Happy New 2010 Year

The agony of a New Year where most begin their new resolutions. Why torture yourself to begin something new? Setting goals is great. Setting goals must be realistic. Happy New 2010 year and it is another chance for us to get it right. Is it possible? I've learned there will be mistakes along the way. There has to be. It all can't be right. Mistakes are what molds us into who we are. We learn from them and become better than where we once were. My habit of making plans and molding my life is a daily event for me. Not just once a year. Thats called renewing of your mind every day. (Rom 12:2). The trials we recieve rejoice in them because it makes you into a better person. However, if you enjoy making those resolutions keep in mind several things. Set your goals in such away that it is in alignment with His purpose for your life. Second, have a new attitude in your mind. Ephesians 4:22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. What makes a successful year? May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thess 5:23). Happy New Year!!

Three Roars of Attack

Looking at the past causes you to miss the road ahead. Let God be the Pilot and not the co-pilot. Enjoy the flight. Look to the future of new opportunities. Never regret your mistakes. Like grapes being pressed into wine & aging to goodness. We too will give the best of our years to Him. Another year approaches. Will you be sweet or be the grapes of wrath? Just depend on Him. No Worries! Life is so intoxicating!


Knowing the roads you travel helps to see how to look at opportunities ahead. Letting God be the pilot is allowing Him to be in control. Scary! Especially, when you want to be in control. One thing which has helped my faith is exercising my faith. Exercising your faith allows you to grow and to discern what is coming at you from the spiritual realm.

Satan likes to attack in three areas of our lives. First is our self worth (Emotions). Notice he went after Christ when he was vulnerable. Christ was hungry. Satan wants us to doubt who we are. He told Jesus, "IF YOU ARE the Son of God" (Matthew 4:3, New International Version). If we know who we are we can always diffuse the situation with the thoughts making them Obedient in Christ and "living on every word that comes from God" (Matthew 4:4, NIV). When we live on the Words of God we are living on truth and not on the twisted lies of deception and doubt of who we are and what we are capable of handling. Satan likes using our emotions to put us into control of things instead of God.

Second way of attack is doubting (Intellect) who God is in our life. When troubles strike we wonder at God's powers to calm the "sea". Satan said to Jesus, "He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands" (Matthew 4:6, NIV). We can't measure God and we should not put Him to the test. Since the first attack didn't work, he goes to the other extreme and tries to test the control of God. He attacks our intellect to see if we are going to trust in God and then blame or become angry with God when it doesn't happen. He wants to see if we are dependent on God to provide us security, safety, and salvation.

Third way of attack is fleshy (Physical) desires. Amazing how Satan knows Jesus came from Heaven and trys to tempt Jesus with temporary pleasure. Satan said to Jesus, "All this I will give you". We have to know who is the True giver. When our emotions are strong in our self worth and knowing that God counts us worthy and that He will provide, Satan will try his second attack. When the second attack is strong in knowing that God provides, then Satan will try to attack us using our physical nature against us.

Finally, Satan left Jesus alone for the time being. We fool ourselves into thinking that Satan will not bother us and that we are safe from attacks. Thus, we are to arm ourselves with the armor of God (another topic to discuss later). We have to be on alert for our adversary. He went after Jesus again through Peter. Peter said, "Forbid it". Satan didn't stop there. It was when Jesus was vulnerable again in the garden that Satan tried his final attack. Overall, Jesus won and so do we!

Think of P.I.E (Physical, Intellect, Emotions) and how well it tastes. God provides us pie to eat, but it depends on how well we exercise our faith. Faith is the shield in the armor of God to deflect the missiles of attacks.God has given to us everything pertaining to life and godliness. It is up to us to choose it. May we keep fighting the battle, but knowing the war has been won!

Do Not Fear

The beauty of Christians can be found in Philippians 4:6-7. Paul reminds us to be careful for nothing, but in everything in prayer. Fear is my own acronym for Forgetting Everything About Righteousness. When we fear we forget our righteousness with God. For Paul continues to say, "the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ." Fear is the absence of peace. When we don't have the right relationship with the Father then fear sets in. The Holy Spirit has sealed us into his Hands. What Christian would want to walk away from the loving kindness and a living peace to go into a world of confusion and fear?


John (1 John 4:17-19) reminds us, our love is made perfect so that we have boldness in the day of judgment. Therefore, let us not forget everything about righteousness, but to stand boldly in love before Him.
 
Can you imagine Mary? Standing or kneeling humbly before the angels? A Savior is going to be born and she was the chosen one. Through her fearfulness we were given a Savior. Through Him all have been made righteous. There is no fear when one has the right relationship with Him. What a gift. Merry Christmas! For there is much to be Merry about for there is much in Christ to be joyful.

A Letter to the Government:

Dear Senator Coburn,


Thank you for standing ground on abortion. I have written to you in the past in regard to parental rights being equal with fathers. There has been some progress and thank you.

Now I am writing to you because I feel my pursuit to happiness is in danger. If the government becomes destructive of these ends, is it the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government? I am not asking or wanting the government to be destroyed, but feel the government is not acting on the best interest of its people. There are false promises by President Obama have been made and has destroyed the pursuit of happiness. It has destroyed my liberty.

Why is the government becoming a socialist? No accountability on the heavy taxes my money went to bail out corporations who scoff and want more. Why am I going to be required to purchase health insurance or pay a fine? That destroys my liberty in my freedom to choose. A freedom that I fought for in the US Army. Government does not do enough for disabled veterans or veterans. The price is too much for us to pay in our families. Increase in disorders and divorces and then a cycle of broken families begin.

Why is the government failing the people? Money to be funded for Afaghan when we have hungry people here. Lost of jobs and homes. If the country was founded on the bible, then why are we trying to get rid of things, which was founded. Would it not make sense to do a stimulus for families with debt of 20K credit card debt to be paid off or forgiven to boost economy, instead of the banks?

I am at a turmoil as to why the people are being left out what the government should do.
Would you be able to comment and share with the government.

by my service to my country:
Steven Hudgins