SERVING SIX ONE

God, You gave me yesterday. Did I spend it with You? Let me walk with You where ever You go. Don’t let me walk where You don’t lead me. My future is Yours today… tomorrow… and even yesterday. As my days grow shorter, You grow longer and bigger inside of me. I feel You more in my life every single day. I can’t even explain how I feel. I’m just so excited and on fire for You. Let my life end with me knowing that You have used me to touch MILLIONS. I can never thank You enough. Words are only but a breath of air, but actions, and only actions done for You, is all that will last. God, may I spend every day, and every minute living in You. God use me.

So what is a phishing scam anyway? Trust me, you NEED to know – and if you use the internet to access e-mail or ANY type of online account, this may be one of the most important blog posts you’ll read today…

Bear with me while I give the definition of phishing and then read the story about how we almost became a victim of a phishing scam.

First, here is how Wikipedia defines phishing:

“In the field of computer security, phishing is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.”

In other words, you are ready to sign into your e-mail account, but you mistakenly type in the wrong web address (maybe inputting two “n’s” where there was supposed to be only one “n”). Now you are ready to log in. All appears normal except you are not really at your e-mail provider’s website at all.

You are at a FAKE website that only LOOKS like your e-mail site. You put in your user ID and password, but nothing happens, or perhaps you are (unbeknownst to you) re-directed to the REAL site and a screen that says you entered the wrong password. You try again, and you are successfully and happily logged in.

But what you don’t realize is that you have now become the victim of a phishing scam! While you are merrily checking your e-mail, the phishing website owner is preparing to hi-jack your account. After all, everyone knows that if someone has access to your e-mail account, all they have to do is go to the websites you hang out at (They can find that out by looking through your saved e-mails), and even if those other sites use different passwords, all they have to do is click the “Lost Password” button and in most cases the password will be instantaneously sent to…you guessed it…the e-mail account that has been compromised.

Things could get pretty ugly in a hurry. Here is my story…

Yesterday my son was going to his Google Adwords account. He normally does that when he is logged into Gmail and from the Gmail interface, but since he already had Google open, he simply typed in “adwords” in the search box and (as usual) the top listing was adwords.google.com.

In fact, it was both the top “organic” and top paid ad. Well, he clicked on the top paid ad and went on to what he thought was Google’s Adword page and since he wasn’t already logged into his Gmail account, he entered his user ID and password. Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then he was immediately re-directed to a REAL Google page that informed him that he had entered the wrong password.

Since it was a re-direct he was suspicious and hit the Back button on his computer. Here is the URL where he really was:
http://adwords.googlen.com (The site is already down.)

It was a phishing scam site and now they had not only his Google Adwords account info, but also his Google Adsense and  Gmail profiles…since they all rely on the same log-in profile. Thankfully, he was able to get to his account first and change his password, but the results could have been disastrous!

We did some further research by going to Google and searching on Adwords again and now TWO ads came up at the top of the page:

• the URL mentioned above and this one…

• ebaypartnernetwvork.com (Notice the misspelled “netwvork”.)

Here is a link to a screenshot we took of the search results:
http://www.imageuploads.net/ims/pic.php?u=32201LsGqu&i=167811

The top two are fraudulent (EVEN THOUGH the top one looks JUST like it is
Google’s).

We notified Google immediately about the phishing scam, but I wonder how many hundreds of people compromised their security during the period of time that these ads were running?

So, if you are feeling lazy and want to type in your URL or do a search for
it (ESPECIALLY when your destination is going to require a log-in profile),
think again…One mis-type or “bad search” result and you are a step away from someone getting your password.

Instead, use a program like RoboForm (www.roboform.com) that automatically goes to the website that YOU have pre-defined and enters your log-in profile without you having to enter a single keystoke online.

ALSO…if you are one to use a public computer, such as one at a hotel business center, library, school, or public kiosk, you had better use RoboForm’s portable USB solution (RoboForm2Go) because who knows if someone hasn’t installed a spying software on that public computer and now your every keystroke is being logged so that a phishing scammer can steal your identity and wreak havoc on your life.

