Go ahead...make my day

Just a little note about the change of photo in my blog site:
One of my favorite movie detective characters in the 70's-80's was portrayed by Clint Eastwood - Inspector Callahan, whose most well known line was "Go ahead...make my day".  Some of you who know the Dirty Harry series of movies will know what I mean.

What makes my day?  Well, the new photo I placed in my blog site says it all - God's Word, a mug (not just a cup, hehe) of coffee, and a view of the mountains.  And that is in the right order.
There is nothing like a freshly brewed coffee in the morning that just makes my day.  Something is just missing when I continue the day without having that one mug of coffee in the morning.
And, for me, there is nothing like being in the mountains.  Now, since I don't always have the time to enjoy being in the mountains, a nice view of the mountains will do.  Everyday, on my way home, the road that leads to the subdivision I live in has a beautiful view of Mount Kanlaon.  And even if it's just for a short time, I enjoy that view of the mountains, and pray for a time when I'll be able to go there again.

But there is nothing that makes my day than a moment of spending time with God and His Word.  It may not be hours, but just the time spent in recognizing who He is in my life, reading His Word and praying that the Holy Spirit may teach and guide me through it, and pouring out my heart to Him in prayer...all that is enough to really make my day.
I may begin a day without coffee, and I may have a nice view of the moutnains...but if I begin a day without God and His Word my day is shot.

I pray God and His word make your day too. 

A Snake Catcher I am Not!

I came home the other night to find our helper frantic and frightened because she had found a snake in her room!  A snake!  I get my flashlight, and go to the corner of her room where she saw it last, and there it was, hiding behind a small shoe rack.  It was a small snake, brown in color, probably not venomous but  I remember someone telling me that they do bite when they are defending themselves.

In an instant I remembered a favorite show I watch in National Geographic of snake catchers in South Africa who are called everytime there is a snake in a house or building.  I pictured the various techniques they used to try and catch snakes, venomous and non venomous.  They have these long tongs that they use to hold the snake right below the head, special glasses to protect them from snakes that spit venom into the eyes of their enemy, together with all the years of experience they have in catching snakes.  They're bold enough to hold a snake by its tail, and fast enough to avoid getting bitten.
I had all that in my mind, but I ended up asking our helper to call the neighborhood gardener to come and catch it for us.  A snake catcher I wasn't.  I knew that even if I had all those techniques and actions of the snake catchers in my mind, I knew I couldn't to what they did.  I didn't even try.  I just stayed and watched the snake, making sure it didn't run away, until the gardener came.  And when he came in a few minutes he was able to kill it, solving our problem for us.
In a situation where I had no idea what to do, nor the experience, I depended on someone who did...and he was able to do it.

Ephesians 6:10-13  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  (11)  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  (12)  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  (13)  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

This passage in Paul's letter to the Ephesus church was a strong and firm reminder to believers who they were up against.  The struggles they were going through were not the usual struggles that anyone in the world was going through.  They were to stand against the devil's schemes.  This is why they were to be strong IN THE LORD AND IN HIS MIGHTY POWER, not in themselves.  This was also why they were to put on  THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, not their own armor.

They were not to depend on themselves.  They were not to assume that they were able to go against the schemes of Satan against them.  They were not even supposed to try.  In fact, one of Satan's schemes is to make us think that we can do it on our own, and make God the last resort. But God shouldn't be the last resort.  They were to call for His help, immediately.  They were to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, not in their own power.  They were to wear God's armor for protection, and not their own.

So, just like my incident with the snake, we mustn't assume that we can face struggles in this life on our own.  Let's call on the One who is strong and who can defend us.  God wants us to realize who we are facing, and that we cannot face him on our own.  We need someone greater and stronger than our enemy, and that's our God.  And He is able to do it.

Let's not even try.  As Proverbs 3:5 says - we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding.
Call on Him.  Always.