Category: FIGHT

Yell Back As Hard As You Can!!!

Yell, yell, yell at the top of your lungs, if you have to! Scream! Just do what you have to give the devil the message that you’re not listening. That Jesus is your Savior and wins out over evil. Be forceful and scream at the top of your lungs, if needed.

Make no mistake—the devil (or whatever you call it/them) is very real. There are whispers in our ears and temptation around every corner. Sometimes it feels that no matter what I do the devil is there whispering, sometimes screaming, in my ear. It can get oppressive.

As Paul the evangelist said, I know what I’m supposed to do, know how I’m supposed to live, but the devil loves to push me off course. That’s why I have found you simply have to talk back and forcefully say “NO!”. And then turn to God for help. He is less than a heartbeat away and always there to help. But you and I have to do our part in pushing back on the devil first.

Satan, Lucifer, devil, evil spirit, whatever. It’s real. There is certainly enough evil in this world. That’s why you need to FIGHT (a Real Secret to Life for a reason) and stand your ground by just saying “NO!”. And scream it if that works.

Be vigilant but enjoy. Have no fear. Walk in God. And enjoy!

Guard Your Joy Like The Jewel It Is!

In John 10:10 Jesus says, “I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” Jesus sacrificed Himself so that we may have life, and have it to the fullest. He’s talking about the joy that is hardwired into each of us by our Father Creator. Yes, joy is a part of your DNA. It’s there until you lose it.

Before Jesus said that, he prefaced it with, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” He talking about the devil (the thief) who is looking to steal that joy from you. How? By getting you agitated, angry, jealous, and just downright sad. The devil uses other people and situations to pry your joy from you. That’s why you need to guard it like the precious jewel it is.

When my wife tells me that I or someone else makes her feel this way or not my response is, “I can’t make you feel. Only you can make you feel.” Your feelings are yours, not someone else’s. Your joy is your joy, there to guard, knowing that Jesus came to give you life and to live it abundantly.

If you reach within you, your joy is there. If you can’t find it LISTEN for/to God because He is wherever you are. And FIGHT the snares of the devil that take away your joy. Guard it!!!

Have a joy-filled week ahead!

Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcome. Negative Thoughts, Look Out Below!

God mans life to be so simple but it’s beyond comprehension how we complicate it! I don’t know how many hundreds of times I have written and said this but it is so true. So, flowing from all this is a very simple concept. If we think positive thoughts, positive things will happen. But if we dwell on negative things, negative outcomes will happen over and over again. It’s that simple. Like life itself!

If you’re stuck in a negative rut, thinking positive thoughts won’t turn everything around on a dime. But life will turn around. What may seem like darkness will become light. You just have to force your thinking to positive thoughts.

If you’re looking for something positive, start with God. Whatever life has thrown your way, think about God. LISTEN for/to Him because He is always with you, not matter what you think. He is the root of all that is positive because there is no negative in God.

I love Romans 12:2 because it sums up the power of positive thinking by detaching yourself from the world, which lately is a very negative place.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Want to get out of the negative rut? Start focusing on the positive. I know it’s not always easy when the negatives in life seem to overwhelm. But transform your mind by forcing the positive thoughts. Start with God because He is positive. He wants simplicity in your life. Start with the positives. Your mind, and life in the process, will be transformed.

Have a POSITIVE week! Think positive!!!

Celebrate Life!!!

I write a lot about the darkness in the world. Well, there is a lot of darkness in the world right not. It’s hard to deny that. But the way to help clear the darkness is to CELEBRATE each and every day. After all, Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Jesus wants us to have life to the full. What better cause to CELEBRATE than that? I want to wake up every day remembering that and no matter what is going on in my life to celebrate the new day.

When I’m home and not traveling for work our dog (my boy) Rip wakes up each day wagging his tail and ready for a good scratch. He’s so full of joy! He knows no darkness. Now, I’m not saying we should act like happy pups but we should simply CELEBRATE each day, a day in Christ. Toss your cares away and put them on Jesus.