But don’t solely rely on software to protect you. Sometimes phishers employ cleverly worded e-mails, disguised as notifications from companies you already do business with, enticing you to click a (fraudulent) link so that they can capture your log-in profile. Slowing down and using a little common sense can also go a long way towards helping you avoid becoming the next victim of a phishing scam.

After winter comes the summer.  After night comes the dawn.  And after every storm, there comes clear, open skies.

-Samuel Rutherford

I love this.   As “out there” as this quote may sound, it’s not too good to be true.  

As long as there’s a tomorrow, there’s hope.  Just remember that storms- no matter how rough or how long, don’t last forever…just wait for the sun

I’m waiting God, haha I’m waiting.

The other day I was reading the story of David and Goliath.  Now if you are like me, then you have heard that story countless times. But in my reading the other day, the Lord revealed some truths, and gave me some insight that I had never gotten from the story before.

The Israelite army had been fighting against their enemies, the Philistines, and were camped opposite them with a valley in between. All of a sudden, out of the clear blue, this giant dude shows up. He was over nine feet tall, majorly buff and had an attitude that matched. He at once began to bully Israel, challenging them and defying their God.

Goliath challenged one of Israel’s soldiers to come and fight him. If they won, then the Philistines would be Israel’s slaves, but if they lost, and  if this giant troublemaker won, then Israel would be enslaved to the enemy.

For forty days, morning and night, the giant came out and challenged God’s people. And for forty days, no progress was made. Gloom and despair loomed overhead. Depression and fear engulfed the camp. No one dared to take the giant up on his challenge. That is, until one day a young shepherd boy showed up.

David had just arrived at the camp when the Israelites lined up as usual to face the Philistines. And, as usual, out came Goliath. Once again, he mocked and jeered, bullied and sneered, and once again, the Israelite soldiers cowered and feared and ran away. David, was appalled. He could not understand why or how Israel could allow one man to stand in the way of their victory over the enemy.

David’s brothers quickly informed the young, innocent, and what they considered to be ignorant boy to mind his business. Didn’t he note the size of the guy? Didn’t he see his huge sword? Didn’t he see the massive armor and hear the daunting message from the booming voice of this massive enemy? Just what part of the whole situation was David not getting?

But, in reality, David did get it. He looked beyond the giant and saw God. He knew Who he believed in and no matter how big, how scary, how mean, how massive, the enemy was, God was bigger. David focused on what we oftentimes,  fail to see. He focused on the solution to the problem, rather than on the problem itself. He trusted God. Pure and simple. He didn’t doubt. He didn’t second guess. He just flat out trusted and believed God’s word over the word of the enemy.

So, David without any hesitation announced loud and long that he would face the enemy and would defeat him. Upon hearing David’s proclamation, King Saul, tried to dissuade the eager and what he thought to be overzealous young man. But once he realized that David was determined, Saul then tried to help him out. He urged David to take his armor, his weaponry. He tried to get David to do things his way.

But, David wasn’t comfortable with King Saul’s methods. He listened to the advice and then rather than trusting the words and ways of man, surrendered to the higher ways of God. He knew God’s way for His life. He knew God wouldn’t leave Him. He trusted the One Who had never let him down against obstacles and giants in the past and that is exactly what he chose to do in facing this giant.

So, David went out. He faced Goliath head own. No reservations. No turning back. No doubts. No worries. He had God. He declared to the enemy that he was not afraid. He lifted up the name of God above the giant blocking his victory. And though the giant roared. Though he showed his ugliness. Though he puffed himself up bigger and bigger. David didn’t waver. He took what God had given him, his talents, and his abilities, and stepped out in faith. Then with the twirling of a leather strap, and the hurling of a little stone, the giant went tumbling down. And when that bully went down, the rest of the enemies scattered.

You see, it was God’s will that Israel defeated the Philistines. David knew that, and Goliath was standing in the way of God’s will. Goliath represents anything that is standing in the way of God’s will for your life. What kind of Goliaths are you facing right now? Are you fearful? Are you depressed? Is there a giant problem standing right smack in the way and keeping you from what you know God wants for your life?

