Oh that's it thanks doh
--
Lelia - I_love_my_husband
----- Original Message -----
From: "JULIE MELTON" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 1:28 PM
Subject: Re: Fruit Flavored


> Lelia,
>
> Ys, that was the battle where Gidion fought the midianites with only 300
> men.  Between that and going out with only torches and pitchers, it was a
> real test of faith for Gidion and his men.
>
>
>
> JulieMelton
> visit me at
> www.heart-and-music.com
> Keep smiling!
>
>
>
>
>
>>From: lelia <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: lelia <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Fruit Flavored
>>Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2005 05:34:07 -0600
>>
>>Phil and all, speaking of standing remember that one battle where all they
>>had to have was some pots candles and there voices and the battle was
>>fought/  I think God said its not your battle its mine and all they did
>>was
>>stand there and they won.
>>
>>
>>--
>>Lelia - I_love_my_husband
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 7:00 PM
>>Subject: Fruit Flavored
>>
>>
>> > This isn't exactly finished so it won't be on my website for a few
>> > days.
>> > I
>> > thought this might be of some encouragement to someone.
>> >
>> > Peaches and Sourer Cream
>> >
>> > By Phil Scovell
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >     A close friend of mine recently told me about his peach tree.
>> > He has only lived in this house for a couple of years.  His wife
>> > left him several months ago after divorcing him.  No, she claims
>> > to be a Christian.  He bought the house, although he couldn't
>> > afford it, to try and save his marriage.  That's like having
>> > children to save, or otherwise improve your marriage; it doesn't
>> > work.
>> >
>> >     His peach tree, for the first time, had a single peach
>> > hanging from one of its branches.  For some reason, someone
>> > planted the tree in the front yard.  He has never seen peaches on
>> > it before this season.  No, he does nothing about pruning or
>> > anything else so you can't expect more than one peach each year I
>> > suppose.
>> >
>> >     Every day he came home, he checked the peach and watched it's
>> > progress of growth and ripening.  His moth watered as his
>> > sensitive nose picked up the scent of the low hanging fruit.  He
>> > couldn't wait until it was perfectly ripe so he could enjoy its
>> > flavor.  He continually watched it daily with great anticipation
>> > and desire in his heart.
>> >
>> >     finally the peach was ready to be picked, at least according
>> > to how it looked, and as he climbed from his work truck and
>> > walked to the tree that day, he saw that the peach had fallen from
>> > the branch and lay on the ground, half squashed and rotting.  I
>> > had just purchased a box of 18 pounds of tree ripened peaches from
>> > western Colorado where the peaches are so sweet and juicy, you
>> > could stick a straw into one and suck the peach dry.  I gave him
>> > one to replace the one he had lost.  I tried suggesting he take my
>> > peach home and tape it to the low branch and watch it for a couple
>> > of days to make up for his loss but he preferred to eat the peach
>> > without taking a chance.
>> >
>> >     Have you ever felt that way spiritually?  You've lived your
>> > life dedicated to God in hopes of harvesting a blessing, just one
>> > little meaningful blessing, due to your faithfulness to God and
>> > then the worst happens, at least it sure feels that way.  To top
>> > it all of, somebody tosses in some sour cream on top of your
>> > singular peach of a blessing.  Your child dies, your best friend
>> > forsakes you, you get cancer, your favorite pet has to be put to
>> > sleep, you lose your job, your son or daughter runs away, your
>> > baby dies at birth, your mate of 25 years divorces you, Your wife
>> > has an affair, your 16 year old daughter becomes pregnant, a
>> > sister refuses to speak to you any longer, you are permanently
>> > disabled due to a car crash, prayers fail to be answered, both
>> > your parents die, money runs short, bills pile up, your church
>> > turns against you, a letter of audit from the IRS arrives in the
>> > mail, you lose a credit card, your car gets stolen, or, the worst
>> > of all, you suddenly realize you are growing old.  Yes, I left out
>> > dozens of other possibilities.  Now there is no hope of the single
>> > peach ever being enjoyed and all you wanted is just one good peach
>> > of a blessing in your life time.
