Strongholds Begin with a Thought

If we want to live victoriously, we must hold our thoughts captive and bring them under God's authority in our lives because it affects everything else we do. Proverbs 4:23 

Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. -Romans 12:2

Changing the way you think changes your perspective which changes how you act in the world. Paul’s words aren’t new. “Change your mind” is the central theme of Jesus’ first sermon (Matt. 4:17). Jesus challenged people to change their thinking because regardless how many times you read through the Bible, if your mind doesn’t change, you will simply impose your biases and labels on the words you read. source

We can also face demonic strongholds in our own lives, in our families, and even in our churches. Anyone who has fought an addiction, struggled with pride, or had to “flee youthful lusts” knows that sin, a lack of faith, and a worldly outlook on life are indeed “strongholds.” ...What we need are Christian soldiers, totally surrendered to the will of the Lord of Hosts, who will use the spiritual weapons He provides. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7). source

Dr. Charles Stanley, former pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta, shows how strongholds develop. They begin with a thought. One thought becomes a consideration. A consideration develops into an attitude, which leads them to action. Action repeated becomes a habit, and a habit establishes a "power base for the enemy," that is, a stronghold. When we find ourselves wondering why we continue to do a thing we despise, here is the explantation. The enemy has made use of an area of weakness his power base, and he hits us again and again. The only weapon adequate to deal with such strongholds are those that are mighty through God. They are spiritual weapons. -Elisabeth Elliot Discipline: The Glad Surrender

For though we live in the world, 
we do not wage war as the world does. 
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. 
On the contrary, they have divine power 

to demolish strongholds. 

We demolish arguments and every pretension 
that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, 
and 

we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

************

I see so many people "drowning daily" struggling against sin in their lives. They want to break free, but they don't even realize they are trapped or why. I know Christians who have been attending church their entire lives (50+ years) and never read or heard of the word stronghold or studied what God's Word says about how to break free of sin "that so easily entangles." They know satan is our enemy, but they do not know very much about him because they have never sought out all the Bible has to say about him and how he operates. 

This generation is full of Bible illiterate Christians who are not aware of basic doctrine, have never heard of the exegetical method of Bible study, or know that there are topical dictionaries and concordances of the Bible. They like the current popular Christian best seller but don't know enough to tell if it is Biblically accurate or not ...and don't really care as long as it makes them "feel" spiritual. They prefer to keep dining on the easy milk or poisoned milk instead of moving forward with deeper studies that can impact their lives. 

"Study to show thyself approved" 

is a command, 

an instruction, 

given to us in Scripture 

about Scripture 

from God, Who, 

if you are a Christian, 

is your 

authority. 

What we learn from the Bible is for our benefit in this life. Why do you think people have risked death to own one? I have friends that spend a lot of money and risk their lives to smuggle Bibles into certain countries. Why? Because contained within its pages is a treasure more valuable than all of the money on the earth. 

Dear reader, if you are sincere about your faith and truly want to know God, you must study the Bible in depth. My prayer is that God will give you an insatiable lifetime hunger for the truths to be found in His Word.

How to break a little dog's heart...

It was for her safety, but she sure did "put on the dog" until I let her out.

Finished Coffee Mug by Caleb

It's so pretty!
I love seeing Caleb's craftsmanship.
He takes such pride in what he is making 
wanting to give people the best he can.
I also treasure how he loves showing me what he has made.

Pretty Rascal

One night, a grey fox came to visit, but it was so jumpy, I did not dare to try to get my camera. I've been hoping it would come back so Clint could see it up close too.

I've been able to observe two raccoons closely off and on for a few weeks now at one of the houses I watch. I dared to tap on the glass and was rewarded with this shot of one of the "trash pandas." I've been trying different things to see what behaviors I could bring out of them. It's been educational and fun! (The female racoon (pictured) does not take any junk from the male raccoon. She doesn't even let him on the deck with her at the same time.)

Unprediictable

Life is unpredictable. Devastating change can come suddenly. Make yourself right with God. SHINE for God's glory. Love on people. Make your moments count. Leave nothing important unsaid or undone. 

We are all just a car crash, a diagnosis,

an unexpected phone call, a newfound love, or a broken heart

away from becoming a completely 

different person.

