Jean Stockdale...

How to Cast Down Strongholds and Vain Imaginations

 Recently someone asked me to expound on a reference that I make often about casting down vain imaginations. This truth is just too good not to share with all my internets. 

Paul wrote that we do not war according to the flesh (2 Cor. 10:3-5). Our warfare is not of this world; it is divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. That is, if you have a stronghold, which is a deeply embedded sinful habit pattern, you can pull it down and destroy it by appropriating the powerful spiritual warfare that is ours in Christ. We destroy "vain imaginations" (KJV), speculations and every lofty things raised up against the knowledge of God, by casting down any thought that does not line up with the Word of God or what we know of the Son of God. We take the thought captive to the obedience of Christ. That is, we march the thought that we captured before we acted upon it, and present our captive thought to our Commander in Chief, Jesus Christ. We ask Him to crucify the thought and by faith thank Him for doing so. Then we continue our walk of faith. Great truth. Now how does it work?

Thought-"I am such a bad Christian that God could never really love me." Truth-That thought does not line up with the Word of God. I John 4:10 says, "In this is love,not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (See, this is why you must know the Word of God! How else will you recognize the vain imaginations that are lifted up against the knowledge of God?) Test-Can you capture the thought or do you get some kind of perverted pleasure from denigrating yourself? Do put-downs come easily? Has your self-worth been so debased that you really believe the lies the enemy is shooting your way? Can you capture the thought before you act upon it (giving into depression or self-loathing) and turn to the Lord, marching the thought at gunpoint (mentally) to your Commander in Chief and asking Him to crucify the thought. Triumph-Yeah! You have taken your thought captive to the obedience of Christ, cast down the lies of the enemy, crucified self and exalted Christ in your life. God gets all the glory because our weapons are not of this world, but they are "other-worldly!" Sister-you rock!

This process works for any lie of the enemy ("You are stupid", "You are worthless", "You are a bad mother" etc. )or any stronghold (anger, jealously, lust, envy, etc.) that has built a giant honking strong tower in your psyche. This, sisters, is how you pull it down...brick by brick...you are delivered as you repeat the process so many times that it becomes as natural to you as breathing. When you are successful, you put your foot on the neck of your enemy and he is forced to admit that Jesus is Lord!This is why we must put on the helmet of salvation-to guard our thought life-lest we allow the enemy to find a chink in our armor and exploit it or lest we allow a sinful habit pattern to remain unchecked and develop into a stronghold. So, my beloved internets, memorize Scriptures that will be useful when the enemy comes against you to your specific weakness and point of vulnerability. Hold forth the shield of faith, draw the sword of the spirit and fight the good fight of faith. Blessings.

Linked to Spiritual Sunday.

Six Words Saturday

 Welcome Spring. Your warm breathe and brillant splashes of colors are more than welcome.

There's no cure for Spring Fever!

Linked to Six Words Saturday.

Pretty in Pink

Linked to Today's Flowers.

 

How to Make Perfect Icing for Cookies

 Perfect Icing for Cookies

1 cup confectioner's sugar

2 teaspoon milk

2 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and milk until smooth. Add the corn syrup and extract and stir together until smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick add more corn syrup. Do not use hand mixer or it will lose the sheen.  Add food coloring if desired and ice away. The icing dries very shiny and hard.

Plant Sale

 
Pine Grove Farms Plant Sale

We, at Pine Grove Farms,  are hosting a PLANT SALE just in time for spring. Overstocked greenhouses must be thinned out so we are offering you some great nursery stock at grower prices.

We are offering ornamental shrubs, azaleas, blooming perenials (hosta, dayliliies, etc.) , and shade trees. The SALE begins Saturday, March 27-Sunday, March 28th. We will be selling on Saturday (7a.m.-7a.m.) and Sunday (8a.m.-4a.m.) on Hwy. 64 (1 mile east of Hwy. 196 between Hickory Withe and Oakland) unless rained out.

Cash and carry. Grower prices. Outstanding values. 

Look for signs near the future Hickory Trails Subdivision.

