The Many Faces of Fear: Doubt (Fearless Faith pt5)

Doubt
     This is a particularly dangerous type of fear because it has the ability to sabotage our prayer life. It sneaks in while we are praying and instead of knowing God will do something we only hope he will. A fearless prayer is much more effective than one stricken with doubt. If we pray with a mind full of doubt it is almost like saying we don't truly believe that God will answer our prayer.
     I'm not saying that praying when in doubt is pointless because God grants us grace in this situation but it does seems to make our answers come more slowly than if we fully believed. At least that's the way it has been in my experience.
     If we let it take control it even makes us miserable because when we've given fully into doubt we actually believe that the thing we want to happen won't and that is exactly what doubt is. The fear that something you want to happen won't or even simpler the fear that something won't happen.

Matthew 14:29-31
²⁹ So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
31And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

     As we see from Peter's experience it only takes one stray thought to begin to sink in our own sea of doubt. Peter began to listen to the wind and waves instead of what was truly important. If we can keep our eyes on Jesus and ignore what we think is law than nothing will be impossible for us. We all know that with God all things are possible so lets put that to the test.

Matthew 21:21
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

Mark 11:23
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Mark 9:23
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

     If we believe undoubtedly, nothing will be impossible for us. A truly fearless prayer will yield results. Sometimes we don't see those results right away but it will always yield results. It can be tough to overcome but I believe that once we do we will bare witness to many wondrous miracles. It's just like Jesus said. All things are possible to him who believes.

James 1:5-8
⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

     Wisdom is one of the best things to pray for and by far the easiest to believe for. I've had many situations in which I needed some spiritual guidance and so I asked God. He will always be faithful to answer you when you need guidance. It's much easier to believe something when you know it's God's will for your life.

1 Timothy 2:8
 ⁸ I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

     God wants us to be doubt free. Also we should pray about everything. It shouldn't matter where we are or who is around us. When we see a need or need some guidance about an issue we should pray. As Christians we have a bad habit of telling people we will pray for them but then going about our business and most of the time we never do. It's time we all got out of our comfort zones and started waking in faith as God would have us do.
     When you say something believe it. When you pray for something know that it's going to happen. Expect the miracle. Don't deny God's power in your life by allowing your faith to waiver. Just know that everything will work together for your good.

The Many Faces of Fear: Worry (Fearless Faith pt4)

Worry
     Up until a few weeks ago I would have told you that this is the biggest fear of all because it has the ability to cloud our minds. A clouded mind makes it hard for us to hear God's still small voice because of the voices in your head screaming. To put it simplest I would say that worry is the fear of what may or may not happen. 
     This fear in particular has the ability to hinder us. For instance if you're worried that you won't get a report done on time it will take you longer to get it done. I used to do that all the time. I still do when I'm not paying attention. I'll concern myself with something so I put off doing it. My last blog for example. I was worried about getting it done the way I wanted it done instead of stepping back and looking for a moment and seeing that it was never going to work that way to begin with. Not to mention that the way I am doing it now is much easier and probably better in the long run for those that will read it.
      It's also easy to overlook when you aren't searching yourself and consistently trying to root out fear in your life. I never realized how much of a worry wart I was until God pointed it out to me. I had thought that I was a pretty worry free guy because I had seen how other people worrying made them so miserable. Once God opened my eyes and I stopped allowing myself to worry about things it was amazing. I could hear God clearly, I felt at peace, and I actually got things done faster. Even if I didn't get something done (which only happened once) it wasn't as big of a deal because I wasn't stressed at all. Not only that but in the long run it wasn't that big of a deal anyway.

Matthew 6:25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Luke 12:22-34

²² Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. ²³ Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? ²⁵ And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? ²⁶ If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? ²⁷ Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸ If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?
²⁹ “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. ³⁰ For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. ³¹ But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
³² “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

     This is my absolute favorite thing to use when talking about worry:

Excerpt from Baz Luhrmann's Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)
Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday.

     The point here is that worrying is pointless. There is nothing you can solve by worrying. There are many situations in which we worry. Some of which we can do something such as get to work instead of worrying about deadlines. Others we can do nothing. Our lives will be much more peaceful if we can conquer this fear. This one in particular brings a lot of torment. Instead of worrying in cases where we can't do anything just pray and leave it in God's hands. Trust that he will do what's best in the situation and leave it at that.

