Clouds Of Deception
The beautiful rays of the sunset dimmed and darkness began to blacken the night sky. Clouds crept slowly in blocking the moon and the stars. All at once what once was filled with beautiful light was now animated with the expectancy of a fierce storm.
It was as if the night had a plan to go on the hunt for those who were carefree and secure in their worldly life. Unsuspecting people who thought they were safe and secure in the lives they created for themselves. People who lived for pleasure and did what was necessary to get what they wanted no matter who it might hurt.
A shutter of dread crept into my mind as I realized I was seeing a vision more horrible than any one person could imagine. An image of how Satan comes into a person’s life and takes away their faith in God.
God used the night as an illustration of how Satan comes into a persons life and little by little dims the truth given by the Spirit that was once so bright. He does this by pulling that person into living in the world for what it has to offer. Using people to give them what they want. And taking what they want from others through deceit and manipulation.
I am an upholster by trade. I have done this for over thirty years, but it is only my form of work. It is not my life! My true identity is my faith in a living God. A God of supernatural ability. A God who defines me from the Spirit of good He placed in my heart that leads me down paths of light.
A God of truth that parts the darkness of clouds that surrounds most people’s lives and sets my mind to understanding so I won’t fall into the traps that are set to devour the simple minded of the world. Temptations that pull at every person who doesn’t hold onto the teachings of Christ found in the Bible and the inner voice of the Holy Spirit.
Because of the Spirit, God placed in me, I am different from the people of the world. I am easily taken advantage of because I give generously. I love freely, but most of the time the love I give is not returned. I give away my upholstery work to help others live more comfortably, but I am seldom repaid for the good I give. Yet I never give up no matter what others do to me, because I am a soldier of Christ.
Galatians 5:16&17, “What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the Spirit wants, and what the Spirit wants is opposed to what our human nature wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do.”
This is the reason so many people of the world are darkened in their minds over right and wrong. When God is not holding your hand and leading you through the world then you are being led by your human nature.
Human nature desires for us to take care of ourselves. It fights for what we want others to give us without us having to do the work. It deceives us with desires that are greater than integrity and honesty. We covet; and greed becomes so great that love becomes useless and dead.
Galatians 5:19-21, “What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions; in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups; they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God”
The biggest pull that Satan has in a person’s life is how he can manipulate a person into going out and partying for the sake of having fun. Fun that makes drinking a game of how much you can hold without throwing up. And once drunk, how free you become with what is acceptable like smoking, taking drugs or having sex with multiple people.
Satan uses medications and drugs in order to pull at our desires and take away our ability to exercise self control. This is the reason that many young women and men have accidental children. Children who are born of lust and not into a loving strong household built with God’s protection of marriage. Children are born, who are destined to follow in the footsteps of their adulterous parents.
It is as if a tiny cloud that was once insignificant suddenly became engorged and spread like a gigantic earth scattering storm. Weather that was created from one small step in the wrong direction and then another step was taken and another until that person’s life was so totally caught up in the world that his soul was lost to God forever.
A child born out of wed lock tests the parents. It reveals to all people what kind of heart they have. If the parents are good then they take the challenge of the child and change their lives in order to provide a good life for their child. But if the heart of the parents are about their human desires and how they just want to have fun, then the child is not important and others are placed in charge.
A Grandmother becomes responsible for the child that was born of their son’s desires, because she won’t allow her child to take responsibility for his mistakes. As a result the child becomes a pond in the hands of parents who use the child as leverage to get what they want from the grandmother. Once Satan has a firm hold in the care of the child all people involved, stop loving each other, because of the cruelty involved with taking care of the unwanted birth.
This is the cloud of deception that comes in and blocks out any truth that God has to give a person who is in trouble. They begin to think only of themselves and give no thought of how to help others. This happens because Satan has made such a wreck out of their live that all hope has been diminished and dread has replaced long suffering with hate for what their lives have become.
When our minds have become completely clouded from the sin that surrounds our lives, then our existence becomes an acceptable norm. We begin to envy those who seem to be living good lives. And in our effort to survive our lives we take what is theirs. We don’t work for it ourselves! We use others for our own personal gain.
