ThinMint

Hi Friends. This one really pierced. What does it mean to you?

Brick by Brick: A caution regarding the dismantling of strongholds Last week I had a dream. I was at a fancy cabin with a large deck about thirty feet off the ground. The deck had a hot tub, and my two little boys and I were going to try it out but when went got to the deck, a bunch of teenage kids had used a massive tarp and barricades to make a makeshift pool out of it. I was annoyed and let them know it was dangerous and stupid because the deck wasn’t intended to support that much weight. I climbed into their “pool” to determine how to safely dismantle it when suddenly one of the railings collapsed, sucking the boys and water over the edge of the deadly drop-off. I managed to not get sucked off and was grateful my boys had stayed out of the water. I woke up wondering what the dream was about. Then on Sunday at church when the entire congregation was sitting silently, listening and waiting on the Lord, He gave me a vision: I saw a brick wall. Suddenly the wall was smashed in its center and bricks went flying outward. Behind the wall was a pool of nasty, blackish swamp water which rushed out from the hole in a violent flood. That was when I remembered my dream from two nights earlier, and here is what they both mean: There are strongholds the enemy has constructed. We need to demolish those strongholds but if we don’t do so strategically, both the people behind those walls and also those standing in front trying to dismantle them might get severely injured in the process. I’m the type that would probably reach for a sledgehammer to just break that wall, easy peasy, done. But God is telling me with these examples that taking down some of these walls (mental illness, deliverance, political ideology, tribalism, bad theology) need to be carefully deconstructed—perhaps brick by brick. The nastiness contained behind those walls might need drained slowly so they don’t cause a violent flood, or drown both the rescuer and victim alike. Don’t shrink back from the mission at hand but get methodical, plan out how to accomplish it, and be cautious so that you and others aren’t harmed in the process.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of life, the joy of babies, the blessing of love, the sacred bond of marriage, and the grace to grow old together in marriage. Amen. Good morning fam 🙏

There was a vigil for Charlie Kirk put on by Todd Starnes at our Town Square Sunday evening. Courtesy D.B.

Unspeakable horror took place on September 10 in front of the world. Our thoughts are scattered, our questions are unanswered. And whatever comfortable illusion we constructed around ourselves came crashing down in a very vivid way. We absolutely must take hold of our thoughts, bringing our minds under the authority of the LORD. We cannot allow the unseen world gain to ground in our mind. We must understand our place as God’s children, the supernatural power that resides in us, then we line up our thinking with the Heavenly realm.

We cannot capture all our thoughts on our own. This week’s challenge involves a few key steps. First, we must confess. Confess what? All of it. Second, we must submit. Submit what? All of it. Third, we must obey. Obey what? All of His instructions for us. Then decide: do I trust Him or not? No matter what, no matter who, no matter when? Do I trust Him? Because we either trust Him or we don’t. There is no compromise, no middle ground. Pick a side.

We are not told to figure it all out then get bludgeoned over the head by the Holy Spirit when we can’t. No, we are asked to simply trust. You want to see healing? Trust Him. You want to experience peace? Trust Him.

But, do we readily apply it to our own lives? Do we capture every thought we have? Probably not. Snarky, snappy comebacks pop into our mind –and we sometimes voice it. Doubt gathers, fear grips, anger grinds. We are so human-y, with our human-y thoughts and human-y emotions! God knows this and gives us a helping hand when we trust Him:

We are being pressed on every side. Family life, work life, church life. Strained relationships, health woes, financial stress. Yesterday’s event is traumatizing. Adding to the tension are crimes in our own backyard and witnessing the injustice abroad. It’s easy to point to scriptures, encouraging others to follow excellent advice: