Hero in My Eyes

My husband is a very humble man. He will never share those moments in his life where he made a difference, but in all honesty he does it quite a bit. In fact it's one of the things that attracted me to him in the first place. Call it a heart of gold or a path way into his soul, but that is exactly what I saw and continue to see in him every single day.

See he knows all about unconditional love. The kind of love that the Bible speaks of, the kind that would never consider the risks of stepping out to help someone no matter the costs.

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends"

I shared a mini post about this yesterday through my Facebook page because it dawned on me the importance of stepping up and stepping out as believers in Christ. In fact the message was so powerful it carried its way through the entire evening where the Holy Spirit was moving in a big way in my heart. One word Hero.

To give you the back story of what happened yesterday began as a day like the others, nothing out of the ordinary. The phone call from my husband telling me he was finally on his way home after a long day at work. A call to let me know that the clock was ticking and within an hour or so, he should be pulling up in our driveway. But that was not the call I would get.

While we were talking about our decision to attend church last night due to our daughter's illness, he told me he had just witnessed a horrible accident and needed to hang up to call 911. I agreed and texted him that he needed to help and don't worry about being late. Because that is the man he is. He would help, no matter what was involved.

Apparently the man in the SUV had blown a tire while driving in the fast lane, lost control of his vehicle and proceeded to flip his car, a couple of times, ending up on the center divider. My husband along with two other drivers stopped to lend a hand. Two of those men just happened to be an EMT and the other a Paramedic who just happened to have his medical bag with him. Between all three they assessed the man's condition, before attempting to remove him from the vehicle. After being assured it was safe to remove him, they cut him from the vehicle and freed him just as the fire department and ambulance arrived. They transported him and called his wife to ensure her he was safe and being taken to a local hospital.

My husband called when he was leaving just to let me know he was finally headed home, a bit dirty and worse for wear but happy to be able to help and to see this man alive after that horrible accident. It could have gone so much worse.

Did God have any hand in what happened? I know He did.

My husband just happened to be three cars behind him when it happened. The other two drivers just happened to be medically trained, had supplies with them, and stopped to help, the fire truck and ambulance just happened to be heading back up the freeway after dealing with another incident. Some would call it luck, I call it God's Intervention. This man aside from some scratches, would be going home to his family, not being buried in a funeral. He would live another day. Does the message end here?

No, God still had plans in mind. In fact, my husband arrived home in enough time to shower and change so we could make it to church on time. While we were hoping it would be our typical Wednesday night Bible Study, turns out God had other plans. The service that night was a training session for the Harvest Crusade coming to Anaheim, CA in just a couple of weeks. The guest speaker that night was Chad Williams, who shared his amazing testimony of being a Navy SEAL and how God was using him. About how no matter how much Chad achieved in his life it was still empty because God wasn't in it. When he got to the proverbial top of the mountain, there was nothing there. Because God was missing.

In fact he gave his life to Christ at a Harvest Crusade and shared how much that made an impact in his life. In fact he wrote a book about it called SEAL of God. So what is the point of all this?

You have an appointed time in this life to be born and to die. What you do with that dash in between is all up to you. God doesn't barge into your life, He waits to be invited. Without Him, you will continue to climb that corporate ladder and find it lacking. In fact the only thing you'll find when you reach the top is people trying to knock you off. But nothing will fill that longing for happiness you're searching for like Jesus will. NOTHING!

No perfect job!

No perfect family or marriage!

No amount of financial success!

It's a longing in your heart and soul for something more than what this life has to offer. It's about what Christ did for you, taking all the sin in your life, the good, the bad and ugly and bearing that weight of every single sin that would ever be committed past, present and future that day He died on the cross, because He loved us that much, that we were worth dying for, rather than letting us live a life in utter hell.

Heaven and Hell, they are real places.

And one of these days, the math is simple, we will all wind up in one of those places.

I know for sure, where I will end up, do you?

If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ into your life, if you are simply waiting for another moment, if you aren't saying yes, then by default, you are saying no.

While that man today lived because of the efforts of God and the men who were willing to stop, he may not have been so lucky. Death can happen in the blink of an eye, and if you're waiting for the right moment, guess what, it is NOW!

You didn't wind up here by accident, God has a plan and purpose for you! He loves you with a love you will never find on this earth. He loves you enough that He wants you to spend an eternity with Him and the rest of the believers in Heaven when this life ends.