Melt in Your Mouth Cookies

Melting Moments Cookies

 

1 c. flour
3/4 c. cornstarch
1 c. butter (softened – do not substitute)
3/4 c. powdered sugar

½ tsp. vanilla (or ¼ tsp. almond extract)

½ tsp. salt

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Make sure butter is fully incorporated or you will get cookies that feather on the edge. Beat well.  Sift together flour and cornstarch and slowly add to butter mixture until all is blended.

 

Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll into teaspoon size balls and lightly flatten onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-11 minutes but do not let cookies brown. Makes 3 dozen. Frost when cool.

 

FROSTING:

2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice

 

Mix together. Frost and enjoy.

Linked to Blessed with Grace and All the Small Stuff and Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Wordless Words for Wednesday-More of Less

Lions. Tigers. And Bears. Oh my!!

 

Linked to 5 Minutes for Mom

Ruby Tuesday

Grayson and Elmo.

 
Linked to Ruby Tuesday. 

April Calendar of Speaking Events

 If you are anywhere in the area of Ridgeland, Mississippi or Senatobia, Mississippi please make plans to join m

on April 15th at 6:30 p.m. I will be speaking at a Ladies Night at Colonial Heights Baptist Church located at 444 Northpark Drive, Ridgeland, MS. 39157. The evening will be a great night of encouragement and inspiration for women in every season and stage of life!! Call Lisa Lucas at 601.956.5000 for more details. Join us. I believe God wants to speak a Word over us!!

On  the weekend of April 30st and May 1st I will be at Lifepoint Church, which is located at 409 Ward Street  in Sentobia, MS. On Friday evening I will be speaking specifically to the MOMS. If you are a expecting, mothering, releasing adult children, grand-mothering, or anywhere in-between (or would just like a night out!) come and join us. I will be bringing 2 message on raising and releasing children. Come and learn how to bend the twig without breaking the branch!! For information on the Friday night event call the church office at 901.299.1006 and ask to speak to Jackey Geeslin.

On Saturday, May 1, I will be speaking at a Mother's Day Tea at Lifepoint. It will begin at 11:30 and dismiss at 1:30. In addition to all the trimmings, I will be bringing a message all about beautiful YOU! So get gussied up and bring your cute self to this wonderful event!! For information on the Friday night event or the Saturday morning affair call the church office at 901.299.1006 and ask to speak to Jackey Geeslin. She can give you the scoop on either or both events.

Seriously you do not want to MISS OUT ON ALL THIS FUN-NESS! Seriously girls. FUN-NESS is guaranteed to flow. Come and let a bit of it splash on your fine self!!

Aloha Friday

It's that time again. It's time for Aloha Friday where I ask you a quick question and you leave a reply in the comment section.

Here is my question.

Do you like daylight savings time?

I do not. I am not a morning person and I resent losing an hour. Oh I know - I will get that hour back in 7 months but I want it NOW. Now, I say. Not in 7 months when I have finally gotten used to this schedule and don't really need it. I want it now. Now when I am well aware of the fact that the clock says it is 10:30 but you and I both know it is really 9:30.

Someone is holding my hour of blissful sleep hostage. And I want it back. What do you have to say? Leave your response in the comment section. And check out the other participants at Aloha Friday.

Teens and Social Networking

Teens tend to run in "herds." Trying to separate your teen from the pack is not easy. The teen years are laced with agony, peppered with exhileration, colored with hormones and heartache, tempered with joy and jubulation, and wrought with angst and aggravation. No wonder they are such tough years for moms and teens alike.

During these years teens are struggling to find their own identity - separate from yours - and they tend to "try out" different versions of themselves in the safety of numbers provided by their peer group. This is why the social networking phenomenon has skyrocketed. It allows for teens to connect with a multitude of people through a few key strokes - sending their "internet identity" soaring into the blogosphere at lightening speed.

So what's a mother to do?

Vicki Courtney has written a great post on this. Click here to read it.

Monday Morning Manna for Moms #16-How to Raise Great Kids

Jesus Christ is the way, THE ONLY WAY, for a guilty sinner (that includes all of us) to be reconciled with a holy God. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Salvation is wrought through a personal decision to receive Jesus Christ, by grace through faith. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household (Acts 16:31). Please understand this. We cannot believe for our children. We cannot make our children receive Jesus. We cannot make our children behave right or believe right. Obviously a child raised in a home where at least one (preferably both) parent is a devoted believer, is more likely to desire to know Jesus. But the ultimate decision to receive or reject Jesus Christ rests with the free will of an individual. There is, however, much we can do to give them a taste for the things of the Lord.

