IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES

 MY MOTHER WOKE ME UP THIS MORNING BEFORE SHE LEFT FOR WORK AND TOLD ME THAT SHE LOVED ME.  ONCE I GOT UP, I CHECKED MY PHONE FOR MESSAGES AND TEXTS.  THREE OTHER PEOPLE WHO MEAN ALOT TO ME HAD ALSO BRIGHTENED UP MY DAY WITH WORDS OF LOVE.  I WENT OUTSIDE ONTO THE FRONT PORCH AND WAS GREETED BY A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.  IF I HAD TO CHOOSE A WAY TO WAKE UP, THIS MORNING WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW TO DO JUST THAT.  I WOKE UP TO A PURE EXAMPLE OF LOVE!

OH, BUT, IT WASNT ALWAYS THIS WAY.......

I USED TO WAKE UP ANGRY.  I SLEPT TIL ALMOST NOON AND ONCE I DID GET UP, I WAS LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE.  I WAS SEARCHING FOR MY LOVE OF FALSE HAPPINESS.  I HAD TO FEED MY LOVE OF ADDICTION.  I WOKE UP TO ENDLESS LIES WHICH MY LOVE OF DECEIT HAD CREATED.  I WOKE UP TO A LOVE OF CHAOS, MISERY AND CONFUSION.  I WAS CAUGHT UP IN AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF WHAT I HAD CREATED.  I WAS LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES. 

I WISH WORDS COULD EXPRESS THE CHANGES WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN MY LIFE.  THE MICHELLE MILLER WHO SITS HERE AND WRITES THESE DAILY "NOTES" IS NOT THE SAME MICHELLE MILLER WHO ONCE RIPPED AND RAN.  THE GOOD LORD SAW FIT TO BRING ME TO MY KNEES AND TURN ME AWAY FROM MY PATH OF DESTRUCTION.  HE TRULY PERFORMED A MIRACLE IN MY LIFE.  ALL I HAD TO DO WAS LET HIM.  GOD DOESNT FORCE HIMSELF UPON ANYONE, YET, HE PATIENTLY WAITS FOR US ALL.  OUR LIVES ARE ALL A POTENTIAL TESTIMONY.  HE HAS TURNED MY ENTIRE EXISTANCE INTO A MIGHTY TESTIMONY INDEED!  ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TURN IT ALL OVER TO HIM.  I AM AMAZED EACH DAY BY THE POWER OF THE LORD!  HE HAS SHOWN ME THE TRUE MEANING OF LOVE!  IF HE DID IT FOR ME, HE CAN AND HE WILL DO IT FOR YOU!
  
HEBREWS 12:2  ...LOOKING UNTO JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH
  
MATTHEW 6:33  "BUT SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU"
  
1 CORINTHIANS 13:13  AND NOW ABIDE FAITH, HOPE, LOVE, THESE THREE; BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE

EVEN THE WORDS

I AM A PERSON WHO LOVES "WORDS."  I OFTEN THINK OF AND COME UP WITH SOME PRETTY OFF THE WALL STUFF.  MY DAUGHTER OFTEN WONDERS HOW I COME UP WITH THE THINGS I SAY.  ITS FUN TO PLAY WITH WORDS AND I MAKE FULL USE OF A WIDE VOCABULARY.  I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH "WORDS" ON MY MIND.  I COULDNT WAIT TO SIT DOWN HERE AND WRITE MY "NOTE" ABOUT THE WORDS THAT THE LORD PLACED UPON MY HEART AND IN MY MIND THIS DAY. 

REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE, I FEEL QUITE SURE THAT YOU HAVE HEARD A DESCRIPTION OF HELL.  THE BIBLE HAS MANY SCRIPTURES WHICH TELL US OF ITS HORRORS.  NONE OF THE WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE HELL ARE PLEASANT.  IT IS MOST DEFINITELY A PLACE I NEVER WISH TO GO AND AN EXPERIENCE I NEVER WANNA ENCOUNTER.  EVEN THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT ARE AWFUL.  HELL IS A PLACE OF WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.  IT IS PROMISED TO  BE A PLACE OF TORMENT, SORROW AND EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION.  HELL IS AN ACTUAL GEOGRAPHIC PLACE, A PLACE OF CONTINOUS FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, NEVER TO BE QUENCHED.  PEOPLE IN HELL RECEIVE NO REST AND ARE FORCED TO DWELL IN A BOTTOMLESS PIT WHILE HEARING CRIES OF ENDLESS TERROR.  EVEN READING THE WORDS OF ITS DESCRIPTION CAUSES FEAR.

ON THE OTHER HAND, WORDS DESCRIBING HEAVEN ARE THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.  FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, EVEN THE MOST DESCRIPTIVE WORDS DO NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO DESCRIBING ITS GLORY AND SPLENDOR.  ITS BEAUTY IS BEYOND OUR IMAGINATION.  WE HAVE ALL HEARD OF ENDLESS JASPER, GOLD, GLASS, PEARLS AND EMERALDS.  BUT, IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT A PLACE WHERE THE CRIPPLED AND THE LAME RUN HAPPY AND HEALED.  THE CONCEPT OF HEAVEN BRINGS TO MY MIND RIVERS OF SPARKLING WATER AND BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES.  I CAN ALSO IMAGINE A GLORIOUS REUNION WITH OUR SAVED LOVED ONES WHO WILL SMILE AND WAVE AS WE ENTER THE MAGNIFICANT GATES.  WE WILL ALL SHINE WITH PURE RADIANCE AND WILL WALK IN PEACE AND TRANQUILITY.  EVEN THE WORDS TO DESCRIBE HEAVEN BRINGS JOY TO MY HEART. 
  
WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE OF HEAVEN OR HELL, WHY WOULD ANYONE CHOOSE TO GO TO HELL.  FOR SO LONG, I PAVED MY WAY TO ENDLESS SORROW.  I LIVED LIKE THERE WAS NO TOMORROW AND DIDNT CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY LIFESTLYE.  I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL THAT THE LORD SAW FIT TO REMOVE ME FROM HELL'S HIGHWAY.  NONE OF US ARE PROMISED TOMORROW.  I FEEL QUITE SURE THAT ANYONE SUFFERING THROUGH THE MISERY OF HELL WOULD WARN US OF ITS HORROR.  GOD WANTS US ALL TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN.  I THANK HIM TODAY FOR HIS FORGIVENESS, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCY AND HIS LOVE.  THROUGH ALL THESE THINGS, THE LORD DIRECTS ME TOWARD MY HEAVENLY HOME, WHICH HE HAS SO LOVINGLY PREPARED.  GOD LOVES US ALL SO MUCH.  HE WANTS US ALL TO GO TO HEAVEN.  HE WANTS US TO LIVE BY HIS WORD AND TO BECOME MORE LIKE HIM. 
  
REV 21:4  "AND GOD WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH, NOR SORROW, NOR CRYING.  THERE SHALL BE NO MORE PAIN, FOR THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY"

CLOSED DOORS BECOME OPEN

HERE LATELY, MY LIFE HAS BEEN IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE.  JUST ABOUT EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY AFFECTED.  I CAN REMEMBER A DAY, NOT ALL THAT LONG AGO, IN WHICH I WAS LOST, CONFUSED, DEFEATED AND BROKEN-DOWN.  I HAD BURNED MY BRIDGES AND LIVED IN MISERY AND DEFEAT.  THROUGH THE LOVE AND MERCY OF THE LORD, I AM NO LONGER THAT PERSON WHO LIVED SUCH AN UNHAPPY LIFE.  THE LORD HAS SHOWN ME A NEW WAY OF LIVING AND HAS GIVEN ME A GLIMPSE OF THE HAPPINESS HE HAS IN STORE FOR ME.  MY PAST EXPERIENCES OF HEARTACHE, SORROW, SIN, ANGER AND PAIN LED TO NOTHING BUT CLOSED DOORS.  TODAY IS A DIFFERENT STORY. 

