Welcome to the Dessert Bar, special devos that Peggie will write on occasion, in addition to the 500-plus devotionals archived at the Devotional Buffet. "O taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)." Let's feast on the richness of His Word--it's a banquet fit for a king, and you're a King's Kid--so come on in and enjoy!
Archives of the Dessert Bar Devos . . . The Devotional Buffet
"Mind Games...and the Mindless Mean Machine!"
by Peggie C. Bohanon, Webmaster and Creator of Peggie's Place!
No, not the kind of brain teaser games you play at parties--this was no party! And no, not the "mean machines" that race up and down the drag strip in your town....this was no race! I'm talkin' about the tagged "mean machine" that terrorized the Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland area for three weeks--a reign of ungodly terror and murder like we've never seen. We "thought" the sniper was sniping from the bushes--we have later learned that HE had a "mean machine" set up to work like a "murder machine," and with it, committed alleged acts of evil that blew our minds and wrenched our hearts.
Thank God that he and his accomplice, the alleged killers, are caught--and may the justice system deal with this case in a manner to suit the crimes against mankind--and God! Thank God, children can play outdoors again, husbands can take wives to dinner, wives can park their cars, get gas, and shop - without fear - a nightmare that we pray will never happen again.
But, beyond the breaking headlines in this case, there's another breaking story, and it's been breaking since his first attack in the Garden of Eden. He will try to break up homes, marriages, relationships, churches--and whatever in life is fragile and holds meaning. The sniper snake of all time--the devil himself! He'll play mind games with you, and then pull out his mindless mean machine as he controls the trigger and shoots away--at spirit, body, mind, and soul.
So what to do when what happens makes no sense? Alert yourself to the fact that the mindless mean machine is at work--and the mind behind it seeks to steal, kill and destroy your faith. Arm yourself with praise, prayer, and the promises of God - fight back - and he must flee!
A Mind Game, Mean-Machine Sniper Attack on the Spirit!
Satan hates God, and he'll use his mindless mean machine, time after time, to steal, kill and destroy the Spirit of God within you. He will try to tear down, break down, blow down YOUR spirit too, until you're a helpless, whimpering piece of flesh. He can't do it - God is more powerful, believe it--rise up in the Name of Jesus, claim the promises of God, fill your spirit with the treasures of God's Word. No devil in hell can steal His Word from your heart--unless you let him. STOP THE GAME! Don't let him--determine to serve the Lord, regardless.....put a deliberate stop to the mind games--and the mean machine must GO in the Name of the Lord!
A Mind Game, Mean-Machine Sniper Attack on the Soul!
Well, if he can't destroy your spirit, he's not done--he will attack your soul, the seat of your emotions. His mind games will make you spin--if you let him play--agony, anxiety, fear, torment, negative thoughts, anger, unforgiveness, resentment--you name it and he's played his Tarot card in your face......STOP the Game! STOP the mind-destroying Mean Machine in the Name of the Lord.....For HE, the schemer, is behind it all--and he is a defeated foe, conquered in the almighty power of our Lord.....the game's over, Satan......take your toys and RUN! And now may the love, peace and joy of God replace the negative emotions destroying you. May HE, the healer of hearts, mend YOUR broken heart, giving you a song of victory that no devil can snatch away!
A Mind Game, Mean Machine Sniper Attack on the Mind!
OK, so he's not got your spirit and soul--but he's not done. He's after your MIND--he will bring confusion, evil thoughts, fearful thoughts, dark thoughts - for his mind machine may be mindless, but HE is not.....He's the one operating behind it, bringing you down mentally, stealing God's Word from your very thoughts.......STOP the game--let the Holy Spirit fill your mind to overflowing with God's Word....may Scripture after Scripture you've memorized in years gone by return to flood your mind with HIS clarity and sanity...The devil's doing an insane attack on a mind that belongs to God--give it back to GOD, ask Him to cover your mind with His precious Blood--and send the mean machine packin'!
A Mind Game, Mean-Machine Sniper Attack on the Body!
Now we all know that our bodies are our temporary homes--or tabernacles. Someday we'll all leave them behind and receive glorified bodies in the world beyond--but until then, we've got to deal with it, day after day. From head to toe, the mean machine attacks--migraines, heart trouble, cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, you name it--and if it's that unusual, you may have the honor of having a disease named AFTER you....The aging process brings with it a basketful of aches and pains, we all agree!
But behind the whole scene is an enemy seeking to destroy you--to make you helpless with bodily attack--and then to play the "what ifs" mind games....We've all been there......but let's STOP THE GAME! STOP THE MEAN MACHINE--and he can be pretty mean! Remember, the Miracle-Worker, Jesus Christ, is still Healer of the Soul, Spirit, Mind--AND BODY--and we can experience divine healing at HIS hand. He is still the same yesterday, today and forever. So scat, devil - we have a "Higher Power" - and His Name is JESUS - He is high and lifted up--and someday we will be there too, with perfect bodies - no need of braces, anti-cancer drugs, tranquilizers, morphine or Medicare - the killer will be forever irradicated from our world and we will be perfectly whole, praise the Name of the Lord.
And so, to the ultimate sniper, sniper devil that you are, take your "magic" toys, your mind games, your mind machine--and flee - this is FAITH territory, and, as my pastor says so often, "What YOU mean for harm, our God will turn around for good." You are defeated in the Name of the Lord - our spirits, souls, minds and bodies belong to the Lord of the universe, greater than any mean scheme you can concoct. We claim victory in the Name of the Lord--and guess what, devil - "we've read the back of the Book - and We WIN!"
--Copyright 2002 by Peggie C. Bohanon. All rights reserved.
The Christian Armor Room!
A Verse or two: "The thief cometh not but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10.)."
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)."
Sniper in the News:
CNN News . . . FOX News . . .
MSNBC reports
A Prayer:
"Lord, I'm tired of the mind games and mean machine attacks from the foe attacking my faith. Thou great Defender of my spirit, mind, body, and soul, help me to come against this foe in the Name of the Lord, in Your power and aurhority--he is defeated--In Jesus' Name, Amen."