How beautifully fragile are we

that so many things

can take but a moment

to alter who we are

for forever?

Samuel Decker Thompson

Tip for Finding Missing Pets

Neighbors, please be on the lookout for Orange, Amanda's cat.

He has been missing for over 48 hours which is very unlike him.

She brought him to the farm to get some exercise, but I wonder if he may be trying to get back to her house.

Praying friends, please lift a prayer that God sends Orange back to Amanda's arms.

Update 6/26/2019 11:49 am: Praise the Lord!! After 72 hours of absence, Orange is home!! This is very unlike this loving boy who likes to be close to his family and food dish. 

Helpful Hint: We put his favorite foods on the tops of several buildings late last night. He was back home this morning! This is similar to the scenting that hunters do for bringing in game. We've used a mother cow's dung to bring home a missing calf. The same idea has helped bring home other escaped livestock. If your pet is missing, I highly recommend taking their favorite food and spreading it as high as you can in an many places as you can. A cat's litter can be spread around outside to help them find their way home too.

They Bloomed Anyway

When we dug up and planted 500 daylilies for someone, I told them they probably would not bloom this year due to the stress. They usually haven't bloomed the year transplanted. Well, MANY of these did bloom much to the delight of the homeowner! Their pure joy in this was worth the hard work!

Prayers for Wisdom and Leading

Clint and I need prayers for God to impart wisdom and to lead us in the right direction on an opportunity before us. We don't want to walk through the door if it is not God's will. Thank you to those who pray with us. 

We also need prayer for things to go well in another area.

All potentially good things for us and our family, but we want to hear from the Lord before we go forward.

Seward Johnson Art Exhibit Gloucester, VA 2019

I was asked to share this for some friends 

who are not able to visit in time to see it. 

Here it is. :-)!

He Truly Is

Do You Have the Mind of Christ? or a Heart Full of Vain Arguments?

The disciple who means to compel everyone of his thoughts to surrender in obedience to Christ would do well to test himself by asking:

1. Whose glory do I seek?
2. Is this for or against the knowledge of God?
3. Am I giving my mind to wholesome precepts?
4. Am I morbidly keen on mere verbal questions and quibbles?
5. Is it more important to me to understand or obey?
6. Is it more important to me to know than to believe?
7. Will one side of the question inconvenience me?
8. Do I reject a particular truth because it will inconvenience me?

There is no end to the sophistries we are capable of substituting for clear thinking. Pragmatism (it's right if it works for me), technical feasibility (science has found a way to do it, so let's do it), relevance (I can relate to this), comfort (I feel comfortable with this), happiness (I feel happy about this), moderation (I certainly don't want to go to extremes), obligation (I owe this to myself), responsibility (it's my life), and so on. -Elisabeth Elliot  Discipline: The Glad Surrender

Daylily Season

Although we gave away 500 of these this year, we still have at least a thousand (or more) to enjoy on our farm in the different places they are planted. We have them growing up and down the sides of our 1/8 of a mile driveway, along our sheds and fences, and in other areas. There were only 50 of them here when we moved here in 1995. I work them a little each year to expand them on our farm.

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight ...or Emotions

Clint recently shared story in a group setting with some young men. One of the young men asked him how to succeed in the workplace and how to become a good provider. Another young man had issues with anger and had left around a dozen jobs abruptly in 18 months. Clint shared this story and followed it up by "Seek the Lord, and follow where He leads."

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Romans 13:7

Clint has stuck with his job even when it was unpleasant. He did not job hop like many peers because he was told by a wise, older, Christian man that frequent job hopping often causes more loss than gain. Clint gave up things he wanted (humility, sacrifice), and kept plugging away (dedication, diligence, persistence), and trusted God (walked in faith) to take care of him while he worked for us. Some parts were particularly challenging, but reward came.

For a few years, Clint had to work for a man he did not particularly like very much. The man was a micromanager, a womanizer who used his office for that pursuit, and a vindictive troublemaker. The man was in authority over Clint, but he did not understand the job well. The poor decisions this man made caused Clint's job to be harder. The strife he caused in the place of business made things even more difficult. The man put marks against Clint that were unwarranted and undeserved, and it kept him from getting a raise that year. He did this against many of the workers there. The job often took Clint to his limits. Clint did not like job very much in those years, but he was too wise to let feelings dictate his decisions. 

