Strength Training The Soul

Consider with me, dear reader, the value of exercise. Walking is a fabulous form of physical activity, and requires no equipment. Strength training, using body weight as a form of resistance, is yet another way to get, and stay, in good shape, meaning all your body parts stay were they were originally placed, resisting the pull of gravity. 

Why don't more people engage in physical activity? Do you have an answer for this question? People get up, shower, shave, get dressed, brush their hair and teeth, make their way to work, all while using their bodies to accomplish tasks; and yet, it seems the thought of exercise is repugnant to most people, when asked about their exercise routine. Eating habits are commonly a shame filled subject: overindulgence leads to self-deprecating thoughts and feelings, with a consistent monologue of negative comments directed internally at one's own character and being. We think badly of ourselves when we feel out of control, and when we decide to do something about the situation, it is a relief when we commit, and get results. Thankfully, our bodies are designed for exertion, and if this were not the case, we would not be able to get up and go, to work, to airports, to parks and playgrounds. 

I am particularly fond of the effects of resistance training using body weight, or free weights. I have seen reconfiguring happening in my clients when they start the process of strengthening their bodies, one workout at a time. It is outstanding to see, what half an hour twice a week can do for the commit to fit clients I work with; that isn't our subject though, dear reader. What you just finished reading is a prelude, a setting up of a theme, that I am calling strength training the soul. We will intertwine the concepts since the body and soul are intricately, intimately united. 

How does one go about strength training the soul? Let's pare this theme in slices that can be easily digested. 

1. Commit to truth telling. The soul, like the body, needs to be exercised. Lies misshape, causing malfunctioning. Truth aligns our insides and outsides. For instance, if I tell myself a lie, then repeat it to you, our foundation will be shaky, and our trust factor will shift with every bit of information exchanged. Physically, if I tell myself that donuts eaten daily, or fries consumed Fridays, minus any form of exercise, will not make me fat, then I am fibbing while adding flub to my gut. If I take you along for the food fun, and we both agree there is nothing wrong with what we consume, then we are colluding with one another while encouraging unhealthy habits. Lies told, lies shared, lies unquestioned, form a web of deception that traps the pretenders and holds them captive. 

Honesty about consequences is the only way out of this type of trap. What we speak and do, ought to be true, and when we commit to truth telling, we are forced to take responsibility for outcomes, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Truth telling can be a painful experience initially: it means we no longer have excuses or romantic/sentimental explanations for things we have said and done. Truth telling is a form of confession for sins committed. It is worth the suffering of shame to come clean as a truth embracer and teller. 

2. Commit to character development. Integrity is admirable, and when someone has this character trait, they can trust themselves to be themselves, no matter where they are, who they are talking to, or interacting with. A person of integrity is trustworthy, dependable, decisive, and has a clear conscience. Doing what is right when everything is going wrong; choosing to take what is known as the high road, when retaliation and recompense are demanding to be satisfied, suggests that a person has integrity. Jesus did not bend or bow to the demands of his persecutors, nor did his apostles and disciples. I always appreciate these men of valour, these godly examples of un-compromised integrity! It does not take courage to display integrity, all one needs is commitment, to truth, and strength is gained with every flex of this spiritual muscle. 

3. Do not compromise. Man alive, this one is a challenge well worth the internal duel. Compromise is crippling, and our society with its, You do you mantra, gives us the impression that we must accept, It is what it is (another common sentiment repeated ad nauseam). I say, So be it. So be it, dear reader, is definitive. So be it is final. So be it means, that if you and I are committed to truth, committed to living lives of integrity, we will accept that not everyone feels or thinks as we do. This does not mean we agree with their "version of truth", or that we "agree to disagree", it means that we stop, look, read, interpret, comprehend, and digest the differences we are witnessing, and then decide to proceed from there, without letting loose the grip we have on truth. In other words, we do not weaken our stance and begin to limp, in order to make someone else feel more comfortable in their wobbling. 

During the covid crisis, there was much embracing of lies bought and sold. Characters were compromised and corrupted, because fraud was consumed quickly, like fast food empty calorie full meal deals, The road to truth is paved with shards of emotional and spiritual glass, strewn in front of us, like bottles broken and smashed by each of us as individuals, and each of us as parts of the collective. It is painful, soul shattering, to think of the anguish covid has caused. Our only prospect of healing the hurt is truth, un-compromised, and never sullied by insipid lies. Covid caused a cancer that festers, and it is a sign and symptom of a sickly society. Covid must not be given any quarter; it must not be granted a reprieve: covid has been cuddled and coddled, and somehow excused as a witness, despite its being the vehicle of mass murder. Compromising on this truth is unacceptable, because it is a lie told and repeated too many times, and acts as a block to the freeing of conscience. 

