PUSH THROUGH

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (New Living Translation)

 ¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

It is not always easy to do the three things in this passage. Sometimes things in this life are hard. They can start to wear you down physically, mentally and eventually spiritually. No matter how bad the circumstances get, these three things in our lives should not change. When we continue living the way we should and doing the things GOD wants us too, HE will help us. We will start seeing our problems in a new way. Your circumstance may not change but how you see it will. Why? Because GOD is there with you and will see you to the other side of it.


So...keep on pushing through and be thankful for everything good the LORD has done for you.


P...PRAY
U...UNTIL
S...SOMETHING
H...HAPPENS

Psalm 118:28-29

Psalm 118:28-29 (New Living Translation)

28 You are my God, and I will praise you!
You are my God, and I will exalt you!
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.

Revelation 3:20

Do you remember the old Mervyn's commercial where the lady is standing outside the door saying...OPEN...OPEN...OPEN!!? It reminds me of a verse in the New Testament;

Revelation 3:20 (New International Version)

20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

I remember as a child my parents having a picture of JESUS standing at the door knocking. So, when the commercial popped in my head this picture immediately came to mind. I could imagine hearing JESUS whispering...let ME in...let ME in...let ME in. Let ME into your heart...your mind...your soul. HE is whispering because HE doesn't try to bully HIS way into your heart. HE wants you to want HIM. To hear HIS call and respond without feeling afraid.

Sometimes people are so busy having fun in the world...partying...making money...accumulating possessions...they think they don't have time for GOD. The sad thing is, many times Christians also get involved with things of this world and forget about everything that JESUS did for them when HE died on the cross. They forget that the worldly things that have become important to them mean nothing in eternity. JESUS has to knock on our hearts door also, just to remind us that HE is there waiting for us. HE is patient and HE will continue to knock to get our attention. We have to decide to listen to HIS voice and get back to what's important...living for HIM. Whenever you feel that little nudge, pay attention. It could be JESUS knocking at your door...whispering, "Remember me? I'm here waiting." You have to make the decision to open that door back up to commune with HIM.

Once you open it, put a doorstop in place. Talk to him all the time...hourly is good. Read HIS word everyday. Go to church and be with other Christians. Communicate with Christian friends. When you start trying to do it by yourself...the door may slowly start to close. Stay close to HIM and HE will stay close to you.

Psalm 100

Psalm 100 (The Message)
A Thanksgiving Psalm
1-2 On your feet now—applaud God! Bring a gift of laughter,
sing yourselves into his presence.

3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
He made us; we didn't make him.
We're his people, his well-tended sheep.

4 Enter with the password: "Thank you!"
Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
Thank him. Worship him.

5 For God is sheer beauty,
all-generous in love,
loyal always and ever

I like this version of Psalm 100. Get on your feet and applaud GOD!!! HE saved us...redeemed us...blesses us everyday...HE deserves our praise!! I know that I am guilty of not praising HIM as much as I should. Things happen and sometimes you just forget to say thank you. We need to make it a habit...maybe once an hour...to just stop and tell HIM thank you for being with us and give HIM some praise. HE loves us and wants us to be close to HIM. That is one way we can...by praising HIM!

Psalm 107:1-2

Psalm 107:1-2 (The Message)
1-2 Oh, thank God—he's so good! His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how he freed you from oppression,

Even though I only put the first two verses here you should read the whole Psalm. It talks about four different types of people and how GOD rescued them...the wanderers...prisoners...sick...and storm-tossed. I can find myself in this Psalm. In my study Bible it says for verses 17-20 that...Fools and rebels surely bring trouble upon themselves. But...There is hope for those who have messed up there lives!! You just have to receive GOD'S free gift...forgiveness!

In one way or another we all mess up our lives. But, when we finally figure it out and turn to GOD, HE is faithful to do what HE says HE will do and forgive us. I am so thankful that I have received that forgiveness. GOD is a great and awesome GOD and HE loves us all very much. I am so thankful that HE has set me free! If HE has done the same for you tell someone about it. GOD wants to rock their world just like HE rocked yours!!

