We are in a spiritual battle!

We are at the point that our world right now of great decay, anarchy and division ..morals, values, marriages, families, freedoms constitutionally are being torn to shreds by a spirit of antichrist…this demonic spirit that comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, is wreaking havoc and sowing chaos and division ...If you are not with Christ, then you are against Christ … Those are the two sides we face right now.. that is the great divide! At the end of the day, this is what it all boils down to ...It is very apparent that this is spiritual warfare at the highest level.

If you don’t think we are in a war, you may be being deceived! We are in a war for our children, against unfathomable perversion, we are in a war of words, hate, greed, a war against a delusional ideology, a war against pedophilia, a war of what is truly right versus truly wrong, we are in a war against confusion, delusional mindsets perpetually, stealing our peace... we are in a war against our food, our health and financial  systems..we are at war against crimes on  humanity ... there are so many evils compounding, splitting, tearing apart our moral fabric .... we are in a war of fear and panic and that causes us to shrink back, and do nothing in the face of adversity...

We are in a war against life itself! 

The real war behind every single one of these is a spiritual war. And it must be fought by the spirit of God. Our nation our world is under a spiritual attack of the hugest degree..The truth is that Jesus Christ already won all of these wars, Jesus fought and won every battle with his blood shed for us all on the cross... because of this truth, they are wars we must stand valiantly in and and declare God's truth with great faith and boldness to then see His abundant victory...  It's time for the body of Christ, here on earth, in this present time, to be ready, be in our armor and be serving, standing, speaking, declaring God's word, Gods truth! The old church style hasn’t been and isn’t going to do it now! Our complacency is part of the problem..  the devil truly has come in like a thief in the night, the Bible warned us but we were not paying attention… Come out of religion and get into the war! Take your God-given authority… Know who you are, and what you have available to you through the powerful blood of Jesus Christ! When you've done all you know to do stand! … Trust God, declare His word incessantly .., command these evil schemes be thwarted, persevere, never give up and never lose hope! Encourage yourself in the Lord, for the joy of the Lord is our strength ..God's word says overwhelming victory is HIS in Christ Jesus… We will stand firm in our faith, declaring that we will never be entangled in the strong hold of bondage again... for whom the Son sets free is free indeed!!! 

Pray for this nation, pray for the world! 

Let's not get into an agreement with the devil and his plans and schemes. Let's stop rehearsing all the things that he is doing and let's start overcoming these things with what God says about it in His word… There is nothing new under the sun… God wins every time!

1John 4:3

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God; and such is the spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already it is in the world.

In Galatians 5:1–15, the apostle Paul discusses the nature of Christian freedom, beginning with an admonition to “stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1, NKJV). Paul contends that Jesus Christ came to set believers free from a burdensome, legalistic existence as slaves to the law. Therefore, Christians must ensure that they stay free and not get bound up again under a yoke of bondage to the law.

Paul references the good fight again in 2 Timothy 4:7 where he says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Fighting the good fight of the faith is also about perseverance and continuing, even when the road is hard.

Romans 8:37

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.

Isaiah 5:20 ESV 

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV 

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV  

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

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The God Habit by Nina Keegan-Owens

(Proverbs 4:20-27)

My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

Are you a creature of habit? Do you like having a particular daily routine so regimented that when you stray from it, you are like a fish out of water?

A Habit by definition is a recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.

I have read where it only takes 21 days to make or break a habit. That seems like a pretty short period of time to alter part of our conscious minds. There are many negative habits that people suffer from today. They are strongholds that wreak havoc on our lives such as drinking, smoking, and overspending. These habits can be all consuming and to some become their most important priority. Bad habits can undoubtedly ruin lives and families. However, good habits can be vastly helpful and beneficial to our well being, like exercising and eating healthily. With that being said, why not get in the one habit that can change your life in amazing ways and forever? Get in the"God Habit"...

(Matthew 6:33)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

This verse in Matthew tells us not just to seek God... But to seek Him first! Give Him the best part of us, the first part of our days. It then states that ALL these things, good and wonderful things, like favor, blessings, and protection will be added to our lives. What an awesome promise. It's like God is honoring us for seeking to spend time with Him.

