Dear Editor,
The devil came to church school last week. Why? He came to fulfill his purpose which is to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10) Without question, he achieved great success to that end. He stole the innocence, peace of mind, health, sense of security, and trust of children, parents, grandparents, family members, members of the community and first responders. The lives of these people will never, in any way, be the same again. Only the Holy Spirit can bring comfort and help restore what the enemy stole from them.
John 8:44 tells us that Satan was a murderer from the beginning. The devil killed two innocent young people last week, while they were praying! He killed the expected and hoped for future of those impacted by this cowardly act of terrorism. Pray for new life, new purpose, new beginnings, and new hope for all impacted by this senseless tragedy. Jeremiah 29:11 is God’s promise that He has good plans for our welfare, not to cause harm, but to give us a hope and future. Isaiah 26:3 is God’s promise of perfect peace to those who fix their minds on Him and fully trust in Him, rather than on their own understanding or circumstances.
The devil destroyed the hopes of individuals, families, and members of the community in Minneapolis. Their plans for the rest of the day, hopes for tomorrow and the future, were utterly destroyed on that day. Now they wonder how they can even take another breath at times.
Pray they tangibly feel the presence of the Lord with them, carrying them when they cannot take another step. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” May God’s comfort and assurance of being present with them, to support them with His power and His justice bring the spiritual, emotional, and physical strength needed to overcome the daily challenges they face. 2 Timothy 1:7 means that the Holy Spirit does not cause fear but provides believers with power, love, and self-control to overcome challenges and live courageously for God. This refers to the strength and endurance that God’s Holy Spirit produces within us. It is God’s message of comfort, His promise of restoration.
This is what we all need.
Before achieving any of these things, the devil first stole the peace, killed hopes, and destroyed the earthly and eternal life of the shooter. He successfully transformed one of God’s perfect creations into a demonically influenced, confused, and terrorized cold-blooded killer. The families’ opportunity for justice on this earth was also stolen, killed, and destroyed.
So many questions they must have that will forever be unanswered, because the devil stole, killed, and destroyed the life and future of this one he used as the instrument of terror.
The shotgun, the rifle, nor the pistol are to blame here. The blame rests with the shooter who allowed the devil and his demons to use his mind in the planning this act of terror. The shooter, with the assistance of the demonic, pulled the trigger, over and over again, without regard for human life because his own mind was depraved. He is physical proof the devil and his realm are indeed real. I am not in any way suggesting sympathy or making excuses for this person, but I wonder whether anyone ever prayed for him as a child.
Did he ever experience any form of love in his life? Had anyone ever told him about Jesus and the Good News?
If so, could the outcome have been different? The Bible teaches that God has written His Word on our hearts.
This man must have known something of right and wrong yet chose death over life.
There is not enough space to explain why the decline of our society began when Bible reading and prayer were outlawed in our public schools. It is ironic that the purpose of public education was to teach students to read the Bible so they would be positive, contributing members of society. There is a battle going on for the hearts and minds of our children. This is the reason I stress the importance of prayer. Prayer works. Prayer changes things. As the Body of Christ, we must pray.
We pray not only for our own children and grandchildren, but for those who are our neighbors, the drug babies, those who are abused and neglected. Prayer is our weapon – not a physical weapon, but a spiritual one that believers use to engage in spiritual warfare, overcome challenges, and achieve spiritual goals. It is about divine intervention to influence outcomes according to God’s will. This responsibility lies on the shoulders of parents, but some parents do not know Jesus and choose to follow the devil’s ways. It is up to you and me, folks.
May our prayers change the plans of the enemy in our community, nation, and world. May the result be found in many souls coming into the Kingdom of God. Ephesians 6:18-19; Mark 11:24; Psalm 149:6-9; 2 Chronicles 20:22, Ephesians 5:18-20; John 14:13-14; Matthew 21:22 Sincerely, Debra Hall
Bright moments
Dear Editor,
This month has started off with great challenges.
Many days my heart aches, and I feel as I have somehow missed my purpose in life. This is my 25th year in teaching and most days I feel like my career has not mattered, and I haven’t truly made a difference. Each year gets more difficult, and I feel like I am drowning.
It seems to be an impossible task. Being a teacher these days comes with the challenges of not being able to make anyone happy, but I continue to remind myself that I am to look for those small things. I am to look for the small bright moments in life. It is the small joys we must all continue to look for and hold onto to get through this thing called life.
For the month of September, I am reflecting on a former student who is now a Senior at Jones County High School. I had the privilege of teaching her in kindergarten. Cate Downy, who I affectionately call Princess Cate from time to time has grown into a remarkable young woman. I am proud to say that I taught her, and I hope that I helped her get a great start in education. She made a lasting impact on me as I have many Cate stories that bring lots of laughter to my heart. She has been spunky from day one and she unapologetically is who she is. She is confident, outspoken, and stands firm in her beliefs. From our time in kindergarten together to our pool hangouts at Healy Point, Cate has given me many core memories on which I can reflect.
Cate is a senior now and leads a busy life, but she still lets her old kindergarten teacher be a part of her life and that means a great deal for our heart that seems to be broken these days. For 12 years I have had the opportunity to remain a part of her life and watch her grown. I am forever grateful for this time and that I have had the pleasure of witnessing her grow to be a confident and beautiful young woman who truly rocked that awesome orange prom dress. Princess Cate, Thank You for the opportunity to teach you and to watch you grow. I wish you a wonderful senior year and a bright future.
Sincerely, Aimee Lundy
