Satan's Meeting

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he said,
"We can't keep Christians from going to church."
"We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth."
"We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their saviour."
"Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken."
"So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.."
"This is what I want you to do," said the devil:
"Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"
"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.
"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.
"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."
"Keep them from spending time with their children."
"As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"
"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice."
"Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive." To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays non-biblical music constantly."
"This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ."
"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers."
"Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day."
"Invade their driving moments with billboards."
"Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.."
"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. "
"Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night."
"Give them headaches too! "
"If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere."
"That will fragment their families quickly!"
"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas."
"Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death."
"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive."
"Have them return from their recreation exhausted."
"Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead."
"Keep them busy, busy, busy!"
"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."
"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus."
"Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."
"It will work!"
"It will work!"
It was quite a plan!
The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.
Having little time for their God or their families.
Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives. I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes? You be the judge!!!!!
Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?

Let it go for 2005

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tellyouthis! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you.I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go. And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead.You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!!!If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to ..LET IT GO!!!If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ...LET IT GO!!!If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...LET IT GO!!!If someone has angered you ... LET IT GO!!! If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge .. LET IT GO!!!If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction ... LET ITGO!!!If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ...LET IT GO!!!If you have a bad attitude...LET IT GO!!! If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better... LET IT GO!!!If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him..LET IT GO!!! If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship....LET IT GO!If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...LET IT GO!!!If you're feeling depressed and stressed .... LET IT GO!!!If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you needto... LET IT GO!!!Let the past be the past. Forget the former things.GOD is doing a newthing for 2005!!! LET IT GO!!! Get Right or Get Left .. think about it,and then LET IT GO!!!"

God's Boxes

I have in my hands two boxes, which God gave me to hold. He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black box, and all your joys in the gold." I heeded His words, and in the two boxes, both my joys and sorrows I stored. But though the gold became heavier each day, the black was as light as before. With curiosity, I opened the black,I wanted to find out why, and I saw, in the base of the box, a hole, Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused,"I wonder where my sorrows could be!"He smiled a gentle smile and said,"My child, they're all here with me."I asked God, why He gave me the boxes,Why the gold and the black with the hole?"My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings,The black is for you to let go."We should consider all of our friends a blessing.

The Donkey

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. Theanimal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure outwhat to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the wellneeded to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrievethe donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and helphim. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into thewell. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He wasastonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, thedonkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a stepup.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of theanimal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyonewas amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well andhappily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick togetting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each ofour troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wellsjust by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less