Since publishing my book, I have been admitted to AWSA, the Advanced Writers’ and Speakers’ Association.  From this group of female writers, I have learned much.  Recently, I, like several others, was contacted to speak in Great Britain.  We all received the same email, and because one of our women checked into the inviter’s credentials, we were alerted that this invitation was a scam.  This is not the only scammer working with authors.

One writer began her email with these words: “This week a scammer got me.”  She wrote that he used her pastor’s name and asked her to buy gift cards for two women at church who were suffering from cancer; he would give the cards to the women the following Sunday.  She purchased the cards. Then the scammer asked her to photograph the cards front and back and send them to him so the women could start spending them early.  She obliged…and lost $1000 in the process.

The author called the police.  Because of the amount, it was a federal crime, so the F.B.I. was alerted. She also notified her pastor and other members of the congregation—many who had received the same email.  The scammer contacted her again and wanted $3,000 more to help other people in need.

This time, the author prayed about what she should do.  Jude 22 told her to reach others for Jesus through mercy mixed with fear, and the story of Ananias and Sapphira came to mind.

This is what she wrote the scammer:

“Once there was a man named Ananias, who came up with a scheme with his wife to steal from the first church. God struck them both dead. You may not believe in God, but he sees what you are doing. Your only hope for being saved is to call on Jesus. And by the way, what you’re doing is a felony and has been handed over to the FBI. You will very likely be receiving some earthly pay-back, too.”

In the email to fellow members of AWSA, she wrote that she knew that Ananias and Sapphira weren’t after money; they were after acclaim.  “But it’s still stealing,” she wrote. She shared that she put the scammer on her daily prayer list.  “I’ve turned his theft into my investment in his soul.”

She ended with this:

“So beware of what’s out there, like I was not. And if you are approached by a scammer, think of how you can invest in his or her soul for eternity. Prayer can snatch him from the flames of hell.

“Boy, did this scammer unknowingly hit the jackpot! LOL!”

Several authors responded to her email, me included, thanking her for demonstrating a heart for ministry for someone who had cost her…literally.  Her ability to see a chance to lead someone to know Christ superseded her desire for payback.  What a lesson for everyone who sees only their own pain instead of recognizing an opportunity to help save someone’s soul!

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

 

Several of my classmates married right after their high school graduation in 1976. I was asked to sing The Lord’s Prayer at one of these weddings. (This will sound really strange,   but I’d rather sing at five funerals than one wedding. Because a wedding ceremony is a huge production and everyone expects everything to be perfect. But funerals are a ministry to provide comfort through music and that‘s right in my wheelhouse.) An accomplished organist was to accompany me, and everything went well at the rehearsal. But on the evening of the wedding, the organ settings had been changed so that when the introduction was played, all I could hear was a low-pitched rumble. For the life of me, I couldn’t hear my starting note. I realized it wasn’t going to get any better, so I just started singing and sang about half of the song before I could determine the correct pitch. Of all the songs in the world, I totally botched The Lord’s Prayer. This incident was one of my most-embarrassing music fails ever! I can’t remember if I crawled out of the sanctuary or just dug a hole in the carpet and climbed in. I hope it wasn’t my fault, but this particular couple later divorced.

 

God will never fail us, but humans will. It’s our nature, not our intention. When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, he took His inner circle of three (Peter, James and John) and asked them to pray and watch with Him. But they failed.

 

God, however, has always shown Himself to be an unfailing and faithful Father because He never makes mistakes and He never abandons His children. He is a solid Rock and dependable when life is not at its best. It’s comforting to know that God is the same through every situation; and that means He’s always good. “So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding” (Ephesians 1:6,8 NLT).

 

By faith, we can lay hold of the blessings God has for us.  “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3 NLT). Christ followers need to be reminded that our spiritual blessings are vital to a victorious life in Him. But there’s no doubt that material blessings are also important. We need both types of blessings and God will not fail to provide us with everything we need as we place our complete trust in Him.   Jesus said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV).

 

Faith in an unfailing God is a routine that believers are to practice hourly. It’s not something we rely on sometimes. Faith in God’s love and power for us as individuals must be consistent. When we live out our everyday life grounded on God’s Word, our lives can positively impact others for the Kingdom of God.

