Thinking about changing my middle initial to T then I can use MTC. Michael The Conqueror sounds saweeet.

“No, in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

Let me explain… I was not going to share this with anyone.  Failure and
disappointment are common for me in this area and I learned a long time ago that not talking about it protected me.

But when God does something good for me I feel I have to praise Him!  God is doing great things for me and I have to tell someone how good He is!

I have fought a life-long battle with obesity.  Through health problems and lack of exercise and overeating obesity has been kicking my butt.  At 49 I am dealing with a plethora of health problems that have taken much of the joy out of my life.

But through Jesus I am more than a conqueror!  I don’t want to bore you with the details.  The important part is that I adopted Romans 8:37 as my battle cry against obesity.  When I am riding my bike and my legs hurt I say … maybe it is more like growl to myself,

“I am more than a conqueror.

Through Jesus I am defeating laziness and apathy.

Through Jesus I am crushing diabetes!

Through Jesus I am killing high blood pressure!”

When the wind (In this area of South Texas it blows every day)  is forcing me to grind out every push of the pedal I say,

“Through Him I am devastating obesity!”

But being more than a conqueror goes so much further than my strength and  weaknesses.  See no matter what happens in this life Jesus has given us the victory and we have an eternal future with Him!!!  Nothing can separate us from Him!  I read a story about a little tiny girl who became a giant in Jesus.

I am humbled.  All I can say is Thank you Jesus.

I don’t know if it is the lack of snow.  I live in Southern Texas.  Or if it is the materialism that I see all around me — though I like nice things too.  But I did not seem to have the Christmas spirit this year.  Maybe it was the hectic pace of life or the feeling that the really important things in this world are not as important as getting the latest technology or the price of gas or the never ending sound of electronics, phones, computers, cars and trucks and suvs and …  then there are family issues and health issues and politics and world events and… Well it might have just been a case of the blues too.

But late Christmas night a message from God came to me.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  - Luke 2:14

Imagine that.

The creator of everything seen and unseen - the smallest atomic particles to the largest nebulae - baby ducks and ancient gnarly trees.   Wishes us peace.   Says He favors us.  Wow

The Superbowl is right around the corner.  That epic battle that is fought yearly between the two professional football teams that have defeated the rest of the field and face off against each other in one winner takes all fight.

What if one team was to find the opponents play book - the game plan -  a week before the game was played?  What kind of advantage would that team have?  When your men line up and see the opponents go into a formation you know what is coming.  When the quarterback calls an audible (a secret code that names the play just before it begins) you can smash the play to bits and stomp the ball carrier to the ground.  Knowing what is coming would shift the battle to your advantage, ensuring a crushing defeat of the enemy and a glorious victory for your team.

The Bible tells us that we are caught in the middle of a battle between Christ and Satan.  A battle between good and evil.

What if you could find Satans playbook and know ahead of time how he was going to attack you?

In the book of Job we see an earth based battle that is part of the greater, cosmic war between good and evil.  Satan comes before God and accuses Him of giving Job an unfair advantage - of buying Jobs love with divine blessings.   So God allows Satan to test Job.  In the following attack that is launched against Job we see right into the game plan of Satan.

Here is Satans play book as seen in the book of Job…

1.  Attack their belongings

2.  Attack their finances

3.  Attack their families

4.  Use their friends against them to bring pain or doubt

5.  Use their spouse to cause pain or doubt

6.  Attack their personal health

7.  Cause them to doubt God

That is it!  That is the playbook!  Not much has changed over time has it?  So if we know Satans plans to beat us why do we often get sacked by unexpected attacks from out of nowhere?

I think the answer can be found in another Bible story.  The prophet Elisha is being hunted down by an evil king.  The king learns where Elisha is staying and sends his army to surround the city and take Elisha.  In the morning Elisha’s servant wakes up and goes outside and to his horror … they are surrounded by well armed angry looking soldiers.  Defeat looks certain!  A painful death is probable!  No where to run - no escape -

The man of God calmly prays that his servant will see the bigger picture.  That he will see the day from God’s perspective.

Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.  - 2 Kings 6:17

God fought the battle that day and beat the army in an embarassing crushing defeat.

Attacks will come.  Satan will surround God’s people and throw every play in the book at them to hurt, discourage, defeat them.   But  “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16

The hardest thing about spiritual battle is realizing we are in one.

The greatest thing about spiritual battle is turning it over to God and watching Him fight for you.

This is just plain cute.

Here is a beautiful flash presentation.  While I am tickled that you watch it on my site if you go to the original website you can watch it in full screen, high quality mode and it is even more awesome.  God bless!

Toby Mac sings a song called Made To Love. It says, “I was made just for you, made to adore you.”  The song has some special memories for me.  I have always loved the lyrics and energetic tune since I first heard it but there was one occassion that lifted the song from a favorite to a part of a fond memory.

When I was in my early 40’s I decided to return to college and finish my Theology degree.  I had started my degree earlier then changed to a business major.  I regretted that decision for years and finally decided to go back and complete what God called me to do.

At 40 something I was the oldest student in all my classes and I wanted to get to know people and make friends.  I had many acquaintances and met very nice people but just not really close to anyone.  Then I took  a class that required a group of us to travel an hour away twice a week or more, depending on how bad you wanted to impress the teacher.

Over the days we got closer as a group and then one evening on the way to our church meeting Made To Love came on the radio and it happened… we all began singing from the top of our lungs and I knew I was part of the group.  Sometimes a song can bring pure joy to a persons heart and that was what happened.  Not worrying about how we sounded or worrying someone else in the car would think we were goofy we all accepted each other and sang our hearts out.

The lyrics of this song also taught me an important lesson.  I have been a strong believer in “Soul sleep.”  This means that when you die you sleep in the grave.  If you look up all the texts in the Bible about sleep you will find a large number of them refering to death.  Jesus, when he was told that Lazarus was dying told His disciples that Lazarus is sleeping.  When they said that it was good for him to sleep Jesus corrected their understanding by saying that Lazarus is dead.  Jesus considered death to be like sleep.   Also if we die and go straight to Heaven then why have a resurrection?

This song made me think… “Why did God create man?”  If God knows everything and He does, He knew they would sin and then He would destroy them with fire.   Did God create mankind to destroy them?   NO He created mankind to love them.  He created mankind knowing Jesus would have to die and save as many as possible.  The thought that God created mankind to burn for all eternity does not make sense.  The idea that God created man to love Him and save as many as possible does make sense.

Some day I will talk a little about the disgusting!!! despicable!!! teaching that God burns people for all eternity.   That is not the character of God and DOES NOT make sense when you read that, “the wages of sin is DEATH,” Romans 6:23 and “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” 1 John 5:12

But, that is for another day… today… we were born to love God!  Made to adore Him!

Then God smiled and the light broke and the darkness rolled up on one side and the light stood shining on the other and God said, “That is good.”   This is a beautiful poem about the creation.  I don’t often think of God as smiling.  I don’t know why.   Jesus said, “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”  Luke 15:7 and 10

Another text shows us a little of the joy God feels for us.  “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

God smiles and He smiles at you and me when we turn around and like the prodigal son return to Him.

Want more of Phipp’s rich voice? Click on the image on the left to go to Amazon.com and get “Just As I Am and other Favorite Hymns of Billy Graham ”

Some of the most profound, or most spiritual things are simple. Sitting in the silence of a new morning, as the sun quietly brightens your surroundings and warms the air. The simplicity of a child’s kiss on your cheek. A smile from a friend in the middle of a busy day. Simplicity.

“It is in the quiet crucible of our personal private sufferings
that our noblest dreams are born and Gods greatest gifts are given,
and often given in compensation for what we’ve been through.”

- Wintley Phipps