Books
Forgiveness is Defeat for Satan
by Linda Sedrick Pearson
2 Corinthians 2:10-11 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
When we forgive others, we are keeping Satan from getting an advantage over us. It keeps him from defrauding us, tricking us, and taking power over us. We take away all gain away from Satan when we forgive others.
Another important aspect of forgiveness is that whenever we forgive, God forgives us also. Sometimes before we forgive someone we may say bad things about the individual who harmed us. Or we may do acts against that person. These are giving Satan a foothold on us. It opens doors for Satan to enter in and gain advantage over us. He will irritate us with things about the other person and will keep us dwelling on hurts or perceived hurts. You have to let these things go and truly forgive any person that has hurt you or that you think has hurt you.
Forgiveness is a defeat for Satan because he no longer has access to us through that doorway. Put up your shield of faith, go to the person and tell him or her you forgive them (if that is possible) or in your heart do the forgiveness. Then do NOT let Satan hit you with darts of hurt about that person. Let it go – bury it – and walk away from it. Rebuke Satan when he tries to accuse you of unforgiveness or guilt. You do have power and authority in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to forgive someone and then walk away and rebuke Satan when he tries to bring it all back to your remembrance! Stand up in the power and authority that God has given you. Defeat Satan! Forgive!
Wait Quietly for the Lord to Save You
by Linda Sedrick Pearson
Lamentations 3:22-26 We are still alive because the LORD’S faithful love never ends. Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! I say to myself, “The LORD is my God, and I trust him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him. It is good to wait quietly for the LORD to save them.
Did you ever think about how you were still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends? He shows you his love in a new way every morning. Each morning is different in how God loves you. He comes at you with his love in a different angle every morning. How awesome and wonderful is that!
I can say that I do trust God. He is my God and I trust him with everything I am or ever will be. I wait patiently for God to decide I have finished my race. Some day he will call me home. I hope he will say to me, “Welcome home, my daughter, my good and faithful servant.” There are no other words that will sound as sweet as that.
I am at peace in my spirit, soul, and mind for the first time in my life. I thank God for that. I am ready, Lord, for whatever you have in store for me. I am ready to stand up as your servant and confess that you are my God. I know that some will close their ears and refuse to hear. Others will turn and walk away. I will not be discouraged and I will not stop writing or speaking the words you give me. Lord, I am your’s so do with me what you will. I wait quietly for you to save me out of this world.
How about you? Are you quietly waiting for the Lord to save you? Have you ever accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not take the new way of love God is showing you today and accept him right now?
Rebellious Child
by Linda Sedrick Pearson
Do you have rebellious children? Or maybe it is just one child that gives you problems. It seems like no matter how nice, no matter how many times you threaten, the child will not listen. There were times when you tried talking, begging, and pleading with this child to stop the bad behavior. That did not work.
Next, you tried some minor discipline. That could range from a light spanking to the child being confined to her room. The child showed no change afterward. As a matter of fact, you think that the more you discipline, the worse the child gets. That is really not the case. It just appears to be so. What is really happening is that, as the child gets older, she is given more freedom to make choices on her own.
You want a peaceful and loving relationship with your child. It would bless you if your child would take time every day to talk with you about her day, share her hopes and dreams, tell you about her friends, other family members, and loves. You would even like for her to tell you about her hurts and pains, rejections by others, and concerns. It has never happened, but you have not lost hope that the child will make the conscious choice to do these things.
You know that if the child would choose to have this kind of relationship with you, you both will be blessed. You never stop trying until finally the child is an adult with a family of her own. You keep trying to have a close relationship – maybe harder than ever – because now it is not only your child involved. You now have a son-in-law (or daughter-in-law) and grandchildren. You want a relationship – a loving relationship – with them too. You keep trying. You give of yourself, your love, your finances until you are broke physically, emotionally, and financially.
The child, now that you have nothing left to give without the child giving back informs you that she wants nothing to do with you. She informs you that she is tired of you “butting” into her life and just wants to be left alone.
You tell your adult child that because you love her, you will not push yourself on her. You also warn her to please not wait too long to decide to have a relationship with you. You will always love her, but you will not push a relationship on her that she does not want.
Did you know this is how God deals with each of us – his children? He desires a loving relationship with each of us. He waits for you to talk to him daily. He wants to teach you through his word and through a relationship with you. He wants you to tell him your hurts, hopes,dreams, and about your relationships with others. He disciplines you at times, hoping you will straighten up and realize how much he loves you. He keeps trying until eventually you tell him that you don’t want a relationship with him.
You tell God that you are tired of him “butting” into your life. You are tired of him “bothering” you. You don’t acknowledge any of the blessings and love he has given you throughout the years. You want God to step back and leave you alone.
It breaks God’s heart, but he grants your request. He will never force himself on anyone – on any of his children. He asks you to not wait too long because one of two things can happen:
1. You may die without ever accepting the relationship God desires to have with you.
2. You continue to reject God until he turns his back on you.
Stop rejecting God. Run to his open arms right now!
