if they do not care if you go to hell or not then that person doesn't truly love you or love God.
This also goes for family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, church people, strangers, etc... Close your ears to the deceitful lies of Satan and watch the actions of people: are they of Satan or of God? Actions speak louder than words. If people in your life is not concerned enough to lead you to heaven, then you can bank on the fact that they are a tool of Satan, sent there to destroy God's plan for you, to stop you from following God and lead you straight into hell with them!!!
Satan will even send people into your life that you despise/hate, if he thinks you will spend your time and energy on despising/hating this person, instead of focusing on God and serving God.
Stop and think of all the masquerades and disguises of Satan.
How much time do we spend gossiping on the phone; watching TV; on the computer or playing games; time spent on our hobbies; thinking about such things as money, drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, etc.............?
Think about how much wasted time we spend involved in Satan's masquerades of human pleasures, instead of using some of that time to serve God and insuring that we, and everyone we know and meet, go to heaven and not hell. I am not saying to give up everyone and everything but we do need to open our eyes to the real truth and to the masks that Satan wears to steal, kill and destroy us and God's plan and future for us!!!

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light"

2nd Corinthians 11:14

Road Map of Life

The longest sermon in the Bible that Jesus gave is "the Sermon on the Mount", the road map of life, "the Beatitudes" (Matt. 5:3-12). The Beatitudes was just part of the Sermon on the Mount.
The word "Beatitude" means "Blessed". The Beatitudes should guide us, point us in the right direction, teach us and show us the values that Jesus wants us to have and live by.
I, myself, fall way short of this and disappointed in myself for this short coming and for allowing myself to fall into the world of evil and human mistakes!!! We seem to have sort of a wrong thinking of what the Beatitudes really mean, myself included. Hopefully this will help us all to understand them better and help us live by them.
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
    God blesses those who are poor in spirit and realizes their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. The poor means "poor in spirit", not financially poor. Poor in Spirit means that we realize we fall short of what God wants us to be and that we all are unworthy of God's Grace. Jesus says that only the poor in spirit will enter into the Heaven because they confess, turn from their sins and turn to Jesus. The poor in spirit knows without God we can't be forgiven and made a new person.
2. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
    God blesses those who mourn, for He will comfort them. This doesn't mean those who mourn the death of someone, but the person who becomes poor in spirit and repents. It means to realize we are sinners and realizing just how much our sins hurts us, others and God. Until we realize this, repent and receive the Holy Spirit we cannot truly mourn over our sins. When we mourn over our sins, only then can God comfort us and make us a new person.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth.
    God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for they will inherit the whole earth. Jesus says, who are humble and meek will inherit the earth. These words do NOT mean weak as we think of them. These words mean strong, powerful, trained and disciplined so that we can serve God and be used by God.
4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
    God blesses those who hunger and thirst for Him and His justice, for they will be satisfied by God. Those who want justice is to want righteousness and right living for ourselves and others. You will find love, honour and justice in searching for righteousness. God will make sure we are fully satisfied once we do our best to want what is right for ourselves and others
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
    God blesses those who are merciful. Mercy is love for those who need support and help, especially in forgiveness. God shows us mercy everyday and expects us to show mercy to others everyday. We must forgive and show mercy because if we don't then God cannot forgive us and show us mercy. To show mercy we have to live a life of love. There is no mercy without love.
6. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
    God blesses those whose heart is pure. To have a pure heart is to become holy and the only way to do that is to keep your heart full of God's words. If you keep your heart full of God's words, then there is no room for sin and evil. If you live by God's words/instructions then your heart will be pure. When we are pure in heart we will see God in our everyday life here on earth and when we get to Heaven.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
    God blesses those who work for peace. Making peace doesn't mean trying to keep everyone happy or saying yes to everyone and everything. A peacemaker builds their character on truth and righteousness, and are at peace with God. Peacemakers plant seeds of peace and God's word, and reaps the harvest of goodness by being known as a child of God.
8. Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
    God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for Him. If we live for God, we will suffer because today's society is all for evil and will persecute you for serving God. They will laugh at you, ridicule you, mock you, make nasty comments and sometimes physically abuse you, just as they did Jesus. The world and Satan hates Jesus and will hate you for following Him. If you are persecuted, then be happy because that is proof you are following Jesus and you will be received into Heaven, where there is no more suffering.

"the road map of life from Jesus to all of us"

Matthew 18:3 "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:4 "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child, will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

"BEWARE, You could be UNAWARE"

In this day and age we are all hesitant and fearfull in helping others, especially strangers. We walk by a homeless person, trying to ignore the fact they exist and are there in front of us. We pass people by who are stranded with their vehicle broken down on the side of the road. We turn our heads to the elderly in the grocery store who barely have enough to pay for a loaf of bread, living on this poor excuse of retirement from our government. We go the other way when we see a neighbor's house is disarray from well needed repairs that they can't afford. We change the TV channels when they show children in need of food and/or a home. 