Do not underestimate the influence your godly lifestyle can have in the life of your child! At the same time you must acknowledge that ultimately, the decision to receive or reject Jesus Christ lies in the free will of your child. NEVERTHELESS, your child’s right to decide for or against Christ does not negate the role your Christian testimony will play in that final outcome of your child’s decision.

In the Bible study I teach for MOMS we will be having a q&a session in a couple of weeks. I will be posting some of the questions I have received along with Biblical precepts over the next few weeks. We all want to raise great kids for Christ. God's Word tells us how to train up a child in the way he should go. Let's discover what God says together!

In the Works

A brand new website is in the works for our ministry, Standing Near the Cross Inc. We are so excited we cannot wait to reveal it. It should go live in a few weeks. My new blog will be incorporated into the website and I will have a new blog address.

This Typepad blog will remain up and going for the next few months as we get folks acclimated to visiting with us at the new site. A link will be provided for the new blog. The options this new site will afford us are unbeleivable. And we are excited. Serioously excited folks. So stay tuned!

How to Run Well and Finish Strong

This past weekend Bellevue Baptist Church hosted a Hope for Haiti 5k. Lots of moms and dads brought their little ones and took part in this worthwhile cause.

I am currently teaching a Bible study at Bellevue Baptist. This semester I am teaching the MOMS on the book of 2 Timothy about how to hand down your faith to the next generation. My Bible study is called "Run Well, Finish Strong." A group of my sweet mommas joined in the race to raise money for Haiti. Before they took off for the finish line, they gathered for a picture.

And this, my darling sweet mommas, is simply TOO CUTE. Thank you for all you are doing for the kingdom of Christ through the aggressive pursuit of personal holiness and practical righteousness. Until your little ones are old enough to rise up and call you blessed, I will. I rise up and bless you in the name of Jesus Christ. Keep running well. Stay determined to finish strong!

Until we see Jesus face-to-face, may we press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:14).
 

How to Meet the Nicest People

One of the great privileges of the Christian life is we are place, not only in the body of Christ, but we are also put into the family of God. This weekend I had the privilege of meeting some of the nicest people as I traveled to Grove Level Baptist Church (Dalton, Ga.) and to Burnt Hickory Baptist Church (Powder Springs, Ga.) to teach Bible study.

On Friday morning Craig and I headed to the airport at 6:30 IN THE MORNING, for heaven sakes! You know I am not a morning person. We jumped on a plane and headed to the Atlanta airport. As you know, this particular airport and I have some history. But this time I have no stories to report. And frankly, I am a bit disappointed. But I digress. Once in Atlanta, we proceeded to the car rental  counter and picked up our car.

This is what I wanted.

 This what I got. 

People, we ordered a "mid-sized" car. And this is what they had for us. A Jetta. Seriously. This is mid-sized?  A Volkswagen! Mid-sized?

Well at least we are doing our part to save the environment.

We arrived at the hotel in Dalton and found this goodie from the Women's Committee. Thanks ladies.

When this pretty box was opened it revealed this.

Oh boy! We got settled in and then got ready for the Women's Retreat at Grove Level Baptist Church, where I might add, has hosted Anita Reinfroe. I'm just saying.

I spoke on Friday night and 2 times on Saturday on "Restoring Your Spiritual Passion." (Interested in hearing this series? You can order the 3-part CD set right here and listen to your heart's content. Content, I tell you. Your heart's content. Their opening skit was hilarious. Sadly this is the only picture I got that turned out.

The ladies sang their welcome and introduction of me to show tunes like "Hello Dolly" (pictured). My intro was sung to "Tonight." Hum that in your head and read these words. You will be transported to the retreat.

"Tonight, tonight. Jean Stockdale speaks tonight. She'll tell us all that God has her say. Tonight, tonight. We'll learn a lot tonight. How to live, how to serve, how to love." It was cute I tell ya.'

