The Spiritual Realm

20 Friday Aug 2010

Posted by Seeking Peace in Evil, spiritual realm, Victory

I am still rolling around the idea of how the spiritual realm responds to my daily decisions that my friend shared with me. I don’t understand what all is involved with the spiritual realm completely but I do get the idea that good and evil are fighting for my soul and that they are all watching me (and you) to see what decisions I will make (and you will make) and one group or the other is celebrating the little victories. Wow, how I hate to think I have disappointed the heavenly hosts of angels, as I have too many times. But, WOW, how I love to think about what the good guys are doing when I choose to follow God’s will, when I choose to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

All this has added a potential new chapter to my book-in-process idea about how we think about “our” reputations. Most of us in my generation and older have certainly heard that our name is important, meaning the way people see us is something we should be highly concerned with. I think the danger with that thinking is that it can cause some to take pride in their name and what they are doing and pride can lead to some sinful decisions. I think the other danger is that we forget which name we carry that is the important one. My family name is known by many but doesn’t lead to eternal joy. The name Christian is the name I want to take stock in, the name that I want to glorify. I have heard Proverbs 22:1 pointed out as the source for why so many hold their name, their reputation, their good deeds, in high esteem. On the other hand, I seldom hear reference to Proverbs 21:24.

I must be careful what I hold up as important. For me, concern with my family name leads to pride that leads to doing un-Christlike things to try and protect my name when what I really need to do is be honest about my temptations, my thoughts, my sins and my victories. I have control over all of them but to stop and think who is celebrating with me when I give in to temptation and sin as opposed to who celebrates with me when I follow the path to victory is much more awe-inspiring than to think about who thinks I am a good person. If I spend my days celebrating with God because I am living in accordance with His will, my name is the last thing I will need to worry about.

Grace and peace to you.

The Evil Men (and Women) Do

18 Wednesday Aug 2010

Posted by Seeking Peace in Evil, God, Light, Son

≈ 2 Comments

I removed the gadget on my blog that shows my followers because a naked lady appeared in one. I don’t know how long she was there because I seldom look at it but I do appreciate the reader who told me about (thanks MY!).

It’s sad that something I started to be helpful to me can be turned around and used for evil. The Internet is full of pictures, videos, stories and many other things that are used to draw people in to Satan’s trap. How I know it all too well. It’s bad enough that people start their own porn sites but when they start abusing the space of others who want nothing to do with their mess, it becomes more frustrating.

I had a great lunch today with a new friend and we discussed what must happen to Satan and his forces when people praise the name of God in the midst of their sufferings, how they must be confused and maddened at the same time. My friend went on to say that he also thinks about the heavenly hosts, that they likely stand and salute the one who is praising God’s name in their suffering, how they must shout cheers of victory. When I think about it like that, it makes me want to strive even harder to glorify the name of God in the midst of evil, in the midst of suffering, in the midst of the things that are being done to tear me down.

God, I praise you in this space. I praise you before the people who read this. I praise you before the ones who would try to infest this space with evil. I praise you before the one who wants to fill people with sadness, doubt and to steal their hope. I praise you because you have prepared a banquet for me and for others who use this space and the words here to draw closer to you. I praise you because you are alive in my mind and in my heart and give me words to put in blank places that might touch one heart you know that needs to hear it. I praise you because you love me for all that I am – fallen, sinful, hurting. I praise you because you have a vision of who I will be by following your desire for me – a light in the darkness, a hand to help someone up, a son of yours, a son of the great and almighty God.

Grace and peace to you.