Beware People!!! You may get the shock of your life!!!

Do not neglect or ignore to show hospitality and to help strangers, for by doing that some have entertained Angels without knowing it.

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained Angels unaware."

Hebrews 13:2

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." Then the righteous answered Him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you, or thirsty and gave you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothed you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visited you?"  And the King answered them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers/sisters, YOU DID IT TO ME."

Matthew 25:35-40

A Sayer or A Doer?

You can dream, you can talk, you can complain, you can whine, and you can plan, but nothing is going to change until you get off your lazy butt, take action and take that first step!!!
Only "ACTION" will get things done, goals accomplished, and the life you want, so get off your lazy butt and get into action. Taking action is the difference between a "Sayer" and a "Doer", changing it or remaining the same. Action makes a difference, living the life you hate or living a life that you want.
It takes persistence, patience, hard work, positive attitude/thinking, positive actions, desire and focus to achieve success and the life you want. It takes time, hard work, and determination to overcome the frustrations you will face, but you can reach your goals if you have the desire, and stay focused on your goals. It will not happen over night but it shouldn't take you forever, as long as you stay focused and do not loose sight of your goals.
We all tend to use the excuse "we do not have a lot of money" to hold us back and destroy our dreams of a better life. You do not need a lot of money to get off your lazy butt and turn your desires into real-life success, as long as you are persistent, patient, willing to work hard, keep a positive attitude, have a deep passion for your dream, and stay focused on making your goals. Action towards your goal and success is taking it day by day, one step at a time.
You are the only one stopping you from getting off your butt and taking action towards turning your dreams into reality. You are your own worst enemy!!! You and only you can get you off your butt and take action towards bettering yourself and your life.
Stop wishing you could go back in time to do it over and change the past. Looking back at the past and your bad choices will only keep you in the past, repeating the same mistakes, and keep you from moving forward. Stop the whining and complaining, that is nothing but a waste of precious time and energy. If you would take the time and energy that you use to whine and complain and use it towards something good and positive, you would see a more positive improvement in you and your life.
Time doesn't stand still, only people do!!! You can stay on your butt and in the stay life you hate, or get off your lazy butt and take action towards making the life you want. It is YOUR CHOICE and your choice alone!!!

The Legend of The Candy Cane

A humble candy maker in
Indiana wanted to make a candy that
would be a special gift for the

King of Kings,
so he made the Christmas Candy Cane.

He incorporated several symbols for the
birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ.
He began with a stick of pure white hard candy

to symbolize the Virgin Birth and sinless nature of Christ,
and hard because the church is built on solid rock,

and firmness, for God’s promises are a firm foundation.

 He formed it in the shape of the letter -J-
to represent the precious name of Jesus,

who came to earth as our Savior.
It could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd

with which He reaches down in to the ditches

of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who,

like all sheep, have gone astray.

Then he added three small red stripes

to represent the scourging Jesus suffered

on His way to the cross.

One large red stripe would remind those

with eyes to see and ears to hear

of the promise of eternal life.

It would be a gift
of love that
would tell His story
-the greatest story ever told.

Christmas or Xmas?