The people that wind up in Hell are there by their own choice. Like I said before, God doesn't barge in, He waits to be invited and let me tell you, that once you invite Him in, your life will never be the same again. You will be filled with the love of God and you will never need anything else in your life. The climb for meaning ends with satisfaction that you are loved unconditionally and saved like the masterpiece He created you to be.

Are you ready to accept God into your life?

It's super easy and if you mean it with your whole heart, you will never have to worry about where you will spend an eternity.

Simply say this outloud and don't worry what anyone else thinks. This is between you and God. Your life is literally on the line here. The one that matters. Your eternal life.

Lord Jesus,

I know I'm a sinner, but I thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and rising again from the dead.
I'm sorry for my sin, Lord, and I turn from it now, and I put my faith in You.

To be my Savior, my Lord, my God, and my Friend. Thank You, for loving me and calling me, and accepting me, In Jesus Name ~ AMEN!

Now if you prayed that prayer with a whole heart and sincere in your soul, let me be the first to welcome you to the family of Christ. YOU have been completely washed clean and your life begins again today. Here are a couple of things that will encourage you:

1. Get a Bible and begin reading about the Lord you are now serving and part of His family now. Not sure where to start, try the gospel of John. It's a great starting point.

2. Being praying. Don't worry about how it sounds, its simply like talking to a friend, but you now have heavenly access to speak directly to God. No need to go through anyone else and His calls never go to voicemail or aren't returned. He's waiting anytime you want to talk and NO ONE is more important than hearing from you.

3. Find a church, and get plugged in and join in the fellowship so you can be encouraged and grow in your relationship as a Christian.

4. Finally, tell others about your decision. It's worth sharing your new birth and you might be surprised at who you will meet that will welcome you with open arms into the family of Jesus.

Congratulations!!! You are now a member of God's Kingdom and you are Eternal!!!

Artificial Additives

I've been noticing a trend lately both in the news and in some of the books I've had the opportunity to read and review and there is so much being written about the additives not only in our food but in the food sources as well. I guess what really hit home for me, was a Science Experiment my niece did for her Science Fair Project involving the things that are in our food we may not even understand. Her experiment involved taking a hamburger from McDonald's, In and Out and one she made from meat at home. She then had them sit on the counter for a month to see what the results were. Within a few days, the homemade burger was the first to mold and begin to breakdown. Next was the In and Out Burger, and after a month, the McDonald's hamburger had shown no difference in all since the first day of the experiment. No mold, no breaking down of the food ingredients. Just the same old burger.

So what does all this have to do with anything?

It shows that the products were are buying aren't necessarily the healthiest options for us, even though we are often led to believe otherwise. Even our wheat and grain products that we used to consume are now being genetically modified to produce more grain and faster yields. So shouldn't this concern us, since we are the ones buying it and consuming it? The answer should be a 100% yes, but to others, as long as it is deemed safe, it should be okay right? Do you know even members of our own government won't eat what they are forcing us to eat. What about the hormones and antibiotics being given to chicken, pork and beef? Isn't that having an effect on our bodies and the increase in the numbers of disease and cancer as well as increases in the rate of obesity? Isn't it much harder these days to lose the weight we are slowly putting on? Is it possible those same additives that they are adding to our food products are slowly fattening us up as well making for an increase in medial care and weight loss products?

Forgive my pun, but isn't this food for thought?

Along the same lines, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are instructed to keep our bodies healthy because they house the Spirit of God, or the Holy Spirit.

1 Corninthians 6:19 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God will your body."

For the believer, the advice is clear. Not only are we supposed to keep our bodies healthy but pure as well. There are additives in this world that are seeking to desrory us and defile our temple. We are warned that if we continue in the pursuit of these pleasures, we will have no place in the kingdom of God.

Just like the nutritional labels warn us what is in our foods we consume, so does the Bible have a list of things we should stay clear of. So what should we be on the look out for?

1 Corinthians 6:9-11:

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexual immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God. 

Verse 13b ~ "The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 

Verse 16-17 ~ "Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, 'The  two will become one flesh. But he who united himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." 