4. Pay attention to your conscience. We know right from wrong, and that is why we lie; I read this idea long ago, and I have to agree. We lie to ourselves and others when what we want, is not what we ought to have. I may want to eat and drink without counting the calorie cost to my body, but that is not what I ought to do. I may want to avoid and evade responsibility to God by pretending I have done nothing wrong and have no sins to confess, but that, would be a lie, and my conscience will be pricked and pester me, causing a low grade emotional fever, if I don't come clean. Conscience is a gift from God that assists in character development: conscience is our personal character strength trainer, and when listened to, those lie shards of broken glass on our path, get swept up and tossed in a garbage can, never to be seen again. When we are honest, there is a purity that starts to shine through ... grin, this is such a lovely thought, isn't it, dear reader? 

Of course, strength training the soul is not a 1-4 step-by-step process, it is more like a minute-by-minute string of choices we make, based on the circumstances we find ourselves in. The bottom line, is truth telling, without compromise, builds character, and strengthens our trust factor, giving us a sense of wholeness and integrity that is trustworthy. 

I want to be trusted and I want to trust, don't you, dear one?

Jesus is my model of excellence, and he is known as the Truth. Imagine that, being known as a truth teller ... grin again, that is a goal worth setting and embracing. 

Handsome Devils Part 5 - At Midnight

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them (Acts 16:25)

Do you recall, dear reader, how all the trouble started? Paul and Silas were off to a prayer meeting, when Paul stopped, and in Jesus name, commanded a spirit right out of a damsel that he was holding captive; this enraged her money making masters, the ruling magistrates, and the multitude, to the point of Paul and Silas being caught and dragged to the marketplace, where they were wrongfully accused, whipped/ flogged/stricken repeatedly, after which they were thrown into the deepest, darkest, dankest part of the prison, and put in shackles. In this scene, it is midnight, and we find these men of God praying once more, and singing praises so loudly, that the other prisoners heard them! I don't know about you, but sometimes, with a paper-cut, I can feel the slice when it is brand new, and the pain persists until the wound begins to heal ... now picture Paul's back with deep red blood encrusted wounds, and Silas's back too, gouged, with flesh ripped apart by a barbarous, spiky whip, applied by a strong man whose job it is to inflict pain, and suffering following the injuries. These servants of the living God were praying and singing. Is that what you would be doing?

Many a person seems comfortable accusing God of wrong doing. Many a man, or woman, will blame God, wanting to whip him with their words, and pound him with their fists, for their hurt, their wounds, their suffering. Some, when they accuse God of wrong doing, suggest he is capable of evil, when they say things like: Why is God doing this? Why is God allowing this? If there is a God, how could he be so cruel? How, indeed, dear reader ... we have proof of his benevolence in Jesus Christ, the ManGod that, despite having the command of angel armies, never once lifted a finger to inflict pain on another, but rather, received without retaliation, the whip upon his back, and the spit upon his face, from his own creatures. God incarnate gave us a glimpse of God the Father, and to suggest he is anything but perfectly kind and long-suffering, tolerating us rather than snuffing us out for all we have said and done that is untoward, is to be very misguided, and backward in our thoughts and beliefs. 

Despite the whipping and the prison cell, Paul and Silas were completely free of all restraints. They, the apostles and disciples, were promised persecution for sharing the gospel, but this mattered not, considering Who they knew! The prison scene delights me to no end. I can hear the resonant voices of these faith filled men, singing their hearts out in unison without self-consciousness, praising God, loving their master. We are prisoners of the world before we know Christ as our King ... these men were set free in their souls, and it mattered not, where they were, who they spoke to or were accused by, they could not, would not, change their tune. 

Can you hear the singing too, dear one? Now get ready for a shake-up earthquake:

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed (Acts 16:26)

Suddenly 

Great earthquake

Foundations shaken

Immediately all doors opened

Every one's bands loosed

Who, please do tell me, can keep someone imprisoned, when God Almighty is the one, that sets us free? The masters of the fortune telling damsel, the magistrates that acted as judges in the city, and savoured the flavour of being the ruling class, and the multitude that preferred their idol demon gods and economy, over and above the one God spoken of by the apostles and disciples, wished harm upon Paul and Silas; they inflicted bodily harm, but could not touch these men where it matters the most. Here are Jesus' words of warning and encouragement, found in Matthew 10:28

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell

We return now to the prison scene, and the excitement that is astir inside that depressing place, that is now bright with hope, as captives are divinely set free of their shackles, after witnessing the opening of barred doors, following the earth shaking of the foundations: 

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (Acts 16:27-31)

At this point we must change the name of our series to At Midnight, leaving behind the Handsome Devils, as we move toward heavenly light. We see the keeper, or prison guard charged with the careful watch of prisoners in shackles, kept secure behind locked doors, suddenly coming awake to see those doors opened wide. Presuming the prisoners had left their respective cells, he was ready to self-murder, and this makes perfect sense, since taking his own life was preferable to the public humiliation of being killed for not doing his job. This, was not the first jailbreak we see in the book of Acts, and we may presume this prison keeper was well aware of what happened to the fellas that failed to keep Peter under lock and key. The Word spreads, dear one. 