If you haven't received HIS forgiveness in your life there is a prayer at the top of this blog. Pray it and mean it and you can experience HIS forgiveness. You won't ever be the same again!!

Psalm 150

Here's the honest truth about this post today. I really didn't have much to say but I knew that GOD wanted me to post this Psalm. So I put in on here thinking that I wasn't going to write anything, just post the Psalm and close the blog. Then GOD started talking. HE said, You can do all of these things. Praise me in every way possible in front of other people. Say all the praiseworthy things you say to each other...sing, clap and raise your hands. But, if you really...deep down...don't mean it with every breath you have...it is all for nothing. We have to remember not to praise HIM just for show.

Sometimes we may be a little down, upset or anxious about things, and have a hard time getting into praising HIM. I think that is different. That's when you need to praise HIM anyway...with every breath you have. When you make yourself praise HIM even when you don't feel like it, HE will bless you for that. Before you know it you will be wanting to praise HIM and you will feel better.

One thing I have learned since starting this blog is that it is not just mine to do and say as I please with. GOD is the one that wanted me to do a blog and HE is the one in charge of what I write. So even though I didn't want to write anything HE is always in control and always knows what is best.

Psalm 150 (New Living Translation)

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
2 Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Ephesians 5:19-20

Ephesians 5:19-20 (Amplified Bible)

19 Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord,
20 At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

I think this verse tells us exactly what we should do at all times no matter what our circumstances are. Nothing I could write would say it any better or make it any plainer. Read the word of GOD. It says it all!!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (New Living Translation)
18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Today, I had to make a choice to be thankful. At first it wasn't an easy choice. Tuesday night I had taken Zach, my dog, to the Dr. because he had a tumor under his jaw. They said it may be cancer, but they didn't know, so they scheduled surgery for next week and we went home. So, this morning I went to work and after being there just an hour had to go home because the tumor had broken open. I took him back to the Vet and they said they would remove it today. Of course I was somewhat stressed and the first thing that came to mind was the fact that I had started writing about "praise and thanksgiving" the night before. I proceeded to ask GOD how HE expected me to write about that subject, and to actually mean it, when this was now happening? HE didn't answer me...why should HE? Like this verse says..."Be thankful in all circumstances"...I just had to get there! After a couple of minutes of a pity party I realized I did indeed have things to be thankful for. Like I wrote last night...I had to think about positive things. I have a job so I can pay for all of this...a great boss who let me leave to take Zach to the Vet...great friends who cared that I was having a bad day...so many more things that I can't even begin to list them all. And my dog Zach...he made it through the surgery. He doesn't like me much right now because he is in pain but he will get better. I am just praying that it is not cancer.

As a Christian we should remain thankful regardless of our circumstances. It's not always easy but, if we continue to thank GOD for what we have and praise HIM even when we are having problems, HE will help us through them. Sometimes you just have to tell the devil to get out of your head and quit filling it with all the negative thoughts that are so easy to have.

This old chorus just came to mind. I hope I am remembering it right.

Praise HIM
Praise HIM
Tell of HIS excellent greatness

Praise HIM
Praise HIM
Ever in joyful song

Philippians 4:8

This week...actually today...I have set a new goal for myself. That is to thank GOD, and praise the LORD, for a least one different thing in my life everyday. That could be difficult some days because I have noticed that lately I can tend to be on the negative side a bit. Which is probably the reason I will be doing this. GOD seems to lead me into things for growth and maturity even when I'm not looking for them...especially when I'm not!! I am also going to try to post a verse having to do with Praise or Thankfulness everyday. Sometimes I will write something to go with it and sometimes I may not. Here is the verse for today.