I am very much a routine kind of person. When I first wake up, I like to lay in bed a while soaking in the quiet calm of the early morning. I like to thank God for the day ahead. I pray blessings over my family, and over any and all concerns that I may have. I am not one that likes to be hurried or rushed. My time spent with God is so important to me. It singlehandedly dictates the way in which my entire day will go.

I steadfastly make my way toward the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, prepare for myself the daily usual, then as if on autopilot, I gather together my Bible, my scripture filled journal, my cozy throw, and nestle into my favorite place on the sunroom sofa. It's there that I wholeheartedly bask in the presence of my precious Lord and Savior. It's with Him that I declare victories, blessings, wisdom, ability, favor, protection, safety, knowledge, divine health, discernment, and enormous gratitude for all He has done and will do in my life and the lives of my family members. It's during my time of seeking God that I learn more about Him and His plans for my life. I will absorb from God through His word, the great messages He longs for me to comprehend. I know with an undeniable certainty that my day will be far better for having spent some time praising the one for whom all things are possible.

My habit, "God habit", is one that without, my day would never be the same. My time spent in prayer and reflection with God is like essential food for my soul. It jump starts my day, and fills me with abundant expectation. The word of God replenishes my faith and restores my joy. I can leave all my cares with Him and go about enjoying my day knowing that God is at work and that my morning prayers are a glorious life line of communication, faith and trust. I pray that He gives me revelation about decisions and questions I need answers to and that He orders my steps in the direction He would have me choose. I pray that He may bring someone to me that very day that needs to hear about the good news of God. I pray.... about everything!

The Bible says our prayers will not return to us void, and that God cares about every last detail of our lives. God is in the restoration business and wants us to be anointed with ease . He wants our burdens to be light. When we learn to operate in the supernatural realm of faith through time spent in prayer, we abandon our control and desire to handle everything in the flesh. Only when we have finally relinquished it all to God, will we dwell in the cherished peace and unspeakable joy that comes from the glorious knowledge of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

(1 Corinthians 11:1 )
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

The Bible says we should strive to be more like Christ. We should imitate the ways of God. I personally cannot think of a better habit to envelope my life. Jesus himself even went off alone to pray to His Father. There in the peaceful quiet, Jesus sought guidance and strength. The more time we spend with God, the more knowledge we will obtain. His wisdom, His character, and His unconditional love will seep into our souls and we will be forever transformed from Glory to Glory in His image.

What happens however when our routines are interrupted? When my prayer routine gets altered and my day gets shifted in some way, I feel off balance. For instance, if I am traveling or have a last minute change in my work schedule and I miss time spent in prayer, my day tends to finish exactly how it starts, a day less than stellar in all areas. When I have not pursued my morning time with God, everything seems disheveled. I feel like those days tend to be a little bit more chaotic, a little more stressful, and things do not seem to flow as well. When I have not allowed myself my habit of spending time with God, I can tell there has been a noticeable paradigm shift. I see subtle changes in my character. It may be harder to hold my peace or I may become more easily frustrated. It appears, on these days, that I am having to do everything the hard way. I realize that I want to remain closely tethered to God... I want to be on His balanced, peaceful, and joyous track. I want to seek Him first.... Always!!

We have free will and the complete authority to choose to spend time daily with God. We can make it a welcomed habit of letting Him cover our lives in goodness and peace. We can change a bad habit into a good one by just spending more time with God and declaring that every promise in the Bible is true for us and it is still alive today.

Decide today that you will never veer to far away from the path God has drawn for you. When we do not stay focused on Him, our paths get blurry and much wider leaving more room for us to make bad choices. The more days that go by without spending time with God, the harder it becomes to squeeze Him in. It becomes more difficult to discern His voice. God time eventually becomes the last resort, maybe tomorrow, kind of time. With each day that goes by being wasted on our own prideful, time consuming, aspirations, our distance from God is greatly lengthened and it becomes harder to see with clarity the way that we should go.