So as believers in Jesus, we need to make sure our lifestyle reflects the Spirit dwelling within us. We need to do whatever it takes to ensure we are walking on the narrow path instead of accepting what the world has to offer. In the long run, the benefits will definitely outweigh the risks. 

God Doesn't Exist, Retard

"God doesn't exist, retard."

Hard to believe that I had accurately predicted that after my latest book review on Saturday, I would be targeted. I was right.

Since I became a blogger back in 2009, I knew the power of the written word. Being a Christian, carried its own set of targets, and when you put the two together, especially when the world doesn't agree with your opinions, persecution would undoubtedly follow.

Just this Saturday I was faced with the dilemma of how to write a book review on a book I requested, but was mislead, that didn't agree with my religious beliefs. In my eyes, I had two choices.

To write a honest review.

Or to write the publisher and tell them I couldn't write the review based on my own personal beliefs.

I've even read Christian authors who have targeted book reviewers, even Christian book reviewers to not post reviews on sites like Amazon and Barnes and Noble because those less than favorable reviews have an overall impact on their novels rating.

I can agree to a point.

God does call me to be accountable to what I think, what I say and what I do.

He also stated in His Word, the Bible, that when you go against the world, persecution will follow. If I was mislead by the synopsis I received, couldn't someone else follow suit?  Consider the words found in James 1:2 ~ "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,"


What benefit is there if you don't tell it like it is? Without being too critical and watching your choice of words and what you will say. In fact, I sat for quite awhile and really considered what and how I would write in my review.

I couldn't let someone else make the mistake and pick up a book dealing with the issue of gay marriage and not say something. So I wrote what I felt was a very heartfelt review. I did not say anything hateful and expressed that the reason for my unfavorable rating was based on my Christian beliefs and thus others might have a different review of the book if they don't find the subject matter offensive. I did.

In this country, we are allowed the ability to speak our minds even if our opinions differ. Yet is there any reason to drop to the level of leaving nasty, critical comments and resort to calling names?

I already knew the heat I would take in writing this review. In fact, if you want to read it, please click here. 

I even told my husband, I would be a huge target from people who didn't like what I hate to say, not based on an honest review, but that I didn't agree with gay marriage as a believer in Jesus Christ. Thus the comment I received on my blog yesterday that has become the title of this post.

Rather than chose to debate the merits of this issue and with what I knew would become a blog post filled with hate comments and less likely to deal with the real issue, I chose to delete it.

I knew it was coming and more than likely there will be more to come.

Yet, I hold fast to the truth that God shares with us as believers in Christ, that we will be targeted and persecuted for simply stating the truth. I didn't write the law, God did. If He says gay marriage isn't part of His design for marriage, then I challenge those to take it up with God when you see Him, and we all will some day. I refer to 1 Corinthians 6:9 from the New Living Translation ~ "Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,"


I guess the point of this comment was not targeted to me, per say, but to God. Obviously someone doesn't believe He exists. If we, as believers in the Bible, accept everything that is in it, then this isn't something we should entertain our minds or thoughts on. We can't pick and chose what we like in the Bible and toss out what we don't agree with. It's an all or nothing thing. I chose to accept it all, even the stuff that makes me uncomfortable and squirm, that is just what sin does when called into the light. It makes us uncomfortable but it is still sin and wrong.

I believe that God exists without question, 100% in my mind. 

I believe it with every fiber of my being. I have witnessed the changes in my life through knowing Him, the God of the Bible. And one day, so will everyone else whether you believe in Him or not. Because He does exist.

Does that make me ignorant, bigoted, retarded?

No, it doesn't.

It simply is the truth as I believe it.

I'm not asking you to believe it to, by writing the review I did, nor did I attempt to convert readers to follow Jesus, I simply stated why I felt I couldn't write a more favorable review.

To my fellow Christian bloggers, how do you handle negative comments and feedback? I'd love to hear your opinion. 

There is NO ONE Good Enough to Get to Heaven!

One of my favorite movies that I can watch over and over and never get bored watching is Tombstone with Kurt Russel and Val Kilmer. It conveys the movie version of the Earp brothers and the famous battle at the O.K. Corral. At one point in the movie, it seems like the Earp brothers are on the receiving end of a losing battle. The town of Tombstone has been overrun by a group of notorious gang of cowboys known by the red sashes they wear. They have a disregard for the righteous law and instead seek their own vigilantly style of disbursing judgement where it benefits them them most including keeping most of the town under their proverbial thumb. But things change when Wyatt Earp moves to Tombstone along with his brothers Virgil and Morgan and their wives in hopes of starting a new life..