Then you need to know a few things. First of all, God is bigger than anything you face. Quit worrying and listening to the voice of the enemy. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He  who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (John 4:4 NKJV). So realize that! Take hold of it and let the Spirit of the living God come alive inside of you. Let God arise in you and your enemies will scatter.(Psalm 68:1)

Secondly, you need to realize something else. You need to realize that God has given you everything you need to face any challenge, any obstacle, any giant that comes against you. He has equipped you with certain talents and abilities that He fully intends and expects you to use. Perhaps you are struggling right now with some areas in your life, because you are using methods and ways other than the ones God has purposed for you to use. You need to use what God gave you, no matter what others may tell you. David could not use the things that were unfamiliar to him. He had to trust God with what God had given him. The same applies to you.

The last thing I want to point out is that you need to put your trust in the God of David. He is the giant slayer. He is the One who will go before you and bring down every opposing force that stands between you and His purpose for your life, that is, IF you declare Him Lord over your life. When David saw the enemy. When he heard his bullying remarks, when he heard Goliath mock his God and challenge his faith, he reacted. He stood his ground. He let the Spirit of the God that he had loved and trusted, the One who had carried him through his darkest nights, the One who had never once failed Him, rise up inside him. Then he proclaimed to those around him and to the enemy facing him that God was bigger. David declared the victory before he ever stepped foot on the battlefield. He had made up his mind that God was bigger and that the giant was going down. He didn’t doubt. He wasn’t ashamed. He didn’t care if his friends and family thought he was insane. He put his faith above all else and because of that, Goliath fell.

It’s time you do the same. It’s time to step out in faith. Trust in the God who loves you, who knows what is best for you, and declare His victory over the giants you are facing. And know this, once you declare Him Lord over that situation, that problem, that circumstance, then God will bring your giants down!

In everything I do God, I will call on You. You are all I want and all I need. Your love is more than I can bear. God thank you, thank you God. I can’t even tell You how thankful I am for the great things You have done in my life. Your name to me is so AWESOME! I get so excited knowing that You care for me. I can even tell You thankful I am. I will give You all I have. You will not lack anything from me. I will give You my full attention. Keep me in all Your ways God. I will let my light burn for You. I will let the fire in me burn so much, and it will be so bright, that the whole world may be able to see it. I will share Your greatness where ever you lead me. How amazing are You! I don’t see what I have done that You have loved me. I can’t even count the number of times You have taken away anything that will try to take my eyes off of You. Not one prayer of mine have You not answered. How can I thank You for them. I had not realized You answered my prayers recently that I asked for so many years ago. You are so amazing God! I will praise You forever.

I wrote this as a devotion for a friend awhile back.  I’m a big fan of positive thinking and when I read this verse, I was amazed at how it can be applied to our everyday life.  God’s good, isn’t he?

Love, 

Calie

Luke 5:37
And no one pours new wine into old wine skins.  If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out, and the wine skins will be ruined.

Centuries ago, people used goatskin to store wine instead of bottles.  They’d take a whole goatskin dry it and cure it, and then shape it into little bottle-like containers to hold wine.  When the wine was poured into the goatskin, they’d tie the top of the goatskin to seal the wine inside.
During Jesus’ time, these goatskins were known as wine skins.

An interesting thing about these wine skins is that when they were new, they were soft and pliable.  However, as time passed, they would age and lose their elasticity.  When this happened, the wine skins would harden and set until eventually, they could no longer expand.

Now, this wasn’t a bad thing, after all, everything ages- right?  And aged wine skins had no effect on the wine that was already inside…however, what about new wine?  In other words, what happened if someone were to pour brand new wine into an old, used wineskin?  Let’s ask Jesus

If we look in Luke 5:37, Jesus gives us our answer.

He says,
“And no one pours new wine into old wine skins.  If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out, and the wine skins will be ruined”.

Basically, new wine and old wine skins was a big “no-no”.

So, what is the point of this whole wineskin talk and what is the meaning behind it?

It’s HUGE.  Are you ready? Drum Roll….