(Matthew 6:6)
But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

God is telling us that He desires us to spend time alone with Him. He wants our undivided attention. He longs for us to get in the habit of praying everyday and about everything. When we do these things, God will reward us!

I challenge you to get in the "God Habit!" I promise the more time you spend with Him, the greater, more faith filled, abundantly and richly blessed life you will have. Do not waste another day !

(1John 5:14-15)
And this is our confidence, that if we pray according to His will, He will hear us, and give us what we ask for, because our desires are in agreement with His thoughts for us.


Heavenly Father, we desire to be closer to you. Help us to focus our attentions on you and to come to you with everything that concerns us. Thank you for waiting patiently for us and for loving us. We praise you in Jesus name!
Amen

Seasons Of Change by Nina Keegan Owens

We just had our first quote/unquote "cold" spell of the season in Houston this past weekend. Having been born and raised near Chicago, I find it quite amusing that the temperature falling to the high 70's is considered to be a cold snap.

There is however, so much delight in having a major shift in the weather. A 20 degree drop in one day can be a marvelously welcomed reprieve from the sweltering heat wave that has impacted most our the country over the last several months.

Everyone it seemed could not get enough of the faint, cool, breezes that crooned through the trees. The crisp, new,chilly,autumn air unearthed an enthusiasm and a get up and go attitude that had been missing for quite some time. The world it seemed was brand new and alive with people fervently enjoying the gorgeous weather. The neighborhood parks, golf courses and outdoor eating establishments were awake and booming with people that had a new found freedom to be out and about, no longer banished to the hybernation and house arrest of the constant hum of airconditioning.

What is it about a simple change in weather that can bring out the best in people? It's almost like each new season is a new beginning of sorts. its very representation of newness stirs up changes in our souls. Autumn visions of our favorite warm cozy sweater; rich hot cocoa; and steaming hot apple cider spring into action in our hearts.

We feel the blessings of getting a fresh new start with each new season. We get something inspiring and new to look forward to with great anticipation.

The Bible also references new changes and beginnings in our lives as being seasons. Seasons are metaphors for God's perfect timing in delivering us through all the changes He makes in our lives. These certain seasons can bring about the blessings we reap from having been obedient in following him through those changes even if we did not fully understand or welcome them.

Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

This scripture tells us to never give up. No matter how long, strenuous and pain staking the road or the trials are in our lives, there is always a new season ahead, a season of new beginnings.

Every day we can make the decision to begin again. We can adopt a positive mindset to overcome, conquer, and live triumphantly. All beginnings must eventually come to an end so a new beginning, a new season, can commence. We need to take the opportunity to look ahead at what can be and forget the what might have beens. We can challenge ourselves to be better, live higher, rise above our own self appointed limitations. We can look ahead to a new season of thinking, speaking, acting and living more positively. Each subtle change we implement towards living a more positive life will eventually take root and manifest itself into our days, weeks, months and years.

A beautiful tree full of wonderful green foliage and rich, ripened fruit can offer shelter, nourishment, and shade, but only temporarily. The leaves eventually turn brilliant hues of crimsons, golds, reds and oranges, offering us a wonderful spectacle to behold, a brushstroke of genius only God can artfully paint. Then, those leaves must fall, leaving that beautiful tree bare and vulnerable as it must survive the harshest of seasons.The tree must go through that season to begin a new life, a new cycle,with budding blossoms fragrant and beautiful.

Psalm 1:3
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yeilds its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

We need to be incessantly grateful and thank God continually even when our future seems very unclear. We can still stay firmly planted in faith so we will never wither but always prosper and produce good fruit. Faith is based on what we can't see, what we do not know, and what we cannot predict.

All glory comes then from daring to begin, daring to change, ushering in each new season, and forever trusting God with each unpredictable new step. Never stop changing and growing. We can never fully know what God's intentions are for us, but we can always do the absolute very best with where He has placed us right now. Only then, when we have learned all there is to learn and are truly grateful in this place, this season, will God move us to a new, more bountiful, and blessed season.