The job paid well, had good insurance and other benefits, offered opportunities to move up, and was stable even when the economy tanked. Clint knew he'd be foolish to walk away from a door God had opened to for him to provide for our family. So, he stayed because of his dedication to his family.

Our family spent a lot of time praying for the man and Clint. God allowed the situation to go on for a few years before He changed the circumstances. It turned into a good lesson to our children and others about sticking it out even when it isn't fun. It taught them the godly characters of praying for our enemies, doing good to our enemies, enduring, patience, bearing with others, controlling our emotions, sacrifice, steadfastness, etc.

Clint had to endure through that period. He often prayed God would open another door. He always felt God wanted him to stick with it. So he kept showing up every day and did his job to the best of his ability. 

It paid off in a big way! God blessed Clint for seeking and following Him.

The man was eventually removed. The next boss Clint had went through the employee records and REMOVED all of the negative remarks the bad boss had left for ALL of the men. He told Clint he knew the mark against him was fabricated. He even gave Clint the page in his file to destroy. Clint got a good raise that year! 

For the last few years, Clint has made a six figure income and has become recognized as an expert in his field. He leads a team in maintaining two industrial plants, has an office, a company card, business expenses, six weeks paid leave, and is set to move up if he desires. He is one of the highest paid people in the company. If he had quit when it was hard or boring or frustrating, he would not be where he is today.

Clint is currently being highly sought after by other companies and has been offered positions all around the world. For the last two years, headhunters contact him almost weekly and sometimes daily trying to lure him from the Christian company where he is employed. So far, no one is able to offer enough incentive to disrupt our current lives or leave the employer he loves and respects.

I love seeing how far my humble, hardworking husband has come! I am proud of him, his hard work, and his commitment to honor the Lord by working with integrity for his employer. Clint's needs often came last, but now he is recognized first among his peers. God, who sees the heart, rewards accordingly. It is an honor to stand beside a man who is admired, held in great respect, is eagerly sought after, and has achieved so much. 

Young people, it is rare someone can get ahead in life with frequent job hopping. You won't go far by reacting with anger, throwing things around, cursing people, striking things, and then storming off of the job. Giving up a good paying job with great benefits is not often considered a wise choice. Likewise, believing your job should revolve around your life (self first) is unrealistic if you want to provide well for your family (others first). It is a mark of maturity to be able to interact peacefully with people and situations we don't necessarily like. Self control is a godly characteristic we should all work towards. Ultimately we should seek the Lord every step of the way in every area of our lives. 

Clint's Office Fun

We gave these gag can labels to Clint on his birthday for his 
office along with other fun items for his desk.
They have been a big hit with the men on his team!

A Few More Details on Dr. Pepper Guy

Doing an all in one here to save myself some time. I apologize for the wait and the typos. I did not get home until last night. It has been a busy morning of catching up at home. 

This is in regard to the pedestrian who threatened Amanda and damaged her truck with a Dr. Pepper bottle. We nicknamed him "Dr. Pepper Dude."  

No, Amanda had never met him before their first encounter. He was a complete stranger to her. He was in the middle of her lane on a curve in a storm. She was driving the speed limit and nearly hit him. She had to swerve her truck and hit the brakes. He became ENRAGED with her and threatened to kill her if he ever saw her again. He spelled out graphically how he would do it. It's too awful to repeat.

She did drive off as soon as he was clear of her truck. That is when he slammed the bottle into her car. You might imagine the incident as being longer, but this first encounter was very brief. It was in an isolated area...no homes within view or other cars going past. 

The dent was sizable. She was not able to get all of the dent out. I am more upset by that than Amanda is. She worked hard to purchase and pay off her SUV early. That enraged man could have physically harmed her, so we are thankful the vehicle took the brunt of his anger. 

Police said they could not press charges since a verbal threat without a weapon is not a crime. If he had the stated weapon in his hand when he said it, it would have been a criminal offense. If he wrote it in any form...criminal offense. I understand people are upset she could not press charges, but please read the law before you contact me to tell me how the officers were wrong. The underlined part in this paragraph takes you to the VA Code. 

