Just Because They are Family, Personal Favorites They Will Always Like You

Dealing With Haters

Christian Apologetics - Defending Your Faith

Commentary Exposing Lies, Telling the Truth

Do you know the enemy behind your enemy? Commentary & Bible Study about Satan

So You Had to Bring that Up...

What is in darkness surely comes to light, but you don't have to kick someone's butt because of what you learned either.

God Will Permit the Debate, Screaming Match Use it for His Glory

As much as we try to avoid a confrontation, argument or some other unpleasant event to occur with someone who we genuinely care about, sometimes it is unavoidable.  Someone is going to say something that causes much upset, so what do you do when this happens?  Focus on the positive.

God could have stopped the angry dispute, but he didn't.  Sometimes he permits negative events to happen so that his perfect will is made manifest.  Know that what you pray for is a part of God's will.  If you wanted peace, the enemy is going to cause chaos.  If you wanted freedom, the enemy is going to try to find a way to mentally bind you.  If you wanted love, the enemy will rise up and create hate.  Whatever is honest, true, righteous and the like, your foe has an opposite ready to kill, steal or destroy your happiness.

Now sometimes we simply do the wrong things in life and then we think that the devil has something to do with making us miserable.  I think of a time when I spoke to someone about a concern and before long the individual was falsely assuming that I was doing nothing more than causing trouble; therefore deeming me a trouble-maker or working on the side of the enemy.  Rather than face his issue, address the complaints, and put to rest his accusations, he preferred to keep an imaginary war going by speaking wrongly of me.  This sort of distraction technique only added fuel to the fire between us and ignited my temple like a can of explosives!  But when the smoke cleared and I made some time for myself, I realized that everything I ever wanted to say was out in the open and I felt better.  I also could see the light at the end of the tunnel too!  Answer to prayer is powerful and it isn't always going to come in the way that you think.  God is going to put trials before us to see what we are made of.  Can you stand the heat in the kitchen?  Is there an escape plan, a fire extinguisher in all that madness?  Someone or something just might come in and put those fires out--you never know--especially if they were never meant to be in the first place.

So when people pity you or talk about you because you blew your top defending yourself or someone else, don't worry over what they think; rather sit back and let God use the challenging situation to perform his perfect will.

Nicholl McGuire

Your Friend Thinks You Don't Know He/She is Still Your Foe

Always stay one step ahead of those you suspect don't like, respect, or appreciate you.  Sure, she smiles in your face and he says flattering things to others about you, but once a foe, most likely always a foe especially when you have a history of cursing and fighting your enemies whether verbally or nonverbally and this person feels he or she has no accountability to the Creator.

Don't be surprised when someone warns, "I wouldn't trust him if I were you."  But for some of you, you respond to cautionary statements with, "Oh, I don't worry about that...I don't think he is like that...Well we squashed that a long time ago."  Really?  Maybe you thought you did, but your foe still has some unresolved issues particularly when others notice that something just isn't right with that person.  Your foe might periodically see scenes in his or her head of you saying or doing something that simply is unforgiveable in his or her eyes.  Tread cautiously around people like this and don't shoot your messengers down when they keep you updated.  Pray about the information you have received and ask God to reveal truth to you and reasons as to why you are being notified now about this person.

Enemies may put on a great act in front of others and they might wishfully think that you don't suspect that they still don't like you.  They wouldn't want to blow their own cover when they know they are scheming to rid themselves of you.  So out comes, "I don't have a problem with her." When confronted.  "I don't know what you are talking about, I never said..." 

It doesn't matter how many times you reasoned the battle was over, apologized to your enemy, bought him or her gifts, or how much you praised this person, they still "Remember when you..."

If you should suspect that your enemy is still harboring resentment and wishing you ill will, know that you have a God who will fight your battles if you give your concerns over to him.  He speaks to men and women while they sleep and provides them with insight to deal with foes.  There is a battle that those, who lack spritiual discernment, cannot see or feel and this is why many end up being blind-sided by Satan's assistants.

Consider all that God did for David, who was running from a so-called friend who wanted to kill him, and others in the Bible.  Keep in mind, there is a God who watches your back even when you can't see or refuse to admit that there is a knife coming toward it!

God bless.

Nicholl McGuire

After the Storm: Here Comes the Blessing

The enemy sets us up for much pain and sorrow.  He wants us to suffer.  This is why the unexpected argument has the tendency to be more effective than any other tactic he uses.  He knows that when we are in a good mood, we don't see him coming.  Our defenses are weak--that is until we get caught up to speed!  But why does he bother influencing those we love to suddenly attack us?  Because he knows that there are blessings around the corner for us, that's why.

Think of all the times you have had to deal with confrontation and then soon afterward something good happened to you and those you love.  You couldn't believe that only yesterday, last week or last month, you felt like you were going to die with all the stress.  Yet, a great and mighty God still blesses you!  Give thanks today for all your heavenly Creator is doing or about to do in your life.

Refer to 2 Samuel 16:5-13  David didn't see his cursing coming.  He could have hurt the one offending him.  Read what he did or should I say didn't do.  Also, see video below.

Critics, Challenges and Spiritual Issues

The Unanticipated Argument

You didn't expect someone to come to you with an explosive outburst!  You lost your cool.  "Who did this person think he or she was talking to?  Why I never...?", you thought.

But it happens to those with or without a faith, the person with a chip on his or her shoulder is going to rant.  He or she may be a fellow believer or not.  Sometimes we falsely assume that because someone attends church, reads the Bible and does other spiritual things that he or she should act this way and that way.  However, we forget that God tells us in his word about man's deceitful heart.  He shares with us the many sins of men and women and provides numerous examples.  So why act shocked when you or they act out of character?

When we get into arguments with others, we have to remind ourselves to pray more and stay out of other people's quarrels when we can.  God never wanted us to put ourselves in positions where we are people's punching bags.  However, he didn't want us to act like fools right along with them either.

Find the time to apologize when you can.  Do prepare yourself for any future confrontations by paying closer attention to mannerisms of others when they are in your presence.  Remove yourself from the scene when you see the conversation is starting to heat up and there seems to be no resolve on a matter.  And most of all, remember to pray throughout the day whenever you have a moment.

I recall a young woman who often awoke on the wrong side of the bed show up to work each day in a department that I worked.  She found it amusing to talk about all of us from what we did to our hair to how we dressed.  In time, reports were circulated that this young woman was known for causing all sorts of problems and that she was at risk of being fired.  As much as I wanted to confront her on her wrongs, the Lord permitted me to say nothing, not even a "Hello."  I realized that silence kept the trouble-maker at bay.  Had I opened the door for small talk, eventually I would have said something that I would have later regretted.  God is good! (Update: the trouble making woman ended up being dealt with by her superior).

Peace be with you and those you love!

Nicholl

Nicholl Shares Daily Prayer Card to Help with Your Prayer Life

Seeking to draw nearer to the Lord?  Do you find yourself forgetting what to pray or worse you don't know what to say to the Lord?  Maybe this might help.