Ecclisiastes 3:1
For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven.

So as we throw open the windows to let the wonderful autumn breezes waft through our homes, as we breathe in the bright, clean air, or as we step outside to savor this new season that our calender has delivered us right on cue, let's take a moment to thank God for every new season in our lives. Let's appreciate every new day for it's many challenges to overcome and its many blessings to count.

Thank you sweet Father that as the seasons of change are upon us that we grab hold of all that life has to offer. Teach us Lord to have a grateful heart and to trust you with every new day and change that comes our way. Help us to stay positive as we grow in our faith.
We love and praise you in Jesus name!
Amen

Are you praying or complaining? By Nina Keegan Owens

I know some people, christian people, that just can't seem to get it all together. They are endlessly complaining, and eternally battling something. For some it's never getting ahead in their finances, for others, they are constantly angry and upset and easily offended over every little thing. We all know them, the people who are never happy and have a string of continued complaints that could circle the globe a few dozen times. The ones that constantly feel jipped and overlooked by God. They act like He doles out scads of blessings to everyone else and purposefully passes over them. They fervently feel like the last kid picked to be on the elementary school dodge ball team during gym class.
You know those certain individuals, that when you happen to see them on the street or spy their number on your caller ID, your heart just sinks. You think to yourself, I hope they didn't see me or you talk yourself out of answering their exasperating call. You may all be shocked at my honesty, but you know you are all thinking of those exact senerios you've fallen victim to in your own lives at one point or another. Or just maybe, you yourself, are wondering if you are guilty of being one of those continued complaining perpetrators.

Sometimes we start feeling selfish because we did not want to listen again to those same old rants of negativity we've heard way to many times before. We dodge them like the a speeding bullet. We certainly don't want them putting any rotten apples into our shiny new apple cart! After all, we are having a great day and we selfishly do not want or need any negativity entering our minds and tainting our pleasant afternoons!

Well, what you do not realize, is that it was probably not by accident that you were put in their paths at that exact same moment. It was not a random happenstance that you were at home when they had phoned you. Perhaps in these situations God is trying to use us to be a blessing to someone else and to help change their negative mindset. Maybe, we just need to come up a little higher, take some time to cast some positive light on to others and their unfavorable circumstances. God uses us and gives us these assignments and missions to speak some positivity and hope into other's weaknesses. We need to unselfishly lend an ear and give ourselves over to the work God has for us to do. We may be the only opportunity they ever get to hear a positive word spoken over them. We should never miss a God appointed chance to be a blessing to someone else.

(1 Peter 4:10)
As each has received a gift, employ it in serving others, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

Why are all Christians living so differently if we all can have,
be, experience, and live in God's best?Why are we still not seeing our blessings, counting them repeatedly and being ever thankful for His amazing promises?

The difference is the choices we as individuals make each day. When you go before God in prayer, are you praying or complaining? Do you spend your precious time whining over how unfair your life is? Are you jealous and contrite about your neighbors being so blessed while explaining to God that they are not even as Christian like as you are? Well, if that sounds familiar, you need to lay it all down and stop wanting what everyone else has. You need to stop telling God, your creator how to do His job, and start focusing on the many wonderful blessings you do have. I guarantee you there are always neighbors looking over your fence wanting what you have too.

You need to decide right now that you will be happy today, tomorrow and everyday of your life whether or not you ever get another blessing or see another prayer answered. We need to be faithful and thankful for everything we do have and count our blessings daily and at the very least, another 100 times per day.
You can choose to pray for the Lord to handle your issues as He sees fit and in His perfect timing. Turn it all over to Him, cast all your burdens on to the Lord and trust in His enduring love for us all. Trust that His son already paid the ultimate price for us to live wholely and victoriously. Then, know He has heard you and every last, drawn out prayer you've prayed. Then go about enjoying your day. Get your mind off of yourself and your problems and go be a welcomed ray of happiness in someone elses day.