Scriptures for Study
Romans 1:28-32 reprobate mind
Romans 8:5-9 carnal mind is enmity against God
1 Timothy 6:3-5 men of corrupt minds
James 1:2-8 a double-minded man
Love and Fear
by Linda Sedrick Pearson
2 Timothy 1:6-7 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (Easy Reader Version, ERV)
2 Timothy 1:6-7 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (King James Version, KJV)
Stir up the gift of God that is in you. What is that gift? That gift is love. Why did Jesus Christ come in the flesh to die for our sins? Because of love. No one will ever love you like God loves you. So stir up that love inside of you. Realize that God loves you. Hold it close, stir it up, fan the flames of that love.
God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear. If you are walking around afraid of things, maybe you need to take another look at the spirit that is in you. It could be that instead of the Spirit of God, it is a spirit of satan. When fear comes, look inside of yourself to see exactly what spirit is causing it. Find the root of the problem and it boot it out through prayer, confession, and most of all love of God. Use the sound mind and power that God gave you – use it to pull up that root of fear that is within you. Cast it out of you, reject it. Clease yourself by confessing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came in the flesh, was born of a virgin, died on the cross for every sin of every person, was resurrected and now sits on the right hand of God the Father. Confess these things out loud when fear comes and soon that fear must flee away from you. There is power in the name of Jesus and in your confession of all these things that Jesus Christ did. Be set free! God loves you!
Spiritual Warfare – Discernment
by Linda Sedrick Pearson
1. Investigate the facts.
Make sure a statement is true before you accept it as truth. Be willing to fight your own feelings and preferences to find the honesty of the facts. They must line up with the truth of God’s Word even if that goes against what you feel or thought you knew.
2. Make sure it lines up with God’s Word.
A statement or action must line up with God’s Word without you taking away from or adding to the scriptures in order to make it fit. This is the only way to get the real truth. If it does not fit 100% with God’s Word, then it is either a complete lie or falsehood or at least a partial lie. It doesn’t matter what you think or feel about a truth. If it is the truth, it is what God gives us about it and we must accept it as truth.
3. If it is a true fact, accept it even if it doesn’t “feel good” by the world’s standards.
The world tries to convince us that if something “feels good” then it is okay. When God works on us through His Word, it doesn’t always “feel good” at the time. We have to confront our own sins, confess them, ask God’s forgiveness, and receive His forgiveness. We have to deal with anger, disappointments, rejections, and many other “feel bad” things before we can accept God’s whole truth. The key is to deal with these things. Stand up for the truth no matter what.
4. Be careful of what you stand in argument with.
Make sure everything lines up biblically with God’s program of salvation and eternal living. If it has any other purpose, reject it and do not be in agreement with it. Don’t be led astray by something that half true.
5. Train yourself to be spiritually discerning.
You can train yourself through Bible study, prayer, meditating on God’s Word, and by being alert at all times. This does not mean to be suspicious of everything and everyone. It means to test the spirits, think about it, pray about it, look for scriptures to back it up, ask God’s help and advice on how to deal with anything or anyone you are not sure about. Train yourself to be discerning.
6. Be prepared to take a stand even if everyone else is in agreement with a situation.
There are many instances in the Bible when one or two persons had to stand against a crowd because the crowd was wrong. The crowd thought they were right. The one or two persons knew the crowd was wrong and they were right. Right is right no matter what someone else thinks or feels. It is the truth – stand on the truth even if you face rejection. God will NOT reject you.
7. Resist deceptions of Satan and build up your discerning spirit.
Satan will do anything he can to deceive you, including giving you just enough of God’s Word – with his twist on the end of it. This is when you need to go back to number one above and investigate the facts. Is it all true? Is it 50% true? Is none of it true? Discern the truth. Open your spiritual eyes and wake up your spiritual mind. Pay attention to the details. That is the Godly way of handling things. Spiritual discerning is having the right wisdom to know the truth.
Victory Already Belongs to Me
Linda Sedrick Pearson
Jeremiah 20:11 But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. (Easy Reader Version, ERV)
I do not have to fear to go into spiritual battle. Jesus has already won the victory and the victory belongs to me. I do not have to doubt that. There is no shame and will not be any shame. All I have to do is stand up in the power God has already given me. I do not have to cower down and take whatever the world dishes out to me. The victory already belongs to me.
It is not I who will stumble and stutter. According to Jeremiah 20:11, those who persecute me, attack me, and come after me are the ones who will fail – not I! They are the ones who will be not only ashamed – but greatly ashamed. They will NOT succeed in their evil deeds and wrongdoings. They are eternally dishonored and God will never forget that they attack His children.