There is one sure fired way to cast out the darkness in your life. Let the light of Jesus in. CELEBRATE life. Let His light light your light. CELEBRATE! REJOICE! Yes, it’s dark out there but you and I can help light the world!

CELEBRATE!!!

Don’t Beat Yourself Up!

I screw up all the time. Trust me. No matter what I know to do right I manage to do the opposite. I identify with Paul who wrote, “ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15) That’s life. Let’s face it—none of us is perfect. But I’ve learned that you can’t beat yourself up. You need to pick yourself back up, get back in the game of life, and move forward.

Life is not a straight path. It’s filled with twists and turns and, sometimes, wrong ways. We backtrack at times. But when you make a mistake, you do your best to correct it, ask God for forgiveness, and move forward.

God knows every little, tiny screw-up we have made and will make. He knows all the little stuff as well as the big stuff. So, there is no hiding from God. Either what we have done or if we are truly sorry for our mistakes (sins). God is here. God is everywhere.

If we confess the screw-ups we are forgiven. That’s because Jesus came and died to wipe all sin away. Past, present, and future. But you need to understand that and ask for true forgiveness. That’s how it works.

Beating yourself up achieves nothing. In fact, it gives into Satan and the other evil spirits who feed off of our mistakes. They love it when you and I beat ourselves up. It drags us down, not up. So, the last thing you want to do is beat yourself up.

Have a BLESSED week ahead. Keep your head up, stay in the game, and move forward!

Why Do I Write About the Secrets to Life?

I went back years to help me remember why I started this blog writing about the Secrets to Life. The answer is simple. Simply because they work! I have found 7 simple Secrets to Life that by following them lead to a happier, joyful life that is more peaceful and more fulfilling. We are all searching for answers in life and I have found some simple ones. That doesn’t mean that I am perfect or my life is totally blissful every second of every day. All it means is that I have found some simple ways to live that help keep me on a straight path or back on the straight path when I take a wrong turn on occasion.

I write for you as well as for me. Writing about the Real Secrets to Life helps me remember them and truly live by them. If I can help just one other person, and that person in turn helps one or two others, then that’s even better.

LISTEN, READ, LOVE, FIGHT, BELIEVE, LIVE & PRAY. They are very simple secrets to a life that should shine. As I write over and over again, God means life to be so very simple. We are the ones who complicate our lives. We gather habits and emotions like hoarders filling a house with junk. We find it hard to let go of those things we store up in our lives that clutter and can totally inundate our lives. Light can’t shine in a life filled with junk.

I try to make Jesus my role model in life. If you look at Jesus’ life he lived it according to 7 simple little words—LISTEN, READ, LOVE, FIGHT, BELIEVE, LIVE & PRAY.  He listed for/to God the Father and understood his purpose in life. He read the scriptures and actually became the living Word. He gave us a new commandment to love and, in the strongest show of love, gave up his life for us. He fought the devil constantly and understood the presence and power of evil in the world. He taught us to believe and showed us we can do anything if we have faith and don’t let doubt get in the way. He lived a life of purpose, knowing that this life on earth was only the opening act to eternity. He taught us how to pray and was constantly going away to pray.

The 7 Secrets to Life I have found are a real roadmap for life. They keep me centered and help me when I falter, which I do all the time. I think they can help you but that’s up to you to decide.

Have a WONDERFUL week!  And keep it SIMPLE!

This Devil Thing

Yes, the devil really exists. Call it Satan, Lucifer, demon, devil, evil, or anything else. But that evil presence in the world is real. It’s not some little red devil with a pitchfork but the personification of evil. The opposite of what God is: love.

I don’t know about you but I feel that evil presence all the time. It doesn’t want to be out in front, but works most effectively behind the scenes. It doesn’t shout but whispers and sets up snares. It you look around the world it’s not hard to see that evil. And it’s growing. Why? Because we are letting it grow. We are moving away from God.

Stay close to God and evil has a tough time getting to you. Move away from God and evil fills the void. As James (4:7) says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

It’s not hard to keep the evil away if you stay close to God. Pray, Listen. Love. It’s not hard but we make it so hard. We turn from God or even push Him away. And the devil seeps right in to the void.