 

God will always do what is best for His children; He‘s always up to something good. “So what should we say about this? If God is with us, no one can defeat us. He did not spare His own Son but gave Him for us all. So with Jesus, God will surely give us all things” (Romans 8:31,32 NCV).

 

The Key: God loves us and we can trust that He will never fail us or sing off pitch.

I write, not as an expert on Christianity (as far as I know, Jesus was the only one who qualified for that title) but as one who wakes up every morning determined to love God more than myself.  Typically, that lasts for about an hour (two if I take time to read my Bible and pray).  Then I become…well, Patty.

Pretty much, a house of cards that falls flat.  Should I stack up my “pair of two’s” against almost every Christian I know, their “Royal Flush” will beat me every time. They pray, witness, disciple, memorize scripture, feed the sick, clothe the poor, write encouraging notes, remember peoples’ names and love their enemies better and more than I do. They are not annoyed by small talk or disinterested listeners; instead of whining about the state of politics, they get involved; and they are at the top of the church volunteer list.

Nope, I’m not going to compare myself to them.  Instead, I will compare myself to evil people like Charles Manson, Hitler and Jeffrey Dahmer where my three-of-a-kind trumps their one-of-a-kind.  That lasts for, oh say, about 30 seconds at which time the divide widens because now I can add pride and judgmentalism to my deck of unimpressive cards.

I need a new hand.

Correct that. I need a new heart.

While researching, I googled “hypocrite.”  Up popped some commentary that dealt with the 10 biggest hypocrites ever (and no, I was not listed).  Scrolling down the list, I gasped when I saw Jesus’ name.  The author’s rationale?  Anyone who could preach love yet condemn people to hell is a hypocrite.

A hypocrite? Jesus pretended to be something he wasn’t?  If Jesus was a hypocrite, then what are we?  Hypocrites on steroids to the umpteenth power? If Jesus was a phony, what was the cross all about?  I know of no other person who willingly would take the place of sinners (including the author of that article…and me…and you, if you’re honest) and ask only that, because of his sacrifice, we love him back, no matter what deck we have been dealt.

Who else is in our corner like he is? We never will have a cheerleader like Jesus Christ who, according to 1 Timothy 2:5, mediates for us when Satan stands in the heavens, reciting his litany of where we have fallen short (which, in some of our cases-ahem!–is more often than others). I can just see Satan puffing out his chest, and in his best accusing tone, informing Jesus that I was impatient in the express lane when the woman ahead of me had 13 items instead of 12.

Jesus responds with one word: “Forgiven.”

“Yeah, well what about this one?  Today she told her neighbor she’d pray for her but didn’t.

“Forgiven.”

No matter what Satan throws out, Jesus reminds him that he paid the price to cover my sins. I wish I could see myself the same way Jesus does. When I see five unmatched cards as I compare myself to the saintly types listed above, Jesus sees five aces (and yes, I know that’s not possible, but you get the point). Where I see myself failing as his representative, he recognizes it as part of my journey to rely more on him.  When I judge, he nudges me to remember what it’s like to be judged.  When I compare myself to others (seriously, is JayLo stunning or what?), he reminds me that I am loved, 100%, right where I am.

Who else does that?

No hypocrite that I know, that’s for sure.

 

 

 

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

 

I have a wild variety of Thanksgiving memories from my younger years. My Aunt Velda was a hairdresser and sometimes she would cut my hair on Thanksgiving at our house. In the late 1970s, I got a speeding ticket driving from Springfield to Stockton. I found it hard to be thankful that day. My Dad innocently threw out the dressing to the dogs before Mom baked it. (It looked like scraps to him!) One year, we ate wild turkey that had previously lived across the road. Thanksgiving was/is a time for family togetherness, home-cooked food, hugs, loud stories, laughter, and a sincere prayer of thanks to God for His goodness. I have witnessed and experienced God’s great faithfulness all my life.

