Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

6 God began doing a good work in you,
and I am sure he will continue it until it
is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
Philippians 1:6 (New Century Version)

Reflection:

Growing up I had a very special friend.
I was lucky to have a friend like this. 
He was the kind of person who really cared
and would remain loyal to his friends.
In other words he was someone I could
count on.  He was always there for me
in times of joy and times of sadness. 
He was there for his squad in Viet Nam,
he died a hero, they counted on him and
he came through.
Over the years I have had another very
special friend.  He was and is someone
I can always count on.  He is the kind
of friend that is always there for me. This
is one unique friend, you see when this
friend starts something with me, He
finishes it! 
That's right you already know who it is.
It's God!  What God starts, He finishes.
When I ask my friend for forgiveness,
He will forgive me and not quit.  As a
matter of fact He gave His life for me,
just like my buddy in Viet Nam.  But
He not only died for me, Jesus rose
from the dead, I was forgiven for an
eternity.
This friend Jesus can be your friend
too.  I promise He is the kind of
friend that is always there for you.
REMEMBER THIS, WHAT GOD
STARTS, HE FINISHES!  AND GOD
IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!

Prayer:

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

God will guard you from the evil one

How can I defend myself against Satan's
attacks?

Be strong with the Lord's mighty power.
Put on all of God's armor so that you
will be to stand firm against all the
strategies and tricks of the Devil. For
we are not fighting against people made
of flesh and blood, but against the evil
rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
against those mighty powers of darkness
who rule this world, and against wicked
spirits in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT

Tricking Houdini

During his life, Harry Houdini had a
standing challenge that he could escape
from any jail cell within an hour. A small
town in the British Isles had just
constructed a new jail cell they thought
was escape-proof, and they wanted to
put it to the test. Houdini entered the cell
and immediately went to work. After two
grueling hours—an hour past his deadline—
Houdini finally withdrew his file from the
lock and leaned against the door in
exhaustion. To his amazement, the cell
door swung open.

The jailors had tricked the great magician
by closing the jail door but never bolting
the lock. He was free all along, he just
didn't know it.

Satan has the same strategy, doesn't he?
His greatest weapon is to make us think
that we are trapped, when in reality the cell
door is always open. Satan can't bind us,
so he tricks us into making us believe the
cell door is locked.

Adapted from a devotional by Frank Martin
in Embracing Eternity (Tyndale House) p 292

Listen, children, to a story
That was written long ago,
'Bout a kingdom on a mountain
And the valley-folk below.

On the mountain was a treasure
Buried deep beneath the stone,
And the valley-people swore
They'd have it for their very own.

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

So the people of the valley
Sent a message up the hill,
Asking for the buried treasure,
Tons of gold for which they'd kill.

Came an answer from the kingdom,
"With our brothers we will share
All the secrets of our mountain,
All the riches buried there."

Now the valley cried with anger,
"Mount your horses! Draw your sword!"
And they killed the mountain-people,
So they won their just reward.

Now they stood beside the treasure,
On the mountain, dark and red.
Turned the stone and looked beneath it...

"PEACE ON EARTH" was all it said.

QUOTE:

Annabel Wolfson Advocate for Social Justice,
Anti-Conscription Activist (1915-1983)

"It seems that it would be apparent to
anyone who gave the matter a thought
that money spent for cooperative
peacekeeping is a better investment than
money spent for deterrence by mutual and
ever-increasing terror, yet the great powers
of the world continue to lavish their resources
on the latter."