How terrible it is, to punish someone that is no match for God and his power. How very vulgar, base, and vicious, the rulers were, to take the lives of guards, that were clearly incapable of holding prisoners captive, when God simply and easily, sets them free. It is kind of funny to think that man in his ridiculous self-importance, believes he can do as he pleases without repercussion, and without stoppage. God has his ways, and while there are many mysteries to marvel at, we can be clear on this: God is purposeful with all he does, and his timing is perfect. 

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas.

I just have to laugh here. It is now past midnight, and we are in the wee hours in a prison without light. Cell doors are opened wide, and since all the prisoners are awake and loosed, with their shackles and chains dropped from their wrists and or ankles, one might presume that some would take the opportunity to leave the joint but no, Paul says, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 

1. It is dark and Paul cannot see the keeper with his drawn sword

2. They, meaning the prisoners, not just Paul and Silas, are all here

3. The keeper calls for a light, and sprang in, trembling, to Paul and Silas' cell

4. He fell down before Paul and Silas

Well now, how about that? That earthquake shook up a whole lot of fellas in a short span of time. I wonder, is it rattling your cage a little, dear reader? How are you reacting to the scene? Paul stopped a jailer, the one that placed him in the worst cell in that prison, from harming, or in other words, killing himself. How marvellous!

The keeper's reaction is precious. He goes immediately to Paul and Silas, not the other prisoners, and falls down trembling before them. His life has been spared in the darkness, and when the lights came on, he went directly to the men of God and inquired, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

Dear reader, is this your question too? Are you imprisoned, a slave to your fleshly desires, your attachment to the world, and the idols you worship and adore? Do you feel the pinch of shackles, and feel the oppressiveness of enclosure, with a barred door locked from the outside, holding you prisoner in a dark and dank cell? 

Here is your open door, set you free answer, to that question of yours: 

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Saved, from what? From earthly, damning trappings, from oppressors that care not for your soul and would have you killed for daring to challenge them; from life without God; from eternity in hell. Saved, by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ ... you and your house! What a promise, what a gift, what a magnificent prospect!

The keeper, the guard in this scene, knew to go to God's men. The Gospel was spreading widely and rapidly, and the Good News was out. This prison guard, after laying down his sword, dropped to his knees before would be prisoners, realizing that he needed rescuing and saving, and that they had what he wanted. 

Do you, want what the early followers had; a faith that is fearless in Christ?

I do ... it is the breath and savour of life to consider being just like Jesus, whipped and yet forgiving, spit upon, while praying for the lost. A perfect example of humility in a world that wickedly spins out of control ... how glorious the overcoming can be. 

We will continue our series, At Midnight, with Part 2, but until then, I invite you to find out how this part of the grand story finishes: go to scripture yourself, and learn what happens next. There is an order, a structure to being saved, and what follows soon after ... go find out for yourself, don't wait for me, or anyone else, to instruct you on the ways of God. God wants to be with you, just you. Isn't that delightful to know?

Spiritually Inert

We have sown the wind and we reap the whirlwind ... 

You are invited to meander with me, dear reader, as I wander the halls of my memory to curate some thoughts I have about dictators, indoctrination, and obedience to miserable malevolence. 

Fornication, let us start there, shall we? We have been taught that we are animals, with urges that must be gratified, urges devoid of significance or meaning, or we might lose our minds. Masturbation, sex with strangers, sex outside of marriage, living with someone and having sex with them, multiple partners, whether there be serial monogamy or a series of one night stands; sex with him, her, it, a furry ... anything and everything goes. I have met many a female, impregnated, outside of what used to be referred to as holy matrimony. These women quickly discovered that the partner they physically meshed with while exchanging bodily fluids, was a good-for-nothing loser that cared not a whit for them, or for the child they had mutually produced. Alternatively, a woman could just terminate, meaning have the baby exterminated, as an unwelcome pest and interruption, to her messy, sexually active, life. I knew a twenty-something year old, that took the morning after pill, following nights of soaking her brain in alcohol, and sex with pick-me-up men. 

What if a person has urges, but does not indulge them, and the feeling passes? What if auto=erotism minus conscience, was not promoted as a way of self-satisfying? What if pornography wasn't so popular, and normalized? What if women kept their skirts down, their pants pulled up, and decided that their private parts weren't for public display or tampering? What if women, decided that just because they had previously had sexual intercourse, it does not mean that the broken seal is indicative of a free-for-all attitude, whenever an invitation is sent their way, or they experience an inch they believe requires scratching? It is pretty easy for a female to have sexual partners: good looks are not a requirement, willingness is all that the male needs to see, as a signal for agreement. This is why beer googles are so popular ... 

