WHAT BONDAGE IN FOLLOWING OUR DECEPTIVE WAYS:
BUT WHAT FREEDOM IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE TRUTH.

ONE THING I’VE BEEN NOTICING IN LIFE IS THAT OFTENTIMES, IT IS NOT SOMEONE ELSE WHO CAUSES OUR PROBLEMS, IT’S NOT LIFE IN GENERAL, AND HATE TO BURST YOUR BUBBLES, PEOPLE, BUT OFTEN IT’S NOT EVEN THE DEVIL HIMSELF. MORE OFTEN THAN CHRISTIANS OFTEN LIKE TO ADMIT, IT’S THEIR OWN DECISIONS, THEIR OWN DECEPTIVE WAYS THAT LEAD THEM TO A DOWNWARD SPIRALING PATH. I’VE SEEN IT IN MANY TIMES IN THE MIRROR, AND IN OTHER’S LIVES, ALSO. I THINK SO MUCH OF THE HARDSHIP IN OUR LIVES (NOT ALL, MIND YOU….BUT A LOT OF THE TIME. SOMETIMES IT IS, INDEED, GOD TESTING US)…BUT OFTENTIMES IT IS OUR OWN FOOLISH WAYS.
I LOOK BACK ON MY OWN DECISIONS, AND SO MANY OF THE HARDSHIPS I’VE GONE THROUGH ARE IN HUGE PART DUE TO MY OWN DECISIONS. HOW MUCH EASIER IT IS TO PLAY THE VICTIM!!! HOW MUCH EASIER IT IS TO TAKE THE ROAD MORE TRAVELED!!! HOW MUCH EASIER IT IS TO JUST PUT A GREAT BIG BAND-AID ON THE WHOLE SITUATION, AND GO ON WITH LIFE, PRETENDING NOTHING HAS REALLY HAPPENED!!! HOW MUCH EASIER IT OFTEN IS TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF DECEPTION, PRETENDING THINGS AROUND ME WILL JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN “GET BETTER”….ALL THE WHILE KNOWING IN MY SPIRIT THAT I NEED TO DEAL WITH WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN MY LIFE. BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, IF I DON’T DEAL WITH THINGS HEAD ON, THEY’LL COME BACK SOONER OR LATER, INEVITABLY…….AND IT WILL BE MUCH HARDER TO DEAL WITH THEN!!!
I HOPE WE CAN ALL TRY TO REALLY DEAL WITH THE REALITIES OF LIFE, ALL THE WHILE TRUSTING. BECAUSE SOMETIMES SAYING NICE LITTLE CHRISTIAN PHRASES ISN’T THE ANSWER!!! THE ANSWER IS ALL TOO OFTEN SO OBVIOUS!! HOW EASY IT IS TO DECEIVE OURSELVES INTO THINKING WE’RE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION!! HEAVEN HELP US FOR LIVING AND BELIEVING LIE AFTER LIE. WHAT IS SOWN WILL BE REAPED LATER.

I AM SO TIRED OF HEARING PEOPLE BLAME THEIR LIVES ON THE DEVIL, GRANTED, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON’T GIVE HIM ENOUGH CREDIT….BUT ALL TOO OFTEN, MANY CHRISTIANS GIVE HIM WAY TOO MUCH!! HE DOESN’T MAKE US SIN…..WE MAKE THAT DECISION OURSELVES:

“LET NO ONE SAY WHEN HE IS TEMPTED, ‘I AM BEING TEMPTED BY GOD’; FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, AND HE HIMSELF DOES NOT TEMPT ANYONE. BUT EACH ONE IS TEMPTED WHEN HE IS CARRIED AWAY AND ENTICED BY HIS OWN LUST. THEN WHEN LUST HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN; AND WHEN SIN IS ACCOMPLISHED, IT BRINGS FORTH DEATH. DO NOT BE DECEIVED, MY BELOVED BRETHREN.” *JAMES* (EMPHASIS MINE)

I AM SADDENED AT SO MANY CHRISTIANS, INCLUDING MYSELF, WHO SAY THINGS LIKE, “WELL, THERE’S JUST EVIL ALL AROUND, I’M BOUND TO SIN BECAUSE THERE’S SO MUCH TEMPTATION IN TODAY’S WORLD………….OR…….YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS FOR ME, I STRUGGLE WITH THIS, AND IT’S SO HARD BECAUSE OF THE WORLD AROUND ME………..”. ALL TOO OFTEN, IT’S JUST A SAD EXCUSE FOR PEOPLE TO GO ON DECEIVING THEMSELVES INTO THINKING “WOE IS ME”…….THE WORLD’S BEEN CRAZY FOR PLENTY OF YEARS!! BEFORE TELEVISION, BEFORE PHONES, BEFORE INTERNET. IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO MAN TAKING SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND PERVERTING IT, AND THEN BLAMING SOMEONE ELSE FOR THEIR DECISIONS!!! IT HAPPENED IN THE BEGINNING…….EVE WAS A. DECEIVED, B. CAUGHT, C. PLAYING THE VICTIM….AS DID HER TRUSTY OTHER PART, ADAM. THEY ALL BLAMED SOMEONE ELSE!!! WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR OWN SIN????!!!!!!!

LORD FORGIVE US FOR LIVING IN OUR DECEITFUL WAYS, RATHER THAN YOURS.

A NEW IDEA THAT'S REALLY OLD.

HOW EASY IT IS TO POINT OUT
ANOTHER PERSON’S WRONGS…
ALL THE WHILE GOING ON,
SINGING THE SAME OL’ SONG.

IT’S MUCH EASIER TO TALK ABOUT SOMEONE
THAN TO REACH OUT A HELPING HAND…
WHY CAN’T WE JUST EXHIBIT WHAT IT’S LIKE
TO BE CHRIST’S BODY ACROSS THIS LAND?

WHAT IF WE STARTED WITH OURSELVES,
EXAMINING THROUGH AND THROUGH?
HEY, NOW THERE’S A GOOD IDEA!!....
ALTHOUGH, I DON’T THINK IT’S NEW!

WHAT IF TO SEE CHANGE AROUND US,
IT ACTUALLY STARTED WITHIN?
WHAT IF WE ACTUALLY CHANGED OURSELVES…
AND THAT DREW OTHERS IN?

WHAT IF WE STOPPED THE BICKERING,
THE BACKSTABBING, JUDGING, AND STRIFE?
WHAT IF THAT ACTUALLY USHERED IN
THE ETERNAL MEANING OF LIFE?

BECAUSE WE’RE NOT JUST HERE FOR WHAT HAPPENS
ON THE DAY OUR JOURNEYS END HERE…
ETERNITY IS NOT ONLY THE OTHER SIDE…
IT’S WHAT WE’RE LIVING YEAR AFTER YEAR.

ALL I CAN DO IS CHANGE MYSELF,
AND HOPE AND PRAY AND SERVE…
AND BE THANKFUL THAT GOD LOVES US ALL SO MUCH,
THAT NONE OF US ACTUALLY GET WHAT WE DESERVE!!!

WISE WORDS FROM THE WORD.

THERE'S SO MUCH I WOULD LOVE TO TYPE. SOMETIMES I AM APPALLED AT HOW GOD'S CHILDREN BEHAVE. AND IN THE SAME BREATH, I AM SO SAD FOR THEM....MANY TIMES IT IS I WHO FALL INTO THIS GROUP. SO MANY OF HIS CHILDREN CHOOSE TO LIVE FOR THIS WORLD AND THE THINGS OF IT. SO MANY OF US CHOOSE TO GO ON LIVING IN DECEPTION, RATHER THAN FACING THE THINGS OF LIFE THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH. SO MANY OF US CHOOSE TO FOLLOW LIES RATHER THAN THE TRUTH....WHICH IS OFTEN HARDER, BUT ALWAYS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. GOD HAVE MERCY ON US ALL FOR NOT LAYING DOWN OUR LIVES FOR HIM AND ONE ANOTHER AS WE ARE CALLED TO DO.



"BUT PROVE YOURSELVES DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT MERELY HEARERS WHO DELUDE THEMSELVES."



"THEREFORE TO ONE WHO KNOWS THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND DOES NOT DO IT, TO HIM IT IS SIN." *JAMES*



"WE KNOW LOVE BY THIS, THAT HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US; AND WE OUGHT TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR THE BRETHREN."



"LITTLE CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE WITH WORD OR WITH TONGUE, BUT IN DEED AND TRUTH." *I JOHN*



"DO NOT WITHHOLD GOOD FROM THOSE TO WHOM IT IS DUE, WHEN IT IS IN YOUR POWER TO DO IT. DO NOT SAY TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, 'GO, AND COME BACK, AND TOMORROW I WILL GIVE IT,' WHEN YOU HAVE IT WITH YOU."



"HE WHO OPPRESSES THE POOR TAUNTS HIS MAKER, BUT HE WHO IS GRACIOUS TO THE NEEDY HONORS HIM."



"A FOOL DOES NOT DELIGHT IN UNDERSTANDING, BUT ONLY IN REVEALING HIS OWN MIND."



"DO NOT WEARY YOURSELF TO GAIN WEALTH, CEASE FROM YOUR CONSIDERATION OF IT."



"OIL AND PERFUME MAKE THE HEART GLAD, SO A MAN'S COUNSEL IS SWEET TO HIS FRIEND."



"HE WHO GUARDS HIS MOUTH AND HIS TONGUE, GUARDS HIS SOUL FROM TROUBLES."



"LISTEN TO COUNSEL AND ACCEPT DISCIPLINE, THAT YOU MAY BE WISE THE REST OF YOUR DAYS."



"HE IS ON THE PATH OF LIFE WHO HEEDS INSTRUCTION, BUT HE WHO IGNORES REPROOF GOES ASTRAY."



"HE WHO WALKS IN INTEGRITY WALKS SECURELY, BUT HE WHO PERVERTS HIS WAYS WILL BE FOUND OUT." *PROVERBS*