WE HAVE ALL HEARD OR SAID, "GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS."  YES, HE TRULY DOES!  QUITE OFTEN, WE COME UP ON CLOSED DOORS WITHIN OUR LIVES.  NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY, WE CANNOT, BY OUR OWN POWER DO ANYTHING TO OPEN THESE DOORS.  WE SOMETIMES ASK GOD REPEATEDLY TO FOR HELP AND EXPECT HIM TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS.  NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY, AS LONG AS WE ATTEMPT TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS ON OUR OWN, NOTHING WILL CHANGE.  A CLOSED DOOR WILL SIMPLY REMAIN A CLOSED DOOR.  THE CLOSED DOORS IN OUR LIVES ARE OFTEN GOD'S WAY OF TELLING US "NO!"  HE KNOWS WHAT IS BEST FOR US.  HE KNOWS WHAT WE NEED.  HE KNOWS THE FINAL OUTCOME OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR PRAYERS.  SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO ACCEPT GOD'S "NO" IN ORDER TO FIND HIS "YES!"

I AM SO THANKFUL THAT THE LORD HAS SEEN FIT TO START TELLING ME "YES."  DOORS WHICH WERE ONCE SLAMMED SHUT HAVE BEEN RE-OPENED.  THE LORD KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.  EVERY CLOSED DOOR WAS CLOSED FOR A REASON.  THROUGH FAITH IN HIS PROMISES AND BY KEEPING HIS WORD, GOD HAS REWARDED ME OPENLY.  HE HAS CREATED NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND HAS GIVEN NEW DIRECTION TO MY LIFE.  GOD DOES INDEED OPEN DOORS THAT NO ONE CAN LOSE AND WHEN HE OPENS A DOOR, NO ONE CAN CLOSE IT.  IT IS A FACT THAT WHEN WE LIVE FOR GOD, HE SHOWERS US WITH SUPERNATURAL BLESSINGS.  I WANT TO THANK MY GOD FOR ALL OF THE DOORS HE IS PRESENTLY OPENING IN MY LIFE.  I ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO ALLOW HIM TO DO THE SAME FOR THEM AS WELL.  IF HE DID IT FOR ME, HE CAN AND HE WILL SURELY DO IT FOR YOU. 

REV 3:8  "I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR, AND NO ONE CAN SHUT IT"

QUITE A WEEK

THIS HAS BEEN QUITE A WEEK.  IF THIS WEEK HAD BEEN A RACE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LONG ONE.  IF IT HAD BEEN A ROLLER COASTER, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A THRILLER.  IF IT HAD BEEN A COLOR, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A RAINBOW.  WHAT STARTED OUT AS BAD QUICKLY CHANGED FOR THE GOOD.  DIFFICULT CHALLENGES TURNED INTO SMALL ISSUES AND BARRIERS TURNED INTO UNSEEN BLESSINGS.  IT HAS REALLY BEEN QUITE A WEEK IN, MORE WAYS THAN ONE!

AT THE START OF THIS WEEK, I HAD WORRIES AND FEARS COMING AT ME FROM EVERY DIRECTION.  SOME OF MY WORRIES WERENT DIRECTLY RELATED TO ME, BUT INVOLVED MY LOVED ONES.  THESE WORRIES AND FEARS INCLUDED HEALTH PROBLEMS, FINANCIAL MATTERS, BILLS, RELATIONSHIPS, LEGAL ISSUES AND EVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF A CATASTROPHIC FLOOD!  I FEEL SURE THAT IF YOU ARE READING THIS "NOTE", YOU HAVE YOUR OWN WORRIES, CONCERNS AND FEARS WHICH COULD REPLACE MINE ON THIS LIST.  WE ALL HAVE STRUGGLES.  WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS.  WE ALL FACE LIFE CHANGING ISSUES. 
  
LAST FRIDAY, AROUND THIS SAME TIME, THE DEVIL DECIDED TO PLAY A FEW TRICKS ON ME.  HE SET OUT TO RUIN MY DAY AND TO BRING FEAR INTO MY EXISTANCE.  AT FIRST, HE SUCCEDED, BUT IT DIDNT TAKE LONG FOR THAT STILL, SMALL VOICE TO SPEAK QUIETLY TO ME.  OUT OF THE BLUE, THE WORDS TO A CATHOLIC HYMN THAT I HEARD SO OFTEN AS A CHILD CAME TO MY MIND.  SIMPLE WORDS, BIG MEANING!!!  THE WORDS TO THIS HYMN REMAINED ON MY HEART AND IN MY HEAD NOT JUST LAST FRIDAY, BUT THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK.  SUCH SIMPLE WORDS, SUCH BIG MEANING!!!

                    "BE NOT AFRAID,
                     I GO BEFORE YOU ALWAYS;
                     COME FOLLOW ME,
                     AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."
  
I AM ONCE AGAIN SO VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT STILL, SMALL, POWERFUL, VOICE.  THE LORD TRULY DOES LEAD US AND GUIDE US.  HE REALLY DOES CALM OUR STORMS.  HE BRINGS PEACE WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NONE AND HE SOOTHES OUR WORRIES AND FEARS.  OUR BIBLE DEMANDS US TO BE BUILDERS OF FAITH.  IT IS THROUGH OUR TRIALS THAT HIS GLORY IS REVEALED.  LEAN ON THE LORD, NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH.  HE WILL TURN A CURSE INTO A BLESSING.  IF HE DID IT FOR ME, HE CAN AND HE WILL SURELY DO IT FOR YOU!
  
1 PETER 5:7  CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM, FOR HE CARES FOR YOU

ALL THESE THINGS

AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE, WE EXPERIENCE CONSTANT CHANGE.  WE HAVE OUR UPS AND DOWNS, WE EXPERIENCE BOTH GOOD AND BAD AND WE NEVER KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.  EVEN THE MOST STABLE, ESTABLISHED AND SECURE PERSON WE KNOW HAS NO IDEA OF WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.   WE ARE NOT EVEN PROMISED OUR VERY NEXT BREATH.  TODAY IS UNCERTAIN AND TOMORROW IS UNPROMISED.  WE SOMETIMES LOOK TO OTHERS FOR HELP, STRENGTH AND DIRECTION, BUT THEY OFTEN LET US DOWN.  EVEN WELL MEANING FAMILY MEMBERS SOMETIMES LEAD US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION OR HURT OUR FEELINGS.  WE ARE OFTEN LEFT FEELING MISERABLE AND ALONE.
  
GOD, ON THE OTHER HAND, WILL NEVER LET US DOWN.  THERE ARE COUNTLESS WORDS IN OUR VOCABULARY TO DESCRIBE OUR LOVING FATHER, YET MERE WORDS SEEM UNFIT TO TELL OF HIS GLORY.   HE IS BIGGER THAN ANY PROBLEM WE MAY EVER FACE.  HE BELIEVES IN US AND KNOWS OUR FUTURE.  GOD ALONE IS ABLE TO HEAL OUR HURTS AND SOOTHE OUR EMOTIONS.  HE IS THE ONE AND ONLY CREATOR OF ALL THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.  OUR GOD IS THE FIRST AND THE LAST, THE BEGINNING AND THE END.  HE IS OUR STABILITY, STRENGTH, WISDOM AND PROTECTION.  IN MODERN TERMS, HE IS OUR DOCTOR, JUDGE, COUNSELOR, TEACHER AND MASTER.  OUR GOD IS ALL THESE THINGS!!!!
  
GOD SENT HIS ONLY SON AS A BEACON OF HOPE TO US ALL.  THROUGH JESUS, GOD DELIVERS KINDNESS, PEACE, FORGIVENESS, REFUGE AND GENTLENESS.  HIS HOLY SPIRIT LIVES WITHIN US AS A COMFORTER AND A MENDER OF ALL HURTS AND HARM AND TOUCHES OUR LIVES WITH ALL THAT IS PURE.  OUR GOD IS THE RULER OVER ALL EARTHLY KINGS.  HE IS ALMIGHTY, FAITHFUL AND TRUE.  GOD IS ALL THESE THINGS.  HE IS TRULY OUR BREAD OF LIFE!  HE IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS!
  
