J Mike Wills

It’s all in the wind!

We have seen over many years famous preachers, theologians, athletes, and celebrities pass on only to be remembered for a short time then forgotten. What will the epitaph on our gravestone read?

It was a smooth ride at 33,000’ a few years ago on a trip from Atlanta, Ga to Newport News, Va. I was scanning my instruments and noticed an unusual reading, my ground speed was 551 knots and my crosswind component (a heading to keep a direct course), was pointing 20 degrees off to my left. I looked and saw the wind readout from our computers was showing the wind blowing from a direction behind us at a speed of 205 knots. In case you are wondering, that is 236 mph! I guess in a physical sense I was “striving after wind”, trying to take advantage of and use the wind for my benefit. As I reflect on that day now some 10 years later, it reminds me of what King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:2, 6. “Vanity of vanities says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. … The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.” “All is vanity and striving after the wind.”

The strongest crosswind and winds aloft that I’ve ever seen in my career!

What is “Striving After WIND” ALL about?

Although many biblical scholars may differ in their interpretations to the meaning, there does seem to have a common agreement. That is one can have everything; Wisdom, Money, Possessions, Fame, Power and Control, but it means nothing at the end of this life. Our lives are literally just a vapor, meaning now you see it and then you don’t. When King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, he had the same sort of thoughts in his mind.

12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. (Eccl 1:12-15)

But as we read further, we get a bigger picture as to perhaps what his thinking was at the time. He was looking at himself and all that he had, and he realized it was worth nothing. It wasn’t until the end that he gains understanding realizing he was putting his hope in what he had done – not what God had given him. He begins to share all he has learned so the reader can learn from his mistakes. There are several verses in the subsequent chapters that talk about the fool and how he lives his life yet in the end he is in Sheol with nothing.

As I reflected in this moment, I realized that many of us have fallen prey to putting ourselves first. It’s a struggle we must confront and deal with daily, constantly reminding ourselves of whose we are and what our purpose is. Still in the end, we face the grave and the consequences that follow. What choices will we make? Read on to see how King Solomon set an example for us to learn from!

Work vs Personal Life:
The Vanity of Self Indulgence!

I have seen countless numbers of people in my industry put an emphasis on their job and creating a “lifestyle” and income for “themselves” to enjoy. The sad result is that they are eventually left with broken families, divorce(s), stockpiles of possessions and a life of things which they learn really has no meaning. Their lives reflect an emptiness full of misery and self-contempt from poor choices. They spent their lot in life seeking only after those things that make them look good and make them happy, seeking after their own desires. When I encounter someone who lives a life of self-indulgence, I remember King Solomon’s lament: “It is vanity of vanities and striving after the wind.” A life of selfishness really is striving after wind!

Godly Life or Evil Life?:
The Vanity of living the life of a fool.

King Solomon came to realize that whether a person lived a life of a wise man or the life of the fool, the result was going to be the same.

In Eccl 2:16-17, we read, “16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.”

A Godly life reflects the relationship with Christ and faith in Him alone. Walking in such a way that glorifies Him in our lives. Contrast the Godly life with how we see many people today. They are living a life of debauchery, recklessness, self-indulgence, making lots of money and investing for a future that they are never guaranteed of having. (Living the life of the fool) They scoff us for trying to live a Godly life, yet the final ending will be the same for us all – and that is death.

Scripture sums up these thoughts accurately.

“10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going…”
Ecclesiastes 9:10

So, what’s the use of living a Godly life if we all end up in the grave, one may ask??? Is it really all just vanity and striving after the wind? There is an answer – read on!

Life Now vs Life Ahead

The answer dear friends is our faith in Christ and spending eternity with Him. If we had no other future to look towards, or have a savior to care for us, then there would be no reason to live without purpose by putting our own selfish desires and goals above everyone and everything else. But as believers, we have the hope of a future in Christ, spending eternity praising Him and being in His presence! We must realize that our priority is that God – not us- has given us everything that we have! We are deserving of death and hell, and it was only because of His great love for us that we received the gift of salvation that He freely offered, and we accepted, by His grace and mercy. (Romans 10:9-13) Our purpose in life is to lead a Godly Life, being obedient to the one who saved us and to share this great gift with others. We need to realize that chasing after a fools life is striving after wind!

What will your epitaph
say about you?

