Conquering the Tower of Terror

By Elaine James –

Have you gone on the ride at Walt Disney World called The Tower of Terror? I reflect on the time when I was standing in the line, asking myself, “Why I am I doing this?”

I looked at the evidence: others went on and got off and didn’t die, faint or get sick! Based on that, I decided I could do this—I had to experience this. Of course, then I had the bragging rights to say “I survived The Tower of Terror.” I actually laughed myself through it.

When the movie The Passion of the Christ was out, while waiting in line, I knew people who chose not to go see it. Looking at the people leaving the theater, I was left anticipating and asking myself, “Why I am I doing this?” I looked at the evidence: others were leaving the theater in total silence and even crying. In this case I decided I must witness this myself.

As I watched the movie, I was filled with agony as Jesus’ torture went on and on. Only God could survive such torture. Anne Graham Lotz was quoted as saying, “Many want to say the Romans killed Jesus, the Jews, or the government. But our magnificent Jesus gave up His last breath and refused to breathe anymore. He chose to die for us!”

Do you know about James, the half brother of Jesus? At first, he did not want part of the adventure of Jesus. He refused the evidence and stories. He was his own person. Then James got in line for the ride of his life after he experienced the journey of Jesus’ death. He wanted the challenge. He wrote the powerful book of James in the Bible that teaches us how to live the Christian life.

The Tower of Terror taught me to conquer my fears. The Passion of the Christ brought me the profound truth to embrace Christ and understand what He did for me. James learned the same things and from it ended up writing a very direct letter concerning Christian growth. If James were living today, I believe his words to us would be: “Slow down, sit down, quiet down, learn, love and live like Jesus Christ.”

Do you avoid facing the challenges James addressed regarding living the Christian life? Why not get in line and accept this challenge? You will experience the exhilarating accomplishment I did through a new life with Christ.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, please help me experience more of You in my life as I face everyday challenges.

“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Elaine James, author of the tract JOURNEY, certified personality trainer and graduate of Christian Leaders Authors and Speakers Seminars. She is a prayer ministry counselor, accomplished actress, and certified Christian storyteller. Her dramatic performances have made many aware of their problem with Major Mind Overload, and their need to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. Elaine is a recycler—nothing God teaches her is wasted. www.elainejames.com

Loving Feeling

By Elaine James –

Did you wake up tired? You look around the house and perhaps there are clothes on the floor from your loved ones. Maybe something is lying around that you asked someone to put away. Maybe dishes and wrappers are lying out on the counter, because someone did not put them away. Frustrating, huh? If relationships with those in your home are strained already this kind of stuff adds fuel to the fire.

You may be thinking, I’ll tell her or him this or that. You’re ready to fight. Your argument is rolling around in your head.

This person is driving me crazy. How can I love them the way the Father loves?

Remember it is a command to love one another. It is not a choice. I have heard some say “I don’t feel like being in the relationship any longer.” Or this one: “I don’t want to be nice to him or her because they were not nice to me.”

Here is what God tells me. Love is not always a loving feeling. So take some time to speak to God about the lack of love in your house. If relationships are strained the last thing we should be doing is ordering people around and be controlling.

Maybe the advice to “fake it to you feel it” has some merit, since feelings can be so fickle. Combat the lack of feelings with prayer. Prayer is the way to stay. Wait on God.

What happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard. Things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Make a list and pray the positive things about that person who is difficult to love. I had a relationship that was strained. Things weren’t changing until I changed.

So if you have an ugly relationship put aside: “Well, if they put their stuff away and do as I say, then I will love them.” Say instead, “I will serve and love this relationship (with God’s help) back to life.” The power is in our actions and tongue.

Keep the peace. Stop looking for that loving feeling. Look instead to the Father and ask for help.

PRAYER:  Dear Father, I don’t feel like loving _________ today. I have been struggling with their lack of love and help. I just can’t go on this way God. Help me! Give me the love to love them. Help me to see them the way You do. Give me the feelings to love them. I want to honor and obey You Father, but sometimes I just struggle. Forgive me Father if I have hurt this other person in any way. Help us to get back to joy and our commitment toward each other.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Elaine James, author of the tract JOURNEY, certified personality trainer and graduate of Christian Leaders Authors and Speakers Seminars. She is a prayer ministry counselor, accomplished actress, and certified Christian storyteller. Her dramatic performances have made many aware of their problem with Major Mind Overload, and their need to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. Elaine is a recycler—nothing God teaches her is wasted. www.elainejames.com

Not The End

By Elaine James –

 

A song came to mind, “The ants go marching ten by ten hurrah, hurrah! The ants going marching ten by ten hurrah, hurrah! The ants go marching ten by ten the little one stops to say ‘The End’, and they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain. Boom, boom, boom!”