Galatians 5: 22-26, “But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another.”
Wisdom comes to those who dedicate themselves to God and allow Him to influence their lives. They follow the teachings handed down in the Bible. They learn from their past mistakes. They let God help them to understand what they did wrong. And once God is completely back in control, He awakens their desire for their lost love and fills their hearts with hope giving them a way out of their present life.
Like I said I am defined by my faith. I am not defined by how much money I have. I am defined by how I forgive those who use me. I am defined by how I love no matter what people do to me. I am defined by the Holy Spirit who refuses to allow me to become darkened by the clouds of deception that make me hate those who use me for their own personal gain.
Jesus Christ came to bring light into the world. He suffered and died so we would have an easier path to forgiveness. He rose again so we would have hope that anything we do wrong in this world can be overcome if we will only place our faith in Him and trust Him with our life.
Linda C Dipman author of THE GAME OF LIFE IT’S ALMOST OVER http://outskirtspress.com/gameoflife presents: AND HIS LOVE SHONE DOWN my true life story! It describes all the persecutions I endured. Lovinghandsministry.com
The New Daily Code: How to Turn Failure Into Untold Riches
“To have it all, first you have to lose it all,” says best-selling author Steve Bonenberger. “When your current life is no longer possible, then you’re ready for the Daily Code, the new road map that takes your feet off the path of less onto the road to more.
The new Daily Code is one of the five life-changing lessons Bonenberger teaches in his powerful new book Through the Gates of Fire. Readers who start to add these lessons in their lives will soon leave failure in the dust.
Failure is no mystery. Failure is known by many of us. For some, it leads to a downward spiral. “Why me?” is the cry of our troubled minds. Faith has vanished; hopelessness has come to visit, and for some, to stay.
But others, though equally troubled, know in their hearts that there’s help waiting. For them, failure can be a starting point. Through the Gates of Fire is the must-read book for each of us who has ever asked, “Why me?” This book is the “What’s Next.”
The Daily Code
None of us enter this life with the intention of hurting others. Nor do we expect do be hurt by others. But surely this happens. In our business world, in our personal life. Learning the Five Lessons in Through the Gates of Fire heals the hurts.
Practicing the Daily Code changes this hurt cycle forever. “Even if every penny and every relationship is gone,” states author Bonenberger, “when we practice the Daily Code, God will send the people to help you. The gates to our personal garden begin to open.”
Best of all, we learn how to be the answer to problems in our own lives; and in other people’s lives, too. It’s very powerful to changing from no longer being the wind sock, but instead the propeller. A driving force for good instead of being blown every which way by evil winds.
When we try to fix our own lives, we soon discover that we’re dealing with inadequate resources. Broken lives take a Master Mechanic, and that mechanic is God. When we accept this, God will take us into God’s “repairatory.”
The New Ten Commandments
Northing’s wrong with the original Ten Commandments. But are they working? Maybe it’s time to add something new. Think about the old commandments. Kind of negative, aren’t they? Each begins with a “Thou shall not…” They tell us what not to do, but don’t tell us what to do.
What if there were new commandments that start with “Thou shalt…?” Much more proactive, and more practical to practice. Especially when the underlying fabric of these new commandments is a rich tapestry woven from a cloth called “kindness.” Opening ourselves to the New Ten Commandments lifts our hearts and works wonders in our lives.
Stream of Mercy
Reaching the surface after drowning in failure takes a Leap of Faith. We must jump into the Stream of Mercy, another of the Five lessons in Through the Gates of Fire. And what a life-giving stream this is, waiting to take us out of our pain and mind traps. This lesson is rich with hope and action.
These are only three of the Five Lessons that will change our lives. It’s sad that some will spend their one precious life crying in the wilderness of “Why Me?” while others will refuse to live and failure and will take action. Can one small book or CD make such a change? Quite simply, yes. Yes it can and yes it will. The atom is tiny, but look at its power.
But first we have to look up from the bottom and accept the lifeline held out to us. Through this book who is the strong hand waiting to take ours. Who will take it?
If you’ve known failure, and you’re asking Why Me, then The Daily Code’s for You. This is the What’s Next that you need.