Many a poor soul bought the bull-crap sold and packaged as acceptable, that they are an animal, just like all the other creatures God hand-crafted. I tell you what, this type of indoctrination takes time, and we have arrived at a point of almost no return. The masses unwittingly obey a miserable, malevolent dictator, as he works his way through classrooms, demeaning in a deplorable fashion, in the form of wicked teachers that feel more than comfortable speaking corruption to vulnerable souls, held captive and silenced in their seats, made to listen without speaking unless spoken to. The training ground for twisting a mind, a heart, a spirit, is, IN OUR CLASSROOMS, including the UNIVERSITIES, where books are no longer available, because professors are the main source for the pushing of propaganda. 

I now meander in a slightly different direction ... come with me dear one? Capitalism, is now considered communism, and visa versa. The age old spinning of meaning to throw people off the scent of truth continues ... shock of all shocks, we need to pray for the truth to prevail, before these tangled young people fornicate and speak, and misbehave their way right into hell. 

I don't know about you, but I have had to fight and struggle my way out of the bag that invisible hands threw over me, and tried to close, so I could't breath, or think, or see. It was The Bible that had me enraged at the lies I had suffered and been force fed: thankfully I had parents that believed marriage is a life long commitment; thankfully, I always had a voice of reason and truth speaking contrary messages that ran against the current, that threatened to take me away from all that is good, true, and righteous. 

I made so many mistakes, missteps, errors in judgment. I was, and am, a moral type of person, and yet, I was a half-ing, with one foot wanting desperately to take me onto the heavenly path, and the other dragging behind, mired in carnal mud. YUCK, I say, YUCK! 

It is my aloneness, my being with God more than I am with humans, that has cleansed my soul, washing away the muck, so that I can declare, I AM NOT AN ANIMAL, just like the elephant man did! Ha, that is kind of funny, isn't it, dear reader?

The Bible teaches us who God is, who we are, and how elegant, and glorious it can be, to model ourselves after righteousness, making us shiny-shiny, and tastefully so. We are not to be like pigs, sticking our snouts in places they do not belong; we are humans, created in the image of God. We must not demean ourselves or each other. We must not accept being dictated to, or having propaganda shoved down our throats, so that it is regurgitated, and spewed back out, to coat and cover others. 

To my shock and dismay, years ago I had an elementary school teacher admit to me that she is a socialist ... I wonder, would she be okay if men came to her door, and told her that her children must remit half their part-time job earnings, while sharing their rooms with strangers, because what they have is not their own, despite working for it? My father was killing communists when he was twelve ... now a days, killing capitalists is encouraged; but then again, the devil is a spin doctor, and anyway he can get you and I to hate to the point of making murder okay, is a victory for him and his kind. 

My driving point is this: people are spiritually inert. They lack the ability, and strength to move ... they are "chemically inactive", or should I say, soulfully suffocated, and mostly dead. Morals do not play a role in the lives of most people: we see this with their foul language, their disgusting activities, and their rudeness toward one another. I watched a woman via instagram, on a plane, that was intoxicated with drugs, alcohol, or both, pulling the hair of a seated woman, in the row behind her: she started spitting, while continuing to spit insults, and it took many passengers and some staff, to get her hands off of the victim, and start to remove her from the scene. This woman clearly felt entitled to drink or take drugs to the point of publicly humiliating herself, insulting and assaulting other people, and disrupting a whole plane full of passengers that were trapped with her on board. And that, dear reader, is exactly what our school aged children and young adults are exposed to: wicked socially and morally corrupt teachers, professors, and instructors, and behaviours that used to shock us, but are now not only acceptable, but must be tolerated. 

We have sown to the wind and we now reap the whirlwind ... is it any wonder our children are confused, and our young adults wander aimlessly in a haze of marijuana and vape smoke? 

They have no purpose, because without God, they are just like tumbleweed, blown across a bone dry desert, without an oasis in sight. Even professing Christians are dry as dead bones, without any marrow to enliven them, because they do not know God through his word, but make things up about who he is and what he wants from and for us ... God Lord, we need to recalibrate to Christ, and this is an individual activity before it can become a united, arms linked assault, against the demonic forces that want to damn all humans everywhere. 

God's not there, so i don't care, seems to be the attitude, except, he is there, and here, and everywhere, all the time. If there are things you will not do in front of your parents, employers, or closest friends, or say in their presence that you are confident they would not approve of, perhaps it would be a good policy to follow, not to do or say things in front of an all knowing ever present God! 

Thanks for travelling with me. There are some things that needed to be said, and I hope they challenge wandering away from God Christians. You cannot have the world and him, you must prioritize, or lose ground, and perhaps your soul too. Apostasy is real, and disobeying our Father in heaven, is not only unwise, but dangerous in countless ways. 

