CHAPTER 35 – ENEMY MINE 2023
Luke 14:26
New English Translation
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate[a] his own father and
mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even
his own life,[b] he cannot be my disciple.
Wow, I never really got this until I did. Could I love the Lord so much that everything else I hate, even my family. I haven’t been able to actually do that. What Christ is saying exactly — the Word we must choose God above all things. There is a cost to being a disciple of Christ. We walk a road that is lonely at times — and in that lonely we discover our relationship with God. By choosing God first, everything else falls into place. However to follow God — that is the challenge, to give yourself so completely that what is important to you seems not important at all by comparison. I have found that to be impossible most of the time, but not all the time. In those times where I can actually embrace this scripture, even if that time of comprehending is brief — all things around me make sense — I feel the Lord’s advantage. Very hard concept to get my head around.., but a worthy challenge. Like so often with Jesus, as a teacher, He gets His students thinking, pushing them to the uncomfortable thoughts that open the mind and allow the spirit to enter. God, prioritizes family and the responsibilities of family in 1 Timothy 5:8.
1 Timothy 5:8
New English Translation
8 But if someone does not provide for his own,[a] especially his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
So, if that be true — to love the Lord more is a challenge, one that I must try to employ slowly and carefully — to keep my family in order, my life in order. God must be so far up the ladder for me, that everything, everything else doesn’t matter. Super hard to do. Super hard to do!! Why? Chapter 35. Enemy Mine. This chapter is best referred to as “the Challenge of all times.” Get this lesson, even a little at a time – than not at all. My head is my enemy.., it is all mine. My brain thinks of all the things I can do to wreck my life — unless I turn it over to the Lord, completely. And then I must everyday.., overcome myself, revolt against myself and evolve in the love of Christ. I always want what is best for me, truly — the question is, “do I really know what is best for me?” When I try and fail, is it God teaching me, or is it my failure to be in His will? That is a worthy question, an honorable thought and a very good challenge to study in the Word. Without it, discouragement can cause us to do things we should not. The only way I have found to know the difference between my will and His — first I might want to notice “when what needs to be done isn’t what I want to do..,” sometimes “inconvenient” is a good clue. In addition, things of God yield rather quickly — whatever the challenge, there is a visible positive in it.., when things are not of God, it could be very easy, and a short run. If I am not in prayer and study, I can and will make a mistake, and in the mistake I lose my way, depression, upset and rejection, all bad for anyone, especially you and me in charge of a company. In 1950, Alan Redpath, pastor of Duke Street Baptist Church in Richmond, London moved to the United States and became the pastor of the Moody Church in Chicago. Of his many substantial quotes I’ve chosen one to describe the christian mind under attack.
“Once a Christian gets eaten up with discouragement and unbelief it takes a great deal to shake him out of it. Those two emotions are the masterstrokes of Satan. So long as the child of God maintains an attitude of praise and trust in the Lord, then he is invincible. Once the devil gets him discouraged, that poor man is really going to take a knocking!”
There are plenty of challenges in life, however, the greatest challenge, I would say, is myself and my own thinking. I am my own enemy without God. And even with God, it is a constant, never ending battle of me against me. It has been said that the Bible is redundant, that the teachings of leadership are redundant as well. Watch yourself when you talk like this. You see, the Lord gives the gift of understanding the Word and His will — if you want that.., get it? If you want His direction. Jesus tried to gather people any way He could, but many denied Him. He tried in parables, available to you today, if you take the time to read them. Parables are stories that illustrate a point, to come along side of the truth and help clarify. Jesus had many, the parable of the sower, the rich man and Lazarus, the prodigal son, the good samaritan to name a few.
Matthew 13:10-14
New International Version
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the
people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom
of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has
will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does
not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is
why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
You see, the Bible is not repetitive to those who have eyes to see given by the Lord, rather it comes alive and lifts off the page. The rich, poor, smart, stupid, healthy, sick, whatever the challenge, whatever the person — we sin, and without God we lack the understanding of redemption, salvation, repentance, mercy and Discernment with a capital D. To be quite frank, your competition, if they know these things, will out live you every time. Pray that the Lord allows you to see every angle of the book designed to keep you alive and efficient and most importantly — happy and strong in all the affairs of life.
Matthew 13:16
New American Standard Bible
16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
For a believer the Bible is an amazing question and answer tool for a lifetime. For a non-believer it is an impossible read. A continuous theme is man’s challenge to understand and accept God as God. Without direction, I deal in assumptions, fear, emotions, ego and self-righteous, pompous thinking, and in command of a ship sailing the waters of anxiety, disappointment, and broken dreams. The actual term Enemy Mine is misunderstood sometimes, so let me make it clear, it is spelled enemy m-i-n-e, although it is the mind, m-i-n-d, and it sounds the same, the similarity stops there. My enemy. The enemy prepares fear just for me, just for me! What you are scared of may not scare me and vice-versa. You see chaos is in your head, designed perfectly for you. That is why fellowship is so important. Without it I’m alone with me and my head and my fears designed by the devil just to make me crazy. And then what? We take back our destiny from the Lord, that’s what. “I got it from here!” A spirit that has cost many absolutely everything.