 

Thanksgiving is a special occasion to pause and be grateful that we’re not hopeless or helpless. Even though believers can’t fully grasp what God has done for us, we can bow low, raise our hands high, and worship Him. We should humbly thank God for His mercy — for what He’s done and all He hasn’t done. Dottie Rambo penned these compelling song lyrics: “If we had gotten justice we would surely be lost. But we found mercy when we knelt at the cross.”

 

With all of God’s abundant goodness in our lives, let’s not be guilty of running around like Chicken Little and squawking, “The sky is falling!” That hopeless attitude makes Christians look foolish and faithless and disappoints God. When we act like God won’t keep His word to provide and protect us, we make Him out to be a liar. He needs us to be good examples and choose to trust Him. “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). We mustn’t act like silly chickens but rather thankful believers full of hope, joy, peace, and gratitude.

 

God is in the past, present, and future. Christ followers need not fear the future because God is already there and He’s not the least bit disturbed. Recently, I was visiting with my late sister-in-law about a certain situation. I said, “I’m not worried about it,” so then she said, “Well, if you’re not worried, then I’m not going to worry.” I believe that conversation greatly pleased our heavenly Father. “And call for help when you’re in trouble — I’ll help you, and you’ll honor Me” (Psalm 50:15 MSG). God is not limited in any way, shape, or form. Therefore, we glorify Him when we surrender and place our trust in Him. No matter where we go or what we do, God is already there with patient arms full of love, grace, and mercy. Now that’s something to squawk about!

 

During Thanksgiving (and everyday) let’s focus on God’s constant presence in our life. “I am a God who is everywhere and not in one place only. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?“ (Jeremiah 23:23-24 TEV). If God can keep the universe in perfection motion, shouldn’t we be confident to trust Him with all our concerns? And shouldn’t we be thankful for His mercy (getting what we don’t deserve and not getting what we do deserve)?

 

King David wrote, “The Lord is my Strength and my [impenetrable] Shield; my heart trusts in, relies on, and confidently leans on Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song will I praise Him” (Psalm 28:7 AMP).

 

The Key: Let’s open the eyes of our heart and realize we’re blessed and be thankful.

No matter what.

No matter what our circumstances, we can trust that God is in charge.  No matter what storm we encounter, no matter what is happening in our relationships, no matter what is going on across the ocean, no matter how the world has canceled us, God is in charge.

Even if you are in Mexico and wait for five hours at Immigration and the men ahead of you are told they don’t have the right paperwork and you tap them on the shoulder and whisper to them to walk down the street to the Coca-Cola lady and she will prepare their paperwork for them (for a fee) and then you have to do the same and you end up in line behind them and they sit in the only two chairs on the sidewalk and never offer you a seat and never even thank you when they end up leaving the Immigration office an hour before you.  As a final insult, Immigration tells you to pull your hair back to take your official photo and, in your official document, you look like you have been mauled by a grizzly bear.

Even then.

Everyone I meet is dealing with something (and yes, I know, much more challenging than my Immigration story).  Two of my closest Christian friends are dealing with auto-immune diseases and three with Parkinson’s disease.  As I watch them become more debilitated, I am touched to see them lean on God and trust that He is the only One in charge.

No matter what.

This morning, I listened to a podcast by speaker/author Linda Shepherd whose 18-month- old daughter, strapped in her car seat, was thrown from a vehicle onto a freeway.”  For a year, the toddler was in a coma—referred to a “vegetative state” by 21 health care professionals– and only when her newborn baby brother was placed next to her in her bed did she awaken.  Linda spoke about what a blessing it was to care for a mentally and physically handicapped child for 26 years.  Because “God is in charge.”  In another interview, she said this: “When we are despairing, Jesus is caring.”

I’m not sure there is anything that moves me more than watching people with extreme burdens lean into God and profess that He is in charge.  They don’t blame.  They don’t ever ask “Why me?”  They don’t turn to alcohol or drugs to help them deal.  They find blessings amidst their trials.

No one did that better than Paul.  In Acts 16 we read that he and his traveling companion Silas were “severely flogged” and then thrown into prison.  Flogging was especially brutal. The usual instrument was a short whip with several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. The maximum number of blows was 39, or until the victim was considered “near death.”