The police told her she could press charges for him throwing an object at her truck and for damaging it, but they told her that might make things worse. Amanda followed their advice and decided not to press charges then. 

When Amanda told her friend at the gas station she goes to, the young woman warned Amanda of the times he was usually in there and had plenty of observations to share. She told Amanda point blank, "He is going to harm someone." 

Our family immediately started praying for him, Amanda, and this situation. Amanda showed a lot of maturity and wisdom. She informed her neighbors so they could help her look out for him while she was sleeping in the daytime. She changed her schedule and route as much as she could to avoid him. She even tried to disguise her vehicle (removed the grill and added other things) and changed the color of her hair. She drove the "long way around" to miss a long section of the road he was frequenting. She could not avoid the road altogether. She parked her truck out of sight so he would not discover where she lived. She still passed him. He still recognized her. He still picked things up to throw, and threatened her as she drove past. I was with her one of those times, witnessed his behavior, and took pictures of him for deputies, our family, and neighbors. She also has footage from her dash cam.

Because it happened, and he was staying with relatives very close to where Amanda lives, she was concerned for her safety in her home. She asked us to pray with her on that. Every single one of us felt the Lord telling us she was safe in her home. She was kept safe, and now she does not have to be concerned with his whereabouts at all.

Has anyone else in our family seen him before? Maybe... There was an incident some months ago when Caleb was driving Bethany to Brandon's house. They were coming to a stop sign, which is in view of Brandon's, and a strange man rapidly approached the passenger's side with arm outstretched as if to open the door. It was dark and they did not see him until he was inches from the door. Caleb did check for traffic but did not come to a complete stop because it would have put his sister in what he felt was grave danger. He drove to Brandon's and told Brandon. (He felt so bad about running a stop sign that he contacted us to let us, his parents, know. We reassured him he did the right thing.) A short time later, one of our children, saw the man lurking in the dark in Brandon's front yard and alerted Brandon with a shout. Brandon secured his home and put his siblings in one spot while he monitored his security cameras. The man went into the shadows when he heard the shout. Brandon called us. We drove about an hour home, searched Brandon's property and buildings with our spot lights, told everyone to move to our house for the night, and then went back to our getaway. Bethany and Caleb believe this is the same man. Bethany feels very strongly about it after seeing him in the news without his glasses. He does fit the description they gave me which I wrote down after the event. It does look like him on the footage. However, we can't say 100%. 

"Detective Dad" did some digging. First, we have it on camera that Dr. Pepper Dude says he spent time in prison. Clint learned Dr. Pepper Dude has a Virginia residence history and a long history of traffic violations in three surrounding cities. He also has an assault and battery conviction in a neighboring county. We learned he moved to our county with relatives, who are trying to help him get his life right, to get away from the situation that led to the assault charges and probation. From what Dr. Pepper Dude said to me, he HATES everyone and everything in our county and neighborhood. So, here's to hoping he never returns!

We were told by a very reliable source he is using meth. That would explain his "rage walking" up and down the road and his unpredictable behavior. You can feel the anger and evil emanating from this man. He is set on destroying anyone and anything. Seriously, when you meet him, you know instantly he hates you, your car, the ground you are standing on, the air you are breathing, etc. Hatred is oozing from his pores. He curses God, growls, makes guttural sounds, paces like a bear, grinds his jaw, postures, etc. 

Amanda made a video immediately after Dr. Pepper Dude charged Clint in a rage. (He just saw Clint and charged him without provocation. We don't know if he saw Amanda.) I watched the video and was impressed by how calm but forceful Clint was with the words he used to keep the man away and to keep from using his weapon. I am married to a strong alpha male and am thankful for it. He is calm mannered and gentle most of the time, but when that switch is thrown, Clint is a fierce warrior! I am glad Clint is on my team and not against me! I could tell by the tone in Clint's voice if that man had come any closer to them, Clint would have stopped him. No doubts about it. I am thankful it did not come to that. 

If Clint had not had a weapon to stop him, Clint would have been stabbed. Dr. Pepper Dude did not stop his charge until Clint moved his hand to the weapon he carried on his hip. The man had a knife hidden. Clint did not know this until it was discovered by police.