(Luke 12:48)
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

We have all heard that verse from Luke. Summed up, it simply means, to whom much is given, much is required.
This is not solely talking about monetary gifts, but the gifts of the heart. As a Christian, you have been given many gifts, a new life to enjoy, amazing peace, and unbridled joy. You can dwell in the gifts of complete and utter safety. You have amazing compassion and are expected to be kind, helping, caring, and giving. When you begin to get your mind off of yourself, and set about using these many new gifts you've received through salvation, you will begin a new life of living of victoriously reguardless of your circumstances. You will be an amazing presence of hope to others who are suffering.

(Matthew 16:24-25)"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."

Stop living in the flesh! The Bible says we need to die to our flesh and all its woes and anger, complaining and fear, and live in the light! In order to be living in God's will, we need to be out of our own. We have already tried it our own way and failed. We need to stop trying to tell God what to do and how to do it. It's offensive to Him when we think we can do His job more remarkably than Him. Yet, this is what we do every time we choose to go it alone, and not listen to and follow the plan of our creator. When we complain, we remain!

If our goal is to be in God's will all the time. We need to go through some processes to purge ourselves of pride, self-will, selfishness, self-esteem, and all the other things that cause us to think about ourselves first and God second. Those processes will continually lead us on a journey that will involve a certain humility, strengthening of our faith, and will ultimately result in holiness, blessings and a life of unspeakable joy. God makes no mistakes, He has very specific reasons why you are where you are in your life right now. Learn what it is that He expects of you. Change your attitude, live a 'what can I do to help others?' kind of life. When you shift your mindset from yourself to the blessing of others, you will rise up and be blessed in every area of your own life. You are the one that places the shackles on your own feet, and you are the one that holds the key.

I love the lyrics to an Irving Berlin song from the 1954 movie, White Christmas.
Bing Crosby beautifully sings these words, "When you're tired and you can't sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings......."

Thank you Father as we take time today to count our blessings. Thank you for loving us and giving us repeated chances to forget the crazy lives we live and just follow you and your peace. Let us never miss a chance to bless someone through you and may we continually have a grateful heart reguardless of our circumstances!! We praise you, in Jesus name!
Amen

Riding The Storm Out.. By Nina Keegan-Owens

Right now, as I am writing this, I am on a family vacation on the beautiful Island of Roatan, a small Island near Belize and off the coast of main land Honduras. The tropical Island paradise is 4 miles wide by 35 miles long. It has an extraordinarily peaceful, serene, low key, kind of vibe to it that is so tranquil and captivating. It is surrounded by its turquoise waters and blanketed in lush, jungle covered, mountains so dencely populated with palm trees and brilliantly colored tropical flowers. There are beautiful, pristine, golf courses and endless sandy beaches. The minute we land here we know instantly why we keep returning to this wonderful place.

I do come back here often, my family and I are mesmerized by the allure of calmness and serenity this place offers up. I can most assuredly learn of few lessons from the people living here. It seems as though these lovely island locals do not have a care in the world, they are so laid back, happy, and friendly beyond comparison. They seem to take it all in stride, they are fearless.

As luck would have it, my vacation is being spent watching the locals and the hotel employees bearing down for the arrival of hurricane Ernesto. All the furnture surrounding the pool decks have been stowed safely indoors, stores are closing, flights have all been canceled and people are all heading home early in anticipation of Ernesto. There has been endless chatter about the hurricanes path and the cone of uncertainty. The latest news and weather updates predict that the storm is heading straight towards Roatan.

Like it or not, Ernesto is having the last word on the subject . The storm is on its way and is supposed to hit the Island sometime late this evening or in the wee hours of the morning.

Having lived in Houston for 15 years, I am certainly no stranger to hurricanes, Rita, Ike, just to name a few left quite a path of destruction behind. These storms can be undoubtedly devastating.