Humans have distorted, commercialized and abused the True meaning of Christmas, and what God truly intended Christmas to represent and the ultimate gift He gave us, on that first Christmas.
Everyone complains about what Christmas has turned into but it is our own fault that we have destroyed & abused God's intention for the True Christmas. So how you celebrate Christmas comes down to what is truly in your hearts and your idea of the meaning of Christmas.
It is true that some of us have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas; some have taken CHRIST out of CHRISTmas; some say it is a sin to celebrate Christmas with decoration, trees and giving of gifts; some thinks of it as a way to get free stuff from others; and society has majorly commercialized Christmas. Christmas means something different to each of us, but it really comes down to what is truly in our hearts as to how we think of and celebrate Christmas.
Years ago there was no commercialism of Christmas because what few gifts that were given were either handmade or grown by the giver. Today's society has become lazier and lazier, with all the stores and malls so easily accessible, buying and giving gifts of no labor of love, sincere meaning or needed reasoning.
Some people criticize the celebration of Christmas, the trees, the decorations, the lights and the giving of gifts. To each his own, but why put down those who you have no clue as of why or how they celebrate Christmas or even what is in there hearts concerning Christmas?
Remember the first Christmas Eve, God decorated the sky with the Star of Bethlehem and sent an Angel to bring His light of Glory and His Peace, to us unworthy humans. Then God gave us, unworthy humans, the greatest, ultimate gift ever given, "Jesus Christ". When Baby Jesus was born He was given gifts, there was Heavenly music, and unbelievable celebrating. The GREATEST CHRISTMAS ever on this earth, and there will not ever be another Christmas as great as the first Christmas!!!
So as you, your families and your friends celebrate Christmas, stop and think about what the true meaning of Christmas means to you and your children. Think about the true representation of the tree, the decorations, the lights and the gifts you are giving.
The tree is a vertical figure pointing up towards Heaven. It symbolizes strength, renewing of life with each season, and should remind us of the victory of life over death. A tree has a deep spiritual meaning in the Bible.
The star you place on the top of the tree should remind you of  the Star of Bethlehem, pointing us to Jesus. Jesus is the real "Star", just as it should remind us to keep us looking up to Jesus, each and everyday.
The lights should remind us of the Heavenly light brought to us by the Glory of God when Jesus came to us here on this earth, on that first Christmas. Where there is light (God's Glory) there can be no darkness (evil/sin).
The colors of the decorations is really something to stop and think about. The true meaning of the colors are something to embrace, as you decorate for the Christmas season:
Amber - symbolizes the Glory of God
Blue - symbolizes the sky, Heaven and the Holy Spirit
Crimson - symbolizes the blood atonement and sacrifice
Gold - symbolizes the highest and the most precious of all, immortality
Green - symbolizes life and growth
Purple - symbolizes kingship and royalty
Red - symbolizes the color of blood of life
Scarlet - symbolizes blood atonement and sacrifice
Silver - symbolizes the truth
White - symbolizes purity, righteousness, joy, light and victory
The gifts you give, are they meaningless or gifts from the heart? They should be of  heart felt value for the giver as well as the one receiving it. The gifts should represent what is in your heart not how much you could afford to spend. Think of the ultimate gift God gave us, "Jesus", and the gifts that Baby Jesus received on that first Christmas. It should not be the value or the gift its self  but what is truly in your heart. Instead of buying needless and useless gifts for people who already have to much, why not give to the less fortunate who truly need and will appreciate the gifts, you and your heart of kindness.
The holiday feasts are a time to fellowship with friends and family but it is much more than that, if you stop and think about it. When you sit down to your holiday feasts, remember to give thanks for all you do have, and that you are not one of the less fortunate ones who has no food to eat, or no home to stay warm and safe in, or no job to supply them with the necessities of life. We are wasteful people so this year instead of over doing it with our holiday feasts and throwing it out, why not cut back on some of the festive foods for us and donate food to the less fortunate so they and their families may have a holiday meal that they can give thanks for?

Be blessed by blessing others, that's the greatest gift you will receive.

What is the true meaning of Christmas to you and what is truly in your heart concerning Christmas and God? Stop, think, give thanks and celebrate it with the true meaning that God intended it to be celebrated. Give thanks, bless others, and receive the best gift ever "Blessings beyond measure".

I hope each and all have a safe, happy and blessed Christmas and Holiday Season...

and that the true meaning and miracle of Christmas over takes each and every heart out there!!!

Distractions Leads to Distruction

These past few weeks I have been distracted with everyday problems and life events, causing me to ignore my blog and other aspects of my life. This has caused me to get upset with my self for allowing distractions to cause me to fall short of where my time and focus should have been better spent.
Distractions is anything that prevents us from giving our full attention to something, someone and to God. Distractions is anything that takes our attention and desire away from God and His plan for our life. Distractions cause the perfect plan for our life to be delayed or even destroyed. When we allow distractions into our life then our time and attention is misdirected, and we often miss God's perfect timing for our life. Distractions takes up our energy and time that should be better spent elsewhere. When we allow distractions to take control then we are missing out on the benefits of our time, money, talents and attention, and it leads us down the wrong road in life. We should avoid all distractions that steal from us and prevent us from being productive.
Distractions prevents us from being close to God. The distractions and cares of this world stops us from having a close and personal relationship with God. Distractions pulls us away from God and God's word, and that is why we should avoid all distractions. Distractions makes us unfruitful and unproductive.
Mark 4:18-19. 1st Cor. 7:35.
Satan is the father of all lies and deceitful devices, and he uses distractions to keep us from being productive and away from God. Satan will use anything he can to keep us away from God, to delay or destroy God's plan for our life. 1st Thess. 2:18. Matt. 13:25. Matt. 13:37-43.
Beware of relationships in the world. Your family, friends and mates of the world are one of Satan's main devices of distraction. If they do not serve God, then Satan will use them to keep you distracted and from being productive and away from God and God's plan for your life. James 4:4. 1st John 2:15-16.
We should beware and use our time wisely, NOT waste it or allow distractions to steal it away from us. Our time on this earth is limited, and once it is gone we cannot get it back!!!  Eph. 5:15-17. Col. 4:5-6. John 9:4.
1st Cor. 9:24. Heb. 12:1-2. Matt. 25:21.

"If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

John 8:36.