 

All I could do is sing as I cleaned and sprayed my kitchen counter when I was confronted with a whole lot of ants. I wasn’t happy. In fact I was tired. I had been resting from surgery. I was just getting back in the swing of cleaning and this mess was wearing me out.

 

Before discovering the ants I was on my back porch taking in the blue sky, sipping a good cup of coffee and spending sweet time with God reading his word. Peter greets, “To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours… For this very reason, make every effort to add … perseverance … For if you posses this quality in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1-8 NIV).

 

I was totally caught off guard with the ants. In a flash I was itchy and crabby. It took quite a while to clean and the heaviness was not lifting. I contacted a friend who was clear headed. She had me pray “by the weapons God has given to me and by the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus name I take authority over every belief system, high thing and thought that keeps me blinded from the truth. I capture and demolish that in Jesus name. Thank You, Lord, for your help. Amen.”

 

I doubted that spending time with God would give me energy for today. That is a lie. I had a bump in the road. I did exactly what God asks; persevere. On any given day one of my children could need me more than usual. They may come to me constantly. I would keep opening arms and comforting them. I was needy.

 

Instead of pouting like our children tend to when trouble brews we need to pause for prayer. Realize God is there 24/7/365. It was “The End” for those ants but not for me.

 

I Am Never Alone

By Elaine James –

 

“I’ve prayed for you since you were baby. You are the one who had asthma, right? I know things were difficult for you,” the nun softly said.

 

While celebrating my aunt’s 90^th birthday and her 60^th Jubilee in the religious life as a nun, one of her friends at the retirement center, who is a nun also, spoke to me.  Her words surprised me as I repeated them back, “I have been prayed for since a baby?”

 

As I walked away God showed me in a flash the answers to her prayers. I no longer suffer from asthma. I was introduced to Jesus at a very young age. I have had a hedge of protection around me, and that explained so much of my life.

 

As a child I had fears that came from my illness and from observing my parents dealing with their brokenness. They ended their marriage after twenty-seven years. From my mom’s deep issues with anxiety to my dad, who had so much anger, life was difficult. My mom did not want to live when the twenty-seven year marriage ended. I became anxious and angry about life. I was in need of my own inner healing.

 

The prayers of the nuns helped me to truly find the peace of Jesus. My aunt, now long gone, had given me a lifelong gift.

 

Some days do you catch yourself saying “I don’t have anyone to pray for me?” All prayers from scripture live on. They hold true for you and me today.  Peruse the beauty of the Word for the prayers of the faithful and realize those prayers live on in our lives.

 

Paul prayed, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9 NIV).

 

Jesus prayed, “…Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21 NIV).

 

Jesus prayed for you and me. His prayers never die. They live on. We can count on that.

 

I know I am never alone. I have my God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and the prayers of the faithful.

 

We don’t have anyone? We can shut our mouths and unclog our minds from that lie!

 

PRAYER:  Father in heaven thank You for reminding me that I am never alone. Amen.

 

Decorator of the Mind

By Elaine James –

 

Stinkin thinkin! I felt like giving up. I had had this back pain for months. Things weren’t getting better. I tried many avenues for healing and nothing had changed. Fear was creeping its ugly head into my brain, and interrupting my peace with the interjecting question, “What if…it is something serious?”

Over twenty years ago I had to address the problem with my thoughts; to think about what I am thinking. My conclusion was that I had to re-train my brain. I went through four steps:  awareness, acceptance, action and available. Those four steps were the technical ways I was led to inner healing.

My fun personality likes to put it this way:

God reached down and did what I love most: decorate and shop! He decorated my mind as I shopped through the Word picking out my favorite verses that help destroy old patterns of thinking and gave me a new sense of freedom and perspective. Not Elaine’s perspective, but God’s perspective. In my newly decorated mind I have this brand new gorgeous shelf now full of thoughts filed neatly with plenty of space for other thoughts. I feel lighter and brighter to shine with the glory of God, awaiting the moment to speak to any audience of overloaded or stressed-out lives to welcome this “God Story.”

My favorite verse that was the catalyst to this process was:

“We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity” (2 Corinthians 10:5-6 MSG).

I can now rejoice that He is enough for me. When I am in pain I remember the powerful God-tools and in my awakened state, I choose the path Jesus taught me and together we walk the road.

PRAYER:  Father in heaven thank You for the powerful God-tools. Thank You for reaching down and clearing my mind obstructions and bringing me to a place of peace. Amen.

 

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