Dr. Proactive Randy Gilbert enjoys producing InsideSuccessRadio.com where he recently interviewed Steve Bonenberger, author of “Through the Gates of Fire,” a life-changing new Christian series. Listen to Steve’s interview for free:
http://www.InsideSuccessRadio.com/Guests/Steve-Bonenberger.
Christian Dating Offline, Online
A popular way for Christian single men and women to connect with each other is through Christian dating. Christian adults meet each other and learn if a a life together as husband and wife is possible. There can be many different roads to developing a lifelong friendship, discovering a soul mate, or forming a relationship for marriage. If you are considering dating other Christians for these goals, consider these three steps.
First, identify what you want in a prospective partner. Think about what traits that person would have that meet your interests and desires. Conduct a personal inventory of the type of personality and temperament that works best with yours. Do you want someone who is funny and spontaneous? Is service a big part of your optimal relationship?
Besides what you are looking for, make sure you know what you want to give in a relationship. Remember, a successful Christian dating relationship is based on a loving friendship with another person. Have the mindset to “connect with respect.” God is present as “the third strand” in every relationship, especially dating, engagement and marriage. There are two sets of three strands in every relationship. The first set is two people and God. The second set is the virtues faith, hope and love. If you focus on these ideas, you will experience more success when you look for that special someone you want to marry and raise a family with.
Second, find out how you can discover and connect with a special person you desire to treasure and honor. Eligible single Christians are everywhere. Use traditional methods to engage a boy friend or girl friend like joining a Christian singles group, volunteer or participate in a church mission program, network through family and friends, or visit one or more internet Christian dating services.
Consider this 2006 survey on online dating conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Commission. Thirty one percent of American men and women know someone who used a dating website. About 30 million people know another person who got married or has a long-term relationship with someone found online.
Membership at dating websites grow every hour. The top Christian dating websites help you find your partner in the Lord. The Pew survey shows that three out of four singles who use the internet to look for a romantic partner did these things. Visited and used dating websites. Searched for information about potential partners. Flirted by email or instant messaging. Checked out the local singles scene.
Online Christian dating services are easy because you can look through a database any hour of day or night right from your own home. These services have a very large pool of potential soul mate prospects with the same values and interests that you are. You can type in search criteria for location, faith, likes and dislikes, and find new friends quickly and easily.
Free memberships of online Christian dating services are hard to find. Many of the professional services may cost between $100 and $250 a year, depending the quality and longevity of the site.
Online dating can be challenging because of the anonymous connection with an unknown person. You don’t meet someone face-to-face, so there can be dishonesty about marriage status, income, education and other personal data. The Pew survey showed that seven million adults dated people they met online and nearly three million (17%) formed long-term relationships.
Third, connect with respect. A basic dating guideline for Christian single – whether at a church picnic or through a dating website – is to develop a loving Christian dating relationship that honors the other person. If you treat your date with kindness and respect, you strengthen those virtues within you. That habit comes back to you. God will lead you to the right person at the right time. Friendship comes first and then you grow from there.
Develop a strong Christian friendship. Use online or traditional ways of dating. Both approaches are valuable resources as you seek to discover God’s plan for a marriage partner.
Dave Pipitone is a professional communicator, spiritual entrepreneur, dedicated husband and father.For more information on dedication cards to help build positive thoughts and beliefs about being connected to God and others, visit http://www.my3strands.com.
Why Did A Tornado Destroy Greensburg Kansas
The atmosphere darkened bringing a creepy chill of expectancy to the land. The tornado sirens sounded warning all residents to immediately take shelter. Fear dropped into my mind as I realized that my daughter, son and their families were in a severe storm watch where tornadoes were sighted.
Turning on my television set a news anchorman within moments broke into regular programming breathlessly announcing that Greensburg, Kansas was devastated by a tornado that was a mile and a half wide. I took a deep breathe as I realized that my daughter and her families town was just twenty miles from Greensburg.
Immediately the weatherman highlighted the direction of the gigantic storm and how it was closing in on all of the surrounding towns. Tornado’s were springing up everywhere and torrential rain and hail was pelting everything in it’s path.