Something it seems is apparently different here in how they handle a possibly severe situation such as a hurricane. Maybe it's the lack of the constantly streaming news media hyping up the storm, creating chaotic pandemonium and grid lock with their 24 hour, non stop, coverage. We get inundated with sensationalism causing us to freak out and be riddled with anxiety during mother nature's wraths. We sit endlessly in the ever growing lines at the gas pump, stock up on bottled water as if we are are going on a 400 mile hike through a sun beaten desert. We buy batteries, candles, and canned goods by the gross. We arm ourselves with generators, and radios to keep up with the news frenzy and the wide spread mayhem. We strap down everything that can "fly" in our back yards. The news relays the message that patio furniture, and potted plants can turn into projectile missiles at a moments notice resulting in windows being shattered. The list goes on and on. Major storms for that matter, are a big and often lucrative business for sure.

Of course we need to heed the warnings and take these monstrosities very seriously. We absolutely do need to take the aforementioned precautions and do our best to always keep our families and homes safely protected.

The difference I see on the island is the way people handle this type of scenerio. There is an overwhelming sense of calm. It does not appear that anyone is at all worried about this fury about to be unleashed upon them. They just stay focused, unexplainably calm and steadily work together to accomplish their mission of battening down the hatches.

That remarkable sense of ease they walk in on a daily basis does not seem to change when they are faced with unexpected adversity. They literally ride the storm out. The old saying, the calm before the storm, could not be more true than right here and right now.

The Bible says in (Exodus14:13-14) Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.

We as Christians should be able to stay calm and trust God through all the proverbial storms we face in our lives. When negative situations and circumstances plague our lives, we need to trust the Lord to handle it all as He sees fit. His will, His plan. We may not have a choice about the trials, tribulations and storms we find ourselves in, but we can choose how we "weather" the storm. If it is out of our control anyway, then we are going to go through it, like it or not. There is no doubt about it, we will ALL face trials in our lives. There is always uncertainty surrounding us. Nobody is exempt from tribulation. We do however have a choice to either worry ourselves into a panic, or to be still, remain calm, and just place our trust in God.

God already knows the outcome anyway. What will happen in our lives is going to happen plain and simple. It is already written. We will have storms! All the worrying we do will not remedy the situation, it in fact worsens it. We simply cannot trust God and be worrying at the same time. We need to remain calm and know that the Lord will protect us and see us through every storm we endure. We can choose to ride out those storms calmly and stoically. We can remain at peace, and let our fears stay at bay and we can live unaffectedly. We can listen to the Holy Word of our living God and let Him bear it all on His shoulders.

Proverbs1:33 says, If you will listen to me, you will live in safety, you will be at ease and live free from the fear of harm.

Promises do not get any better than that. We can live in complete safety. We can remain at ease if we will just listen to God. We can brace ourselves in His divine protection. Whatever your storms in life may be, know that they are temporary, God always shows up and delivers us in His perfect timing. We can lay all of our burdens and fears down at the foot of the cross and fully trust in the mighty, righteous, right hand of God. He can and will carry you through it all. There is no hurricane bigger than the love of God!

Be still, and know that I am God!
(Psalms 46:10)

Dear sweet Lord, let us come to you with all of our problems and storms and not panic about them. We give it all to you and we will trust in you to keep us calm and free from the fear of harm...
We praise you in Jesus name!
Amen

“As we sail thru life, don't avoid rough waters, sail on because calm waters won't make a skillful sailor”
Anonymous

Angels Among Us by Nina Keegan

A friend once told me this true story about her 4 year old niece. The girl's family lived in a two story home and the child's room was over the garage with a window that looked out over the driveway. One day the girl's mother was calling for her and got no response. She began looking for her small child. When she got to the child's room she noticed the screen on the window was torn, she rushed to the open window to find her child's tiny motionless body laying on the driveway two stories below. By the time the woman rushed downstairs, neighbors had started to gather and call parametics. The hysterical mom called to her daughter who appeared to be lifeless. There was no response, no signs of life at all. The ambulance came and rushed the tiny girl to the hospital and they began doing scores of testing on the girl, never responding she lay asleep, not moving. As the test results began rolling in, to the Doctor's amazement, she had no apparent injuries, not one, no bruising, no head trauma, no internal bleeding . The child had not so much as a scratch on her body.The doctors were so puzzled,it was virtually impossible to have fallen 20 feet on to a concrete driveway and not even have a scratch. After 18 hours in ICU the child finally woke up. The first thing she asked was "where is the pretty lady in the white dress that catched me when I falled out of the window?" The woman she began describing in complete detail could be none other that of an Angel! Had she really been caught by an Angel? There could be no other explanation as to why she had no injuries. She was blissfully happy as she continued telling how the pretty lady laid her down and smiled at her until she fell asleep. She said she was not scared at all and that she wanted to see the lady again. It was nothing less than miraculous. The doctors confirmed that there was no other possible earthly explanation for what had taken place.

