It was quite a plan !

 This is one of the many popular reads available all over the web and now seems to be floating in whatsapp. I so wanted to have it here, have it here forever. It no more disturbs me, but gets me thinking each time I re-read it !

 Satan called a worldwide convention of demons. In his opening address he
 said, "We can't keep the believers from receiving the Sunday messages. We can't keep them from reading the Gospel and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their Saviour. Once they gain that connection with Him, our power over them is broken."
 "So let them go to their churches; let them have their covered dish dinners,
 conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they don't have time to develop a
 relationship with the Creator."

 "This is what I want you to do", said the devil:
 "Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital
 connection throughout their day!" "How shall we do this?" his demons
 shouted.

 "Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered.
 "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow."
 "Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work  6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles."

 "Keep them from spending time with their children. As their families fragment, soon, their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!"

 "Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small
 voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they
 drive. To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their
 home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays
 non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that
 powerful union with God."

"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds
 with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards.
 Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogues, sweepstakes,
 and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products,
 services and false hopes."

 "Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so their husbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and they'll become dissatisfied with their wives. Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night. Give them headaches too! If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere. That will fragment their families quickly!"

 "Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaning of Christmas. Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about his resurrection and power over sin and death."
 "Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted. Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!"

 "And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences."
 "Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power
 from Jesus. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing
 their health and family for the good of the cause.
 It will work! It will work!"

 It was quite a plan! The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing
 believers everywhere to get more busy and more rushed, going here and
 there. Having little time for their God or their families. Having no time
 to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives. I guess the
 question is, has the devil been successful at his scheme?

 You be the judge! Does "busy" mean:
 B-eing
 U-nder
 S-atan's
 Y-oke?

Sweet Slumber !

 Photographer Anne Geddes has made an art form out of taking pictures of sleeping babies. Her photos evoke smiles. Nothing is a better image of peace than a sleeping child. But between naps and nighttime, caring for children is an exhausting and relentless responsibility. In their innocence and enthusiasm, children can get themselves into life-threatening situations in no time.

 After a hectic day of chasing, entertaining, protecting, feeding, dressing, guarding, guiding, and making peace between squabbling siblings, parents are eager for bedtime. After the toys are put away and the pajamas are put on, the sleepy toddler slows down, cuddles with mom or dad for a bedtime story, and finally falls asleep. Later, before putting themselves to bed, parents check on their children one more time to make sure all is peaceful in dreamland. The serene beauty of a sleeping child makes all the day's frustrations worthwhile.

Too often in our immaturity, we too get into trouble and cause conflict. Like parents of young children, God desires for us to become weary of wrongdoing and to rest in the safety and contentment of His loving ways. 

Tempting outside, toxic inside !

An Australian study concluded that plainer cigarette packages would make smoking less appealing to teens. In response, the Australian government introduced legislation that would require tobacco comapanies to replace color, logos, and promotional text on cigarette packages with health warnings and images of diseased lungs. In effect, the Marlboro Man would give way to the Grim Reaper in an effort to reduce the number of deaths caused by smoking. But cigarette packaging isn't the only thing that may be tempting on the outside with a toxic product inside.

The book of Proverbs urges us to carefully consider the long-term results of all our chocies. The recurring phrase "in the end" (5:4 , 25:8, 29:21) is a warning to look down the road and ask if what we're attracted to will ultimately lead to joy or sorrow, honor or disgrace, life or death. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright (2:6-7).

The key to avoiding the tragic results of foolish choice is embracing His wisdom as our guide through life. Then we will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path (2:9).