I could go on, but you must go now .... hopefully right into prayer, confession, reconciliation, and his Word. 

Handsome Devils - Part 4

And the multitude rose up against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks (Acts 16:22-24).

Do recall from the beginning of this series, that there was a damsel repeating a phrase, while following Paul and Silas, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation; this had gone on for many days, until Paul put a stop to it by commanding the spirit of divination to come out of the woman, by speaking the words, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out of her the same hour. 

Think with me, what a stir this public event caused. The damsel was well know as a fortune teller; she was very popular, and we know this because her masters gained much monetarily, from her work. A possessed by a demon person is a strange sight, and there are strange sounds and behaviours too, that they seem unaware of, as though they are not themselves, or as though they have been taken over ... which of course, they have been. When this young woman was released, when she was set free from the evil spirit that used her body for its own wicked purposes, the woman became silent, not mute, silent, no longer compunctiously repeating the refrain, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. The spirit in her knew who the servants of God were, making the young woman seem very wise, as though she had intel that no one else had access to. She, or he (the spirit) using her voice, spoke truth, and yet, we do not need demons to instruct us about God and salvation, dear reader: Jesus Christ and his disciples, have done that good work for us. 

Demons are deviants, distractors and detractors, so much so, that the former masters of the damsel, went to city rulers, to the magistrates, to let them know that these men were a threat to their economy, to their polytheistic way of life, and had to been punished to the point of death, for daring to break the system, for daring to set people free from bondage by way of salvation through Jesus Christ. The image of an ant hill disturbed by a poking stick comes to mind ... the ants furiously move about to stop the wreckage: that is what happened to the mercenary masters, to the magistrates, and to the multitude that rose up against the praying men of God, and that is precisely what is happening still, because Satans kingdom cronies are enraged, and they bare their teeth, wanting to sink them into souls, especially when they hear Jesus Christ preached, especially when they hear the saints pray in unison, Thy will be done Lord. 

And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Paul and Silas were beaten, cast (thrown) into prison, and put under strict supervision to ensure they did not make a break from jail; they were put into the deepest darkest dankest place in that prison, and their feet were fastened to the floor in stocks. Do recall, the command Paul had in the name of Jesus Christ, over the spirit of divination that ruled and reigned the damsel in distress. We might ask the question: Why did Paul allow the beating, the rough treatment, the being thrown into prison, and the chaining to the floor, when he had the ability through Christ, to be commanding? This question could be followed by yet another, and another: Why did Jesus the Christ, allow soldiers to beat him, spit upon him, mock and curse him, and nail him to a cross to be left their hanging and dying? Why didn't he, that had the command of angels, smite the petty and indignant humans he had created, rather than give them the impression they could kill God? 

The scene that follows, the one we will cover in Part 5, will give us the answers to these questions, but for now, I have to give my own explanation; I feel the need to share, dear one, from my own experiences with God and man. Love is patient, love is kind ... 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things

God is not a force to be reckoned with, challenged to a dual, invited to a fight. God has the big stick; he could lift it and never drop it down on us, and we would die instantly of fright, if he so desired. But God charitably, lovingly, suffers our insubordination, our ant like self-importance. Jesus taught us to not envy or want what others have; he did not compete for supremacy with his Father, or with men. Jesus was humble during his ministry, never showing off, or standing in the lime light for praise. He didn't display vainglory, but rather, glorified God, his, and our Father, who art in heaven. Jesus was not easily provoked, did not think evil thoughts, did not rejoice in the iniquity all around him; in fact, it grieved him deeply, as it ought to grieve us similarly. Jesus is the Truth, and we are to rejoice in him, and in all truth. Jesus bore the sins of the world because they, meaning us, meaning you and me, know not what we have done ... 

Bearing persecution, believing God is Almighty, hoping in salvation, enduring much suffering, the first men of God and the last men of God that walk the earth, will always peaceably proclaim Jesus Christ as King of kings, Lord of lords, and they will not raise a fist in self-defence, but rather, be known for their fruits of labor, rather, be known as fishers of men, that serve the living God for the sake of souls that need saving. 

The enraged ants, those that belong to the devil and cling to the world as though holding on will keep them alive, have yet to be set free, and that, dear one, is why we are still here. God isn't done rescuing the lost and our work, that is if you belong to Christ too, is as ministers of reconciliation, peace makers between God and man. 

This series continues ... keep watch for the magnificent scene that unfolds in a jail where prisoners are meant to suffer and wax weary, and prison guards are meant to be oppressively cruel. 