Philippians 4:8 (New Living Translation)

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

We need to ask GOD to help us focus on these things. That can be hard at times. There are things that you read, see, and hear everyday that are not things you should think about. We don't have a choice about everything that goes into our minds but we do have a choice about some things. We need to guard our minds as much as we can. One thing we can do is counteract the bad things with good things. Pray and read GOD'S word everyday, listen to Christian music or radio programs. Replace things that are questionable in your life with things of GOD. Be a good steward of your time, your actions and your thoughts. When I became a Christian I remember that my friend would quote this verse to me all the time. I'm glad she did because over time I learned to do what it says and that usually helps me to keep a more positive attitude.

My praise for today is for Christian friends in my life. Sometimes just by talking to them...whether in person, by phone or even e-mail...things seem to get brighter!! Thank You GOD for Christian friends in my life!!

Bless them all!!

GRACE...Undeserved Mercy

Romans 3:3-4 talks about...No matter what I do, GOD is faithful. I fail HIM everyday, I fail HIM many times an hour, but HE never fails me. For me, everyday when I wake up it's a new day. I try and I fail...I fail and GOD is faithful to forgive me.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (New Living Translation)

22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Romans 3:5-8 talks about God's righteous character and how we twist it around to make it sound like it's okay for us to sin. We tend to take GOD'S grace for granted and just think...It's okay if I do that because GOD is so loving HE will just keep on forgiving me. I don't think it's that easy. If we keep on doing the same sin over and over, expecting that GOD will just overlook it, because it's HIS nature to forgive, we better look out!! Sin drives us further and further from GOD whenever we persist in it. At what point do we go to far. Eventually our sin will separate us from GOD. It's not always easy to find your way back...but, it's not impossible. GOD is full of grace for us.

I like what Chuck Swindoll writes..."Every time we make the choice to sin we are harming someone. Either ourselves or someone that's in our path. Worse though is the fact that we make GOD grieve. When we sin it separates us from HIM. But HE loves us so much that all we have to do is ask for HIS forgiveness. As soon as we do that HE extends HIS grace to us and forgives us."

GOD'S grace is available to us anytime we ask Him for it. GOD'S grace provides everything we need to make it through life. We are alive because of GOD'S grace. We are all sinners saved by the grace of GOD.

Kay Arthur writes..."For the victorious Christian, the one who lives as more than a conqueror, grace is more than a theological term. Grace is a reality, a fact of life. It is by grace that one becomes a Christian, and it is by grace that one lives the Christian life."

2 Corinthians 12:9 says
9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

"Righteous" is defined as "guiltless".

Romans 3:10
10 As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
not even one.

I know I'm not guiltless...I sin everyday. People in general are unacceptable before GOD because we are all sinners. We all hurt people's feelings, get angry when people don't agree with our way of thinking, think things we shouldn't...we are all guilty.None of us are innocent. We can't fix this on our own. We have to ask JESUS to forgive us. Then we have to seek after HIM ...search HIM out...and then believe HIM. In Chuck Swindolls book on Romans he says..."Those who respond to GOD, as HE revealed himself through JESUS CHRIST, will be declared righteous by grace through faith."

My goal is to become a victorious Christian. I want to be a victorious warrior over the devil. To be a victorious warrior you have to pray and read the word all the time. Immerse yourself in GOD. That is how you will defeat the devil. With the help of the LORD, I can!!

OUT WITH THE OLD

When we become Christians we eventually have to give up our old lives for good. The problem with that is...we have an enemy. The old liar, the devil. But we also have the ONE who is always by our side. In fact we have a whole Trinity...GOD, JESUS, and the HOLY SPIRIT!! They are all there to help us whenever we need help. Let's talk about this...