Leo Tolstoy, is quoted as saying: Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.
If left unattended by the teachings of Christ, I can and will judge everything and everybody around me, viciously, unfairly, incorrectly and with a stone cold heart. When I’m stunned at the unfortunate circumstances befallen me — I blame a list of nonsense rather than myself. I forget that whatever it is that has come against me, is mostly created by my own choices.
Today, I pray that I remember, and the world remember the gift of the Cross, the Word of God, and the grace given to one who is so unworthy, that one is me and you. Two scriptures cover the bet for me.
Romans 12:2 New International Version (NIV)
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Philippians 4:8 New International Version (NIV)
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
I have a quote by C.S. Lewis: “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”
Let’s investigate one aspect of my mind, or yours. I call it ‘DISTURBANCE.” It happens when I’m making decisions without the Lord, scripture, assignments, bible study, the work, the prayer, the consistency. I second guess myself. “My bid, should have been higher or lower?”
In Jesus I pick the right price and then quit worrying about it. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen, if not, I dodged a bullet and God kept me out of mess, once again.
Disturbance example #2: I want to impress people for some idiotic reason. After the engagement I kill myself over and over! “Did I say too much, not enough, should I have been standing different, my voice more of this or that?”
Disturbance is a nasty business. If you have done what correctly needed to be done, you’re good, working with God, let it go, let what is to be, stay in God’s hands, you have been correct. Without God, you will go out of your mind thinking of such matters, or worse call people and act like an idiot, changing your mind and trying to restate whatever, all not good and all to no good end. Good example of when you know you are not in God’s will. Much easier to do what needs to be done correctly and move on.
Be polite, respectful or strong when necessary. Stay in control of your mouth. Take decisions one at a time. If I am reading the Bible daily, even a little bit, I am better navigating important maneuvers. If I am praying daily, even a little bit, I am calm in most situations or all situations for the day. If I am doing both of those things to an even greater extent…, the better I become.
Chapter 35, Enemy Mine 2023. My head is a dangerous neighborhood, I shouldn’t go in there by myself. What solutions brought me to an understanding of Enemy Mine? An easy phrase for me to remember. Revolution/Evolution, I learn to revolt against myself and evolve. And that is better than my best, can’t do that without asking Him to help.
Ephesians 5:15-20 New International Version (NIV)
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is no sanity without structure. Don’t let incorrect thinking cause problems. Mediocrity is a choice, don’t use it, ever. “It’ll do Lou, I’m only human,” try and throw such behavior out in the trash. It is not productive. Oh my brothers and sisters, we are soldiers of Christ and to those who are given much, much is required, pray those thoughts out of your mind, ask Him to leave only thoughts that matter to the mission, to the task at hand, ask for the Grace of God to achieve what is to be done. Structure your company and your life inside of fair and financially sound business practices. Live carefully and thoughtfully.
Stay on the list, even when you don’t like what is on the list. Get up, read the book, say your prayers, make breakfast, prepare your desk, take the vitamins and then get after it, follow the list all of it, even the things you don’t feel like doing.
Deuteronomy 30:19
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! –
Chapter 35, I am my own enemy when I am alone. Get your head out of the way. Let God do in you what you can’t do for yourself. Let me say a word about “perceived benefits.” Beware! We think a shortcut may help, it will not help. Stay away from “perceived benefits.” People do it all the time. “If I take a hard money loan, if I leverage what I have…” very dangerous thoughts. “No time for church, no time for study, no time for assignments, no time to give back correctly (you notice I said correctly), all of us might want to think about that.
Remember the Pharisees who thought so highly of themselves, and mentioned it to all who would listen and in prayer — time and time again — God didn’t think so highly of them. Refer to the Treasure Chest of your life. Those talents He’s given you to invest in today’s responsibilities, not tomorrow, today, He’s given you what you need today. Everything you need, never believe you don’t have enough. That is not the voice of Heaven. Carve out the original blueprint of you, one step at a time, tomorrow will take care of itself, if you take care of today. Ask for clarity every day, all day.
-Romans 12:2
Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Stop all the noise in your head – stop listening to the chaos of the world and just be, be in the moment with your creator, say thank you to those who give you one more chance, those who help you, remember you don’t deserve it, your gifts are gifts. Be good.., be clear, be in God, not whatever you think is cool, that may not be cool.
I use these helpful techniques to bring me back to scripture. “Revolution/Evolution” is just one, there is more. “Reason not treason,” “Common sense is not so common and stupid is very expensive,” as stated before “My mind is a dangerous neighborhood don’t go in there by myself.” God is good all the time which is good because I’m not good all the time, I need you Jesus. Chapter 35, Enemy Mine, I don’t let my mind tell me anything without running by scripture.
2 Corinthians 12:9
New International Version
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Amen.
