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Like A Thief In The Night

One night a thief broke into a house he thought was abandoned. As he walked then the darkened house with a flashlight he heard a voice from the kitchen that said, “Jesus is watching you.’ He stopped and said, “who’s there?” There was no answer so he thought he must have imagined it. But after he took a few more steps, the voice said again, “Jesus is watching you.” He decided to walk toward the voice, just before he entered the kitchen, he heard it again, “Jesus is watching you.” He swung the flashlight up and saw a parrot talking in a cage. The parrot said, Jesus is watching you.” The their turned flipped on the kitchen light and said, “Why you’re just a dumb bird.” The he looked in the corner of the room and seen a huge Rottweiler couching. And the parrot said “Get him Jesus.”

You might think it’s strange that Jesus would compare Himself to a thief. Of course, Jesus isn’t identifying with the sin of stealing. But just a good thief (that’s a oxymoron).that tries to sneak in quickly and quietly and escape with His people. That’s an accurate description of how Jesus will rapture His church.

We should all be living as if Jesus was crucified yesterday; raised from the dead this morning, and is coming back this afternoon.

1 Thessalonians 5: 1-4 tells us, “But concerning the times and the seasons, you have no need that anything be written to you. For you yourselves know that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come to then, like birth pains on a pregnant woman; and they will in no way escape.

We should know these 4 things

1. Jesus will return, But we don’t know the exact day.

Can you imagine a thief sending you a text or email saying, “Just wanted to know that I’m coming to rob your house tonight.” Of course not. Thief’s don’t announce when they’re coming. They sneak in and out.

When I was growing up my Dad used to do military funerals when a soldier or veteran would pass away. My father would keep all the guns in his closet. One night when no one was home the house was broken into and all the M16 rifles were stolen. He was very upset because they trusted him with these rifles. For a long time there would be someone home, or a neighbor would be watching the house.

Jesus told us to keep watch, because you don’t know on what day the Lord will come. We need to understand, if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and not let the house be broken into. So we must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you don’t expect him (Matthew 24:42-44),

There have been times throughout history when many people expected Jesus to return. We use the Gregorian calendar now, but when the Julian calendar turned from year 999 to the year 1000, people expected Jesus to come for a new millennium, the same was true in the year 2000. People were on their best behavior, In the year 1000 history says that worldly goods were sold and money was given to the poor. Prisoners were set free, and many traveled to Israel to wait for Jesus’s return,

In the second and third chapter of Revelation, Jesus gives messages to the 7 churches, which represent all churches of all time. When He wrote to the church at Philadelphia, He says, “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I also will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth” (Revelation3:10).

In Luke 17 Jesus compares His return to a couple of Old Testament events. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the dat Noah entered the ark. Then the flood cane and destroyed them all. It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and suffer rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son Of Man is revealed (Luke 17:26-30).

Are You Ready?

Favorite Quote

My favorite quote is from Albert Einstein it says, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

There’s A Purpose For Your Path

The San Rafael Swell – Utah

Our paths in life often serve a purpose that challenges us to grow and develop spiritually. This journey can lead to new heights and opportunities, as God guides us through obstacles and detours.

Understanding the Purpose of our Paths

Our paths in life are not just random occurrences, they serve a significant purpose that often challenges us to crow spiritually and personally. This journey can lead to news insights and opportunities, as we navigate through various obstacles and detours.

Spiritual Growth Through Challenges

  • Obstacles as Opportunities: Challenges often present us with the chance to develop resilience and faith. They encourage us to seek guidance and trust in God.
  • Learning from Detours: Just as a GPS may reroute us, life’s detours can leads to unexpected blessings and lessons. Embracing these changes can open our eyes to new possibilities.

God’s Guidance

  • Divine Direction: Many people believe that God guides us through our paths, helping us to navigate life’s complexities. This guidance can manifest in various ways, such as through scripture, prayer, or the support of others.
  • Trusting the Process: Trusting in God’s plan is essential. Proverbs 3:5-6 emphasizes the importance of relying on divine wisdom rather than our own understanding, promising that He will make our ways straight.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” -Proverbs 3:5-6

The purpose of our paths is to challenge us, foster growth, and deepen our spiritual understanding. By recognizing the value in our experiences, we can embrace the journey and trust in the guidance provided along the way.