We can assume these disciples were in bad shape when they were thrown into jail, their feet fastened in the stock.  What did they do?  Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God.  No moaning.  No self-pity.  Let’s pick up in verse 26:  Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake…All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! Panicked, yet understanding something supernatural had happened, the jailer asked what he needed to do to follow the same God Paul and Silas served.  In the end, the jailer and his family became Christians and were baptized.

All because, no matter what happened to these disciples, they kept the faith.

And so should we.  No matter what.

 

 

 

 

Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

 

When I was a young girl, I thought the fragrance of ‘Evening in Paris‘ was absolutely lovely! Several years ago, I ordered the cobalt-blue bottle of this cologne from ebay just to remember the scent and enjoy the nostalgia. (However, it didn’t smell as good as I thought it did as a kid.) The sense of smell is a powerful instrument for bringing us pleasure or annoyance. I love the fragrance of an iris, but the scent of a skunk is a whole nother ballgame. I’ve been told by friends that my home has its own fragrance. I wasn’t aware of it because I’m used to it. But I know what they’re talking about, as I recall my piano teacher’s living room had the same certain smell every week.

 

Whether we realize it or not, Christ followers give off a pleasing or offensive scent everywhere we go. Like Pepe’ Le Pew, the “odor-able” French striped skunk, we may not realize we’re giving off a putrid odor that annoys people or causes them to run away from us. Pepe’ was used to his odor, and I think it’s possible that some believers can be so used to their harsh and overly-opinionated personality that they aren’t aware that they’re annoying and their persona stinks to high heaven. Apostle Paul admonishes us to, “Guard your speech. Forsake obscenities and worthless insults; these are nonsensical words that bring disgrace and are unnecessary” (Ephesians 5:4 TPT).

 

What’s your favorite fragrance? You can’t buy the following perfumes anywhere, but you can possess them in your heart and lavish them on people everyday: Compassion, Love, Hope, Encouragement, Kindness, Gentleness, Understanding, Patience, Goodness, and Empathy. These priceless fragrances display the character of Jesus Christ.

 

“Thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads in triumph [as a trophy of Christ’s victory] and through me spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14 AMP). Through the yielded lives of believers, we are to spread the fragrance of God wherever we go. We should live every day as fragrant love spreaders. (There’s more than enough manure spreaders out there.) Just a few positive words of encouragement spoken over a discouraged individual can change his/her outlook and give hope.

 

“But this beautiful treasure is contained in us — cracked pots made of earth and clay — so that the transcendent character of this power will be clearly seen as coming from God and not us” (2 Corinthians 4:7 VOICE).  Believers must realize that anything good we do only comes from God’s power living in us. We owe it all to Jesus for making it possible to wear the fine fragrances of a renewed life in Him. Although we’re common/imperfect clay jars (created from dust/clay) we possess the fragrance of God in our heart. His sweet fragrance in us will naturally spill out on others as we practice loving on them.

 

Christ followers need to be aware of how we smell to others. What one person thinks smells good, another can think it stinks. I once worked with a very nice woman, but her cologne fragrance was horridly unpleasant to my nose. Obviously, she thought it was wonderful or she wouldn’t have chosen to wear it. But, to me, it smelled like toilet-bowl cleaner. We need to seriously reevaluate our spiritual fragrance choices to ensure that we’re a sweet and welcoming fragrance to others.

 

The Key: Don’t be like Pepe’ Le Pew and turn people off because you stink.

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  1 Peter 4:10

Last week, I shared that I drove five hours to Iowa to sell my books at three different Christian bookstores over three days.  Although I hoped to sell several, that did not happen, but God arranged for me to meet some extraordinary people who taught me much about serving and compassion.

I wrote about how on the first day, Francine, an employee, and I bonded.  She, a tough, determined woman in her 70’s, demonstrated a work ethic I admired.  You needed a box moved?  She jumped in to help.  Books located for a potential customer, phoning in a request?  Francine scoured the store until she found the needed item.  Crates loaded and taken to another store?  In she came with her dolly. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do.

I asked Francine questions about her life.  Tough.  Growing up in poverty, she now works jobs for the three bookstores and as a security guard at night.  She had to leave work early that day, she said, because she was making dinner for her church’s youth group that met once a week.  “Would you like to speak to them?” she asked.

When I arrived at her small, country church at 6:30 that evening, I followed the noise into a cellar-type basement where six high schoolers were sitting around a table, laughing and visiting.  Gee, I thought, no cell phones.  I was thrilled by what I was witnessing.  There was Francine, dishing out the stew she had prepared and directing her teens to the homemade cookies resting on the side counter.

Melissa, a teen, volunteered to pray, and a young man, sitting with his back to me, removed his hat.  (I am old enough to be impressed.)  The prayer was sweet and sincere.

We were directed upstairs to the sanctuary area.  It was an old, yet proud, room with hardwood floors, plaster walls, an ancient piano, and this sign on the side wall.  Attendance the previous Sunday: 10.  Money collected: $101.00.  Think about that.  Some pastor, every week, prepares a sermon for 10 people.  One of those 10 probably leads worship.  But they continue, week after week, to do God’s work. Wow!

Francine was a huge part of this church’s survival.  As it turned out, she also, for 27 years, had made cookies for the Blood Bank, and this, my final day “selling” my books in their third store, also was the beneficiary of her benevolence.  She was the one who served cider and her cookies to patrons…the same patrons who avoided me at all costs.  Still, she did her best.  “I want you to meet our visiting author who has come all the way from Kansas,” she said, proudly. “I’ve bought five of her books, four as presents.  I’m on Chapter five of her book, and it’s great.”  I later told her that I needed to hire her as my agent.

We need more Christians like Francine, people who are willing to do whatever it takes to help others succeed.  It wasn’t about numbers.  Every single person she met deserved to be valued.  I left Iowa, not with many book sales, but with clear understanding why I had gone there: to know that God wants my faith to grow.  As usual, He worked in ways I never expected.

Keys to the Kingdom

By Carolyn Tucker

 

 

 

It’s only natural that everyone has favorites. My favorite dog breeds have a smashed nose and short hair; favorite candy is milk chocolate; favorite season is summer, etc. My favorite grade-school teacher was Mrs. Zula Oldham because she was Dad’s first cousin, so that made her special to me. I can’t say I was her favorite student because she was too wise for that; she treated everyone in her classroom the same. When I was a kid I watched The Smothers Brothers show (1967-69) and I still remember how Tommy would tell Dickey, “Mom always liked you best.“ A mother should never have a favorite child but, for this comedy act, Mrs. Smothers did and it made America laugh out loud.

 

I’ve had some very important teachers in my life. My parents were wise and loving teachers and now that they’re gone, I continue to live by their example. Mrs. Murray was an exceptional piano teacher and I’m still playing and using the knowledge that she taught me. My high school Driver’s Ed teacher was a very brave man and I still utilize the safety precautions that he taught.

 

We never outgrow our need for a teacher. No matter how old we are, we simply don’t know everything there is to know. Life is full of daily situations where we have to make a decision, so we need help in making the right choice. The last thing we want to do is choose poorly and suffer the consequences. Jesus knew all about this serious dilemma and took care of it before He returned to Heaven.

 

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will be your teacher in all things and will put you in mind of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 BBE). I appreciate knowing that I have a “Teacher Spirit” inside me 24-7. It’s like having my own built-in teacher/counselor/helper that’s 100% accurate, dependable, and based on God’s Word. It’s comforting to know that the Holy Spirit is available and on standby for every believer. We should never underestimate or take for granted the wisdom, power, and presence of the Holy Spirit in our life.

 

I like to study scripture verses from different translations and let the truth sink in deeply. The Passion Translation for John 14:26 reads: “But when the Father sends the Spirit of Holiness, the One like Me who sets you free, He will teach you all things in My name. And He will inspire you to remember every word that I’ve told you.” God has given His Spirit to help us in our faith walk, and to give us wisdom and understanding as we endeavor to live in His will. The Helper (Holy Spirit) wants us to have insight into the big decisions in our life as well as the small. A spirit of peace will be the green light concerning the right choice. Allow peace to rule as the umpire in our decisions.

 

With so many countless paths to follow, we need to rely on God’s Word and the Holy Spirit to keep walking in the right direction of God’s will. Christ followers need to fine tune our hearts to hear the gentle Holy Spirit’s voice over all the others. There’s no limitations — the “Teacher Spirit” will teach us everything, whether big or small.

 

The Key: I’m still listening and learning, and my favorite Teacher is the Holy Spirit.

I should not be surprised by how God redirects my life by taking the focus off of me and putting it on Him.  You would think I would have figured it out by now.  Thick-head, I guess.  Last week was a perfect example of how this plays out in my life.

As I wrote a few weeks ago, I spent a few days in Lexington, Kentucky, passing out 75 free books to Christian bookstore owners.  It was an expensive weekend.  From it, one store owner contacted me and asked if I would come to her three stores in Iowa to do book-signings.  Maybe I can sell a hundred or so books which will help make up for the financial loss of Kentucky, I told myself.

I booked three nights in a motel and drove to Iowa, excited to tell buyers about A Little Faith Lift.  On Wednesday, the first day, I sat at my table for seven hours and sold six books, three to Francine, an employee in the store. As it turned out, I was positioned near the children’s section, so I purchased $85 worth of Christmas presents for my grandkids.  More than I made.  This was not working out as a sound investment opportunity.

The second day, after eight hours, I had sold three books (two more to Francine who worked at that store on Thursdays), and the third day, two books.  And yes, Francine worked there that last day and told everyone who entered the store how great my book was.  They did everything but run through the glass shelves lining the middle of the store when she pointed me out to them.  I might as well have had a plaque hanging around my neck.  “I have Covid.”

Imagine!  Rejected in a Christian bookstore.  Perhaps fodder for a second book?

At any rate, what I witnessed in those three stores blessed me beyond measure.  Each had special needs’ patrons who hung out during the day, receiving love and kindness and one-on-one attention.  I was told ahead of time what to expect, but I had no idea these employees would show the kind of compassion and respect they did.

Melissa was blind, autistic, socially inappropriate and suffered with turrets. She pulled up a chair and sat beside me, and we “visited.”  She, as it turned out, was an expert on dates, especially the day she became a Christian… “July 7, 1995. That’s the day when I asked forgiveness for my sins and knew that Jesus had died on the cross for me. The best day of my life.”

Austin was an “employee” who worked two hours each morning, logging data into his computer with the aid of a personal helper.  John visited the third store two-to-three times a day, each time finding something (usually under $2.00) he wanted to purchase and asking the clerk to “put it on his tab.”  Which she did.

When a young, college student approached the counter, Windy, the owner, spent over 30 minutes with him, encouraging him and praying with him.  Of all the people I met, however, Francine was my favorite.  She was a gap-filler.  Whatever needed to be done, she volunteered.  My first day, she told me about the youth group she would sponsor that night.  “Wanna speak to them tonight,” she asked.  I said that I would love to.  It was a blessing I did not deserve.

Next week, I will share my experience with those teens and that church.

Keys to the Kingdom by Carolyn Tucker

 

Have you ever said something during a conversation and the individual gawked at you like you were a nut hanging from a tree? No matter where we grew up, we all use colloquialisms;  and those of us in the same region understand each other perfectly! For example, someone could say:  “He‘s got a heart the size of a washtub; he’d give you the shirt off his back. But, bless his heart, he’s a brick shy of a full load.“ Or, “Give her an inch and she’ll take a mile.”

 

I’ve been blessed with family and friends that don’t fit into the “give an inch and take a mile” category. The God-kind of love doesn’t function like that; real love looks for ways to give, not take. But I am very aware of any enemy that’s completely hateful, selfish, and destructive, and that’s the devil. If you give Satan an inch, he’ll snatch it and turn it into a nightmare trip. That’s why the Bible tells us, “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:7,8 NLT). Don’t forget the first and last portions of this scripture, as they are important keys to resisting the enemy who hates you as much as God loves you.

 

Don’t be asleep at the wheel! “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8,9 NLT). There’s no such thing as a joy ride with the  devil. Don’t even give him a ride around the block!

 

A good song can inspire me as much as a good sermon. There’s a story song about the devil being a hitchhiker. Some of the lyrics are: “Don’t let the devil ride. If you let him ride, he’ll want to drive. Don’t, please don’t, let him drive your car. If you let him drive your car, he’ll surely go too far. Don’t let him drive! Don‘t do it, don‘t do it, don‘t do it.”

 

Sin always takes you farther than you want to go, keeps you longer than you want to stay, and costs you more than you can possibly pay. In the Garden of Eden, Eve didn’t see any harm in having a friendly conversation with the worst enemy in the world. We all know that particular interaction went south in a flash.

 

Believers are to, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11 NKJV). How often do we put on your clothes? That’s how often we’re to put on the armor of God. The devil is capable of luring unsuspecting Christians into sin. Following Christ requires godly decisions, purposeful effort, and proper use of the equipment God has provided for you. “Wiles” can be defined as clever schemes used by Satan to trap you through temptation, threat, intimidation, and deception through trickery. But you are not powerless, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him [Jesus Christ] who loved us“ (Romans 8:37 NKJV).

 

The Key: Don’t let the devil ride in your car — just put the pedal to the metal.

Award-winning author/historian/speaker Dr. Rebecca Price Janney was contacted by a Moms for Liberty local representative to speak to a group of children about the U.S. Constitution. The venue would be a local public library. Dr. Janney, dressed as Martha Washington, would present her original rendition of the Constitution to a group of elementary students at the public library to promote a positive platform for children to learn about American history.  How fun, and how exciting for those little ones, right?

Apparently not.  Protestors, finding this teaching inappropriate because Moms for Liberty backed it, planned to block her performance. (MfL promotes parental authority and opposes public schools having pornography in their libraries and teaching sexuality to young children, especially apart from parental consent.) Prayers encouraged this brave woman to continue to do what she knew was God’s work.  The last email we received from Dr. Janney addressed her experience:

“I had been informed a few days ahead of the library event that there would be four police forces on hand, including undercover law enforcement. The protestors, led by one very vocal local woman, sort of our version of the 1960s Madeline Murray O’Hair, promised there would be between 75-100 of them. The police designated a place where they could stand, and I was so relieved when they said none of them, or the media, would be allowed inside for my presentation. One of my biggest concerns was being shouted down, having the kids be scared, and having the event turn ugly. Moms for Liberty requested that there not be a counter-protest, but some private citizens turned up to support us, without signs, just their presence.”

Dr. Janney shared that her husband Scott and a friend, Jen, to avoid the protestors, arrived at the library early.  God was at work.  The weather, cold and rainy, kept many of them away.  Most of the library staff were cordial.  Three local police officers stood near the presentation room, so Dr. Janney struck up a conversation with them, thanking them for being there.  They responded that it was an honor to protect her and the children.  The story continues:                “Scott positioned himself just outside the entrance and, dressed in a colonial outfit, played colonial tunes on his fiddle. When the protestors arrived with their hate-filled signs and their banners, all 20 of them, and they started chanting as people brought their children into the library, Scott would play ‘Yankee Doodle’ loudly, and the children’s attention was on him, not these protestors, many of whom appeared quite bizarre.”

After recruiting children to dress in colonial outfits and help with readings about the Constitution, Dr. Janney felt encircled by prayer and good will. The event had reached the library’s capacity of 30 people, and everything went better than planned.  The kids were energized by what they had learned.

When the event was over, Dr. Janney, her husband and her friend were escorted out a back door so they did not have to face the protestors.  We on the prayer chain celebrated that Dr. Janney had persevered and not caved to those who disagreed with her.  Her prayers before that day touched many of us as we saw her great love for those protesting: “I do pray they will have eyes to see and ears to hear how much God, who made them in His image, loves and affirms them as His created ones… But it is also a huge privilege to stand for truth, and I pray I’ll be everything He desires me to be in this, to the praise of His glory!”

Amen and amen. May we all be as convicted and loving when God moves in our hearts.