Blame Shifting - Invisible Fingerprints Remain

In all the years of studying human behaviour and making sense of it, I have never come across the perfect descriptor for what the criminally minded do, when they avoid and evade accountability, responsibility, and ownership, for what they have said and done to injure others. Happily, the other day, I heard the short and punchy phrase, blame shifting, and with this, I had a eureka moment. It is with a marvellous sense of satisfaction that I am able to label the insidiousness that motivates and moves villains, in the direction of casting doubt and aspersions, on their victims, when in fact, they are to blame for the chaos they cause. Shifting blame does not erase the marks left by the vicious and murderous: invisible fingerprints remain, and God knows what they have done, even when humans have yet to figure out the answer to the biggest question of our day: What just happened?

Perhaps, dear reader, you have a blame shifter in your midst, one of those people that perpetually claims innocence, while accusing everyone else of nasty thoughts, slights, insults, insinuations: the blame shifter goes after integrity, suggesting character flaws where none are to be found. The shifter is adept at shooting arrows from afar to affront their human targets, and with shocking accuracy, arrows find their mark, piercing people through in surprising and clearly unexpected ways, and having them wonder, What just happened? 

Perhaps there is a dawning on your part as you piece together their wicked destructive plot. Perhaps you have been observing the blame shifter and the effects of their brutal, remorseless, sneak attacks, on anyone and everyone they deem worthy of their vicious, unwarranted, verbal, and mental, pummelling. The old expression, I got your number, comes to mind. Have you got their number now dear one? Have you figured out their wiley ways, and how much fun it is for them to triangulate, to cause emotional upheaval, to engage you in a battle of the wits so that you feel distraught, exhausted, uneasy, and defenceless? Do you get the fact that they enjoy and thrive, they come alive, when they are bringing you down, and putting you out of yourself?

If a blame shifter is doing what they do best with fantastical results, you will be in high alert defence mode as a natural response to their assaults. You, will feel insecure, while being preoccupied with the second guessing of your own thoughts, words, and reactions; you will feel the urge and need to explain yourself by using factual details in conversations with others, to prove your own innocence. It is never a good feeling to have your character assassinated, and who among us does not want to be vindicated when this occurs? NOTE: the blame shifter does not use facts, they throw blanket accusations in all directions, with the suggestion they have been maimed somehow by you or someone else ... their imagination kindles fire, and burns anyone they include in their fairytales of woe. Because you may very well be a kind, gentle, accountable person, you will look to see if you are indeed, to blame, for any part of what is taking place ... until of course, the clouds clear, your mind is free of cobwebs, and you pull that dart from your heart, and see the blame shifter as the one shooting arrows and wreaking havoc in your life. 

Blame shifters do their deeds with great fervour, and a sense that they can do no wrong, because let's face their twisted facts, they are always right. Challenging a blame shifter is a fruitless endeavour, since this kind of response intensifies their hatred and resentment, and has them frothing at the mouth with thoughts of revenge. Keep in mind, they like the back and forth, they savour the flavour of blood, and lick their lips at the idea of a fresh pound of flesh to naw on, leaving you with a hole you have to contend with and tend to. 

This is where you get to decide to break the pattern and spell, while extricating yourself from the web of lies they have spun in order to capture your attention, and your unwitting compliance with their diabolical game tactics. 

1. Ask yourself: do I trust this person? If not, how come? If I do trust them, am I willing to accept some of the things they have said, along with some of the blame, regarding their accusations?
2. Check your emotions. When you think of this person, do you feel uneasy, upset, nervous, anxious, worried, unsettled, confused, attacked, insecure, unworthy? Emotions are our early warning system, and they inform us of impact. Blame shifters cause distress and turmoil: if you are feeling this way just thinking about certain people, do know that you are dealing with a difficult trouble maker that likes to shift blame onto you and others.
3. Know that you are not the only mouse the blame shifter is batting their clawed paws at. People that play with the mental and emotional well-being of others, do their thing across the board, meaning everyone in their life feels the sting of their manipulative machinations and malignancy. You aren't special, you are just one of many on their daily cat nip menu to munch on. 
4. Triangulation is the shifters favourite weapon. The more the merrier, meaning they like to spread the suffering thickly, on as many people they can include in their plots and ploys to garner attention. Triangulation only works if you are willing to listen to reports from a third party, for instance: She said you said ... She told me you said this about her, and now she is hurt, upset, mad, sad, disappointed. Making things up, taking things out of context, adding meaning where their wasn't even a topic of conversation, are conflict inducing, mind bending ways, for the narcissistic-blame-shifter, to invite defensive outrage from their victims. I have to laugh here, dear reader: I sure do hope you are seeing the patterned behaviour by now, and thinking of the times you were misused by a person like this that you thought you could help ...
5. They don't want your input, your guidance, your help, your insight, your anything. They want to hurt and destroy you, because they have blackness in their souls that has not seen the light of Christ. Anyone that can cause such chaos, does not have good intentions, or any sign of conscience, and must be left to fend for their sick selves, which by the way, they are more than capable of doing, since their manipulative skills are so finely tuned that their is always another sucker they can draw into their web to feed upon. 
6. Consider not engaging with the blame shifter. They love attention, and if they have yours, you will feel exhausted as they drain you of your energy and life force. Blame shifters feel good when they weaken those in their immediate vicinity, and it delights them to have far reaching influence, giving them satisfaction when they realize their powers of persuasion go far and wide. Dear reader, these people are satanic and as godless as the devil himself. 
7. Stop believing you can prove them wrong by proving your own innocence. Blame shifters have incredible ways of concocting extravagant lies that eventually make them look like fools ... Why, pray tell, argue with a fool? 