Outside my own home a wave of tornado sirens began to sound. Hammering rain mixed with hail pelted my home bringing an even more eerie feeling to the night. My satellite television went out and I grabbed a radio and flashlight as I headed for my safe room. Quickly I learned that a tornado was headed straight for my own city of Great Bend.
1Peter 5: 8&9, “Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Be firm in your faith and resist him, because you know that your fellow believers in all the world are going through the same kind of sufferings.”
Our world is more than what it seems. Each of us are players in a supernatural world game of tug-of-war. A battle of good versus evil. A complex life game that demands that we choose a side and fight or give up and die! A game that can devour whole towns if you don’t understand why tornado’s are released to cause devastation and loss of life.
Each difficulty we face has a goal to bring us to our knees and make us deal with the consequence of living in a imperfect world. Each brings us to a valley of decision that is meant to test us and perfect us for the eternal perfect world God has prepared for those who conquer evil and choose to do good.
I have been tried and tested in this world through everything I have experienced in my life. Everything I have personal gone through just makes me more keenly aware of the struggle that all Christians face when they choose to do God’s will. When you hold onto Jesus Christ and His teachings, you will come under attack by Satan and his demons.
The Bible tells us why our world is destructive and menacing to the very existence of all human kind. Satan is the god of this world and his desire is to destroy all people’s faith in God. The devil doesn’t want anyone to understand why tornado’s exist, because if they knew the truth they would fight back and win their own personal struggles against evil.
Ephesians 6: 11-13, “Put on all the armor that God gives you, so that you will be able to stand up against the Devil’s evil tricks. For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age. So put on God’s armor now! Then when the evil day comes, you will be able to resist the enemy’s attacks; and after fighting to the end, you will still hold your ground.”
Every time we face tests of all kinds we do spiritual warfare that demands that we use the word of God in order to fight. These verses make us aware of what we are fighting against. Every bad thing that comes up against people from ferocious storms, to pestilence of all kinds, to wars being fought near and far is meant to defeat the followers of Christ.
Ephesians 6:14&15, “So stand ready, with truth as a belt tight around your waist, with righteousness as your breastplate, and as your shoes the readiness to announce the Good News of peace.”
Understanding the consequences of living in a war zone made me understand why my own family was in the path of a colossal storm. I personal chose to fight for God and because I clung to the word of God and to the principles taught in the Bible my entire family, community, and state were under siege.
I was not alone in my struggles against Satan, all Christians in Kansas were under attack for believing and placing their trust in God! Only together were we able with God’s help to defeat the continued destructive path of the storm. God heard the voices of the faithful pleading on behalf of their brothers and sisters and God dissolved Satan’s will to destroy additional towns.
Ephesians 6: 16-18, “At all times carry faith as a shield; for with it you will be able to put out all the burning arrows shot by the Evil One. And accept salvation as a helmet, and the word of God as the sword which the Spirit gives you. Do all this in prayer, asking for God’s help. Pray on every occasion, as the Spirit leads. For this reason keep alert and never give up; pray always for all God’s people.”
When you understand the battle between good and evil you begin to realize that the ominous storm did not happen as a punishment sent by God, but rather as a test that is meant to make us strong! It reveals what kind of soldier’s we are in the battle against evil. It builds our character and gives us the ability to become stronger people.
James 1: 2-4, “My brothers, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
Satan attacks every community that strives to do God’s will. He battles against the good in order that his own evil works can be accomplished. He wants to destroy people’s faith and make them blame God for what they just suffered.
God takes the evil Satan inflicted on man and turns it into good by showing Christians everywhere what they are capable of overcoming. He gives them testimonies that they can share with all people. He gives good and faithful people the opportunities to be on national television and tell everyone that with God’s help, Greensburg will rebuild again!
Nothing can prevent Christians from praising God, because the love God produces in our hearts shine forth when we face tragedies of all kinds. Our hope in a powerful God helps us to function even when we have just lost everything we have ever owned.
1Peter 1: 3-5, “Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because of his great mercy he gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death. This fills us with a living hope, and so we look forward to possessing the rich blessings that God keeps for his people. He keeps them for you in heaven, where they cannot decay or spoil or fade away. They are for you, who through faith are kept safe by God’s power for the salvation which is ready to be revealed at the proper time.”