The Many Faces of Fear: Selfishness (Fearless Faith pt. 3)

Fear
     Dictionary.com defines it like this: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. I enjoy using this acronym to describe it. False Evidence Appearing Real. I'm not sure who coined it but it puts a good perspective on it. We all know of the dangers to our flesh and blood but at least for now I'm concentrating more on the emotional fears we all have.
     Granted I strive to rid myself of all fear because it helps me to make a clear minded rational decision about any situation I might find myself in. Besides that most often our fear is just imagined, the monsters under our bed so to speak. Giving it life by acknowledging it is only making things worse.
     God has shown me that fear is a lot of things. Negative faith, negative emotion, and a catalyst for sin. If you fear something you are giving it power to happen. Negative emotions all come from fear. Fear protects pride which promotes sin. All of this I will expound on in the next series of blogs.

Galatians 5:16-26
¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

     I shared this passage with you because it shows clearly the contrast between the fruits of the spirit and the works of the flesh. I like to call it the Fruits of Fear and the Fruits of Love. I will be going over each of these fruits of fear in the next several blogs.

Selfishness
     Selfishness is an emotion that is often times so subtle it goes unnoticed by the untrained eye. We have become numb to it to the point that we don't even realize we are doing it. I think there are many different definitions I could give it but I'd say it's put simplest as the fear of being unhappy.
     We would go to the ends of the earth for happiness. The thing is we sabotage our happiness by our own actions. Fear makes us believe that it's OK to be selfish as Christians. I have found, at least in my own life, that helping others is the only time I'm truly happy. Granted we can't do everything and it is possible to do too much. If we string ourselves out too far we'll be no good to anyone.
     For me one of the greatest joys in life is giving. Even if it isn't much just being able to brighten someone's day gives the "warm fuzzies". The thought crossed my mind that it might even be a good way to combat depression. However if we aren't giving with a cheerful heart it profits us nothing.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
⁶ But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 

     Selfishness is probably the biggest fear of all because it's the basis for all negative emotion. If we instead look at life through God's eyes and concentrate on being selfless, unselfish, then we have a whole lot less to fear. So in other words, if we set aside the fear of unhappiness and realize what truly makes us happy instead of relying on what we think makes us happy and just give without fear we will ultimately be happier. Fear brings torment. So how long are we willing to torment ourselves before we decide to do something about it?

     This song has to be my favorite at the moment. The line "But a house made of mirrors never helps you see any clearer it's yourself you can't see past" really brings a better understanding to what I'm trying to say. If you've never been in a house of mirrors at a carnival you probably won't fully understand but imagine a maze where all the walls are mirrors. It's hard to see which way to go even though there is only one path. We get stuck because we concentrate on the mirrors, ourselves. We get bumped and bruised because the way is so hard to see. If you were to paint over the mirrors however the result would be far easier. You could walk through the maze without bumping into anything.
     Imagine that our minds are just one big mirror maze. As long as we remain selfish all we will be able to see is ourselves. We'll get distracted by selfish thoughts. When someone asks you for money on the street you make excuses for why you can't give. It's inconvenient, I don't have it, I really wanted that new high tech gadget and if I help this person I won't be able to get it, they'll just go buy booze with it... Yeah we have a million excuses. Granted each situation is different we just have to be open to the guidance of the holy spirit. All I'm saying is selfishness shouldn't be an excuse.

I encourage you to watch the whole thing but if you wish skip to 1:58 and watch for a few seconds. 

     Just like Joyce's 'robot' we all have a tendency to only concentrate on ourselves. This behavior is most often self destructive. It gives a foothold to things that you really don't want in your life if you only knew they were lurking in the shadows. I believe I covered well in the previous part of this series how to best combat this form of fear but if you need more look in the comments section of that post.
     In a nutshell, If we can learn to love others as Christ loved us you won't have much trouble with this. We will be focused on others instead of ourselves and therefore not thinking of ourselves which puts most selfishness behind us. Ulterior motives have no place in love either so when I say thinking of others I mean thinking of others. Not thinking of how thinking of others could help you.
     If we can learn to successfully combat selfishness we won't have much trouble with fear in general.