But like all bad guys, the cowboy's don't like the law that the Earp brothers want to enforce in town and soon things get out of hand when Morgan is shot and killed, and Virgil is wounded so much that he can no longer act as Sheriff of Tombstone. Wyatt believes that it is based on his willingness not to take a stand as sheriff leaving his brothers with no choice but to right the wrongs. The movie takes a dramatic turn when the remaining Earp brothers pack up all their belongings and high tail it out of town, leaving the cowboys to their own brand of justice once again. In fact they mock the Earp families on their way out of Tombstone.

But that is not where it ends by a long shot. You know that Wyatt Earp, a notorious lawman quick with his guns isn't about to let this go without a justice being disbursed. In fact, one of my favorite lines of the movie is when Wyatt is about to board the train out of town with his family when the cowboys attempt one final ambush on the Earp's and Wyatt and his cohorts come out of the shadow and kill them all except for one man, Ike Clanton. He cautions him to take a message back to the rest of the cowboys, "you tell em' I'm comin', and hells comin' with me!"

And so begins Wyatt's cleasing of the earth of all the cowboys wearing red sashes and taking back all the unrighteousness they have been wrecking upon the towns they oversee.

But there is a day coming on earth, when God will do just the same to the inhabitants that are left here that didn't take the short cut to heaven by believing in the salvation of Jesus Christ before the rapture of the church. Now when the Tribulation is about to be unleashed, God's only reason for doing this is pretty much just like Wyatt's. He has given them all plenty of opportunity to repent, meaning stop doing wrong, accept Jesus Christ as salvation and follow Him. God is so patient and merciful, because He doesn't want anyone to perish.

Yes, even all those child killers, wife beaters, murderers and people you can't help but believe are so evil everyone else looks like a saint in comparison. That is the reason we shouldn't be glad when we hear people say, "I can't wait for God to judge that person, I hope he goes to Hell!" Or "They will get what they deserve one day, I just hope God comes back now!" We shouldn't rejoice over anyone being judged by God and cast away from His presence.

Every one of us deserves such judgement, but he has shown mercy to us in Christ and allowed us to experience his forgiveness and salvation. It is His nature, (meaning God's) to love and to forgive. He doesn't want to judge people but He must. Why must God judge people?

Because God is not only loving, but He is also righteous and holy. He cannot look at sin. Habakkuk 1:13 says of God, "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing."(NIV)

This is the reason for Jesus Christ to come to earth and die for our sins. Because if He didn't, God couldn't stand to see us stand in His presence. It is only through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ that when we accept what He has done for us, and ask for forgiveness of our sins, we become covered by the blood of Jesus. God no longer sees us as sinful, but saved. God required blood sacrifices to atone for all sins and when Jesus came He paid the price for ALL of our sins, past, present and future.

But only those of us that have accepted the gift of Jesus Christ's sacrifice and salvation that ONLY comes through a belief in Him will have the gift of heaven when we breathe our last breath here. There is NO other way!

We can never be good enough to get to heaven on our own, no matter what kind of godly lives we live. How do I know that for a fact, it's simple. The Bible states it as truth. In Romans 3:10 "As it is written: THere is no one righteous, not even one." (NIV)

Every person believes that they are good but others aren't. How do we determine what is good, we have to take the Bible's stand for what being good means. Otherwise the standards we set for what is good is up for debate. One person has their opinion and someone else believes something different That is why we need the absolute truths the Bible defines as the standards in which we all must measure up to. Getting to heaven isn't about being good enough, on our own merits, it's only through being forgiven. Those are the only people you will find in heaven. Those that have found forgiveness in Jesus Christ, and in Him ALONE!

God takes no pleasure in judging the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11 states, "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their wicked ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!" (NIV)

It is not too late, but it will be one day. Don't you want the assurance of going to heaven when you die? Don't you want to know without a shadow of a doubt that when this life ends, it won't be THE END? All you have to do is believe that Jesus Christ was God's only Son, sent here to save you through His death on the cross. That He rose again on the third day and now sits in Heaven. Ask Him to come into your life and to forgive you of your sins. .Turn away from the sinful life you were living and instead ask Him for help to live a godly life. Without Him, you can't do this on your own! In Jesus name, AMEN!