We have seen over many years famous preachers, theologians, athletes, and celebrities pass on only to be remembered for a short time then forgotten. One of these days each of us will pass on from this life to eternity somewhere. What will the epitaph on our gravestone read? Will it reflect a life dedicated to Christ or will it reflect a life of selfishness and no hope?

My hope in writing this blog and specifically this post, is that others will read what I have written one day and not think about how wonderful I am or was, but that they will see Christ in my life. I pray that in the years and decades to come something I have written will make them stop and think. Perhaps even make a life decision to follow Him.

Think On These Things (Conclusion)

It comes down to the basic fundamental of Christian living.. Turn your eyes upon Jesus!

A summary of our series

We have looked at the 8 things that Paul commands us to think on:
1) Whatever is true: “The Word of God”
2) Whatever is honorable: “A mental consciousness that strives to harmonize with God’s truth”
3) Whatever is just: “My thoughts immediately go to the only One who is Just”
4) Whatever is pure: “We see the perfect, sinless and Holy Lamb of God dying for our sins and raising again.”
5) Whatever is lovely: “An ‘acceptable and pleasing’ part of Lovely is that we renew our minds and our thinking to what honors God.”
6) Whatever is commendable: “Let our thoughts drift to how we respond towards others when going through trials.”
7) If there is anything of excellence: “Is the thought that is in your mind an example of “excellence or merit”? Does it honor God and reflect upon His excellence?
8) If there is anything worthy of praise: “Unceasing praise to the just and gracious God. From morning till evening the grateful tongue should talk and sing, and glorify the Lord.”

Beach Scene with scripture — Photo Courtesy: Shirleen Wills

Once we have an understanding of the things that Paul is wanting us to think on, what should we do and what will we see. Well in verse 9 he says “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:9 ESV) It’s pretty clear that we are to practice these things. Practice involves 1: Dedication , Maturity, and Repetition. It takes a level of commitment that drives us to perfect the achievement we seek. It also means that we can’t do it alone! We must depend upon the work of the Spirit in our lives to direct us and allow Him to help us focus on these things. We are to “fill our minds” with these things when “stinkin’ thinkin'” raises its ugly head. One commentary aptly summarizes it like this “As the Philippians practice what they have seen Paul doing they will make progress. They will see that it is not simply the “Peace of God” that they will find, but “The God of Peace” Himself will be with them.

When I look at the 8 things that Paul is directing us to practice, I began to notice one very common theme, and that is that when temptation is causing us to have “Stinkin’ Thinkin'” we are to turn our eyes thoughts and attitudes directly to Christ. Directly to His Word and listen to His Holy Spirit. Below is lyrics from an old hymn that I think is a good way to sum up this entire series!

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Helen Howarth Lemmel (1863-1961)

O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace

Alan Jackson version of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus “!
Music and Lyrics

I hope that you have found this study helpful to you as you come across times of Stinkin’ Thinkin’ and that you will memorize Philippians 4: 8-10 and recall it to your memory when you are troubled in your thoughts.

Think On These Things (Pt 4)

If there is any Excellence and Worthy of praise

The last two things that we read as Paul is instructing us in how I like to phrase “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”, is to think on things of excellence and worthy of praise!

I have taken excerpts from “Precepts Austin”, which is an online commentary source that I believe to be accurate. The link to this website is listed below for your reference as well and to be able to go into even more depth on this subject.

¹“Excellence (²703) (arete) refers to any preeminence (moral, intellectual, military). Arete is a term denoting consummate ‘excellence’ or ‘merit’ within a social context. To the Greek philosophers, it meant “the fulfillment of a thing.” Arete came to mean quality of life which made someone or something stand out as excellent. Arete never means cloistered virtue or virtue of attitude, but virtue which is demonstrated in life.”

When a thought enters your mind, you may begin to start wondering and questioning a situation. Use that opportune time to evaluate whether or not this thought is “Excellent”! Is the thought that is in your mind an example of “excellence or merit”? Does it honor God and reflect upon His excellence? If it does not, you know that you need to rebuke that thought and the devil who put it into your mind. ⁴Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you! (James 4:8)

¹“Worthy of praise (³1868) (epainos from epí = upon + aínos = praise) is literally “praise upon” and denotes commendation, praise, or approbation (an act of formally or officially approving). It means something which is worthy of being commended. The word can describe the act of expressing admiration or approval, praise, approval, recognition.”

