Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  2 Corinthians 5:17

Have you heard of the "Stockholm Syndrome?" It is a psychological phenomenon in which prisoners or hostage victims express empathy or sympathy towards their captors... even after they have been set free. These victims have developed feelings during captivity to the point of defending or identifying with their captors.

Of course these feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims.  However... their lives are still imprisoned and they don't even realize it.

There are Christians who sometimes suffer a similar syndrome --  I will call it "Satan's Syndrome!"  We live in a world where sin reigns -- it beats us down, it drowns us in things like alcohol, drugs and sex, it also steals any peace or joy we might have.  Within minutes it can quickly and effortlessly produce fear, doubt and worry.

Without even realizing it and until we come to Christ Jesus, we adapt to the ways of this world and we become prisoners of it!   We are use to just getting by -- hoping we will stand up to all the pressures we face on a daily basis.

Even when we know that Jesus has "completed a work in us that sets us free" we still continue to live in bondage.  We try and we try... we are continuously asking the Lord to free us from the burdens we bear or remove the chains that seem to bind us -- stealing any and all of our abundant living in Christ jesus!

God's Holy Word states: If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.  John 8:36  No longer are we captives of this world and satan himself -- we now belong to the King of Kings!!  And, we are freed in Jesus Christ!!  We need not live in the bondage that satan would keep us in!

Christ Jesus is waiting to shower grace and kindness upon us.  Our salvation is complete in Him and the work HE did on the cross!  All we do is trust Him enough to let that work be done in us -- from start to finish!  We can do nothing to save ourselves! We do not play the major role in this part of life!  We neither make nor save ourselves!

With our Salvation, Jesus promised us freedom in Him!  Don't listen to the "father of lies!" Learn to hear that still, small voice of our Father in Heaven!!  If you truly believe that the blood of Christ Jesus has done a completed work -- you will truly be free and you will be able to shout with complete confidence: "Amazing Grace - My Chains are GONE!!

Listen to this beautiful song and let it minister the freedom you so deserve to know: (If video does not work, click on link or cut and paste to url)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPrMcaYSOjs

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5

Fifty eight years ago "In God we trust" was adopted as the official motto of the United States.  We sing it in our national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner" and we see it everyday in United States currency.

However, there are many seniors who know, that it only takes a fleeting moment to look at our United States of America and wonder, "When did we stop trusting God?"  Our God, whose trust meant everything to so many has been and is now being removed from all that truly was "America!" 

My heart aches for America and often I ask myself, "Am I trusting God fully and completely?"  There are so many defeated-Christians now a day, Christians who do not wholly trust in the faith that our forefathers passed down and meant for us to hold close to our hearts.

Long ago I found myself a defeated-Christian.  I was overwhelmed with a loved one who did not have a relationship with the Lord and at the time was very ill. 

I would cry out to God, I would pray and still I agonized over the entire situation. One night I called a friend to pray with me.  I asked if we could get a group of ladies, prayer warriors who would seek the Lord with me.  Sadly, she told me there was no one she knew who would gather for such a reason.

My heart broke, I decided I would pray and seek God until He had an answer for me.  I spent many nights awake seeking the Lord until one night I heard from Him.

God, in that still small voice, softly spoke these words, "Cast your burden upon me!"
My mind quickly went to that Bible verse, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 1 Peter 5:7"

It was the word "Cast" that really caught my attention, so I looked it up in the dictionary, the following is what I found: 

CAST (kast, kahst) ow Spelled  
/kæst, kɑst/ Show Spelled verb (used with object), cast, cast·ing.
1. to throw or hurl; fling: The gambler cast the dice. 
2. to throw off or away: He cast the advertisement in the wastebasket.

Now, I knew what "cast" meant -- but when I read the words, "throw, hurl; fling"   I knew immediately why I wasn't actually and absolutely trusting God!  I finally realized what I had been doing wrong.

First - I never really flung away my fears.  I never thrust those cares to God, I would pray earnestly, but when I was through -- I continued to carry the burden.  When you cast a fishing line, you let it go as far into the water as possible.  When you cast your burdens you must do the same thing!

Second - I wanted, no I needed others to share my heavy burden.  I wanted them to know the urgency I felt and the heavy burden I carried.  When there was no one -- I began to doubt and that only brought more fear.  I had to learn that I could take my problems to Jesus -- I could cast them, even heave them into His arms and my Lord would carry them for me.  He would even carry me if need be.

Instantly and rapidly I was at ease, the burden didn't cease to be -- but it was now in the arms of Jesus and I was at peace.  It was a peace like I had never known and it was thoroughly comforting to my heart, mind and soul.

Of course Satan would try to bring it to my mind for the sole purpose of me worrying... but I just cast it back to the Lord.  I told that old devil he would now have to speak to Jesus about this problem -- and I felt that peace all over again!!

Friend, if you are struggling with difficulties beyond your ability -- cast them out to Jesus.  He is waiting to carry them for you.  Jesus wants your life to be one of peace and not anxiety.

Learn to lean on Jesus -- Learn of His Love for you -- Learn of the peace that only He can give!!  God's Word promised you this peace when Jesus spoke these words: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  John 14:27" 

Will you trust Jesus completely today?

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.   John 8:7

In my last blog I warned that we should all carefully examine and weigh the messages this world brings to us.  We can not afford to be foolish or deceived by sweet words and lovely ideas. We need to measure everything we hear, say and do by God's Holy Word!

So then, how do we treat non Christians who blatantly sin before our eyes?  Well, in this passage we can learn from Jesus Himself!

This passage in John is not only beautiful but it is profound in its insights, of who Jesus was and how He treated sinners.  Jesus very kindly and lovingly does not condemn the sinner, but He calls the sinner out to change, to be saved.

I can't imagine being dragged through the streets by the elite for the soul purpose of being disparaged and possibly stoned to death.  That was the law from Moses in those days for the woman. Still, these scholars, these Pharisees were not only looking to punish her, they were trying to trap Jesus. 

The leaders were calling for Jesus to find a solution to the problem, what would He do with the woman who had been found in the act of adultery?  Surely, He must find her guilty. 

However, Jesus did not speak.  He did not question her guilt, nor did He condone her act of sin! Instead, Jesus very strangely and firmly began to write in the sandy ground.


When He stood up, He turned to the woman's accusers and calmly said, "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."  Jesus was only asking them to examine their own hearts, just as He asks you and I to examine our hearts.

I can only imagine the anger that must have stirred in some of the Pharisees, yet the guilt of their own sin, hastened their exit.  Jesus then looked to the woman and said, "Go" but He didn't stop there, He also said, "and sin no more!" 

Yesterday, I wrote about Characters Uniting.  Their message is like that of the Pharisees, accusing Christians of committing "hate-crimes" against the disadvantaged.  They have laid out a trap for Christians, and while their concept may be good, their ideology is wrong!

We can not fall for their lies, we can not afford to be deceived!  Jesus' message is very clear in the book of John, we are told to "sin no more!"  That message is for everyone of us, liars, murderers, gossips, adulterers, homosexuals, trans-genders...etc., we must all recognize our sin and then leave it and sin no more! 

Friends, don't jump on the bandwagon that is trying to steer us away from God's Holy Word.  We can not unite with this world or its ways! We will either "STAND FOR TRUTH" or we will "FALL for LIES!"  We can't have it both ways!

Will you commit to stand for God's truth today?  And, will you speak the truth in love, just as Jesus did?

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 
1 Corinthians 3:19

Yesterday, I spoke about "freedom of speech" for Christians and Non-Christians alike.  Our country provides each and every one of us the privilege of speaking, what is on our minds.

That privilege and entitlement should never be misused or defiled by those who are just seeking and pursuing their own deviancies. Our freedom to speak was never meant to advance the life styles of those citizens who are just looking to "legalize their own sexual lusts and immoralities!"

And, that is exactly what "Characters Unite" is secretly exacting to do!  Their back door plan easily appeals to those who truly wish to do what is right, but their end game is corrupt and perverted.

They are asking each of us to stop bullying... to give the disabled a fair opportunity to succeed... to stop violence... to provide loving homes to foster and adoptive children...etc.  While all of this sounds great and is admirable, this group has an ulterior motive! 

Beneath all their grandiose ideas, they are simply seeking to legalize their own "sexual perversions, desires and lusts!"  We are not to agree or pattern our lives after the evils of this world and these immoralities definitely go against the Word of God!

Don't be fooled!  Don't think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with man and the times we live in.  If we measure our wisdom by this world's standards we are in trouble!

There are many unscrupulous men and women who wish to exploit the faith.  They are as deceived as the people, Christian or Non-Christian that they are leading astray.  

Don't fall for what sounds sweet and lovely in your ear.  Take time to carefully examine and weigh what people tell you!! (this includes me!) 

Not everyone who talks about God is for God and many are not even talking about our God Almighty, the only true and living God who sent His only Son Jesus into this world to save us from our sins.

Unfortunately, there are many good preachers who are not speaking the truth of God's Word.  They too have fallen for what this world dictates instead of what God's Word says!

While Characters Unite -- sounds like a wonderful organization, their intentions are not honorable.  Secretly they are out to advance their own sexualities, perversions and cravings. 

They are like the serpent, they are handing you an apple and it is sinful.  It is up to every one of us to determine if everything they say, comes from or complies with the Word of God!

Prayerfully, consider God's Word and learn to walk fully and only in His ways!  He will guide you if you ask Him to.

You must decide who will you believe... people or God's Living Word?