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly (Proverbs 25:11)

Handsome Devils - Part 3

And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, and brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, and teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans. And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them (Acts 16:19-22)

Seeing the damsel set free from the spirit of divination, from the stronghold that Satan had previously used to grip her being, enraged her masters. Here is what Matthew Henry has to say about them:

That which provoked them was, that, the damsel being restored to herself, her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, v. 19. See here what evil the love of money is the root of! If the preaching of the gospel ruin the craft of the silversmiths (ch. 19:24), much more the craft of the soothsayers; and therefore here is a great outcry raised, when Satan's power to deceive is broken: the priests hated the gospel because it turned men from the service of dumb idols, and so the hope of their gains was gone. The power of Christ, which appeared in dispossessing the woman, and the great kindness done to her in delivering her out of Satan's hand, made no impression upon them when they apprehended that they should hereby lose money, Matthew Henry's Commentary, Volume 6 Acts to Revelation, page 169. 

The power of Christ dispossessed the woman. She had a spirit that spoke through her, and upon command, it was compelled to come out of her, in the name of Jesus Christ. She was restored to herself ... restored, no longer animated and activated by a demonic spirit. Would it surprise you to read that multitudes of people are thusly occupied by demonic spirits, or would you in your mind and heart, feel compelled to read this as confirmation of something you already suspected to be true, but did not have the words, or understanding, to label and name? 

The craft of soothsaying, the craftiness of the masters that used the damsel to feather their nests, is utterly abominable to the Lord God. The ones that speak on behalf of the devils or demons that reside within, work against the kingdom of God. Note, Paul and Silas were going out to a prayer meeting, and Paul spoke words of salvation, and proved the power of God, when he spoke freedom in Christ to the damsel in distress. Do you see her this way too, dear one, a damsel in distress? 

The woman's freedom from the oppressive spirit was irksome to the money grubbing masters, and the prospect of losing the breadwinner, the damsel they Japanese-beetle-like-leeched off of, had them aggressively seeking revenge against The Way of Salvation, and the men employed as God's gospel workers.

Dear reader, when Christians are persecuted for speaking Biblical truth, it is the kingdom of God that is the true target. Satan could care less about who is injured and maimed as far as humans are concerned: he aims higher than little old you and me, he aims to take down God Almighty, despite the fact that he, just like you and I, is a created being, created by the same Maker that can do as he pleases at all times. It pleases God to love the foolish to wisdom. It pleases God to show us The Way of Salvation ... it pleased God to send his one and only Son, to die on a cross for the sins of the world, to save us from ourselves! 

Compare and contrast, dear one, men of God going to prayer, and mercenary masters using a damsel to fill their fists and bellies, each time she was employed to sell lies to paying patrons. Paul and Silas were caught, and dragged to the marketplace to be made a spectacle, where they were publicly accused of causing trouble, by teaching customs contrary to the accepted Roman standards. The manipulative masters incited hatred with bold faced lies, and the marketplace multitude rose up against the preachers of the gospel, and the magistrates rent, or in other words, ripped off, their clothes.

Why? What did they do that was so wrong? What caused such rage filled behaviour in the detractors, in those that opposed Paul and Silas? I am hoping the dawning of understanding is shining brightly in your mind, sending slivers of light into your heart, and brightening your soul, dear one. The kindness Paul displayed publicly toward the damsel in distress, was not appreciated by those that do not belong to God, but rather, belong to this world, and cling to what this earthy existence has for them in the way of monetary gain, and physical creature comforts. 

Soothsayers speak convenient comfort for cash ... Christians speak of salvation and The Way to the Saviour. Fortune tellers are a quick fix measure utilized by the desperate and distraught ... prayer to God the Father through his son Jesus Christ, is balm for the soul, and unmatched by any other human attempts to gain wisdom and knowledge about the past, the present, or the future. 

The hatred of the lovers of money, becomes exceedingly evident when their income sources are threatened. Those that love money speak of it often, and some will do anything and everything, to ensure they have as much of it as they can possibly grab, even if it means using other people to have their fill of filthy lucre. I do not need to prove this to you, since I am confident you know all about sex and slave trade industries, and how many a political leader, how many a magistrate, has mangled the law to accommodate the demonic forces that molest humanity, in heinous and unspeakable ways. Leches and leeches, demons latch onto humans to do the bidding of their master, otherwise known as Satan. 