I HOPE YOU REMEMBER THESE WORDS THE NEXT TIME LIFE HAS KNOCKED YOU FOR A LOOP.  REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NEVER ALONE.  HIS LOYALTY IS WITHOUT MEASURE.  HIS STRENGTH IS BEYOND COMPARISON.  HE IS TRULY OUR FORTRESS IN TIME OF NEED.  HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US!

BUSTED WINDOWS

I HARDLY EVER TALK ON THE PHONE.  IT IS SO MUCH EASIER TO TEXT.  HOWEVER, IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, I HAVE TALKED MORE ON THE PHONE THAN I USUALLY DO IN A MONTH.  IT SEEMS LIKE THIS PAST WEEK HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY HARD FOR ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT I KNOW AND LOVE.  I CAN SURELY INDETIFY WITH THEIR STRUGGLES BECAUSE I HAVENT HAD THE BEST WEEK EITHER.  IN A PERFECT WORLD, NONE OF OUR PROBLEMS WOULD EXIST.  OUR WORLD IS FAR FROM PERFECT AND NEITHER ARE WE.
  
WHEN I SAT DOWN AT MY COMPUTER THIS MORNING, I HAD AN IDEA OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO WRITE ABOUT TODAY.  ONCE AGAIN, I SAW WHERE A FACEBOOK FRINED HAD POSTED A STATUS WHICH I COULD NOT IGNORE.  HE HAD POSTED PROVERBS 25:28, WHICH SAYS, "A PERSON WITHOUT SELF-CONTROL IS LIKE A HOUSE WITH ITS DOORS AND WINDOWS KNOCKED OUT."  STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT.  I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN A PICTURE OF MY LIFE WOULD HAVE RESEMBLED AN ABANDONED BUILDING IN A WAR TORN FOREIGN COUNTRY SOMEWHERE OUT IN THE DESERT.  AT OTHER TIMES, A PHOTO OF MY LIFE MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE AN OLD ABANDONED HOUSE WITH GRASS AND WEEDS BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE.  I FEEL PRETTY SURE THAT ANYONE READING THIS CAN VISUALIZE AND APPLY THIS PROVERB TO THEIR LIVES IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. 
  
IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO SELF-CONTROL.  WHEN MY HOUSE APPEARED TO BE IN SHAMBLES, I WAS TOO.  WHEN MY WINDOWS GOT BUSTED, IT WAS BECAUSE I BUSTED THEM.  I TORE DOWN MY DOORS, I SHATTERED THE GLASS AND I NEGLECTED ALL UPKEEP.  I DID ALL THIS DUE TO MY LACK OF SELF CONTROL.  I REFUSED GODLY DIRECTION.  I THRIVED ON SELF WILL.  AND NO ONE COULD TELL ME ANYTHING DIFFERENT.  I DIDNT CARE.  IT WAS MY LACK OF SELF CONTROL THAT FORCED ME TO TURN TO JESUS!

OUR GOD IS A GENTLEMAN.  HE FORCES HIMSELF ON NO ONE.  HE ALLOWED ME TO WALLOW IN MY LACK OF SELF CONTROL UNTIL I REACHED THE POINT OF NO RETURN.  HE SHOWED ME THE ERROR OF MY WAYS.  I LOVE TO SAY THAT WITHOUT HIM, I AM NOTHING....THAT IS SO VERY TRUE.  GOD SPECIALIZES IN RE-STRUCTURING.  HE IS THE ULTIMATE ARCHITECT.  HE IS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH.  OUR GOD GETS HIS GLORY BY RESTORING WHAT WE SO CARELESSLY TEAR APART.  THANKS TO MY GOD, THE PHOTO OF MY LIFE NO LONGER RESEMBLES AN ABANDONED BUILDING.  INSTEAD, HE HAS GIVEN ME A GLIMPSE OF MY FUTURE HEAVENLY HOME!  THANKS BE TO GOD!