Amanda is the one who called police during the incident with her truck and again with Clint. She was calm with her daddy beside her. However, Dr. Pepper Dude also called during the incident with Clint, after he saw Amanda calling, probably trying to manufacture a defense. He lied and said Clint charged him with weapon drawn and put the gun against his forehead! 

Clint did not even remove his firearm from the holster. He knew better. You don't point it unless you are ready to use it. Clint unsnapped the holster, had his hand on it and lifted it just a tiny bit (enough the weight of it was in his hand but not out of the holster) in case he had to use it because the man was very close. From what I saw myself and saw on camera, he was closer than 10 feet before Clint was able to get him to stop. If you are familiar with the recommendation of a 21 foot reactionary gap, you realize the danger to my beloved.

Dr. Pepper was cursing, grunting, and growling, so the officers didn't believe him at all. They told him he could press charges if he wanted and let it get sorted out in court but they tried to talk him out of it. Dr. Pepper Dude wanted to press charges. Finally, Amanda said she would press the two charges against him and make him pay for the damage to her truck if he pressed charges against her father. That was the end of it. Dr. Pepper is on probation, if what we were told is true. 

There were other witnesses and another video to the event mentioned above. They spoke on Clint's behalf against Dr. Pepper. Some of these people have been observing Dr. Pepper Dude for a long time. A young woman said he stops in the middle of the road and watches her for at length as she works outside. She has to go inside to get him to leave. That had been going on for months. Both she and her father were concerned, but there was nothing police could do.

There were other incidents that happened to other women, but we believe Amanda was the first woman targeted. 

Amanda is not the one who pressed charges against him. She can press charges on him still and ask the court make him pay for the damage for up to a year. She prayed and asked us to pray with her about it. She feels led to let it go. As she prayed, she realized the man does not know her name or where she lives. If she presses charges, her name will be known to him, and she can be found. 

The man did not expose himself to Amanda. That happened to another woman.

With the way it worked out, another person's name, the one who pressed charges, will be in his head now. He is "going away" for a good while. He became violent with the deputies. That didn't work out to well for him. They had to take him to the hospital before he went to jail.

The man would be agitated in the store he'd stop at every day, but his behavior would greatly escalate as he went by a church in the isolated area of road. Most of the incidents happened around this church. 

Please pray with us for Dr. Pepper Dude to be set free of drugs and evil, to see his need for Jesus, to repent and surrender to the Lord, and to embrace living his life for Christ. I know the enemy has him in his grips and has damaged his mind, body, and life, but I also know God can snatch him out of the enemy's hand, redeem him, and raise him up to have a powerful testimony! Our entire family wants to see him living better. Please pray for his relatives. I imagine they are heartbroken and disappointed their kindness and generosity did not help change his direction. 

We appreciate everyone who has called, texted, written, or visited and told us this is a spiritual battle and encouraged us to fight on our knees like a warrior of the Almighty. We thank everyone who offered to help in practical ways. We are thankful for your prayers for our family.

Spiritual warfare is a part of the Christian life. Sometimes it can be scary, but God is always in control. He has kept our family safe, granted us peace, and He has been victorious through every bit of it. My family was concerned by some of the recent happenings, but we were not fearful or shaken from our focus on our current efforts. Please keep praying for us as we serve the Lord and try to reach others in His name.

If you are serious in your walk with Christ, you will face spiritual warfare too. I want to encourage you not to fight the way the world fights, but fight the way Scripture tells us so that God will be glorified. Remember we already have the victory over evil through Jesus! If you need a team of prayer warriors, send us a note through the address in the header. Our family will join you in the battle.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 

2 Corinthians 3-4

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 

I Peter 5:8-9

 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

Pray also for me, 

that whenever I speak, 

words may be given me 

so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,  

for which I am an ambassador in chains. 

Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, 

as I should. 
Ephesians 6:10-20

Beginnings of a Coffee Mug

Caleb's co-worker asked him to make a coffee mug.
This is the beginnings of it.
I've seen the finished product but did not have my camera with me.

If it is still here, I will try to get a picture before he sells it.

It came out looking very nice!