For the believer, there is no greater call than to praise the Father, thanking Him, loving Him, and trusting Him in all circumstances. So when tempted to ponder something that is attacking your mind, think on what is praiseworthy and give the thoughts over to Him to ease the pressures that you face with those thoughts.

Charles Spurgeon noted just how important it is to praise the Father all day long. In Psalm 35:8, the psalmist uses the Hebrew word¹ “tehillah”, which means hymn or song of praise, praise in general – all day long. Spurgeon says: “Unceasing praise is here vowed to the just and gracious God. From morning till evening the grateful tongue would talk and sing, and glorify the Lord. O for such a resolve carried out by us all!”

As we come to the last of these 8 things, Paul reminds us to “Think on these things”! What does the bible refer to when we read “Think”? According to Strong’s Concordance, (G3049) defines the word used here as follows:
A thing is reckoned as or to be something, i.e. as availing for or equivalent to something, as having the like force and weight:

1) To reckon inward, count up or weigh the reasons
2) To deliberate by reckoning up all the reasons
3) To gather or infer
4) To consider, take into account, weigh, meditate on
5) To suppose, deem, judge
6) To determine, purpose, decide

So my fellow believer, when we are called to think on these things, we see the true remedy of “Stinkin’ Thinkin'” defined clearly in God’s word, right here! Determine to make the change in your (my) thinking today to use these definitions as we ponder “..whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise”! The good news is that there is a promise after this teaching, and I’ll cover that in our last post in this series!

References:
¹ Precept Austin Commentary
² Blue Letter Bible (Definition of arete)
³ Blue Letter Bible (Definition of epainos)
⁴ James 4:8

Think On These Things (Pt 3)

When thinking on whatever is Lovely and whatever is Commendable, we will be filling our minds with things that inspire the worship of God Almighty.

“Things that are lovely and
things that are commendable.”

True, Honorable, Just and Pure are the first four things that we are to think on in our study of Philippians 4:8-9. When trouble comes and the schemes of the devil are all around and we find ourselves in a battle with spiritual forces, turn to God to change your Stinkin’ Thinkin’! This next section calls us to think on things that are Lovely and things that are Commendable. As we start to examine these characteristics, ask God to let your mind ponder what those could be for you!

Lovely (Acceptable and Pleasing)

We are next told to think on things that are “Lovely”. What does the Bible say regarding “Lovely”? How is it used and how do we think on it? Well, Strong’s Concordance defines Lovely (G4375) as “Acceptable and Pleasing”. We can certainly gain a lot of insight from what the Bible teaches us about what is acceptable and pleasing. An “acceptable and pleasing” part of Lovely is that we renew our minds and our thinking to what honors God. By asking ourselves that, we test what is from God to know that it is Lovely. (Romans 12:2) We continue to ask “Is what we are thinking about honoring Him, does it bring Him glory or does it focus on ourselves?” If it is God centered, it’s pleasing and Lovely. If it is not, we know to immediately reject that thinking and go directly to God for direction.

Questions that help us know if our Thinkin’ is Stinkin’ !
Ask yourself 3 questions:
1) Are my prayers “God-Centered”? (Psalm 62) (Psalm 16:1-2)
2) Is there un-confessed sin in my life that is allowing this thinking? (Psalm 66:18) (Bible.org Commentary) (1 John 1:9)
3) Am I hearing and responding to the Word of God in my life? (John 10:27)

As I’ve read and prayed through Psalms, it has helped me know God’s will better and has always provided the comfort and direction I’ve needed.

Eugene Peterson wrote about the Psalms in his book “Answering God”. I felt that the quote below was very helpful in my understanding the right perspective in my prayers to God. It is applicable today as it helps us relate to the questions we ask ourselves when seeking the right way to think on the things commanded by Phil 4:8.

“The Psalms were not prayed by people trying to understand themselves. They are not the record of people searching for the meaning of life. They were prayed by people who understood God had everything to do with them. God, not their feelings, was the center. God, not their souls, was the issue. God, not the meaning of life, was critical.”
Eugene Peterson, from his book “Answering God”

Commendable / Good Report

We are also to think on things that are “commendable or of good report”! What does that really mean we may wonder? Used in this context in Philippians, (Strongs G2163) we see that the concordance defines the word or phrase as “things spoken in a kindly spirit, with good-will to others”. Interestingly, Commendable only appears in this context once in the Bible. Perhaps that characteristic could have a meaning we can use to apply to our thinking.