DONT LET IT DO YOU IN

DID YOU EVER NOTICE THAT ITS WHEN YOU ARE DOING YOUR BEST THAT TEMPTATION COMES KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR?  HAVE YOU EVER MADE UP YOUR MIND TO DO SOMETHING OR NOT DO SOMETHING, ONLY TO HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS CHANGE IN AN INSTANT?  DO YOU FIND YOURSELF SAYING, "I DIDNT MEAN TO DO THAT"  OR "HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?  THAT WASNT MY PLAN."  NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, I FEEL SURE YOU CAN IDENTIFY WITH AT LEAST A FEW OF THE WORDS I HAVE WRITTEN THUS FAR.  MY VERY BEST FRIEND POSTED THE WORDS TO A SONG AS HER FACEBOOK STATUS YESTERDAY.  IT SIMPLY SAID, "IT IS YOUR FAVORITE SINS THAT DO YOU IN."  I KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT I WANTED TO WRITE ABOUT TODAY.  THANKS ROBIN!  I LOVE YOU.

WHEN I SAY "FAVORITE" SINS, I AM IN NO WAY GLORIFYING THE THINGS I ONCE FOUND SO EASY TO DO.  I AM SIMPLY DESCRIBING THE VERY "THINGS" THAT ONCE HAD ME TOTALLY ENSLAVED.  IT WAS THESE FAVORITE SINS, WHICH I HATED TO DO, THAT HAD ME TIED UP, CHAINED AND CAPTIVE.  NO MATTER HOW OFTEN I PROMISED TO CHANGE, NOR HOW OFTEN I SAID,"I QUIT", A SIMPLE THOUGHT OR COMPULSION SET ME OFF ON MY VERY OWN PATH OF DESTRUCTION.  I WAS CAUGHT UP IN AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF DEFEAT.  I WAS INTENT ON SELF DESTRUCTION.  IT WAS ALWAYS MY FAVORITE SINS THAT DID ME IN.

IN NO WAY AM I GLORIFYING SATAN, BUT HE IS A MASTER OF DECEIT.  HE IS THE FATHER OF ALL LIES.  HE KNOWS OUR WEAKNESSES AND KNOWS WHEN WE HAVE REACHED OUR WEAKEST POINT.  IT IS THROUGH OUR MISERY THAT HE FINDS AMUSEMENT.  HE WALKS AROUND AS A ROARING LION, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.  THE DEVIL SEES OUR FAVORITE SINS FOR EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE... DIRTY LITTLE TRICKS PULLED OUT OF HIS NASTY LITTLE BAG.  OUR FAVORITE SINS ARE ONLY ILLUSIONS WHICH BRING ABOUT FALSE HAPPINESS.  EACH ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SINS EVENTUALLY CAUSE UNHAPPINESS, AGGRAVATION AND DIMINISHED SELF WORTH.  THROUGH THESE THINGS, SATAN GETS HIS GLORY.

GOD, ON THE OTHER HAND HATES OUR FAVORITE SINS.  HE TELLS US THIS THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.  HIS WORD DIRECTS US TO A LIFE OF PEACE, HAPPINESS AND LOVE.  I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT HE SAW FIT TO REMOVE THE SCALES WHICH COVERED BOTH OF MY EYES.  I WAS BLINDED BY MY FAVORITE SINS.  THROUGH HIS GENTLE DIRECTION, I HAVE LEARNED THAT WITHOUT HIM, I AM NOTHING.  OF COURSE, AT TIMES I FEEL TEMPTATION, BUT THATS WHEN I NOW CALL UPON HIS NAME.  HIS STILL, SMALL VOICE HAS NEVER FAILED ME.  THAT QUIET LITTLE VOICE WILL NEVER LEAD ME WRONG.  I HAVE FINALLY LEARNED TO LEAN NOT ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING.  HIS WAY WORKS SO MUCH BETTER THAN MINE.  I ALWAYS HEARD PEOPLE SAY, "TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD."  HE MOST DEFINITELY IS.  GOD LOVES US!

JAMES 4:7  THEREFORE, SUBMIT TO GOD.  RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU