Those Unwelcome Webworms and Heartworms

This picture of a beautifully, fully-in-bloom crepe myrtle is what crepe myrtles should look like. Don’t be misled by the picture – it isn't one of mine. It came from the internet. All nine of my crepe myrtles are home to the uninvited webworms. They came to inhabit my branches with their yucky webs that consume and kill the leaves on them. I didn’t spray them with pesticide this year because it didn’t seem to help last year. Maybe I should reconsider the idea for next year.

I followed the lead of my neighbors with pruning last year to help rid them of those pesky webbed webworms. There was nothing but a trunk and few limbs remaining on them at the end of blooming season. Bare-necked, they looked miserable when I strung Christmas lights on them. Most people don’t notice the Fall webworms’ webs in Spring, because of the season’s lush tree foliage, but now, they have set up residence. These Fall webworms hatched weeks ago. Subtle at first, but now those worms have taken over.

As I thought about these webworms and their sly and subtle strategies, I thought about the subtle, tactical ways the enemy of our souls invades our lives. Anger, jealousy, fear, worry, dread, tendencies to lie and cheat, to watch shows that offer profanity, adultery, and other tools of the enemy that we may think don't affect us, but they do. We ignore the subtle ways the enemy invades our hearts. We make no big deal about them and allow them to remain. In the meantime, the enemy uses all of those "issues" to eventually take us – our families, our marriages, our businesses, our relationships, and our children down, and even out. Those are the matters-of-the-heart "worms", that left to themselves – can deceive and consume us.

But we have a triple threat pesticide for the heart “worm” killer when we apply them in the right places. We have the Father, Son and Holy Spirit –- the TRIPLE THREAT -- who are our defenders and when we trust in their super powers and seek them with our hearts, we will be immune to the attacks of any enemy.

For tripling up the protection, apply Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sits in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose LEAF DOES NOT WITHER. Whatever he does prospers.”

Yes, those who have those beautiful trees who want to be rid of webworms, must go to drastic measures to see them destroyed. And, those of us who desire to be rid of those things in our lives -- the heart worms -- that have tried to destroy us -- we generously apply God’s Word to our TREES -- and to our lives and hearts. Best pesticide ever is Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony".

The Battle Difference Maker? A War Room

Day 248 of Photo Inspirations -- The Battle Difference Maker?  A War Room
Last night our Life Group went to see War Room.  It was so worth being out in the pouring rain to make the trek across Tulsa. Big bonus for us -- recliner seats -- would have been way too comfy if it had been a slow and boring movie.  But, not THIS movie.
 
War Room is a MUST SEE!  I can't emphasize it enough.  I once had a “war room” – in the early years of our marriage when finances were slim and the challenges we faced seemed insurmountable, but going into my closet (my war room), I was able to not only pray about being able to stand in the midst of the battle, but I received strategies straight from heaven to come out winning.
 
Years later and having my entire home as my war room, I am still a part of strategic planning and persevering to win in the battles I, and others, may face.  Do you ever wonder if prayer really works? You may be praying about something and the enemy (Satan) whispers “This is a waste of time. Forget it!  Who do you think you are?  What do you think you're doing?  God is not listening. Don't waste your time."

I know that prayer works because God is in control, and because He’s in control, we can trust His wisdom and His goodness.  I have seen the results of prayer in ways beyond being conceivable.

Ephesians 3:20 says, "God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes."  Just think about that – if we can think it, we have to go bigger and greater – because that’s where God lives.  Over twenty times in the New Testament it says, "Ask."  It's encouraging to know that things that are out of my control are not out of God's.  I may not be able to change a situation but I can pray and God can change it.

In this movie, clearly we see the results of believing in God, especially knowing that “NOTHING is impossible for Him”.  He is not a genie in a bottle that we just rub and whoa-la we get what we ask for.  But He is FATHER GOD and He knows what’s best for us.  War Room is a movie that will not only entertain you with lots of comedic relief, provide you with real life situations that make you think someone peeked in on your life, but give you the motivation to create a War Room for your strategic planning sessions with God.

War Room is a fantastic film!!!  In addition to making you a better leader, it is one of the few movies which can truly change your life and your family's lives FOREVER.