Grove Level has a ministry to the hearing impaired. All their services are signed, including my messages. Now if you have ever heard me, you are already concerned for the interpretor!! I talk FAST. And I never breath. Once I get going, words are flying. Flying I say. I had my picture taken with this special group and their interpretor, Clarius. 

 Just look at those precious faces!  Love you sweet new friends!

I cannot wait until these ladies see Jesus face-to-face. The first words they will ever speak will be "Jesus." I promised we would all shout it together when we were gathered to His throne. Now that is enough to make me want to shout!

One of my former MOMS Bible study members, Janie Ghaffari brought several of her friends from Middle Valley Baptist Church (where I will be speaking in August along with Donna Gaines). Middle Valley Baptist Church is using my Bible study for moms called "Joy in the Journey". (If you are interested in doing this study or bringing it to your church you can click here for more information.) Here is Janie and her sweet buddies. Love you gals!

Saturday afternoon Craig and I drove our "mid-sized" selves over to Powder Springs, Ga. where Burnt Hickory Baptist is located. I got to have dinner with my new lifelong friend that I did not even know I had (again, being a part of the family of God is so cool!) and 7 of their minister's wives. So much fun. Sadly I forgot to take their pictures. But imagine if you will, me with eight darling women!

On Sunday morning I spoke 2 times at Burnt Hickory Baptist Church. Oh what fun!! This is how to meet the nicest people. Then I had lunch with their MOMS group. Oh my heart. What precious women!! About 2 Mr. Stockdale scooped me up in our "mid-sized" ride and we headed to the Atlanta airport, returned our little car, jumped on a plane and headed to Memphis. Home is always good to come back to.

But this is not our home. Craig and are a part of the family of God, having met God and received Him on His terms of repentance and faith. As a part of the family of God, we are " aliens and strangers" (1 Peter 3:8) in this world. We are looking forward to "the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is the Lord" (Heb. 11:10). We are  simply passing through to my real home where we will dwell with the family of the redeemed, in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ forever and ever.

Apple Dumplins'

Last night our ministry, Standing Near the Cross Inc., had its first board meeting ever. How blessed we were to be in the company of those who share our passion for the Lord Jesus Christ. Our board of directors are praying for us, encouraging us, and offering wise counsel as Craig and I advance on this faith-walk adventure of knowing Jesus and making Jesus known. Thanks to Ray-Ray and Roy for hosting the evening. I made the dessert and, for crying out loud, it was good.  So good, that if this ministry thing doesn't work out, I may go into the catering business!! Just kidding. I kid, people. From time to time, I kid.

This recipe is from Darlene Stroud but Pioneer Woman Cooks offers a very similiar version. Click here to view it and see pictures. Mercy.

Apple Dumplins'

Ingredients:

2 whole Granny Smith Apples (I use Fiji or Honey apples)

2 cans (8 Oz. Cans) Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 1/2  sticks butter (yes, the real thing)

1-½ cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla 

Cinnamon-a light dusting

1 can (12 Oz.) Mountain Dew Soda

Instructions: Peel and core apples. Cut each apple into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour entire mixture over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top. **

**Here is how I served it to make it so very pretty-I toasted and sugared some roughly chopped pecans and I microwaved a small amount a high quatlity caramel sauce. I placed 2 of the dumplins' on a plate, used my baby ice cream scooper to place 2 scoops of a high grade vanilla bean ice cream on tops, dizzled the tinest amount of caramel sauce over it, and then sprinkled the whole  fabulously fabulous thang with sugared pecans. Okay, seriously . . . it was good.

This is a once a year treat. I do not recommend making it any more often than that because it is rich and fabulous. I usually serve it on Christmas morning in our breakfast brunch. Enjoy!

Linked to Blessed by Grace and

Wordfilled Wednesday

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavey-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in jeart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 11. 28-30

Craig and I went to Nepal on a mission trip in 2008, to teach pastors and church leaders about evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. On the way to our village I was this worker leading his muzzled oxen to the field to plow. I immediately thought of this verse.

Linked to PennyRaine.com.

 

Words for Wednesday-More of Less

 

 

 

Can you hear me now?

Linked to Wordless Wednesday, 5 Minutes for Moms and Extraordinary Mothers and Seven Clown Circus.