 Philippians 2:3
 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

     Fear is one of our greatest areas of weakness. If we can identify what areas we are weak in then we can allow God to give us strength to overcome.

2 Corinthians 12:9
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Love vs. Fear (Fearless Faith pt.2)

     Before you can understand how to combat fear you have to understand God's love. Without love there is only fear. Up until now I'm sure most of us have let fear influence nearly every decision we make. I'll elaborate later but what  if we changed our way of thinking and let love be the deciding factor in our lives?

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

      Love is the absolute best weapon there is against fear. As  Fist John chapter four stated there is no fear in love. If we learn to operate in love, Godly love, then we won't have anything left to fear. Most of us don't truly know what love is. I thought I did until God showed me. True love is unconditional. We as Christians are commanded to love everyone like this.

Leviticus 19:18
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

     The truth is that we cannot truly love anyone until we learn to love ourselves. If we hate ourselves then how can we expect to be able to love our neighbors as ourselves? I'm sure it would set a great example of Christ if we just beat up the next person we see. Yes I'm being sarcastic but people do beat themselves up daily. Mentally of course but still we have to forgive ourselves as Christ has forgiven us and move on. We should begin to see ourselves as he sees us. A child of the living God. 
     Even if we are hard on ourselves sometimes we still know how to love. Most of us think of ourselves more than we would think of a total stranger. I challenge you though to think of at least one person this week more than yourself. I don't mean your wife or kids or even your friends but someone you don't know. Spend a few extra dollars and buy a meal for the person behind you next time you're in a fast food line/drive through. Show God's love in some way to someone. Selfishness is one of the topics I have for later discussion so go ahead and get a head start on your way to becoming selfless. It makes being fearless in your faith a whole lot easier.

Matthew 5:43-48
 ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Luke 6:27-36
 ²⁷ “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. ³¹ And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
³² “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

     As I stated earlier we have to love everyone unconditionally. Even your enemies. This seems like an impossible task for some but I assure you it's entirely necessary. Not only that but once you do your experience in life will be so much greater than you could ever imagine. 
     Do not think that I ask you to do something that I won't do because I have been tested in this as well. I won't go into too much detail but two people come to mind. One person from elementary school who used to bully me I showed kindness to and he ended up being a good friend of mine. The other was a good friend of mine who ended up bullying me along with some of his other friends but I didn't turn my back on him. We remained friends for many more years.


     I can't stress enough the importance of love in our walks as Christians. We should be an example of God's love to the world. How do you think he feels when someone dies that didn't know him? How about what he feels when someone does something that is wrong or dishonest? Better yet how about if one of his children did such an action. I can tell you it's not even comparable to anything we can experience on earth. If he loves everyone that much and we're supposed to be like him then how can we not love everyone as much as he does?
     It's a difficult concept I understand but God sees us all the same he is no respecter of persons. All sin is equal in his eyes even though to us it seems like murdering someone is far worse than lying about something so why should we not allow everyone the chance to enter heaven?
     Of all the books of the Bible I think 1 Corinthians 13 spells out love the best of all. There is no better summation I could write that would be any better than this:

1 Corinthians 13:1-7
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 John 4:8
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

1 John 4:16
And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

     So if one doesn't have love and God is love than how can one be saved without it? Such is the same with fearless faith. Without love you have nothing. To put it another way, If we don't learn to love like God loves we'll never learn to conquer fear. We have to forgive and love no matter what. It is not our place to judge or to punish. Only to love.

Romans 12:
 ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 Deuteronomy 32:35

 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’

     I suppose you could look at these next two scriptures from two different lights. One being that God's love covers all our sins. The other being that if we love one another instead of continuously being angry with one another we will save ourselves from committing a multitude of sins. I believe that if we can truly learn to walk in love that we will no longer struggle with sin. 

Proverbs 10:12

Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.