>> >
>> >     This is a common trick of the Enemy.  He wants us to thing we
>> > only get one good thing from God, normally it is our salvation,
>> > and from then on, God's arm of blessing falls short.  This is
>> > real, of course, because God really doesn't love you all that much
>> > in the first place.  Oh, sure, God loved you enough to barely save
>> > you but He isn't interested in the rest of your life and that's
>> > why He doesn't provide for you in other ways.  In fact, your lack
>> > of received and experienced blessings is likely due to the fact
>> > you really didn't become born again in the first place.  You are
>> > that lone peach that fell from the branch.  You are separated from
>> > God now and lay rotting and your life is turning to mush.  Can you
>> > see the progression of deceitfulness the Enemy employs?
>> >
>> >     In Ephesians chapter 6, we are told to put on the whole armor
>> > of God.  One of the most interesting aspects of this passage is
>> > related to the command to "Stand."  What a weird way to do battle.
>> > Stay fixed and rooted to one place?  Nothing like being a target.
>> > Don't charge, don't take ground, don't move forward, and don't
>> > engage in battle?  I have never heard of such a battle plan but
>> > there it is, big as life, stand where you are.
>> >
>> >     Furthermore, we are told to wear all the battle garb but the
>> > armor isn't apparently for doing battle.  If we are commanded to
>> > stand still, it is obvious to me that the armor is warn for
>> > defensive purposes and not offensive.  This is especially true
>> > when it comes to taking the shield of faith.
>> >
>> >     The Apostle Paul says, "Above all, taking the shield of
>> > faith."  Really?  Why would that be?  Faith, your faith, is not an
>> > offensive, or attack, weapon.  In fact, the shield is no weapon at
>> > all.  The Sword of the Spirit most certainly is but not the
>> > shield.  Paul says, if you don't have anything else, you do have
>> > the shield of faith and with that shield, you can defend yourself
>> > from "all," not just some, but all the fiery darts that come from
>> > Satan.  Think of it this way.  In battle, you most certainly don't
>> > stand still, fixed and rooted, in one place.  If you do, you are a
>> > dead duck.  Furthermore, you don't throw your shield at the
>> > enemy.  If you do, you end up with no protection.  Likewise, you
>> > don't bang the Enemy over the head with your shield of faith.
>> > Yet, according to Scripture, all we are required to do is stand;
>> > with the shield of faith and it does all the work of protecting
>> > us.
>> >
>> >     I know I am repeating myself but again, we must view the
>> > shield as defensive and not offensive.  The shield isn't made for
>> > attack but for defense.  Yes, I realize this goes against the
>> > grain of all the faith teaching we have heard.  The reason for
>> > this aspect of defensive faith is related to the knowledge that
>> > Jesus has already won the battle.  "then why am I getting so beat
>> > up?" you may ask.  Could one of the answers be that you are
>> > always moving?  Could one of the answers possibly be that you
>> > haven't learned the battle is one so staying fixed in one place is
>> > all you need to do?  Could it be that you have your faith screwed
>> > on backwards and you've been throwing your shield of faith rather
>> > than just standing behind it?
>> >
>> >     A shift in circumstances is a great battle tactic the Enemy
>> > uses to try and get us to spiritually flinch.  Doubts, fear, old
>> > resurrected guilt, shame, grief, personal condemnation, anger,
>> > pride, bruised emotions, self judgment, intimidation,
>> > manipulation, domination, sin, sorrow, sadness, relational
>> > conflict, deceitfulness, control, unforgiveness, depression, and
>> > rejection are all but a few of devices the Enemy uses to change
>> > how we feel and think.  If he can do that, change our feelings or
>> > shift our thinking off center, he can deceive us royally.
>> > Imbalance is the name of his game.
>> >
>> >     The question is, "Where do we stand?"  If the battle is the
>> > Lord's as the Scriptures proclaim, where ever we are is where we
>> > stand.  If you will stand right where you are at any given moment
>> > of life, you will find that is the same place Jesus is standing,
>> > too.  As you stand in that place, look and see what Jesus is
>> > holding in His hand.  I bet it will be a peach.  Do you suppose
>> > that was the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve ate?  Just thinking out
>> > loud.
>> >
>> >
>> > Where there is pain, there is belief.  Truth has no pain.
>> > www.SafePlaceFellowship.com