Jesus said this:

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad (Matthew 12:30)

You, dear one, are either for Jesus, as Paul and Silas were, or against him, as the crowd was when they yelled crucify him: the scene plays out over and over again, repeating itself with every generation of believers and every generation that goes the way of the devil. There are two ways ... The Way of Salvation, and the road to perdition. 

Which one are you on?

Keep your reading glasses close by; Part 4 of this series is coming your way. 

Handsome Devils - Part 2

In Part 1 of Handsome Devils, we learned of a damsel, a witch, that made a lot of money for her masters as a fortune teller, or soothsayer. This young woman is pictured in this scene:

The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days (Acts 16:17 and part of verse 18). 

The apostle Paul, having heard this cry repeated for many days, was grieved, and delivered the damsel, by commanding the actuating evil spirit that possessed her, to depart, in the name of Jesus Christ: 

But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour (Acts 16:18)

Paul silenced the demon that spoke through the damsel. Imagine that, dear reader, he spoke the name Jesus Christ, commanding an evil spirit to come out of a girl that had been used as a cash cow, effectively muting the demon because it no longer had a host, a body to use with a tongue to wag. Dear one, without human beings doing the bidding of the devil and his demons, they haven't a work force, they haven't the manpower to do their dastardly deeds. In Deuteronomy we are told what God commands, regarding those that engage demonic entities; we are not to trouble ourselves with such things ... trouble is what we are asking for when we pay for palm or card reading, or for some special insight that a fortune teller offers for payment: 

Deuteronomy 18:9-15

When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 

For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. 

For the nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall harken.

If you are not familiar with The Bible, allow me to instruct you a little while we are together. The book of Deuteronomy was written long before the promised Prophet was raised up from the midst of God's people. Jesus is the Son of God, and he is the Prophet spoken of ... the entire Bible is about Jesus, and we learn that we are like wish bones, if I may reduce us to this tiny bit of truth: Satan, that handsome devil, would like nothing more than to break us apart, like wishbones, where he gets the larger portion, influencing us in his dark magic ways, for the sickening of our souls. When we rely on humans that divine information from the spiritual realm, when we pay them our hard earned cashed to give us special insights that taint our minds and hearts with godless intel, we are being drawn away from Truth, down into a dark cavern that dims our vision. 

God sees fortune tellers, palm and card readers, and those that supposedly speak to the dead (necromancer), as abominations. We live in a post Christian society, meaning this current generation has not been instructed in the ways of the LORD, leaving them subject and susceptible to all manner of demonic influence. We all want reassurance and comfort, and sometimes we look for it unwittingly, in the wrong places. 

God gives voice and God silences. There are many voices that speak vile things, and we hear them daily, coming at us each time we turn on a screen. The devices we carry with us everywhere we go, have a way of sending us messages that we have not asked for, and for me, are unwanted intrusions into my thinking. Do note, that Paul and those with him were going to gather and pray with other believers, and this damsel, daily, interrupted their going out to do God's will and work, of worship and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ as Saviour. The devil in the damsel knew who these men were, and while he spoke truth through the girl -These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation - he did so as a detractor. 

Don't let them do this to you, dear reader. Don't let the damned, the damnable, use you to commit abominations, forbidden activities, that the LORD condemns and commands us not to do. The Truth, is kind and just and trustworthy, and he can be counted on, never misleading a sincere person that wants to honour God and praise him for all he has done and continues to do, to protect and preserve each of us from demonic influence and harm. You will see in Part 3 of this series, what happens next in this scene we are looking into ... the devil does not like when a soul is snatched from his bone breaking grip, it incites him and his demons, enraging them, but that is for another day; to be continued. 

In the mean time: 

• Do consider asking God for help in your spiritual growth, and understanding of the spiritual realm 
• Do consider praying to God and asking him to illume your mind and break your heart for what breaks his 
• Do consider getting a King James study Bible, and learning for yourself, who God is, and what his plan for you and your family is 
• Do consider, giving up any interest you may have, in occult practices, because that is exactly what consulting a witch or wizard for fortune telling is ... it is black magic, or in other words, engaging with demonic forces for misleading information that leads down dark corridors that injure the spirit
• Do consider speaking with a Christian, having conversations on a regular basis. The Christian will care for you, pray for you, and lead you to the foot of the cross of Christ ... that is what Paul and the disciples were doing, dear reader, when they were crudely, rudely, interrupted by a damsel, held captive by an evil spirit

Fortune tellers speak on behalf of evil spirits ... consider this as true, before you engage them in their mercenary services. They want your money honey, and don't care one iota about your soul. May God deliver you from this type of entrapment.