Jesus used the wineskin story as a parable to make a point.  He wanted to encourage us not to settle by telling us to enlarge our visions.

The wine in the parable is actually symbolic of our lives.  And the wine skins, symbolic of our attitudes.

When He said, “You can’t put new wine into old wine skins”, Jesus was saying that we cannot have a larger life with restricted attitudes.

In other words, we can’t expect to live a life full of purpose and essence if we have a crappy attitude or continue to be set in our ways and bound by our thinking.

God has incredible plans for each and every one of us.  That’s why he gives us talents, gifts, and dreams.

He places certain dreams, certain desires in our heart, but we’ll never accomplish them unless we’re willing to wholeheartedly trust HIM, change our old way of thinking, and expand our vision.

Ephesians 4:22-24 says,
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

God doesn’t want us to be old wine skins!   He wants us to get rid of the old, and put on the new.

Until we begin to dream big and see the future through eyes of faith instead of eyes of doubt, then our wrong thinking will prevent God’s best for our lives.  Just as you can’t pour new wine into new wine skins, God can’t pour new ideas, visions, and blessings into our old attitudes.

When we get rid of our old way of thinking and truly begin to trust and follow God, we will begin to experience His immeasurable favor and receive His blessings.

Lately, I’ve found myself getting frustrated.  Not just with  writing, but with life, in general.  There have been so many times, especially lately, with the economy, my friends, and my family’s music ministry, that I’m so tempted to just give up on everything.  Today was one of those days…that is, until I read this verse and it got me thinking…Before long, I found myself writing my interpretation of the verse.  The result?  The several long paragraphs you see below and a new found sense of hope and encouragement.  Enjoy 

The verse was :

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
—2 Timothy 4:6-8.

Paul actually wrote this verse right before he was carried out to be executed.  In fact, it was one of the very last things he ever wrote.  To me, this verse demonstrates “selflessness”.  Paul didn’t live for Jesus at the beginning of his life,; however, he made up for it at the end.  Growing up, Paul (then known as Saul), lived a very selfish life.  He only looked after himself and everything he did was in the sole interest of him and him alone.  As a adult, Paul helped to seek out and kill many innocent people.  Paul was a selfish, bitter man- that is, until he met Jesus.

When Jesus came into Paul’s life, Paul was completely transformed.  He was a new man.  And immediatley people began to see a change in him.  When Jesus became Paul’s main focus, Paul became self-less.  No longer was he concerned about the well-being of himself.  Instead, he was concerned about the welfare of others.

Paul knew that in doing so, he could lose everything, including his life, but it didn’t matter.  Paul had discovered the true meaning of love and had embraced the true meaning of life itself which is ”selflessness”.

Paul poured his whole life into serving Jesus and serving others.  He fought the good fight.

Now, if we judged Paul’s fight in the eyes of men, it would seem as if Paul lost everything.  He lost his status among high officials, he had no money, he was a wanted man, and eventually caught and put in prison.  All of these things are enough to make any man break down and give up, but not Paul.  Even while in prison, Paul wrote letters of encouragement to many people offering hope and encouraging them to stay the course and follow Jesus no matter what the cost.

Eventually, Paul was tried and sentenced to death.

Paul continued to write and encourage even though he knew his days were numbered.

As the day came for him to be executed, crowds of people begin to gather outside.  They hated what this man stood for and couldn’t wait to watch him die.

Inside his cell, Paul could hear the crowds getting louder and louder…

Paul knew it was almost time, so he wrote.

He wrote to his friends telling them not to worry and to continue where he had left off.

As he wrote, Paul could hear footsteps, distant at first, and then getting louder and louder.  They stopped at his cell door.

Suddenly, the door to his cell opened and Paul looked up to see the guards.  The end had come.

As the guards led Paul out of his cell and through the prison, Paul prayed for them.

They approached the door to the outside. The door was opened and Paul was led into the jeering crowd.

No one really knows what went on in Paul’s mind the minute he was led to the chopping block or the brief seconds in which the executor raised his axe.  But we do know this: Paul fought the good fight.  He gave his ALL for Jesus.