Only One Way to Heaven

"There is salvation in no one else! 

 God has given no other name under heaven 

 by which we must be saved." 

-Acts 4:12

For there is one God, 

and there is one mediator 

between God and men, 

the man Christ Jesus, 

-I Timothy 2:5

The righteousness of God through faith 

in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 

For there is no distinction: 

-Romans 3:22

Because, if you confess with your mouth 

that Jesus is Lord and believe 

in your heart that God 

raised him from the dead, 

you will be saved. 

-Romans 10:9

For God so loved the world, 

that he gave his only Son, 

that whoever believes in him 

should not perish 

but have eternal life.

-John 3:16

Jesus said to him, 

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. 

No one comes to the Father 

except through me. 

-John 14:6

Limited

Only the "in crowd" wears these socks.

Special Edition! Extremely limited!

transform typical teen apathy into high intensity spiritual inspiration

In Matthew 28:19 Jesus said that we make disciples by “teaching them to obey everything” that he commanded. We are not called just to download truth into their minds but action into their feet and hands. When we do this we are also infusing inspiration into their souls. Because it is this brand of obedience that can forge in them a deep motivation to serve Jesus and transform typical teen apathy into high intensity spiritual inspiration. -Greg Stier: 5 Ways to Reach Apathetic Teenagers

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

From My Scribble Pad

I started drawing again thanks to the inspiration and encouragement of my four strong, beautiful, and talented daughters. I admire them, their strengths, and their skills. I am also thankful for the way they cheer me on! I was gifted with a suitcase full of drawing and painting supplies including paint and canvases! I won a couple of art contests when I was younger, but I have not drawn very much in 30+ years. I want to get into painting on canvas. I do not know how much time I will have for it right now, but I do enjoy it and am very thankful for the generous and bountiful supplies and encouragement.

"People with nothing new to learn are boring to be around." -author unknown

Good Men Do Nothing

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” 

― Edmund Burke.

No one wants to openly talk about the evil around us. It's unpopular because believers tend to be lazy. They don't like to be woken up to their need to live differently or to engage in the battle. Pastors don't want to lose their jobs, so they stay silent even when they know it is their job to address it. They preach softly to a flock with ears that like to be tickled instead of hearts that need to be challenged.

Ignoring evil does not make the problem go away. In fact, ignoring it is the nurturing evil needs to grow. Each generation grows more wicked because each previous generation allowed evil to cultivate unchecked. 

We live in a time where evil is especially apparent. Our culture is obsessed with darkness. It is in front of our faces on t-shirts, magazines, and hidden in company logos. It's all over television programming and in music. Children are being preyed upon openly, and this is even celebrated in the open in some venues. There is a restaurant that serves human meat for consumption. Frauds posing as religious leaders have dark and sinister dealings. Scientists are tampering with things they should leave alone. 

Evil isn't worshipped in hiding any more. It's brought on stage and done right in the open in front of the masses who choose to ignore it or make excuses for it rather than stand up to it. Instead of turning from it and going to war on it in prayer and action, Christians are being seduced into singing and dancing along. They mimic what they see in how they talk, dress, do their hair and makeup, and in how they live.

I could give many examples, but these things are very easy to discover if you are paying attention. Most people don't want to be honest with themselves and prefer to pretend they don't see it. Denying it is there is easier than admitting it and responding to it Biblically. Waking up to the great evil in this world is a choice each person has to make for themselves. 

Evil in the open is the physical manifestation 

of a greater spiritual depravity in hiding. 

As Christians, we need to make sure we are living for the Lord and not having any affiliation with darkness. The Bible warns us not to take on the APPEARANCE of evil. We shouldn't even look like we have an association with it. We need to point it out to others and warn them. We need to fight against it through prayer, by parenting, by speaking out against it, and by living our lives in accordance with Scripture.

If you do not know the Lord, I encourage you to take time to learn who He is today. It's time to make a choice--God or satan. One is upfront and direct with His Word which will challenge you to the core. The other is the father of lies who will help you relax your standards until you are depraved. One promises you life. The other will seduce and lead you to death. Which one will you serve?

I John 5:9 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

I John 2:3-6 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word,love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

I Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Luke 10:27 He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"