How to Catch a Rat

By Andrea Merrell

The Devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of 

fire and brimstone.

Revelation 20:10 NKJV

Rat droppings … the last thing I expected to see on my counter first thing in the morning.

Once I got over the heebie-jeebies—and the complaining—I devised a plan to get rid of the pesky varmints. Clean up the area. Check. Look for signs of where they’ve been. Check. Put out poison. Check. Make sure not to leave any food out where they can get to it. Check. Call an exterminator if needed. Check.

Since the Lord likes to use situations like this to teach me spiritual truths, He certainly did with this one. He reminded me of the biggest rat of all … the Devil. The ultimate enemy who sneaks about in the darkness to wreak havoc but always leaves a trail. Just like dealing with my unwelcome critters, I need to always have a plan.

• Clean up the area. Check my heart. Confess my sin (1 John 1:9).
• Look for signs of where he’s been. Do damage control. Recognize the thief who has come to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).
• Put out poison. Resist the Enemy (James 4:7). Combat him with the Word of God.
• Make sure not to open myself to attack. Don’t give the Devil a foothold in my life (Ephesians 4:27).
• Call the exterminator. Call on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance (John 16:33). And remember that the Enemy has already lost (Revelation 20:10).

A rat is a small animal that can do a lot of damage if we’re not on top of things. The Devil is a larger foe who can do minimal damage if we stay on top of things, armed with the Holy Spirit, the name of Jesus, and God’s Word.

That’s how you catch a rat.

(Photo courtesy of Microsoft 365.)

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The Best Tutor

 By Andrea Merrell

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father 

will send in My name, He will teach you all things, 

and bring to your remembrance 

all things that I said to you.

John 14:26 NKJV

I faced the task with dread. It required a learning curve I had neither the time or patience to tackle.

As a visual, hands-on learner, I generally need a tutor. Someone to walk me through the process. On this particular day I had no one—or so I thought.

I prayed first. Well, it might have been more like whining and complaining. To my surprise, the process was quick and smooth. The Lord whispered to me, We’ve got this. 

The Bible says, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.  The Amplified version calls Him the Comforter, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, and Standby. Author Sarah Young calls Him our "resident tutor."

The Holy Spirit has come to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). He is always ready to assist us no matter what the need happens to be. All we have to do is ask. The best part is no request is too big or too small.

The next time you need help, pray. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. He’s the best tutor you’ll ever have.

(Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos.net and Simon Howden.)

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It's a Game Changer

 

By Andrea Merrell

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, 

whom the Father will send in My name, 

He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance

all things that I said to you.

John 14:26 NKJV

 

The decision was a big one. Not only that, several options presented themselves. I had no clue which way to go. Then I remembered I didn’t have to decide all on my own. God seemed to be waiting for me to ask His advice. When I wised-up and asked for wisdom and guidance, it was definitely a game changer.

Knowing God is with us—everywhere, all the time, no matter what—makes all the difference. It is not His intention for us to go through anything alone, from the smallest decision to the hardest trial.

Chris Tiegreen says:

Think about that. He’s the God who is bigger than any and all giants. No obstacle outweighs Him, no enemy intimidates Him, no circumstances remain unyielding in His presence. We worry about things. He doesn’t. He goes forward, and He calls us to come with him.

God gave us His Holy Spirit to make His home in us. He is called Teacher, Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener, and Standby. We can call on Him in every situation and know that He will come alongside us and help us with whatever we need.

As a child of God, you are never alone. Invite the Holy Spirit to partner with you in everything you do.

It’s a game changer.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

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Toothbrushes Aren’t Just for Good Oral Hygiene

 By Andrea Merrell

 

But if we confess our sins to Him, He can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.

I John 1:9 TLB

 

I love for my house to be clean, but sometimes I get in a rush and do a quick swipe here and there rather than a thorough cleaning. Later, upon closer inspection, I see all the little areas that need more attention.

 

It always amazes me how many of those areas you can only get to with an old toothbrush—dirty little places that can be reached no other way no matter how hard you try. Once I take the time to scrub away the hidden grime, it gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction.

 

One day I realized how easily the same thing can happen in me. Just when I think all is well and I’m “clean” before the Lord, I discover all those hidden crevices filled with wrong attitudes and bad habits. A harsh word here. An unfair judgement there. Unforgiveness that needs to be addressed.

 

A quick swipe of “sorry, Lord” won’t do it. That’s when I have to ask Holy Spirit to get out the spiritual toothbrush and clean out all the hidden junk. It might not always be comfortable, but it gets the job done. When it’s over, it’s a feeling like none other.

 

Are you in need of a little extra scrubbing today? No problem. The Lord is ready when you are, so go ahead and ask.

 

And remember … toothbrushes aren’t just for good oral hygiene.

 

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and khuruzero.)

 

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Don't Argue with the Ump

By Andrea Merrell

   And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ

rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts

[deciding and settling with finality all questions 

that arise in your minds.

Colossians 3:15 AMPC

It was embarrassing. All eyes focused on us as my son-in-law got thrown out of the ballpark for arguing with the ump.

Everyone else thought my daughter was safe as she dove for second base. But the ump saw it differently and yelled, “Out!” 

The rest of the disappointed crowd accepted his decision—but not my son-in-law. He jumped up, grabbed the fence with both hands, and proceeded to make his case against—as he put it—a stupid call. I think there might have been a comment about needing glasses …

We might not always agree with the ump, but when he’s in charge, what he says goes. His word is law. Like it or not, no one can dispute him.

The Bible talks about another ump who wants to direct our daily lives. And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts.

When God’s Holy Spirit takes up residence within us, He moves in with all his baggage: love, joy, wisdom, understanding, creativity, favor, and especially peace. That’s His specialty. No matter what's going on in our lives, the peace of God can calm the storm and keep us grounded if we let Him call the shots. He is there to help us win the game every time.

That day at the ballpark, we all learned a valuable lesson. Don’t argue with the ump.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and vectoroli.)

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No matter what's going on in our lives, the peace of God can calm the storm and keep us grounded if we let Him call the shots.  via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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