Everything that we go through has a reward. A reward that is waiting for us in Heaven. A reward that is measured by the amount of tragedy we overcame in our worldly lives. Together we share in the richness of a perfect heaven where nothing can spoil or ware out.
Everything about our world is temporary. Food has a shelf life. Vehicles can be destroyed. Weather can destroy an entire community. People have an appointed time and then they live no more in this temporary imperfect world.
When we place our hope in God, we are different from the people of the world. Because we know that our suffering will make us stronger people and change us into better people. We feel for the homeless people of the tornado. We care about those who lost someone they loved during the tornado. We have compassion for people who have no work, because their jobs were destroyed in the tornado.
Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.”
Jesus Christ gives our lives purpose. We never give up no matter what happens because we know that our present situation cannot defeat us because we have Jesus on our side. We are like super hero’s who have been given the ability to stand up to evil and fight!
This is the reason why we must understand that when you are in a world game of good versus evil, you will see the differences it makes in people. People who are good will rise above the destruction of a tornado and testify for God, but those who have given into the world will run away and hide and blame God for their pain.
Our world has an appointed time and then the world game is over. Be patient as you endure Satan’s rampage of evil and remember Jesus is coming in the clouds to bring all his faithful hero’s home. A perfect home where we will live in peace and in the perfection of Heaven.
James 5:7&8, “Be patient, then, my brothers, until the Lord comes. See how patient a farmer is as he waits for his land to produce precious crops. He waits patiently for the autumn and spring rains. You also must be patient. Keep your hopes high, for the day of the Lord’s coming is near.”
My family, friends and community stood strong against the storm and escaped with very little damage. We understood our fight and we called upon Jesus’ name and He rescued us from the tornado’s that wanted to take our lives and end our battle for Christ.
Linda C Dipman author of THE GAME OF LIFE IT’S ALMOST OVER http://outskirtspress.com/gameoflife presents: AND HIS LOVE SHONE DOWN my true life story! It describes all the persecutions I endured. Lovinghandsministry.com
Christian Books & Magazines Reviews
Christian books are among the most preferred literature for children and adults alike. They not only tell miraculous stores but teach lessons for life.
There are quite a lot Christian books published nowadays. If you are already into this type of literature, you will easily find your way among the bookshelves of any book store. If Christian literature is new to you, read the reviews of some of the most popular titles.
Karen Kingsbury is among the most popular authors in this field. Ever After is one of the most requested books. This novel continues the tale of Shane and Lauren in present years and is for every one who’s looking for a new start in life. Forever is another book by Karen Kingsbury that treats almost the same subject, although the emphasis is on love and relationships.
Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado is a novel based on the life of David. It’s a humorous book that teaches the readers to face their fears and not let any obstacle control their lives.
If you are looking for a Christian book about marriage look for the Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. The book will give you a different view on marriage matters and will help you overcome the hardships. Another book treating the same purpose but targeted to men is the book of Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker – Every Man’s Marriage. It gives men a powerful tool to understanding women that is designed to help in their day to day life n couple.
Our list of some of the best Christian books will not be complete if we do not mention some of the best books for heaven. In Light of Eternity by Randy Alcorn is selected by many readers to be the best one in this section. It is helpful for anyone who lost a close person and tries to cope with his grief. Heaven is another highly preferred book by Randy Alcorn. It provides a research on the biblical description of heaven, answering many questions and many issues of interest.
Christian book lovers can also look for Christian magazines. Some of the best ones are Christian History & Biography magazine (focused on the historical facts of the Christian faith), Christianity Today (news, advice and entertainment both online and in the printed version), CCM (Christian music issues), Today’s Christian Woman (Christian women magazine), New Man Magazine (Christian men magazine). In fact there are many more. You can make a quick research online or ask your friends to recommend you the best ones.
Keith Londrie II is the and publisher of http://christianbooksbookstores.coffee-info.info A website that specializes in providing tips on christian books and book stores that you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://christianbooksbookstores.coffee-info.info now!