Where the rubber meets the road

9-21-17                                                 Where the rubber meets the road

I have been silent for quite some time. It seems since I have completed my ministry classes, became licensed and God spoke His plan to us about “The Bus of Hope” mission, we have been under attack. Let me explain a bit for those who have this image of people pelting us with eggs or tearing us down verbally. www.thebusofhope.org

Slowly, your work life starts to pile up to the point where you become too exhausted to do anything once you get home, especially if you are on the computer all day. Reading or writing on a laptop or tablet tends to hurt your brain and makes you tired. Your time with God and your bible study time dwindle almost to a halt. When you do read, you nod off because you physically feel as if you never slept even when you do. You tell yourself it is temporary. It seems as if people around you are morphing into things that they aren’t. They become demanding, impatient, easily agitated and seem to forget all manner of etiquette; so much so that you become indignant and less tolerant of them,  yourself. Your reaction to the situations around you builds on the dark environment until you are buried in frustration and animosity. You have to push yourself to be ‘normal’ and have to pray unceasingly for a loving heart and understanding.

You try to meet with Christian friends and it falls though. Those around you are injured, and progress on the bus has to wait. Time is short, money is shorter.

Various parts of your family are under attack too. Relationships fall apart, brokenness and heartache prevail, families are struggling to find common ground but appear to be sinking in quick sand. Love turns into grief and remorse. Their focus is on what is wrong and not what is right. Priorities become shifted and upside down. Children become lost in the confusion and chaos. God is there deep down inside but their lives don’t reflect it due to the lack of light in their own lives. Where they had no real foundation in His Word, they struggle even more.

As a mother and grandmother, even as a minister, you try to understand what is happening in all these lives and your own. You don’t always see it right away. Why the chaos? Why the disconnect? Why so many bad decisions piled on top of bad reactions and brokenness? It seems to be rippling through everyone closely associated with you. You shout to the Lord, “What is going on? Why is everything appearing to unravel?!”

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Life happens, it is true. But when you are headed in the right direction and literally everything seems to be taking over what is good, you have to stop and ask yourself… Is this an attack?

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Attacks happen when you are closest to your purpose. That is why networking and socializing in the Christian community is so important. Sometimes by talking it out, others see what we cannot. I called my daughter Brandy to ask her about all of this and she said it straight out. She was quite blunt about it. Something to the affect of, ‘Mom, of course you are under attack. We all are. You are about to change your life to serve God and pour even more love into others. satan will do whatever he can to attack you and everyone you love.” Duh. Haha And then I saw it too.

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

The evil one searches for ways to distract us from God’s light and our destiny. He uses others to trip you up. He literally prowls around like a lion waiting to destroy. And if he can’t derail you, he will turn on the ones you love and derail them.

This is where the real battle begins. This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak.

If you see things starting to unravel, press into God’s word even more.

Luke 10:19

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

Talk to Him at all times and pray like your life depends on it. But even more importantly, you MUST be united with those affected and talk about it. You must realize where it is coming from and get a strategy.

Matthew 18:18-20

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Fill each other with love and encouragement and remember where it is coming from. Turn away wrath and show love instead. It won’t be easy to recognize and it won’t be easy to thwart, but with God, all things are possible! We may not be strong but he who lives in us gives us strength.

James 4:8

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

6 Brothers,[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.5 For each will have to bear his own load.

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.