Today I realized often there is a reason that causes us to stereotype. People don’t like the thought that some times stereotypes are true, it shows patterns people don’t want to face.

I pulled into the grocery store and parked my car, there was an elderly lady parked already in one of the spots. I noticed her turning signal was on as I entered into the store. After doing my shopping I returned to my truck, and I noticed that elderly lady was still setting in that spot with her turning signal on. As I went to leave a younger woman came out and got into the elderly ladies vehicle.

I hear those comedians stereotyping the elderly about leaving their signals on, and in this case it was true. I assumed being elderly her perception wasn’t as clear, so she didn’t notice the light flashing on her dash. Perhaps being elderly her hearing wasn’t what it used to be, because the sound of a flasher is loud enough to get annoying. If we use the stereotypes to try to avoid doing those things ourselves maybe we can stop them from continuing.

Break the patterns!!

Not in our abilities but in whom we are in Christ.

When Israel sent spies into the promise land they came back and said they were in their own sight as grasshoppers, and that they appeared to those in the land as grasshoppers. They had previously saw God do all types of miracles, but yet they had doubt. The doubt they had was not in God’s ability, but in their own selves. God did all those powerful miracles before them, which built great faith in the power of God, but none within their selves.

It seems at times God allows us to battle each step we take instead of Him just simply doing it all; I believe it is to help us develop confidence in who we are in Christ. We have to loose confidence in our flesh and build confidence in who we are because of the Spirit within.

We all have helped out a child and as we did we didn’t just do it all but through it helped the child to develop confidence within. God on the other hand does basically the same thing, but helps us to have confidence in who we are because of the Spirit of God within us. Php_4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Mar_9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

When something is needed and it is in small amounts it becomes very valuable. In 1 Samuel 3:1 we read the word of God was very precious/valuable because it was not common. When there is a need for the word, and it becomes valuable the counterfeits come forth.

1Sa 3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 

Amo_8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

Mar_13:6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Mat_24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Joh_8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

1Jn_2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

1Jn_3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Can you imagine being misled by some one who tells you what you don’t want to hear? The false prophets will tell us what we want to hear and what makes us feel good. One thing they will not tell us is that we shall reap what we sow.

Gal_6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

1Jn_4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Luk_6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

2Ti_4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Monday morning at five am my brother and I were heading to his property to turkey hunt. As we drive the freeways out of town we watch, always on guard for the deer. A couple of times over the year’s actions had to be taken to avoid the deer. Monday morning while in the city limits, just as I merged upon the freeway a deer came running into my lane. We weren’t prepared, we weren’t on guard, and we hadn’t given it a thought since we were in the middle of the city. The damage isn’t real bad, it was hard enough to kill the deer but the damage to my truck was mostly just the plastic pieces. With my insurance I have no deductible so the repairs won’t cost me anything.

Pro_15:31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.

After it was over I asked my self, what I can learn from the accident. We would be prepared for deer when we were in an area in which deer could easily be. The lesson I learnt was to always be prepared, not just where trouble can be but every where. Most would be on guard while around a hardened criminal, but history has shown us that many crimes have been committed by those that should easily be trusted.

Pro 27:12 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble

When we praise one in front of another are we creating jealousy or envy? There are many that have envy and jealousy issues, and because of that our words should be controlled. The word tells us without fuel the fire dies, in many cases we are placing fuel upon a fire in ignorance. That is why the word tells us a prudent man conceals knowledge; basically a smart man knows when to hold their peace. In the following story we can see how King Saul’s relationship with David starts to degenerate because of what was said.

1Sa 18:6  And it came to pass as they came, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

Pro 12:23 A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.

Pro 17:27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words…

Pro 16:23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

Politicians are continually complaining about social security because of our financial crisis, I wonder where all the money went.

First the Government Accountability Office found that more than $500 billion in Afghanistan war spending would be squandered without a long-term financial commitment from the United States. Then the United States Agency for International Development announced it was shuttering aid projects that ate up millions of tax dollars with no results.

The Taliban could be using U.S. tax dollars to kill American soldiers. The U.S. military has estimated that up to $360 million ended up in the hands of Taliban and criminal elements in Afghanistan over the past decade, according to a 2012 Associated Press report

http://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-using-us-money-for-insurgency-2013-4

My mother decided she is old enough she wants to move into a retirement home. My mom has kept her place up all these 47 years; she has allowed her neighbors to live as they choose. Now that her house is for sale she has discovered one mans liberty should not be at the cost of another. My mom’s neighborhood has become ran down; a few of her neighbors have allowed their homes to decay. Their yards are full of liter and limbs and over grown with weeds. The value of her home is worth less because of her neighbors. Some of the perspective buyers also have turned away because of the neighborhood.

I thought about how the neighbors being allowed freedom to live as they so choose have hurt the sale of my mom’s house. Liberty at the expense of others is not liberty, for true liberty should free all not just the few at the expense of others.

We Christians can view our liberty in the same manner, is our liberty costing or prospering others? Do we lower the standard of morals, or do we set standards by which we wish our children to live.

Have you ever asked your self what freewill means to you? To me it means to have the choice, to stay or go. How would you give an animal freewill, you would leave the gate open, and let it decide if it wants to stay with you or not. But if you’re a stranger, the natural instincts of the animal would lead it right through the gate off on its own direction. But if you first show the animal love, then there is a greater chance it would stay. If it loves you enough or has become dependent upon you enough, it will stay for sure; basically its freewill has been replaced by love or dependency.

God works in mysterious ways, in that way we cannot begin to feel dependent upon God causing us to give up our freewill just to receive from him. This simply means giving to get, which would feed self making our end worse. 

God wants us to give up our freewill and follow his will out of love. But if we follow God’s will just too please Him, then we begin to see God no different than man. We can please man by simply doing every thing his way. So what is the reason which would cause us to give up our freewill to follow God’s will? As we begin to see that by following God’s will we are actually blessing other people, we begin seeing that following God’s will is showing others love. Jesus followed God’s will and died for all mankind, the ultimate expression of love. We give up our freewill to follow God’s will to express love to the world. 

So how could God give man freewill, He placed in the Garden of Eden one tree which he gave commandment not to partake of.