To focus on this one word “Commendable”, we can let our thoughts drift to how we respond towards others when going through trials. We must be careful to avoid the temptation to look for ways to get even or “one up” in our trials. We should know immediately that it is Stinkin’ Thinkin’. Jesus is our perfect example in how to respond to those who wish us trouble. Even as He was beaten, crucified, humiliated and was suffering a horrible death, He never lashed out towards those who were cruel to Him. Let’s follow HIS example and remember that it is God who will judge. Remember, we are called to think on how we should love those who cause us enough pain to have anger, animosity or harshness in our thinking. Read below where we see Peter pointing out what Christ did as He suffered for us.

1 Peter 2:20-23 (NKJV)

20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously..

When thinking on whatever is Lovely and whatever is Commendable, we will be filling our minds with things that inspire the worship of God Almighty. If we are in anguish, think about how we can best serve others, all to bring the praise and glory to Him. Worship Him in God-Centered prayers confessing our sin and responding to His call on our lives. Pray through the Psalms and lift Him up in your praises. Keep our thoughts on what He has done for us, not lashing out at others but praying for them and seeking ways to minister to them as Christ leads.

Thank you for sharing part of your day with me as we think together on ways to change our “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”! In our next study, we will examine what it means to think on “things of excellence” and “things that are worthy of praise”.

Think On These Things (Pt 2)

Thinking on the purity of the Son of God and what He did for me is the quickest way to thwart an attack of the devil.

..Whatever is just, whatever is pure,..

In our first study of the characteristics of things we are instructed to think on, the first two were: “things that are true and honorable“. We became aware of the need to start finding those things in our lives through scripture and apply them in our thoughts. We remember that truths such as Scripture, Salvation and our eternity with God came as some of the first thoughts to meditate upon. We know that honorable things are such that we change our thinking to align with Christ and what He wants for our lives and to think thoughtfully on how we can go about doing that. In this second of five parts we begin to think on whatever is just and whatever is pure.

Our second characteristics study: Just and Pure

Just / Righteous

We look closer now on those words right before Just and Pure, which are: “Whatever is..”. “Whatever is”, is a pretty big phrase and could encompass a very broad area of thought. So what does he mean when he says “Whatever is Just“? A word study finds that the Greek word is “dikaios” (Strong’s Concordance G1342) and is used 33 times in the bible. It also means Righteous and that definition is: “One who is upright, virtuous, keeping the commands of God. One who is used of Him and whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God.” I would say that this is a very broad explanation as to “Whatever is”!

So when we ask ourselves to think on Whatever is Just and Righteous, where does scripture point us? Perhaps it’s not just Whatever, but more aptly “Whomever”, is where our thoughts should be! My thoughts immediately go to the only One who is Righteous and Just: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit!

I might phrase it this way: “Think on whatever are characteristics of the Just and Righteous God. Meditate on who He is and what He has done, is doing and will do in our lives. Think on the ways that we should honor, worship and praise Him.”

Here are some references we can reflect upon when thinking on Him:
God the Father: John 17:25, 1 John 1:9, Rev. 16:5
God the Son: Matthew 3:16-17, 1 John 2:1, 29, 3:7
God the Holy Spirit: Romans 8:10, 14-17

What are some other ways to think on what is Just? I’d like to hear your thoughts as well.

Pure

Beginning our search on what is “Pure”, we see the word in Greek as “hagnos“. (Strong’s Concordance G53). When I think of “Pure”, I think about what it means to be innocent, modest, perfect, chaste, clean, and holy. I have listed a few scriptures below that help me in forming thoughts as to what is “hagnos” when temptation comes my way.

References to apply to the meaning of Pure:
Wisdom from Him: James 3:17
Our hope in Him: 1 John 3:3
Our conduct in Him: 1 Peter 3:2

I think it important to allow our minds to ponder what examples we see in scripture on what is “Just and Pure”. We should cling to those things when the battle for our minds begins.
How I Try To Stop Stinkin’ Thinkin’: Mike Wills

Here are my tips when thinking of “Pure”:
• I try and focus on things like the innocent baby Jesus in the arms of Mary and why He came. (Innocent)
• I remember how Jesus lived a pure life having never sinned. He lived modestly and worked as a carpenter in a small village. Certainly not how the world would view a savior or King! He did this and set the example for all of us. (Perfect, Innocent)
• I think most importantly I see the perfect, sinless and Holy Lamb of God dying for my sins and raising again. He paid the price for me so that I can be with him forever. He offered salvation to any who would simply receive it and all I had to do was repent, believe and confess.(Holy)

Thinking on the purity of the Son of God and what He did for me is the quickest way to thwart an attack of the devil. It changes my perspective immediately and I’m sure that when you are confronted with the temptation of Stinkin’ Thinkin’ that you too will see a remarkable difference when you think on the purity of Christ.

