Journey of Love, and Faith

This is from The Screwtape Letters, by: CS Lewis
It is a letter that Screwtape (mentor) wrote to his young predecessor "wormwood", who is the demon in charge of this "Patient/human". The patient took a walk to an old mill that had sentimental value, and memories of his family from years ago. Wormwood allowed him to walk alone for a bit, and the patient ended up recollecting memories and at some point began to pray on this walk. This is what Screwtape is telling Wormwood in his letter, to teach him to never allow this to happen again for these reasons.

"As you have ought to have known, the asphyxiating cloud which prevented your attacking the patient on his walk back from the old mill, is a well known phenomenon. It is the Enemy's (God) most barbarous weapon, and generally appears when He is directly present to the patient under certain modes not yet fully classified. Some humans are permanently surrounded by it and therefore inaccessible to us"

Very interesting, even though this is CS Lewis' take on what happens in spiritual warfare I have a feeling it could possibly be just like this. As the patient began praying, screwtape mentions this phenomenon, as Gods most barbarous weapon. PRAYER. Just the image of this gives me chills to think about. To their eyes, we have a thick haze, or fog around us that they cannot penetrate. Its the power of God through prayer! Now that has to make you feel like praying if you haven't already started. I love the end when he mentions that some humans are permanently surrounded by this and it makes us inaccessible. They don't understand Love. They don't understand Gods Love for us and the freedom he has given us out of Love. There are certain things that they do not have a clue about, because only God does and he shares some of that with us. Prayer is a weapon, and prayer is so much more than a weapon, but prayer is communicating with our Father, a way to experience Him first hand, his Love, Grace, and Joy just to name a few. Its to listen, and to talk, to learn, and sometimes cry out to God when we are in need of his warming embrace.

Spurgeon wrote:
Yes, my Lord, I long, I pant to feel Thy love flaming like a furnace within me. Come Thou Thyself and excite the ardour of my spirit.

"For every drop of crimson blood
Thus shed to make me live,
O wherefore, wherefore have not I
A thousand lives to give?"
Why should I despair of loving Jesus with a love as strong as death? He deserves it: I desire it. The martyrs felt such love, and they were but flesh and blood, then why not I? They mourned their weakness, and yet out of weakness were made strong. Grace gave them all their unflinching constancy—there is the same grace for me. Jesus, lover of my soul, shed abroad such love, even Thy love in my heart, this evening.

Humans, Faith is a big word if you really think about it, and look through the many scriptures that speak of it. Its big because its just huge! Faith is a huge part of our walk and every breath. When I am spending time with God and losing my pride, I certainly acquire more faith every time I pray. But then again, I use faith all of the time, but not faith in God all of the time. I still tend to have faith in myself, or faith in other things to help me get by. Its a stone I am climbing up slowly, and I will reach the top in having full and complete Faith in my Father.
If I was thrown in a Lions den tonight, you better believe I would be on my knees praying harder than ever. I would be asking the lions to just be my friend, and maybe if you let me out I can set up a nice big litter box outside my room for you and you could even sleep on my nice king size bed if you'd like. I'm putting my faith in the Lions! The difference here is, that Daniel didn't, he put his faith in the Lord.

Today is a good day. I am Loved to no end by my Father. I shall certainly rejoice and be very Glad in it.

Isaiah 41:10
Love Jared

month 2 never ceasing prayer

About now, I am having a hard time doing my routines as I once was able to do with ease. Pray, get going and work while I try to pray all day. Its become quite a task for me to handle and make myself do it. It is a struggle right now to say the least. But, I need to hop on the other side of the train track and keep forging ahead as I try to follow Christ's example he has given to us. See, the first week or 2 were seemingly going great. But things change and we have a battle going on around all of us. Someone does not want us to succeed in such a great way. Its a battle I will face tomorrow and I will throw on Gods Armor and pray my little heart out. Here we go.

on another note:

Jordan's best friend just lost her fiance' and this week the same girl just lost her dad in his sleep. 49 years old and as healthy as can be. Needless to say, it is a horrible time for them right now. Jor and I have had talks about feeling mad at God for letting something like this happen to her. Such a sweet, amazing, godly girl. It seems to happen all around and it does not skip the people we would like it to. I guess it just the fact that we are not guaranteed the next breath of air. Our time could come in the blink of an eye, and we will not know it. I have read a lot of scripture on living today as it would be your last. That sounds like an amazing thing if you think about it. To truly LIVE, your life everyday, and treat it as your last day on earth. I think I would worry less, I wouldn't be so selfish, and I wouldn't struggle with depression as much as I do. Just thinking about living your life to the fullest, no regrets and how awesome that would be. Then waking up the next morning, and truly realizing what a blessing it is to have another day in front of you! Wow, if I could get that way, I feel like I would take nothing for granted, and cherish everything God has given me even More! I might actually feel inclined to talk to strangers more, say I Love You more, work harder, be a better person and also help others. A lot of these things, I tend to believe I will have plenty more time to do them or to be that way. But I'm actually not sure if I will or wont soon. To live my day and treat it as my last, I would do all of these things and I would strive to honor the kingdom of heaven 110%. Do my best to be like Christ and Love everyone. God puts people and things in our lives for a reason.

We need to allow Gods light to shine through us, so we can be seen and used by Him everyday. I have been caught up in my marriage,and work, and bills, that's my day. I go to bed and do it again. God centered means to me, that my priorities are straight. God, and everything else after. When that is the case, no matter the struggle, God is in control of your life, and you will be okay. He wants us to succeed, and he wants us to share with others the joy, and hope, and Love we have through Jesus Christ. When we are God centered, it all falls into place and it works. Its hard, we are humans with veins and brains and wiring in us that makes us who we are. But with Christ in our life, and the promise we have of everlasting Love and life, we are Free.


Love JARED