We have a battle going on "around us" and "in us" all the time. It's been called a spiritual battle...the battle of good and evil...GOD and the devil...also known as "the evil one". We don't always think about there being a battle "around us" because we don't always feel that one. But, we do feel when the battle is going on "inside of us". It seems that you are in turmoil, you may be nervous...jumpy...on edge. At times your health even suffers because of worry, anxiousness, paranoia and doubt. Then the big guns come out and he starts throwing temptations at you. They may be things you have never even thought of before, or they may be things you did in your past. Whatever the case may be, he is throwing them at you hard and fast. Trying to get you so worked up you succumb to whatever they are. Then, if these attacks don't work, he will lie to you like crazy. Telling you it's okay to do the things you used to do. He tells you these things you did aren't that bad and you can do some of them and still serve GOD too. HE'S a forgiving GOD and doesn't mind if you stray a little bit. You will be forgiven, all you have to do is ask! After all...Other Christians are doing these things and they're still doing okay! "But wait" you say, "I have a ministry, what will happen to it?" He just tells you that, "It will be okay, who will know?" So you start thinking...rationalizing...

You keep thinking that maybe the "old liar" is right. No one will know. You have hidden things from everyone before. You know you are good at that!! Maybe it won't hurt...just this one time. You really used to enjoy yourself...had a lot of fun...you weren't quite so boring!! You need to relax...have some fun...live a little!! After all, you have been pretty anxious and jumpy lately. You think you need to do something to calm yourself down. Most of your friends would be okay with it, and the ones that wouldn't be, you just wouldn't tell! But then you start to think that maybe this wouldn't be a good idea. GOD has done so much for you how could you even think of going back to old things. What a disappointment you would be to HIM! GOD sent HIS SON JESUS to die for you. How could you just throw that away? Then there's all your friends that have prayed for you and believed in you. Do you want to disappoint them too? GOD starts working in your heart and your head!! HE has a response for all of this. Paul wrote it down so we could read it whenever we need too...

Ephesians 4:17-24 and 30 (The Message)
The Old Way Has to Go
17-19And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd. They've refused for so long to deal with God that they've lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can't think straight anymore. Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.

20-24But that's no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.
30Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.

You know, when you read this passage, that it is all true. The old way does have to go and it has to go for good. You realize that yes...there will always be temptations...but your SAVIOR will always be there to help you with them. All you have to do is talk to HIM and turn it over to HIM. You don't want to take a chance on giving up your new life in CHRIST. GOD will not turn HIS back on you if you mess up but...you may turn your back on HIM. You ask yourself, "What would you do if you didn't have the LORD in your life anymore?" That's one question I don't even want to have to answer. In fact, I don't even want to think about it!

I think sometimes we give the devil too much credit. He is not as powerful as we let ourselves believe. The devil just wants us to believe that we can't do without the things of our past. He doesn't like what you are doing for GOD. You have become a threat so he has turned up the heat!!

We need to continue to do whatever it is that GOD has set before us. It is wrong of us not to do what we know is right. The LORD will bless our lives as long as we are doing our best for HIM.

James 4:17 (New Living Translation)
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Psalm 84:11 (New Living Translation)
11 For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
from those who do what is right.

There is an answer for all of this...Give GOD total control of your life and don't even think about going back!! Living your life for GOD is the best it can ever get!!

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (The Message)
A New Life
17-20 Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.

THE HELP YOU NEED

Recently I have posted four poems and they have brought a few comments.
This should help tie it all together. These poems represent a lot of different feelings...Pain...Fear...Hopelessness...Torment...Incomplete thoughts. What do you see in these? Have you ever had these feelings and felt like nothing you could do would ever break the chains of bondage wrapped around you? That's what all of these are. Just different forms of bondage in your life. There are a lot of different things that can bring these feelings on. Sometimes they are things you have caused yourself and sometimes they are things that others have done to you. However, that is not what's important. What's important is that there is someone who can help you with all of these things. His name is JESUS.

JESUS came to earth and died for you so that HE could take away all your...Pain...Fear...Hopelessness...Torment...Incomplete, (sketchy), thoughts...anything else that has got a hold on you. All you have to do is ask HIM to forgive you of your sins, thank HIM for doing that, and then live for HIM. He can provide all the help and resources you will ever need to conquer every one of these things and any others you may have. Won't you ask HIM today to help you?