Victory can be yours. All you have to do is accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, Lord, King, and Victor. He is the one that already won the war. He won it for God the Father, and He won it for anyone that accepts (receives) Him. Where are you on the battlefield right now? Think it over. Devise your battle plan because you can not avoid the war. You are either on the side of victory or have already been defeated! If you are right now on the defeated side, you can come over to the side that has won. Step on over and meet Jesus! He is our General in the army of spiritual battle. The choice is yours – remain defeated or accept the side that has already won.
God Always Calls You by Your Name
Linda Sedrick Pearson
Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:4-10
God knew Samuel by name even though Samuel did not know the Lord yet. God knows you by name also even if you do not yet know Him. He calls you by your name. He speaks it – utters it out loud, waiting for you to respond to His voice.
God doesn’t give up when we don’t answer Him the first time. Do you hear Him calling you? Is He whispering your name? Maybe He is shouting your name to get your attention and you still don’t answer Him.
God always calls you by your name. He knows everyone’s name. God didn’t just stumble onto you. He always had a plan and purpose for you. God works through people. He needs us and we need him. Be thankful we serve the one and only God.
When God called Samuel the third time, Samuel still did not answer Him. Did God stop calling Samuel? No. Instead, the fourth time the LORD came and stood in the room with Samuel and then called his name.
Samuel responded, but only because he had been taught by Eli how to respond. The older servant of God (Eli) taught Samuel that all he had to do was lay still and respond, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears you.” When Samuel did that, God began to speak and tell Samuel things that were to happen.
The next time you think you hear someone calling you, but everyone says they did not say your name, maybe you should respond, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears you.”
Would You?
By Linda Sedrick Pearson
Two teenage males stand on the sidewalk. One speaks more than the other. The second young man shakes his head and begins to walk away. As he turns, the first young man notices a car coming towards them. He grabs the second young man and throws himself between him and the approaching car. Gunshots ring out in the first young man falls.
You see, this young man was a Christian, but he had been a gang member. That was until someone cared enough to share Jesus with him. He now went into the streets and shared Jesus with the gang members he knew, including those who before had been his enemies.
This second young man was a member of a rival gang. He wouldn’t listen to the words the first young man told him. He didn’t want any part of this Jesus. At least not until the first young man saved his life.
“Why?” The second young man asked the first.
“Because,” the first young man gasps weakly. “I knew that if you had died at that moment, you would have been condemned to the burning fire of eternal damnation. I didn’t want you to die lost and I know that I am prepared and ready.” And with that he breathed his last here on earth.
The second young man weeps with all his heart. He has never had anyone to love him that much. He reaches over and gently removes the book the young man holds in his hand. It flips open to John chapter 15 and his eyes rest up on verse 13.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
This is a true story. These events really happened.
Think about it. Would you? Would you give your life for someone that you had considered an enemy?
Excuses
What if Jesus had used the same excuses we use when we don’t want to do something? Think about it.
What if Jesus said, “I was going to come die for your sins, but I forgot!” Or, if he said, “I didn’t have time to save those people.” Maybe He would say, “I don’t like those people so I’m not going to go save them.”
What if Jesus decided, “Even if I gave my very life for them they wouldn’t accept me. So, I’m not going!”
Maybe He would say, “I don’t feel like it! I just don’t feel good today.”
Or, He could have said, “I’ll go after my favorite TV show and I finish playing this video game.”
What if Jesus said, “I have to check on my Facebook friends first and play some of the games there. Then, if I have time, I’ll go die for their sins.”
Or what if He said, “I didn’t have time to write the Bible.”
Jesus could have said, “I am too tired. Maybe I’ll die for their sins tomorrow.” And then, what if you died today!
Jesus did not say those things. Instead, He dropped everything He was doing in heaven to come to earth. He put it all away, just for you. He ran to earth to be born of a virgin, suffer a life in the flesh, to be tortured beyond any imaginable pain and suffering.
Why? So each and everyone of us could be saved.
Don’t you think it’s time to lay down your own excuses?
Heartless and Without Strength
By Linda Sedrick Pearson
Are you to the point where you don’t have the heart to go on? Are you tired and without the strength to fight the everyday battles that come against you? Do you feel like you are all alone? Do you feel like you don’t have anyone who cares about what happens to you?
You don’t have to continue on heart less, weak and alone. There is someone who cares. Child, you don’t have to continue fighting battles alone.
Jesus Christ cares for you. He cares so much that he came in the flesh to die on the cross for you. He loves you so much that he lives for you.
Do you want a relationship that won’t fail? Do you want a relationship with someone that won’t leave you? Asked Jesus to come into your heart and life.
Do you think this is phony? It’s not! I know from experience of living without him and living with him. I have been on both sides of the fence. Believe me when I tell you and sweeter tasting on Jesus’ side.
No, I’m not after your money. No, this is not a con. I do not have any hidden agenda.
The only thing I want is for you to search deep within yourself. If you find that there is something missing, if you are not satisfied with your life, and if you want to know more about Jesus, contact me. It’s up to you. When you get tired of struggling on your own and tired living the life that you have been living, contact me. There is a better way. That way is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