There are many more examples that I could site here, but I think it important to allow our minds to ponder what examples we see in scripture on what is “Just and Pure”. We should cling to those things when the battle for our minds begins.

Part three of our study builds on the first two parts as we begin to think on “Whatever is lovely and whatever is commendable”. Be in prayer over this next part and ask God to open your eyes to what He is saying.

Think On These Things (Pt 1)

When temptation comes, resist it by thinking on these things.

..Whatever is true, Whatever is honorable (Phil 4:8)..

In our last post we talked about “Stinkin’ Thinkin’” and how our thoughts can wander and lead us into bad decisions. In a study of King David (2 Sam 11-18), we can see how his Stinkin’ Thinkin’ got him into serious trouble which ended in adultery, murder and the destruction of people’s lives. King David gave in to temptation because he didn’t flee from the opportunity. As believers, we know that in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God has given us a promise that we will never tempted beyond what we can stand and He will always provide a means of escape. It’s up to us to accept that means and obey what He is leading us to do. God’s word also points out in Numbers 32:23 that no matter how hard we try, our sin will always find us out. You can’t hide your sin from God and there is punishment for disobeying Him.

One of the most recited verses in the bible is found at Philippians 4:6-7 which tells us that if we are anxious about anything, to bring it before God and His peace will comfort us. If we read on however, we see that we are called to take matters one step further and to think and practice on a list of 8 things that will aid us in resisting and fleeing temptation. This verse says that we will not just have the “Peace of God” but also the “God of Peace” with us!

I’d like to begin a brief five part study with you to better understand what these eight things are and how we can identify them in our lives. We will base this study on verse 8 which says; “Finally brothers whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things….” If we can begin to apply these characteristics to our lives, I am convinced that we will grow in our sanctification in Christ. I would like to add that this study isn’t intended to be comprehensive, but rather a resource that can be easily read and applied to our lives.

Our first characteristics study: True and Honorable

Let’s begin with whatever is true. We know that without a doubt that the Word of God is true. Think about it! There is so much written in the word of God about the word of God. Psalm 119 explains in great detail about the truth of God’s teachings. Here are a few verses that you can click on to see how the psalmist explains the truthfulness of the word.
vs 105: Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
vs 130: The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
vs 165: Great peace have those who follow your law; nothing can make them stumble.

The gift of salvation that God has given to those who trust in Him is another truth we can think on. We read in Roman’s 10:8-13 a picture of the perfect love of God and His gift. We know it’s true that if we are saved, we will spend eternity with Him. We get to praise and worship Him and we get an eternity to thank Him for what He has done.

Another truth we can count on is that our savior will never leave us or forsake us! Deuteronomy 31:6 is a promise from God to the people of Israel where He tells them He will never leave them. We are His people and He will never leave us if we are saved. Jesus Himself promised us that if we are His people, no one can snatch them out of His hands. (John 10:28-30)

There are certainly many, many other things that are true in our lives that God has given to us. I would suggest that you build a list of the truths that He has given you and practice those also.

What does God’s Word say about honorable? I found a great reference that I thought I’d share with you here: ¹ “It is a mental consciousness that strives to harmonize with God’s truth as found in Scripture and Christ. It transforms the content and habits of our thinking by aligning our values with God’s will. When our minds are renewed, our desires agree with God that his will is good, pleasing, and perfect (Rom. 12:2).” I believe that if we honor God in thinking about what His will for us is in the trials and temptations we face, we will be better equipped to stop the Stinkin’ Thinkin’!

Paul concludes this section by reminding us to practice these things and the “God of peace” will be with you. We started today by taking these first two characteristics and we learned to practice them daily. When temptation comes, we will be ready by thinking on what is true and what is honorable because we are prepared!