John 3:16
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

Here's a prayer you can pray to accept Jesus as your Savior;
Father God, I know that I am a sinner. Jesus I ask you right now to forgive me of my sins and help me to live for you. Come into my life and help me to live for you. Thank you Jesus for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. Please teach me how to live for you. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Here are some scriptures that can help you if you are experiencing any of the things that I have mentioned.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.

Psalm 30:2-3
LORD my God, I cried out to You,And You healed me.
O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Psalm 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.


1 Peter 5:8-9

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

AGAIN AND AGAIN

Why does it happen
again and again
The pain is so real
your afraid you won't win

You've been here before
nothing has changed
You still don't know why
you're bound up in chains

When will it stop
this pain you know well
You're afraid if it doesn't
you might go to hell

You haven't failed yet
given in to the pain
What can you do
to get away and refrain

You know you need prayer
it's so plain to you
Why don't you just ask
are you really through

Please help me God
I'm stuck in this mess
I need you right now
or I might just regress

SLIPPING

You feel yourself slipping
time and time again
The old self is trying
to see the light again

He keeps pushing and shoving
trying to break out
But you have to fight back
only losers will let him win out

The old fear is back
what will you do
Don't let that old pain
come and consume you

You know what you feel
is not from the LIGHT
Oh why won't HE come
and get you out of this fight

You must keep believing
it's your only chance to survive
Don't give up now
you must fight...fight....fight.......

SKETCHY

Have you ever felt sketchy
your brain in a fog
You look up above
just smog...smog....smog........

That's how it is
at times in your life
Nothing comes together
you feel clouds in your mind

You try and you try
there's just not a good fit
What are you going to do
you need to get out of this pit

Where do you go now
is all you want to know
Back where you started
oh no...there you can't go

You keep plodding ahead
trying to find the right in the wrong
What will you do
if you can't find your song

LOST

Sometimes you get lost
everything has gone wrong
You look all around
but you feel hope is gone

Where did it go
you ask of yourself
You really don't know
but you will try find out

There seems to be things
that are clouding your mind
You look up ahead
but all you see is behind

Things are rushing at you
they fill up your head
It's all to no avail
your thoughts are a junk bed

Life seems all messed up
no help to be found
You seem to be falling
way down...down....down.....

Where do you go now
you ask with a plea
As far as you can
just trying to get away from me

HE IS YOUR LIFE

Colossians 3:1-17 (The Message) He Is Your Life
1-2 So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.

3-4Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

5-8And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It's because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.

9-11Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

12-14So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

15-17Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It speaks to me because sometimes I don't act like I'm living for CHRIST. Take today for instance. I woke up with the attitude of defeat. I was in affect just shuffling along thinking about me and how I didn't like the way things were going...or more accurately...there are things that I want to happen in my life that aren't and I don't like that! I'm sure there is a reason but since I don't know what it is, I was basically "pouting" about it. Once you start going down that path your day gets worse instead of better. By the time I was a few hours into the day I was thinking about things that I could do to "improve" my situation. I started thinking about my "old" life and how possibly that could "improve my attitude" and maybe change the things that aren't going my way. Well, so far I have made all the right choices and remembered what verse three says...My old life is dead. I have a new life with CHRIST and I am thankful for it.

All of this shows me that as Christians we have to stay close to GOD because the devil is out there just waiting for an opportunity to try to pull you back. It seems that some things in life might always be a struggle. They may not come to the surface as often but the devil knows when to throw the temptations back at you to try to lure you in. Everyone has things that the devil tries to use against you. You just have to remind yourself that you are done with that old life. It might not be easy but don't give in too your old ways. Read the WORD and pray. If you have to, suck it up and get help. Ask others to pray for you. The important thing is...not to let the devil win.

Remember...HE is your life!!