A Battle of Wills

 We only have two more days left in the year.  It seems like such a short time, but so many things can happen in two days!  So let us use the time we have left in 2021 to honor God’s dear Son. 

 Speaking of things changing quickly, I fully intended to write about something else; but what happened just minutes before I started made me change my mind.  So here we go.. 😊

 When I write, I am usually in the bedroom with my laptop sitting cross legged on my bed.  Last night Lady jumped up on the bed beside me and tried to pull my attention away from the computer.  She sat closer than she usually does and I tried to get her to scoot over so I could have more room.  That was a battle!  Lady did not want to move away. 

 Then she put one of her front paws on the keyboard.  I moved it away.  She put it back.  Again, I picked up her paw and moved it onto the bed and away from the keyboard.  Guess what happened?  That front paw went right back to wear it was before I moved it. 

 We went through this little scenario about four times.  Lady was not getting the point – or was she?  I am pretty sure she was doing what she knew I didn’t want her to do.  I felt like she was testing me.

 I eventually had to scold her.  When I did she finally stopped.  She got off the bed and laid on the floor beside it.  She fell asleep and now it is just us (me and you).  The battle of wills is over.  Yes, my Lady is relentless and has been since the day we got her. 

 This makes me think about another battle.  It is the battle for our souls.  Know who is truly relentless?  That’s right – the devil.  He wants our souls and he will never stop trying to pull us over to his side. 

 Sometimes that old liar will get so close to us, it is hard to push him away because he does not want to move.  We need to do what Jesus did and fight the devil with scripture.  We must always keep watch so we are aware of when he is creeping up close.

 This is why it is so important to study God’s word.  When we have His word in our hearts and minds, we can use scripture to fight temptation.  We stand against the devil not only because of our devotion to Christ, but also through our knowledge of the Bible. 

Here’s a great verse from Peter.  “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”  1 Peter 5:8-9

With God on our side we can win this battle. 

 Christ above all things - Robin

Who Lives With You?

 My oh my, how time flies!  We only have a few days left in the year 2021.  There is still plenty of time to end the year on a good note by being of some service to our Lord and Savior.  

Let’s remember to be thankful to God, for He is the one who gives us all our days.  We owe our very lives to Him. 

Who Lives With You?

When we meet someone for the first time, we often ask all sorts of questions.  We want to find out as much as we can about the other person.  Humans are curious beings, so we ask questions about their work and where they are from.

We also ask questions about their family.  Are you married or single?  Do you have children?  If the person is younger we might ask about their parents and how many brothers and sisters they have. 

We are basically asking who lives with them – who do they share a home with. Why do we ask all these general questions?  Like I said we are curious and we just want to know. 

Asking general questions helps break the ice and allows people to become comfortable with one another.  It gives us a framework to build upon over time. Who someone lives with is indicative of who has an active influence on their life.  We gain insight into the person we just met.

The most important thing about a person is not who lives in a house or apartment with them – but who (if anyone) lives inside them.  Does anyone reside in their heart and mind?   

There are many uses of figurative or symbolic language throughout the Bible. Christ used symbols from everyday life and made spiritual applications for His followers.  It helped them better understand His teaching.   

Let us consider Ephesians 2:19-22.  

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. ²² In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

Wow!  Those three verses are jam-packed with lessons for us today!  First of all, the Ephesian Christians were primarily Gentiles.  He wanted them to know Christ meant for both Jews and Gentiles were to be brought together as one body through Him (Christ). 

The Gentiles are now part of the household of God – joined together – and meant to grow together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 

As members of the church – we are where God lives.  The Jews used to go to the temple to be in God’s presence.  Now, we are God’s dwelling place – or we should be.

Can people tell by the way we conduct ourselves that God lives within us?  If we told them that, would they be in shock because we even claim such a thing? 

Or would they smile and say, “Oh THAT’s why she is such a good person.  God lives within her.”  Saying God lives inside us means nothing if we aren’t living the life His word tells us to live.

Christ above all things - Robin