We have all seen Angels in movies, or pictures of them in art history books and in historic renaissance paintings from the 17th century. Some have flowing robes and wings and halos. None however, are more famous than that of the Angel "Clarence" in the classic black and white Christmas movie" It's A Wonderful Life." In this heart warming holiday tale, an Angel was sent to earth in the form of a man to help save a desperate family man on the verge of ending his life. Clarence earns his wings in heaven by doing a job well done. I have heard and read about countless stories of how people had been helped by the strong hands of an Angel. Many of the stories are so amazing with again no other explainable explanation. I began to research Angels in the Bible to see how it is that they are sent to help people in times of trouble and if they can be indeed right here with us on earth looking just like one of us.

(Hebrews13:22) says, Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for in doing so some have entertained Angels unaware.

The scriptures say there are Angels
among us helping us and guiding us each day. Angels can be right here, in disguise walking with us, comforting us, protecting us. We may never know who they are, sometimes we may just feel a calming presence, an undeniable peace that we cannot explain. This is all how the Bible describes the mysterious heavenly beings we call Angels. These Angels are sent by God to minister to those who will inherit salvation. Angels have different gifts and talents, some are strong soldiers others, talented musicians. There are even some more famous Angels that we know by name like the Archangels Gabriel and Michael.

Jesus speaks of how if he wanted to He could ask his Father to send Him 12 legions of Angels to help Him and His Father would send them.( Matthew 26:53)
This means that even Jesus would have to ask His father to command the Angels to their post, their awaited assignment. We too must go through the proper channels and ask God first to send His powerful Angels to our aid when we need them. My daily prayers often include a request for God to keep His Angels always close by my family, constantly plucking them out of harms way and gently nudging them back onto the right path. I like to visualize the Angels surrounding my children like a sturdy hedge of protection, a fortified fortress, blocking the firey darts the enemy tries to throw their way. I think the more we educate ourselves about the help we have access to by knowing the Word of God the more we can speak life into those scriptures and reap the benefits of God's miraculous personal army of Angels.

( Psalm 91) Says, The Angels God has given charge over us to guard us in all of our ways, they bare us up in their arms lest we dash our foot against a stone.

God watches out for us so closely and loves us so intimately that He does not even want us to stub a toe on a rock. God has legions of Angels that He commands to help us. That is their heavenly job, a duty, a mission they have been entrusted with. They are always on assignment, instantly ready to catch us when we fall, help us when we are desperate, comfort us when we are sad and lonely. A legion of Angels has about 6000 in it. Imagine the magnificent vision we would witness if we were actually able to see that monumental army of Angels being sent our way to help us when we need them most. They are continuously standing guard like brilliant, robust, and amazingly strong, reinforcements ready to move on our behalf at the very utterance of God.

Pay close attention to how you treat others and be ever mindful that there are heavenly beings sent by God to roam the earth, searching for us, the ones that call upon the name of God and believe that we are never ever alone, that we are loved and protected and held close during our times of need.

Heavenly Father thank you for sending us legions of Angels to protect, defend, instruct, guide and comfort us and our families everyday. Help us to treat others always in the way that will make you proud, never knowing when we may be entertaining one of your Angels. We thank you and praise you in Jesus name!
Amen!!

"Every time a bell rings an Angel gets his wings!"
Zu Zu

"I saw an Angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free.."
Michelangelo

"We are each of us Angels with only one wing, we can only fly by helping each other.."
Luciano de Crescenzou