A Life-Changing Tip

If I could give you one life-changing tip, it would be to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones. It involves rewriting the negative thought, checking if the negative thought is true, and replacing it with a positive or balanced thought.
I believe anyone can write themselves a new story by changing their attitude and perspective in life.

Sometimes The Only Way Out Is Through

Robert Frost echoed this famous wisdom in a poem he wrote in 1914 it was called “A servant to Servants.” It reminds us that running away from hard things does not work. Instead, facing our problems head-on is a true path to healing and growth.

I was reminded of this recently. I have been praying for God to show me why my mother treated me so badly when I was a child. I have struggled with this for years. I had no way to learn why on my own, but I had faith that God would prepare a way. Recently I received the reason. I finally have closure on that part of my life. She did it because she was ashamed of the Native American heritage on her side of the family. I recently wrote that I found my Native American bloodline with the help of an ancestry website. Once I learned everything, it started falling into place. Another path in my life closed and I can heal.

When we face our hardships we can stop delaying the pain. Pushing our problems away only hides them for a little while.

One thing I’ve learned is that going through hard times teaches us how to handle the next one. I believe there is a purpose to our path in life: growing, learning, and connecting with others. It helps us face hard times and gives us a reason to keep moving forward.

Destroying Strongholds In Your Mind

Cottonwood Canyon -Utah

Did you know that our minds are a battlefield. And that Satan try’s to set up strongholds within them.

The truth is, God and Satan are not equals. Yet strongholds are real.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 states, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high things that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captive to the obedience of Messiah.”

Our strongholds are fortified places. They are, according to the Bible, false arguments and lofty opinions that counter God’s truth. They are areas where we are in bondage that affect our thinking in the worst way. When we believe these false arguments, a terrible thing happens -we develop a new false way of thinking that captures every thought.

It is easy to see why the Apostle Paul tells believers to take every thought captive to obey Jesus.

God wants us to think like His Son because we should have the mind of Jesus. He doesn’t want us to allow Satan to set strongholds in our minds, because these false arguments can become our new way of thinking. Satan’s lies only brings nasty habits that cannot be unbroken until we recognize that we’ve believed false arguments.

Satan lies because he wants us to doubt God and continue down a path of habits that will hurt us. A stronghold opens the door to life sucking habits. But, God provides a way out.

I came from a home that was plagued with negativity. Satan attacked every one in that home. One brother who had everything going for in life turned to drugs and was later murdered. Another brother drowned on a boy scout trip because he wasn’t being watched closely, my step-brother was a sexual predator, one brother I have lost touch with, one day he just left the house and I haven’t seen him since. My sister lives about 4 hours away and we hardly speak. I’m telling you this not to feel sorry for me but as an of what Satan can do through strongholds in our minds. Satan ruins lives and he does it through our minds. He sneaks in and tells us lies to build strongholds that causes us to sin and run away from God.

God empowers us to change. He empowers us to change for the better.

Too many people think they have to stop sinning to choose God as their Savior. God knows we are flawed, and He knows Satan’s tactics. And He still accepts us because He loves us and wants to help us change. I’m not going to lie and tell you it’s easy because it’s not. We have to choose God every day, and we will still sin, but that’s what “The Last Supper” was for. To take communion, ask for forgiveness, and turn from that sin.

Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Relying on Jesus’s strength we can smash the strongholds in our minds and see victory.

We need to see ourselves as God sees us – accepted, blessed, forgiven, chosen, His precious children. And to accept the truth that we are completely loved now and that we cannot earn God’s favor because we have it now.

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

There’s no doubt we live in a physical world and a spiritual world. And Satan and his demons want to stop all people from believing in Jesus, and if that doesn’t work, stop believers from growing spiritually in Jesus and stop them from enjoying the abundant life God has for us.

John 10:10 tells us, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly.”

I believe there is a spiritual war going on, and we are seeing the effects of that war on earth. The spiritual war is raging around us now and Satan wants to set up strongholds in our minds to keep us from embracing God’s liberating truth. Satan wants us to believe hid lies and paralyze us.

But, the beautiful news is because of what Jesus has done we will be victorious.

Satan tries to one up God Almighty. But he’s a defeated foe, he wants to steal our joy, peace, and destroy any belief in God we have.

What Is A Basic Skill Most People Don’t Know How To Do

I think most people lack basic cooking skills. In America most people rely on restaurants or fast food rather than learning to cook anything from scratch. When I was in high school in the 80’s all the girls were required to take a “Home Economics” class where we were taught the basics of cooking and all the boys were required to take a “Shop” class that taught practical trade skillls, and managed dangerous machinery. I wish they would bring that back into our schools.

Who Is A Fictional Character I Relate To The Most

I admit I don’t know about too many fictional characters because I don’t often watch or read fiction. But the one that comes to mind is “Shrek” because he hides a kind, loyal, deeply insecure heart behind a tough exterior, and he is stubborn.

There Are Three Kinds Of Birds In Life

There is a perfect analogy I listened to the other day that speaks volumes by John Hope Bryant that I want to share with you.

There are three types of people, like three types of birds. There are eagles; there are buzzards; and there are turkeys.

  1. Eagles:

Eagles don’t fly in packs. You have never seen a flock of eagles.

Eagles are high altitude birds, but they are not arrogant or pumped up. They are not full of themselves. They don’t have to be. They are who they are.

In human terms, they are reasonably comfortable in their own sky. There is power in that alone.

Eagles raise their children differently.

An eagles nest is made of sharp little twigs. The message is if you get big enough, where you start bumping up against the inside of those twigs… it’s time for you to go out and get a job. You cannot be 45 years old, and living with your mother.

Eagle parents literally push and prod their little ones to get out of the nest, and to learn how to fly on their own. They recognize that they cannot protect them for the rest of their lives. They have got to grow up.

An eagle is not afraid to take the road less traveled.

An eagle lives with a certain level of intentionality. A what I’m for kind of bird.

2. Buzzards

Buzzards are a completely different sort of bird. Buzzards love packs. Buzzards are low altitude birds.

Buzzards are always stepping on your head, to elevate themselves.

Buzzards are always player-hating, and never player-congratulating. They always have something negative to say about somebody.

But John says he can find respect for people like buzzards, because at least they are consistent with who they think they are. They really believe that this is who they really are -Bottom feeders.

They are not playing a game with others and he can respect that, even if they are not his cup of tea.

But there is anether sort of bird, which is actually worse.

3. Turkeys

Turkeys are the worse kind of people. Because a turkey is actually trying to be something they are not.

A turkey has wings, and they can’t even fry. They fly in short bursts, rather than long distant travel.

If we’re going to be leaders we have to deal with these difficult consistencies, both positively and effectively. We must learn to step over the mess and not in it.

At the same time we need to give live, grace, and even forgiveness, even when getting absolutely nothing in return.

No one wakes up in the morning and just says, “I want to create a wonderful life or business. It requires that we become purposeful. And become rainbows, after storms.

We need to learn to successfully manage pain. Because in that pain is where we create ourselves.

We need to be able to say with absolute confidence and inner comfort. “I would rather someone respect me and learn from me, than to like me, and never respect me.”

Do You Think Everything Happens For A Reason

I think that there is a purpose for every path in life. So, yes everything happens for a reason due to prior causes and our choices give life meaning. We control our direct actions and responses to the events we face.

The Hidden Realm: Understanding The Spiritual Realm In Daily Life

The Bible describes the spiritual realm, as an invisible, eternal reality that exists alongside our physical world. It is populated by God, angels, and demonic forces, and directly influences human lives. Humanity is seen as a bridge between the physical and spiritual.

The spiritual realm is the ultimate reality. 2 Corinthians 4:18 tells us, “While we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

I believe the hidden realm is getting easier to see the difference of spiritual and the physical with everything going on in our world today.

The spiritual realm is populated by spiritual beings. The Bible frequently speaks of God’s dwelling place and invisible entities. This includes holy angels as ministering spirits. Hebrews 1-14 says, “Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” And as well as Satan and demons. Ephesians 6:13 says, “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” There is a spiritual conflict described as engaging in spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:12 notes that a believer’s struggle is not against man but against spiritual forces of evil.

Understanding the importance of the hidden realm and how it affects what is going on around us makes things a little clearer.

Yet so many focus on how they spend their day, or their to-do lists, and all the things we do, with no thought for what is going on in the hidden realm. They focus on things that will waste away rather than the eternal.

Home Decoration Styles

Our decoration style says a lot about our inner personalities, showing traits like where we value calm simplicity, creative freedom, or historical comfort.
One could walk into my home and it would be like they walked into a time capsule of the 1990’s. It’s cozy with a wood panel wall, a wall of all but 90’s stereo and television theater stystem, with round armed furniture.