Yesterday I was depressed. Up until now I had successfully dodged world news, safely following it from a distance. Yesterday, however, I got too close. The front page of the Internet caught me and I fell into an emotional pit. My day was not ruined and everything bumped along as usual, but there was a dark oppression that seemed to cover everything like a pall.
I cried out to the Lord for help and His response seemed a bit unusual at the time: "Satan always lies." With that word, the Lord began to show me what was behind a great deal of the news in its various forms. I am not saying the news lies, but the spiritual force behind the media does. Just because we do not intentionally lie does not necessarily mean we are necessarily telling the truth.
Next, the Lord asked me a series of questions. Was the perspective behind the Internet Christian in substance? Was the perspective behind the news on television Kingdom oriented? Was the newspaper's source the Book of Truth? As I answered each question, my heart began to heal and my spirit began to buoy.
Am I saying be foolish and ignore when the news tells us that a hurricane is in the Gulf? No. I am saying that it would be just as foolish to believe every convincing headline that is reported to us either by paper, TV, or Internet. Satan lies. This is his chief tool. It is his very nature. There is no truth in him and whatever and whomever he has control over will have the same traits as their father. Jesus explained that in the Gospels.
All of this is to say that there is one piece of "media" that is always true--God's Word. That is actually what "media" is-- conveying information through words. God's Word is the TRUE media. It is the media that will never depress our hearts but encourages them in faith. When we experience the fruit of the enemy such as depression, fear, hopelessness, all is lost, etc., then quickly anoint those areas with the Word that is always True--the word that is always full of hope. Combat the lie with the Truth.
God bless you,
Father Scott +
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Taking A Deep Breath
At the Friday Men's Group some weeks ago, we were discussing "wisdom". Someone made the point that wisdom is when you take a deep breath before you respond to whatever or whomever is pushing you at the moment.
How could it be so simple? How many times have we gotten into trouble because we were moving so fast that we didn't think things through? How many times have we felt pushed by our impulses to say or do things that we have later regretted? Take a deep breath. You have just become wise.
When one of the guys shared this, the Holy Spirit pointed out that taking a deep breath is not just some psycho-relaxer thing we do. We take a deep BREATH! The Old Testament word for Spirit is "ruach" or "breath". A wise person first takes a deep, cleansing gulp of the Holy Spirit before making his or her next decision or speaking words that will alter their course.
When I was young, people would say, "Count to ten before you speak." That is the world's version of taking a deep breath. I, however, think that wisdom and the Holy Spirit are indelibly linked and that is why when we pause--when we take a breath--it make us rest in the Lord, even just for a moment. It is then that He quickly and quietly tell us to either hold our tongue or speak the truth; to act or not to act in each given situation. Take a breath.
Today, I encourage you to take some deep, cleansing breaths, especially when life pushes you around and roughs you up. If you will pause before responding and take a breath, then you will be a wise person.
How could it be so simple? How many times have we gotten into trouble because we were moving so fast that we didn't think things through? How many times have we felt pushed by our impulses to say or do things that we have later regretted? Take a deep breath. You have just become wise.
When one of the guys shared this, the Holy Spirit pointed out that taking a deep breath is not just some psycho-relaxer thing we do. We take a deep BREATH! The Old Testament word for Spirit is "ruach" or "breath". A wise person first takes a deep, cleansing gulp of the Holy Spirit before making his or her next decision or speaking words that will alter their course.
When I was young, people would say, "Count to ten before you speak." That is the world's version of taking a deep breath. I, however, think that wisdom and the Holy Spirit are indelibly linked and that is why when we pause--when we take a breath--it make us rest in the Lord, even just for a moment. It is then that He quickly and quietly tell us to either hold our tongue or speak the truth; to act or not to act in each given situation. Take a breath.
Today, I encourage you to take some deep, cleansing breaths, especially when life pushes you around and roughs you up. If you will pause before responding and take a breath, then you will be a wise person.
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