1 Peter 4:8

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

John 21:15-17

¹⁵ So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
¹⁶ He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

     I bring this scripture up because I just wanted to reiterate the true meaning of the word love. In our society today we use it so much that it has become nearly meaningless. We use it more to say we like something than truly love it. The love a sweet toothed person has for a confection is nothing compared to the love that God has for each and every one of us. I've heard a sermon preached on this passage of scripture in which peter used  different terms for what we call love. It wasn't until Jesus asked him the third time did he truly understood. His final response was Agape. If my knowledge serves me right this was the strongest word for love that the language had. We must strive to be intentional in love and allow God to show us just what it means and how to truly love like he loves.
    God had to teach me this love. It wasn't easy to learn but he showed me just how easy it can be. I could've read this blog one hundred times before and wouldn't have truly understood so I ask that when you start this journey into the love of God that you ask him to show you as he has shown me. 
   I'll leave you with one last scripture. God gave us the spirit of love. We are capable of forgiving and loving the same way God does. We are made in his image and capable of reflecting his light across the world. Matthew 6:15 as well as 18:35 and Mark 11:26 says that if we cannot forgive then we cannot be forgiven.  It takes love to forgive.

 

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Fearless Faith

     I remember a time when I used to be so frightened to sing in front of people. When I joined my first choir it was quite challenging until I had been doing it for a while. Something inside me kept driving me. My love for singing wouldn't allow me to walk away because of an irrational fear (of what I don't quite remember but I was really shy for most of my childhood).
     I started challenging this fear I sought to destroy it the best I could by challenging myself to do that which I was afraid to do. I began trying out for solo's and eventually obtained that goal. From then on my goal was to sing a solo in front of as many people as possible. My reason behind it was to prove that I was no longer afraid to do it.
    I tried out for the Alabama Allstate Choral Festival every year (Thanks to Mr Nance my first choir teacher for bringing it to my attention). My goal became to get a solo in one of the songs there because the audience was much larger than any I had ever had a chance to sing in front of before. Unfortunately I was unable to meet that goal.Nevertheless I don't consider it a failure. It wasn't for lack of talent or lack of trying.
     Sometime in high school I believe it was my Junior or Senior year God revealed to me just what happened. He began teaching me about fear. He taught me what exactly it was and just how much it effects our lives.
    It's been a long time since God revealed to me the the power that fear has on us. More accurately the false power it has over us. I say that because when we are in him, when we've truly become one of his children fear no longer has any place in our lives.

2 Timothy1:7
" For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

     As long as we have assured our salvation in him we have absolutely no reason to fear anything. Not death, not torture, nothing.  It may sound crazy but ever since God opened my eyes to fear one of the practices I use in dealing with it is to think of the worst case scenario for what I've found myself in fear of. The absolute worst thing I can see out of any situation is death. As I stated before that's really nothing to be afraid of at all. I don't necessarily recommend this tactic to most of you but it works for me.

Matthew10:28
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."


Isaiah 54:17
"No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
      And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
      You shall condemn.
      This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
      And their righteousness is from Me,”
      Says the LORD."

     It's mostly because God has opened my eyes to it but I also analyze the fear that I come up against. I step back and take a look at what truly brought me to that point of being afraid. Most of the time I find that being afraid of whatever it was was pretty much just an irrational notion. In the case of my singing it would go something like this:

"Why am I afraid to sing on stage in front of those people?I might mess up. What's the worst thing that can happen? I get embarrassed. Is that a good reason to be afraid? No. OK so then I have no reason to be afraid.


     I have often said that there is no good fear. I know some of you would argue and say "What about spiders and snakes and other things that can hurt us?" Or "What about the fear of God?" As for that I will get to it in a minute but first. It's ok to have a reaction to something such as a spider or a snake but to let the simple sight of such things send you into a full on panic mode is not healthy. If you truly understood those creatures you wouldn't be nearly as afraid of them as you might be now.
     I'm not saying you should go out looking for snakes and spiders and whatever but use your brain. If you're unsure of how dangerous something is just avoid it you don't have to be afraid of it. In fact fear has a way of hindering us from being able to think and to slow us down when it's necessary to flee. Ever heard of a deer in the headlights?
     Well one could argue that it's the light that causes the deer not to be able to see that makes it stop but the point is if you let fear overtake you then you won't be able to act when it's truly necessary. I have been frozen in fear before so I know such a thing happens.
     My point in saying all this is that I believe it's my duty to share what God has shown me regarding fear.  So the next several posts will be exactly that. I haven't perfected my fearless walk with Christ yet but I know as I share what I know God will speak to me as he has in the past. Often times you learn more about something when you try and teach it than you ever could when studying it. At least in God's way of doing things. I hope you all get as much out of this as I do.

