This morning as I was dressing myself spiritually with God’s Armor I found myself realizing a new use for the Sword of the Spirit. I had always pictured in my mind using this sword to ward off any and all of evil’s minions. This morning for the first time I saw myself using this sword to cut out the selfish desires that want to enter my mind. I can use this sword to do spiritual surgery cutting away what wants to be selfish. God is Amazing!

This morning following our second worship time a father who is facing a divorce is having a prayer time for his two young daughters. He has been coming for counsel for many months now. He asked if I’d set this up with our children’s pastor and their Sunday School teachers. He wants his daughters to know that in their young lives they have many who are with them, praying for them and loving them. My own two daughters from my first marriage were only 2 & 4 when my wife at the time left me. This agony at that time so long ago never leaves one’s mind and emotions. I was glad to take this step for them.

God’s tender, loving mercy is like none other. May these two young girls who are 4 & 6 know and believe their God is always with them and they are surrounded by His Spirit and a host of people who will always be praying for them and loving on them.

Today I simply want to praise God and thank Him for HIs abundant blessings. As I met for the first time with a younger couple yesterday, I found myself listening to a couple telling Kathy and my story. I’ve know this couple since they married about 20 years ago. Now they have some difficulties with children and parenting and they needed some counsel. Listening to them describe their struggles I heard in my head what I’d heard my counselor tell Kathy and me many years ago. This was, “Kathy, would you be ok if I met for a period of time only with Earnie? There’s some issues I would like to address with him I believe are effecting the reasons you struggle in your marriage.” As I said this to them using their own names, the wife instantly said, “yes”. The husband just hung his head and said, “I know I need this.” We will start next week.

My “period of time” meeting with my counselor took 3.5 years. When that was done Kathy and I have never needed to go back. I no longer was processing our difficulties with a huge number of character defects I’d developed. How loving and genuinely kind our God is providing the help needed when we are willing to take the step of receiving it. Isn’t our GOD WONDERFUL!

Well, the raspberries are pruned and tomorrow I will have another wonderful day pruning the blackberries. They take longer so one day won’t be enough. That is a blessing unto itself in that I have more to do outside keeping me “in the gardens of inspiration”. Besides all of this, tomorrow is March 1st and I’ve always called this day the first day of Spring. At this point in every winter I’m too ready for Spring so I just start my own on the 1st rather than the 21st.

As I journaled this morning I was writing to Jesus about yesterday’s topic: thorn in the flesh. Jesus brought to mind that the thorn is in the “flesh”. We naturally fight any of our battles first and foremost from our own flesh trying to be more disciplined, more structured, more boundaries, etc. As I was writing all of this Jesus reminded me that His Gift to us is The Holy SPIRIT. He said our battleground is flesh, but the Warrior He provides us is SPIRIT for the battle must be fought in Spirit or we will lose for Satan himself is spirit and our flesh cannot win over spirit.

I have become critically aware of this confusion I’ve lived with all of my life. Our tools God provides us when we ask Jesus into our lives are tools of the Spirit. Things like Faith, Trust, Belief. God gives us things to do in our flesh but they aren’t tools to fight with. They are tools like: surrender, confess, pray, worship, be humble, sing. I write this and wonder why I’ve battled so long?? It just goes to show that our spiritual eyes keep getting more open the longer we live and allow Jesus to be our TEACHER.

Today is it! The weather is chilly and clear. The sun will soon be up and I can prune raspberries. When that is done I can move onto the blackberries and prune them. All of this is the beginning blessings of Spring!

Earlier this week one of the guys in our sexual purity groups asked if I felt the lingering effects of my own sexual abuse was my thorn in the flesh as Paul states about his own thorn? I told him I had definitely believed this to be true for me. I had even asked one of my pastors in times past if this could be so? His response was negative stating Paul’s thorn was of his flesh so likely if I had a thorn it wouldn’t be of this nature. All I know is that Paul’s thorn was a horrible torment for him or he wouldn’t have described it as he did. My own torment has been just as he describes so I have believed it. Also, this thorn has been something that keeps me very dependent on Christ Jesus’ mercy and grace. Thus, I’d say again, this is definitely a/my thorn.

A thorn can bring bitterness if one wants to go that direction with it. I did for many years. Yet, humbling myself to become vulnerable and share this thorn, God has made this thorn a tool in His Hands. It is always incredible what God does when we take the step of humility giving Him all rights to our lives. On top of this, He turns what was bitterness into thankful gratitude. Only our God can perform such miracles!

The beauty of Spring is beginning and I can hardly stand sitting inside my den as the sunlight starts to illuminate the day. Yes, the temperatures are still winter, but the sense of Spring is erupting within me. My own spirit wants to tell everyone coming for the next two months that God will take care of them. Right now I must be in my yard and garden preparing all of it for its forthcoming beauty! OK, now I’ve written this and I’ll return to today.

Yesterday I finished reading through the NIV bible I’ve been using of late. Today I knew I’d need to begin and I was pondering which version I would read this time. I kept sensing that The Living Bible was where I should go this time. When I graduated from college in 1972 I was given this bible from an older brother and his wife. As I took it from its bookshelf and began in Genesis 1, I had this assurance that this was the right choice.

When I wrote yesterday that I am a new creation, I just have to say that reading God’s Word–the Bible–as a new creation, is remarkable how alive the Word is when I am alive and awake in Christ. It brings a closeness and intimacy with God that creates a confidence in TRUSTING HIM. Once again I write how remarkable our God is!

The devotional message I ended yesterday’s entry was going to be used this morning with the small group of men I’m meeting with. I had copied it yesterday and taken it to the counseling room for this morning. But, as God always does, He had in mind for me to have it there for yesterday’s use.

One lady I meet with was quite troubled with some present circumstances. She needed to address them with her boss, but presenting the problem to the boss seemed pointless since this problem had been “worked through” before and now it was repeating itself and employees were losing their faith/confidence in the system. We talked through the differences in a conversation of flesh motivation and then one with God’s Spirit motivation. The ending message of yesterday’s devotion was just what she was wishing to find, Peace, Satisfaction and a Sense of fulfillment. She was then ready to have the needed conversation with God’s Holy Spirit equipping her as she surrendered her flesh speech.

God is SO FAITHFUL. Yet, when I am to practice faith in my everyday living I find myself wanting to question Him. Continuing to trust God and to respond to this trust only builds the confidence to always respond to God’s nudges in Spirit for HE TRULY IS FAITHFUL. The results of this are our PEACE, SATISTACTION & THE SENSE OF FULFILLMENT.