Not to over simplify but it is simple. Stay close to God and evil has a formidable barrier. Keep God close by your side. Reach out. He is always there.

Have an evil-free day!

Go to Hell, Putin!

I mean that. Go to Hell, Putin. If you’re looking for the personification of evil in this world, it’s Putin. I won’t even dignify calling him anything else. Evil belongs in Hell and that’s where Putin is heading.

As I watch this humanitarian crisis unfold in Ukraine, it’s tough to control my anger. All the writing and praying I have done about not judging and loving all others has gone out the window. I’m angry. I want Putin dead. Though shall not kill is meaningless. I want Putin dead. One cheap life of a little man saves the lives of millions.

This is one of those times when I ask, “Why God?” How can you let this little dictator uproot an entire country? Where’s the sense in any of this? Don’t you feel the pain and suffering of your children? Why, God? Why? Why?

It’s time to pray. I know I need to pray myself out of this anger. I need to find where I can send money that it will be used to help the most. I need to settle down. I need to stay positive and try to help as much as I can.

I still want Putin in Hell. Sooner than later. Evil belongs in Hell and Putin is our generation of pure evil. Yes, it’s in Syria and elsewhere. I’ll stop here.

Pray! Pray! Pray! Stay positive, I tell myself. God’s way is not our way.

To all the people of Ukraine I offer up my prayers.

Thanks for listening to my rant!

Think There is No Devil?

One of the Secrets to Life is realizing the devil (Satan., Lucifer, etc. etc.) is real. It is hard at work looking for souls and fighting the devil is a must. This isn’t any cute Trick or Treat horned little red devil; it’s the real personification of evil. But the devil doesn’t want to be seen as real. It works best behind the scenes. And one very scary scene is this article. In fact it’s beyond amusing. It’s very scary and a sign of the times.

“Rapper Lil Nas X sparked intense debate online over Palm Sunday weekend with the release of a controversial pair of “Satan Shoes,” which feature a bronze pentagram charm, an inverted cross — and actual human blood.”

I don’t know what else to say. The devil is at work and smiling.

Fight!!!

Divided We Are Falling: From Judges to Scotland

The United States is falling, I hate to say. Falling and failing. Why? First, we are pushing God out of our lives. And pushing hard. We just don’t want to separate church (God) from state (our lives), we simply want to leave God far behind. We have other gods to worship (greed and ego). Second, we don’t see the commonality in us. We see black, yellow, red, left, right, Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc, etc, etc. God sees us as all the same, individually and equally. We see each other as different. Love should abound but hate—and I mean HATE—rules.

We should be taking lessons from the past, starting with the Bible, but we know better. I know this sounds bleak (hint: Because it is VERY bleak!!!) but the reason I’m writing and doing my part is because change can happen, but it happens one person at a time. And change needs to happen! And fast!

Just last week I wrote about the lessons from the exodus of the Israelites wandering the desert for 40 years for a journey that should have taken 12 days at the most. Wandering, leaving God in the desert dust, complaining, and worshipping false gods along the way. Bad things happened. The Israelites were lost. No one was happy. Well, fast forward to the period when the Israelites had judges—rulers who were not really kings but rulers. Read the book of Judges in the Bible to see how well that period went. Once again, the judges did some pretty bad things and the people were once again lost. Bad things happened. God didn’t forget the Israelites; they forgot Him.

Really fast forward to Scotland, which has this history of warring and divided clans. There were periods (William Wallace, etc) when Scotland kind of, sort of united but the constant friction from the clans didn’t keep Scotland united against England over time. There’s a reason the saying goes, United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” Or as Jesus said, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25)

I really don’t know if we will learn. Our country is more fundamentally divided that any time in modern-day history than I can remember. But as I wrote last week, and write here again today, the future lies in God—or not. United and with God we stand. Separate from Him we are divided and will fall.

What am I doing? Keeping God in my life. Trying to be a uniter, rather than a divider. Smiling. Reaching out. Helping. Trying. Following the Secrets to Life.

Doing my part. Please do yours!