Tim In a Bottle remixed

     Hey everyone. I know it's been a while since I posted last and that is part of the reason I've decided to make a change. I will still occasionally post some randomness but I've decided to get a little deeper.
     Sometimes it's not so easy to be creative. It's not that I lack the talent it's more like I lack the interest to make the time to do it. That being said the story I was in the process of writing was going to be about a time in my life where I decided to turn away from God. My reasoning behind this was Revelation 3:16
     I had been struggling with habitual sin and couldn't (at least in my eyes) control it. I basically told God that if I couldn't be hot then I would have to choose cold and that maybe one day I would grow tired of my "habit". That was the worst decision I have ever made.
     It was almost instantaneous that God lifted his hand from my life. He showed me just how dark I could actually be. I lost most of my self control even though before hand I thought I had very little. I began swearing. Up until that point in my life I had only said maybe two or three swear words, if that.
     I was very afraid of the person I had become. Almost the same instant that I made that choice I began begging God to take me back but three months would pass before he would. All I had managed to do during that three months is acquire new struggles I would have to deal with when I came back to Christ.
     The point is that no matter what we're going through, no matter how bad we think we are God is still with us. Those of you reading this that may have struggles with self control I have this to say. You do have self control. There is always a way out of any temptation or situation.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Romans 8:37 NKJV
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Isaiah 54:17
  No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
      And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
      You shall condemn.
      This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
      And their righteousness is from Me,”
      Says the LORD.

     So just because you feel trapped in a habitual sin don't do like I did and turn away. Instead seek God even harder. Look to his word and above all else pray. Get an accountability partner and talk with them regularly. It's not easy but you can do it.
     Don't give yourself license to sin.  If you mess up just ask God to forgive you and continue down your path to recovery. Don't wallow in it or think "I screwed up again so I might as well..." These things just keep you from where you need to be in Christ.
     Develop a relationship with God and stay in the word. That's the best weapon we have against anything that comes against us. Don't be afraid to fast. Fasting is what helps us keep control over our flesh. If you find that you spend too much time or put too much heart into something than put it away for a while.
     Develop good habits. Start with something simple like waking up at a certain time every morning. It's easier to do the harder things once you've mastered the little things. Minimize your idle time. If you have a lot of it do something constructive like writing a blog or journal.
     That's most of the good advice I've heard throughout my years. I haven't mastered all of it yet but believe me it's good advice. One thing that was brought to my attention recently was the involvement of fear in our struggles with habitual sin.

 2 Timothy 2:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

     We are born into sin and therefore one could assume that we are also born into fear, but when we are born again we are no longer bound by such things. Once we accept Christ the old things are passed away and we have new life in him. The only thing that keeps us from walking in that is ourselves. 
     So what does fear have to do with it you ask? It's pretty simple. In my case it's the fear that I will never get to experience certain things or that the temptation won't go away if I don't give in. It could also be that I'm afraid that I won't experience the high that I feel when I do give in.
     The truth is that God's presence is a better high than anything you could feel artificially. I've never done drugs or anything like that but I've heard people that have say the same thing.  So why do some of us continuously give in to temptation when we know that sin separates us from God?
     I say it's because we just don't see the exit sign shining brightly above the door. That way of escape that 1 Corinthians 10 was talking about. Perhaps it's just that we are too lazy to wait for God's supernatural high.  I know in my situation I have to let God fill the void inside or I will fall flat on my face. When I let his love fill me I forget about the temptation.
     I hope what I have shared has turned on the lights inside the exit signs in your life so that the next time you feel tempted you see how to escape and run to Jesus. There is truly not a greater friend or a greater love than he.
     There's only one thing I can add to what I have written so far and that is to fill yourself with God.

Matthew 12:43-45
 ⁴³ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Luke 11:24-26
²⁴ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ ²⁵ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. ²⁶ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

     I know that habitual sin isn't exactly demon possession but it's the same principal. If you don't fill yourself with the word and fill your life with prayer and worship (A true relationship with Christ) then you will continue to struggle.

