This blog post is about a subject we all should have a deep understanding about. The Devil does not want you to prosper, be healthy, or succeed. That’s it. The way he interrupts our lives is through images of failure he wants us to dwell on.

What am I talking about? In life, you will be going along and all of the sudden, a thought or image will pop into your mind. That image is almost always of your insecurities, fears and failures from the past. He uses these images to derail good things happening in our lives. Examples of the images could include that you are not smart enough, you are not pretty, you are not liked, you are a poor leader, you are not a good mother or father, you stutter (for me), you will not succeed, people laugh at you behind your back, you need to lose more weight and then people will like you, you will die young, someone will break into your home and hurt you, something terrible will happen to a loved one, you will never succeed, you will fail, etc.

Got the idea?

I call it the Devil’s flip chart because he whips out his flip chart every day and says to himself, “what can I get him/her to believe today.” I think he stands at the end of your driveway (spiritually speaking) each morning, and his job is to cause you to stumble that day. This blog post is about reading the enemy’s playbook so the next time this happens to you, you will know how to handle it.

The other day I was just going along fine and then I had one of the above images pop into my mind. It caused me to pause, which was exactly what the Devil wanted to happen. I had to face it down with words of affirmation until the thought ended. If you don’t face the first image down, he will keep adding images until you are afraid, insecure and ready to quit. That is his plan every single day of your life.

Don’t give the Devil a place in your mind and if he tries, whisper the words “get thee behind me Satan.” When you whisper those words, he has no choice but to obey because it is written in the Bible as the instructions on how to fight negative or fearful images. KT

There is a big difference between giving up and quitting. This is a complicated area all of us deal with, but it is important to understand deep in our hearts what the difference is.

Sometimes you need to quit something to start something else. That’s ok and it is a normal course of life. Let’s say that you changed job professions. You will need to quit one job before you can start the new job. Many times in our lives we make changes to our circumstances that could be interpreted as quitting. Change is an easier way to describe it. Another example would be like in high school you quit the track team to play on the baseball team. Got the idea?

Giving up is an entirely different subject and is the real focus of this blog post. Giving up can in many ways alter your life. Giving up is most commonly associated with areas of our lives such as health, marriage, friendships, exercise programs etc. The spirit within us is often driven by our will to fight. The will within you could be the most powerful emotion in your life. It is the thing that keeps you going. Hope is a part of our own will and it is hope that makes our life worth living.

You may ask why I am writing this strange blog. Good question and here is the answer.

I know a person that was faced last week with the option to give up or keep going in a certain area of their life. This person has been struggling with something for their whole life and last week it came to a point where the person was almost ready to give up the fight. This person did not make the decision quickly, rather they thought about it for several days; after deep thought and prayer, they decided that they must fight on and not give up. It seems that when you give up in one area of your life, it becomes easier to give up in another. Many times when you give up, you can change the true purpose of your life to be less than what God intended for you.

If we are honest with ourselves, we know the difference between quitting something and giving up. We instinctively know in our hearts that giving up is life-altering. So the advice is if you are tempted to give up, consider your life, your family, the person you want to be, and what you want to be remembered for. KT

There is an old woodsman proverb from the 1800’s that says, “A tree is best measured when it is down.” That proverb was recalled by one of the people in the room when Abraham Lincoln died. The train that carried Lincoln’s casket went through seven states, 1662 miles and stopped at various cities along the way so the people could morn their beloved president. It was reported that over 30 million people lined the railroad tracks waiting for the funeral train to pass by. Abraham Lincoln was the most beloved president in American history. In death, he was measured as a man found worthy.

The true measure of a man is often not fully known and acknowledged until the end of his life. That to me, is a very humbling thought. I think of several actors in the news lately that were believed to be real gentlemen, only to have found out that the whole time, they were just acting.

Think of yourself and how you will be measured and remembered when you are gone. If you are reading this blog post that means you still have time to change course if needed and become the person you want to be remembered as.

The following is a news report of Billy Graham speaking at a birthday luncheon that was given in his honor. When Billy stepped to the rostrum the person told him, “we don’t expect a major address Mr. Graham but please come and let us honor you.” The following is the story that Billy Graham told that day.

“I am reminded today of Albert Einstein who was honored as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train, when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn’t find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets.

“It wasn’t there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn’t find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn’t find it.

“The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.’

“Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

“The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don’t need a ticket. I’m sure you bought one.’

Einstein looked at him and said, “Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going.”

Having said that, Graham continued to his Charlotte crowd, “See the suit I’m wearing? It’s a brand new suit. My children and my grandchildren are telling me I’ve gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious.

“So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is?  This is the suit in which I’ll be buried. But when you hear I’m dead, I don’t want you to immediately remember the suit I’m wearing.

“I want you to remember this:

“I not only know who I am. I also know where I’m going.” KT