Graves' This and That

1 John 5:18 is rich!  "We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but He who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him."  What a promise and a fact.  One thing that I do know, by my careless speech, I can give the evil one ammunition to shoot at me!  I have been guilty of even striking the match to light the flaming arrows that he shoots at me!  What a reminder!  Proverbs reminds me again that my words are life words or death words directed toward me and others.  The death words and phrases:   "if only", "I should have, would have, or I wished I had", " I am too fat, short, stupid, dumb", " I can't do that", "nothing ever goes right for me", " I never", "it will never change", etc.  Sound familiar? God has given to us Spiritual Armor with promises:  "In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flamin...

This go round in reading Job, I have been able to identify with him in some areas.  I am so grateful that God continues to use the flawed, the finite, and the fragile to His glory.   Job in chapters 29 and 30 compares where he "usta be" and where he is now, and he experiences a vast difference is what was and now what is.  Not sure if it is his own perception or is it real....he still feels the pain of lack/loss.  Don't know about Job, but I do know that in my lacks and from my losses, there can be great spiritual warfare.  In my lacks and my losses, I am much more vulnerable to the evil one's taunts and jabs.  I can rip the scabs off and rehearse the pain repeatedly and move more deeply into regret and bitterness,  or I can agree that I have experienced or am experiencing lacks and some losses and be willing to receive and to trust God for His implanted Word for that situation.  The evil one loves it when I covet and compare my losses, my...

We are truly amazing!  As Christ followers, we have the Standard Book of Operating Procedures, The WORD of GOD, before us and we choose to peruse it occasionally, and take in a truth for application every now and then. We take in only every now and then because it must fit our comfort level.  We have made choices for decades of years which are based NOT on the LIGHT revealed from the Standard Book of Operating Procedures, but rather based on our five senses and our emotions, and then we move into blame, shame, and condemnation because of the choices when the choices implode like fireworks and leave us with horrific burns and scabs!  What is even more scary? When we realize we are making wrong choices, we continue to make wrong choices hoping it will turn out to be the right choice.  Again, lesson not learned. We return to pick the scabs, hoping for healing.   When will we get so sick and tired of making choices, putting the Truth of God's Word behind our backs...

It is so puzzling to me how in Psalm 51:4 that King David could say, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." I understand that he was speaking to God, but I wonder that he had no understanding of how his choice would affect Bathsheba?  What he chose to model to his sons and daughters?  What he chose to model and hide to the people that he served?  The real truth is that our every choice affects someone beside ourselves.  I am reading in Genesis 3 and I wonder did Adam and Eve consider the repercussions of their choice?  As I begin chapter 4, I now see the effect upon their offspring.   Both Cain and Abel both made an offering to the LORD.  Abel's offering was accepted, and Cain's was not.  Cain became angry.  God chose to speak with Cain about his anger and was so gracious to even give him warning, "And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.  Its desire is for you, but you must r...