I’m pretty sure that the jeering crowd, the guards, and the executioner thought that Paul was a miserable failure that day.  Paul had fought hard to share the gospel with the world and he ended up losing his life.  However, Paul was a victor and he knew it.  During his final moments, Paul knew that he was about to come face to face with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and receive his eternal award – the crown of righteousness.

Paul fought the good fight and today, his writings(which were inspired by God) and his legacy lives on and reaches millions of people all around the world.

This verse, though short and simple, is so profound.  It means that we should never give up, never tire of being a light for HIM.  And even when we don’t feel like being kind to others or letting “the peace of God rule” we should. We should strive to become, self-less individuals who think more of others than we do of ourseleves.  Life is a constant battle.  So let’s fight the good fight

Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

Oh God, let me meditate on your Word. Help me not to forget to speak it all day long, and talk about your great works. You God give me life. Every breath that I take, let it be in You. And every step I take, let in be on the path that leads to you. Help me to follow you at all times, so that way I can lead others.

God, you are my strength, and my desire is to stay by your side. You are my courage at all times. I know I can always call on you and you will hear me. Your love never leaves me, for you created the love I have for others, and yours is by far greater. Your hand is mighty and strong, and can rescue me from whatever evil comes towards me. Just one Word from your mouth can stop any troubles that come against me.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain you, He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalms 55:22

God you said in Your Word, that there are many people to harvest, but just a few workers. “There are many people to harvest, but the workers are few. Matthew 9:37″. Let me be one of those workers. Use me, God. Use my hands, and my feet. Work through me, and show Your Glory through me. Pour out Your love and Grace on me, and fill me with your Holy Spirit. So that everything I say or do, will be what you have called me to do.

Thank you for loving me, and caring for me. Though I have done nothing to deserve your kindness. Everyone has sinned, and you still love us. Though our sin is what killed Your only Son, you have forgiven us, and then given us a free gift of Eternal Life, that all we must do is accept it, by walking down the path towards it. Many obstacles are before me, but I thank you for moving them out of my way. There are many paths to take, but there is no one like You God. I choose You.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my Dad lately. This May will be two (2) years since he has been with us. It seems like yesterday when he was still lingering in that hospital bed and I was able to lean down and kiss his forehead and whisper that I loved him, something that I had been too embarrassed to do or say for most of my adult life.

In a way, his 5-year struggle with cancer was a blessing, as it was a wake-up call that we all recognized as a message from God saying, ‘Life is short. Live it while you can. Family matters. God matters.”

I don’t know if I ever would have kissed my Dad again, had he met his demise in some other way, such as a heart attack or sudden accident. Sure, he displayed affection to me when I was a little boy. I remember him taking me in his arms and swinging me around and hugging me when he was proud of something I had done. But sadly, somehow, when boys start to grow into men, many lose the ability to show affections that were once perfectly natural in our younger days.

So, with him lying there, I bent down and kissed him. It was so hard because men are not supposed to do that, right? But I am glad that I was able to overcome my inhibitions and do it.

Dad taught me a lot about emotions. His favorite emotion (if you can call it an emotion) was laughter. He loved jokes – clean ones. And there are some of my dad’s jokes that I probably heard over 100 times. Most were pretty corny. In fact, many of the times when his jokes elicited laughter…his audience was not laughing with him, but at him and how stupid his joke was.

Yes, Dad taught me how to laugh; but he also taught me how to cry. He wasn’t afraid to cry in front of his children. He would always cry when a movie ended happily. Dad would weep for joy when he heard about our accomplishments and accolades.

I remember when our dog got hit by a car when I was in the 7th grade. Dad cried louder and harder than me or younger sister.

In the final months of Dad’s life as he battled valiantly with cancer, Dad kept telling us how he wanted to go home. “I want to go HOME,” he would say over and over again. “Dad, you ARE home, ” my sisters and I would answer. “No, I’m not. No, I’m not. I want to go HOME.”

They say there’s no tears in heaven, but my family knows that this is not true…because on May 15th at 5:16 p.m., 2007, my dad was probably so excited that he cried as he embraced Jesus and heard the words, “Welcome HOME.”