If you sincerely prayed that prayer with your whole heart and meant it, I want to welcome you to your future home when this life is done. Who knows when the rapture of the church will happen, but if it comes after you prayed this prayer, you won't be here to see Hell coming to Earth. You will be in heaven safe from the Tribulation that is coming. When is it coming? The Bible says no man knows the day, but it will come. Don't wait until it's too late. You never know when your number will be up! Have that assurance today! If you don't take God up on this opportunity today, you are rejecting His offer by not making a choice. Hopefully you will make the right one. In fact, I have prayed if you have found your way here today, it is not by accident. God is calling your name. He is calling you to come to Him! Try Jesus, there is NO other way!

Six Inches for Jesus

"Just remember, six inches for Jesus!"

That saying has lasted in my mind since first hearing it during Michael's 16th birthday party from his sister, Danielle, a young women that is wish beyond her 17 years! She was explaining that some of her dating friends seemed to be glued to the hips and to help avoid unnecessary temptation, she reminds them to remain six inches away from one another, six inches for Jesus in order to stay spiritually and physically pure until marriage.

Wise advice indeed and one I have quoted more than once to my daughter who has just begun to date her first boyfriend and both of them wishing to stay pure until marriage. But temptation is hard at times. Is six inches really enough?

But where does temptation even come from?

Satan wants to undermine our faith by using various deceptive schemes to entice us to sin, sowing within us the seeds of doubt, unbelief and rebellion. Two of his very powerful temptations were those of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, in which he achieved his purpose, and of Jesus in the wilderness, in which he failed. These two instances show that Satan's favorite device is to tamper with the word of God.

The Bible encourages Christians to stand firm in the faith and to watch out for temptation. God promises to help us resist temptation, and He assures us that He will not allow temptation beyond what we can endure. As our compassionate and sympathetic high priest, Jesus, who has experienced human temptation, is ready to bring our prayers for strength in times of temptation before the Father.

Temptation must not be confused with God's testing of our faith as a way of strengthening it, for God never entices us to sin against Him. When faced with confusion of what to do, consider what God's Word says about anything. His Word is 100% reliable about any decision that goes against what He has commanded.

Remember our thought life will be the first the enemy will attempt to attack. He will try and convince us that there is no harm in simply talking to that "friend" at work of the opposite sex about the problems you are facing in your marriage, that there is nothing the Bible teaches that you can't go into a bar and have a few drinks as long as you stay in control, or visit that website just to check things out. But remember, it's to gain a foothold in your life, because our thoughts lead us to compromising actions that will eventually get us into hot water and cause us to get into more trouble than ever before.

Joseph went faced with Potipher's wife tempting him in the palace, ran so fast, he left his cloak behind. That is precisely what we need to do in order to walk along the path God has laid out before us so perfectly. It is a war we must wage daily and one we must never take for granted thinking we are above being tempted. That is just where the enemy would love for you to keep thinking those thoughts.

So back to the original question to keep you from your temptation, is six inches for Jesus enough? It might be, but if it isn't do WHATEVER it takes to distance yourself from that temptation. Don't visit a bar if alcohol is too tempting. Don't browse the internet if websites are too tempting, if someone you work with is your temptation, transfer to another position or department and if necessary, quit and find a different job. The point is wherever you have to go to stay on God's path, GO, RUN!!!

For some six inches isn't enough, but moving into a different city or state might be, but the simple truth the lies behind the saying, "Six inches for Jesus!" certainly can inspire us to remain diligent when facing whatever temptations the enemy tries to send our way.

Thanks to Danielle Vega for my inspiration for this post!!!

"When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me," For God cannot be tempted by evil, not does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, give birth to sin. Don't be deceived dear brothers." ~ James 1: 13-16

For the Audience of One!

Whenever you have to do anything difficult, it is nice to have someone on your side.

To encourage you.

To cheer you on.

To let you know you're not alone.

Even parents know just how important this is. Go to any sporting event or a school performance and you will see parents, friends and others cheering for you. It helps boost our confidence. It provides an ally when facing things that seem overbearing and downright difficult. Parents understand just how important it is to build a good foundation of self esteem in their child because society as a whole can bring it down so quick with a harsh word or even a sneering look.

Even in this life, believers understand that more than anyone. Often times we stand alone. Against the odds. The lone man on the totem pole. Taking a stand.

But what difference can one person make?

For those who have been encouraged and saved by the efforts of just one person, it was more than enough.

Look at the Jewish Holocaust and you can see how one person made a difference.

Hilter made a difference in attempting to eliminate the Jewish people or those that supported them. He was one man, but with the support of many was able to unleash unparalled terror during World War II.

In the same situation, there were countless people who made the difference as well by one person willing to take a risk. Look at the lives of the people who were willing to place their lives on the line, to help smuggle Jewish people to safety. The stories of survivors like Anne Frank and Corrie Ten Bloom convey the actions of just what one person can do.

The actions of any one person can have far reaching impacts than just what they do at that moment. They can either serve to make this world a better place or make it worse. But the choice is up to us.

Look at the ripples the lives of people like Walt Disney, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Billy Graham and Albert Einstein have made in the world and how their contributions continue helping people. Imagine what would have happen if they opted to let someone else do something? Oh how different things might be today.

Today you have a choice. to do something. To smile at any person you meet today. To step out of your comfort zone and make an effort to make someday's day better. To stop pretending you don't see that homeless person holding that sign asking for help. To chose to volunteer at your church instead of keeping that pew warm on Sunday morning and letting someone else do it. To help out where you can, and stop believing that YOUR actions won't make a difference because it does.

As believers in Jesus Christ, it is our duty to do SOMETHING! We can not sit back and think our actions won't make a difference. We are to run for the audience of One; we are to run for Jesus.

Hebrews 11: 1-3 ~"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that YOU will NOT grow weary and lose heart." (NIV)

He not only waits for us to finish our race in this life at the heavenly finish line, but He is with us every step of the way. Imagine what you could accomplish if you simply believed you could do ANYTHING! You will never know until you are willing to take that first step.

Who will you run for today?

Just How Involved Do You Want to Get?

Picture Credit: Pic taken from www.cheo36@deviantart.com

Today was a day, I had seen coming for quite some time. While I can't go into specific details about what prompted this post, it made me realize just what a daily battle we face every single day. When stuff happens in our lives, in our neighborhoods, in our country, we all want things to change, but when confront with the question just how involved do you want to get, we shy away. We want someone else to step up and be the strong one who will stand unwavering in the face of what's to come. The person who might have to face going to court to testify against someone, the person who might have to point to someone in a line up, the person who has to make that first initial call. But when asked, we want to remain uninvolved, anonymous, unknown.

Why is that? What are we so afraid of?

Retaliation if someone finds out it's us that made the call or pointed the finger. The one who turned them in.

What about the safety of those of us willing to stand up for what is right without wearing a gun or badge?

Who will protect us when things end badly, if they do at all?

We've seen enough of the news stories or watched courtroom drama's to see how it can play out. The witness testifies but soon they or someone they love winds up on the short end of the proverbial stick.

That is why I believe people need to stand up to what they fear.

If God is for us, who can be against us.

Don't we trust Him enough to rely on His protection, His army of warriors to watch over us day and night?

We, as Christians, believers in Jesus Christ, need to begin to take more risks.

To stand up for those without a voice, who need our help. For those injustices taking place in our homes, our neighborhoods, and in our country. We need to stand up and get involved. We need to let those around us know that we will not simply smile and wave and hope someone else will do it.

God has called us to a daily battle. One not found in the battlefields but in the spiritual world. We need to arm ourselves with His armor and begin to wage the war on our knees.

Lately I've been dealing with spiritual battles in my dreams. I've been committing more of God's Word to my memory in the battle I face at night. At first I woke up in great fear because it was so real and I haven't had those feelings since I was on the verge of becoming a believer. Where I was held bound by a force so evil that movement and speech was impossible. Only remembering what I needed in order to be free and to call on the name of Jesus Christ as a believer was the only way I was able to be set free.

There is power in that Christians!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand". ~ Ephesians 6: 10-13

I only fear the world is going to get worse and we will be called to action like never before. Let us go boldly into the fight, but let us remember that we are just passing through this world and this is not our permanent home.

So when you get the call asking just how involved do you want to get what will you do? How involved will you get?