Remember to:

1) STOP and Think On What Is True:
- The Word of God – quote your favorite scriptures.
– Your salvation and Your Eternity with Him! Dwell on these things in your mind and the temptation will leave you.
– There is an endless supply of things that God has given us that is true. Use your own thoughts to remember those things and practice doing them.

2) STOP and Meditate On What Is Honorable:
– Align your thoughts with His.
– Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and He will!
– Ask Him to show you how to recognize and escape the temptation, and He will!

These are the first two characteristics for us to study in this passage. We will find that there are six more we can focus on when the temptations come.

Our next post will be on “Whatever is just, Whatever is pure”. If you have thoughts or an experience you would like to share, I’d love to hear about it. You can post it in the comment section or send to me directly via my email address: mike@jmikewills.com

References:
¹https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/think-about-honorable/?amp
Pastor Steve DeWitt, Nov 19, 2021

What are you thinkin’?

“The fact is, that if we don’t focus our thoughts towards Godly things, we open ourselves up to satanic attack on our hearts and minds.”

When your thoughts run wild…
Change your Stinkin’ Thinkin’!

Have you ever been mindlessly going through your day and suddenly you realize you’re all worked up over something? I know that in my life I have – and sometimes find myself doing it too much. I stop and ask myself “How did this happen, why is my heart racing and why am I getting angry or worried about this?”

I heard a phrase many years ago by my pastor and he was talking about why we dwell on ungodly things. He called it ¹“Stinkin’ Thinkin’!”, and I took that as “Mike, get those bad thoughts out of your mind”!

I’m sure that by now we all have heard the ²proverb “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”! What the verse literally says is: “A worthless man devises mischief..” It’s what happens when we start running over stuff over and over again, getting more miffed as time goes forward. In my family growing up we called it “stewing and steaming”, but it really is “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”. We need to recognize that the source of these thoughts is the devil. He uses these thoughts to try and drive a wedge between you and the situation or other person. ³He is your adversary and “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” He wants you to become that worthless man the scripture above talks about.

“The fact is, that if we don’t focus our thoughts towards Godly things, we open ourselves up to satanic attack on our hearts and minds.”
Mike W

That leads us to what I’d really like us to focus on:
Changin’ Our Stinkin’ Thinkin’!

So what kind of protection does the believer have against the devil and how can we change these thoughts that are in our minds? I’m going to share with you 3 techniques that I believe are the most easily applied and remembered.

RECOGNIZE

Prayer: In your prayer time, ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize spiritual warfare in your life. We can rest assured knowing that He is ⁴interceding on our behalf continuously. We must remember to spend time in prayer everyday. No matter what else is going on – make the time no matter what. Seek out Godly prayer partners and pray with them asking God’s protection for them and their needs as well.

Prepare: Be prepared for the battle that is certainly coming your way!
1) Put on the ⁵full armor of God so that you will be able to withstand the “fiery arrows” that the devil is hurling at you.
2) Fill your mind with scripture! The study of God’s word is crucial to being able to refute the devil and his attacks.

REPENT and REFUTE

Confess: When you realize that you have sinned by dwelling on and enjoying what you’re thinking, STOP IT! No matter what you’re doing, you’ve been given the insight from the Holy Spirit that you have sinned and now ⁶you must confess it.
Combat: Jesus gave us the best example on how to refute the devil. As he was being tempted, he always quoted scripture. Even when the devil twisted God’s words around, Jesus simply stated the truth of God’s word and the devil was forced to leave and flee.

REMAIN ALERT and RE-FOCUS

Be Aware: Don’t let your guard down, Satan surely will look for another weakness in your life and will do everything he can to exploit it. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter reminds us to “Be sober-minded; be watchful..” Remember when Jesus was in the wilderness and being tempted, he rebuked the devil and the bible says that ⁷Satan left him looking for a more opportune time. If he came back after Jesus, surely he’ll come back after you and me.
Have a Plan: Re-focus your thoughts once you recognize what is happening. Ask yourself if your thought is coming from the Holy Spirit? If it is not say out loud “This is another lie of the Devil. James 4:7 says resist the Devil and He will flee from you”. Remember what Philippians 4:8-9 says about what to think on and then think on those things!!

I hope that some of these things I have mentioned in this post will help you as it has certainly helped me in my life!

Ref:
1: “Stinkin’ Thinkin'”, Rev Ken Forrester, Rocky Creek Baptist Church, Greenville SC
2: Proverbs 16:27 (TLB)
3: 1 Peter 5:8 7
4: Romans 8:26-2
5: Ephesians 6:10-17
6: 1 John 1:9
7: Luke 4:13

Latest EP Available!

“This is a throw back album to the 1970’s and how that music impacted my life.”

After almost two years, I’ve finally completed my latest EP entitled “70’s Celebration!” This is a throw back album to the 1970’s and how that music impacted my life. Many of the folk songs back then became the launching pad for what we know today as Praise and Worship music. I loved these new Folk Songs and I wanted to learn to play them on a guitar. So I got a guitar and a Mel Bay chord book back in 1972 and taught myself how to play the acoustic guitar! Then I got a songbook titled “Sing ‘n’ Celebrate”, and eventually got good enough to play with the youth group at my church. That started my lifelong dream of playing music for the Lord, and it has been a great experience!

This EP has 4 Folk Songs and 1 Original bonus song written by friend and former bandmate Don Hightower. The songs I chose were ones I first learned to play: Psalm 19, Pass It On, I wish we’d all been ready, That’s for me. The bonus song is named His Everlasting Love. You can learn all about and hear an excerpt from each song by just clicking this link! I also have a link on that page to donate to our ministry and get a copy of the EP.

I needed to have some help on one of the songs. I was able to get my sister-in-law Robin Wills, to lend her voice on; “Pass It On”, written by Kurt Kaiser. You can listen to her version of this song by clicking this link! I would ask that you support her by donating to her ministry. All the funds will be given directly to her from that link.

I hope you all will enjoy this latest work I’ve created. I have enjoyed and have been blessed for doing it. I don’t know what the next project is or when it will start, but I do know that whatever it will be, I’ll share it with you all first!

A Quick Visit To Lubbock

I had the opportunity to visit Lubbock, Texas recently and I didn’t want to just sit around all day long. With only a short 5 hour layover, I wanted to take advantage of the time and see some local sights. I was able to find a great lunch at a local BBQ joint and then visit an air museum right next to the FBO where we parked.

The name of the restaurant I ate at is: “E & J Smokehouse Grill & Spirit Ranch” and what an experience. The setting was very scenic with a huge venue (Spirit Ranch) attached for weddings and events along with a nice park area. One different thing is the wild Peacocks that live on the property. Quite a magnificent bird for sure, and you can buy bird seed to feed them if you like. The BBQ was excellent, exactly what you’d expect with Texas BBQ, big portions and tasty! Yum!! You can visit their site online at: https://www.ejsmokehouse.com

After lunch, I still had a few hours to kill off, so I found a cool air museum near where we parked our jet. The name of this museum is “The Silent Wings Museum”. I thought it was a memorial that honored aviators and birds from long ago that were unique to the area. Nope, not even close. It’s a museum for Gliders – thus the name.. “Silent Wings”. Not just any gliders though, these are the gliders of WWII that made a big difference in the war. I have included a bunch of pictures from the museum, I hope you will enjoy them! Visit the museum online at: https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/departments/silent-wings-museum

You can view all the pics and details my Lubbock webpage found on My-Trips page: Lubbock Texas

Alaska?!! You Betcha!!

A fun trip to Alaska highlighted my last rotation!

To be a charter pilot, one must be flexible because the only constant in this business is change! After flying in the airline industry for 25 of my 43 years in aviation, I became quite comfortable with my set schedule of 4 days on and 3 days off and being able to closely predict where I’m going and when I’m getting done. Then came the big change when I started flying charter flights again. (I had started out in aviation being a charter pilot and then a corporate pilot before the airline days.)

I’m sitting in Aspen, Colorado when I get a phone call from my company.. “Hey Mike, we got another change for ya! Want to go to Alaska??!!!” “Heck yeah!!!” I replied and so began my quest to go to my 49th State, ALASKA! Well, I flew the aircraft to Van Nuys, CA and the next day I took some folks up to Ketchikan, Alaska! I found out when I landed there that Ketchikan is known as Alaska’s “First City”. That’s because it is the southernmost city in the state, hence the name! What a beautiful place to visit and we only got to stay an hour before we flew back to Portland, Oregon! But who knows, maybe I’ll get back again someday. If you click on this link, you will be taken to view the pictures that I took. I took a video that was from my iPad looking out the window which I will post online one day soon!

Ketchikan, Alaska pictures from me!