The White Lie

     Jimmy was a quiet sort of guy. He always seemed happy but inside he was everything but. From the outside you would think he had everything going for him. He had good friends, a family that loved him, and a girlfriend whom he loved very much. He had a problem though. He loved to bend the truth.
     For instance, just this morning he told his mom that he had already taken the trash out when she called. He was really playing video games at that time and had been all morning. He did take the trash out a little later but a lie is a lie.
      Yesterday he told his best friends that he couldn't go to the movies because he had to finish his chores. The truth was he had already seen the movie. He did have one chore left but he didn't have to take out the trash until the next day. That's when the trash men came to collect it.
     His girlfriend wasn't immune to it either. In fact he has lied to everyone he wass close to. Not big lies but white lies. Lies that are really more like bent truths than lies. Most of the time his intentions behind them were good though obviously misguided.
     One would think that this practice would not be harmful but fate sometimes has other ideas about what is right and what is wrong. Jimmy was soon to find this out first hand.
     He crashed into bed that Friday night exhausted from playing outside with his friends. The next day he was awakened by a strange noise. He looked around the room trying to figure out what could have caused it but soon fell back asleep.
     "Just a few more minutes." He thought to himself.
     "Jimmy!" A loud echoing voice called to him.
     "Go away dad I'm trying to sleep!" Jimmy screams angrily.
     "Jimmy!" the voice calls again.
     "OK fine I'll get up." Jimmy complies as he opens his eyes.
     He is astonished to find that he isn't in his room any longer. His eyes dart around the room looking for the source of the mysterious voice. It appears that he is in a cave of some sort. The walls were slimy and he could smell a musky odor that resembled that of wet dog, only worse.
     "Who's there?" Jimmy stuttered slightly afraid. "What do you want with me? Why did you bring me here?"
     "Foolish child." The voice called sternly, "I didn't bring you here. You were sent here."
     "Why?" Asked Jimmy.
     All of a sudden Jimmy heard the sound of chains breaking. A low growl fills the air as the sound of claws scratching the cave floor get closer and closer. Jimmy could tell that this creature was huge. he was afraid but he couldn't move.
     "Because you lie too much!" The creature yelled as it finally appeared from a dark corner of the cave.
     Jimmy scooted backward and tripped over a dip in the cave floor and began to scamper toward the wall. The creature had him cornered now but he knew even if he could get away there was no way he could outrun such a humongous creature. He said a short silent prayer asking for forgiveness. He hadn't realized his lying had become such a problem.
     The creature raised it's giant paw with claws extended and ready to strike. Jimmy felt that it was the end but just before the creature struck a tiny ball of extremely bright light blinded the creature. For a moment it even blinded Jimmy. The creature ran back into a dark tunnel just as the light began to fade.
     "It's about time you got here." The little ball of light scorned. "He's gotten loose now. Had I been a moment later he would have torn you to shreds."
     "As if this day wasn't weird enough already." Jimmy mumbled. "Now I have to deal with an angry fairy."
     "I am not a fairy!" The tiny ball of light retorted. "I'm kind of your guardian."
     "Kind of?" Jimmy responded very puzzled. "I think you did a great job so far. Now how do we get out of here."
     "Well, that's where the kind of part comes in. You have to find your own way out of here but first I need to give you something."
     "So what are you waiting for?" Jimmy snapped.
     "Over here." The tiny ball of light called as it flew to a dark corner of the cave. "This is yours."
     There in the dim light of the creature was a sword and a suit much like those of the super heroes in the comic books. It was solid white and laced with red on the edges there were no sleeves but there appeared to be some sort of armor that hung over the shoulders underneath the fabric.
     "Oh no." Jimmy responded. "There is no way I'm wearing that!"
     "Suit yourself but here in this realm you are known as 'The White Lie'. The only superhero strong enough to defeat the beast you just had the pleasure of almost being eaten by. However you have no power without wearing it. That sword there would be more like a toothpick."
     A scream is heard echoing from a far tunnel in the cave and it catches Jimmy's ear.
     "Stephie!" Jimmy yelled frantically. "What is she doing here you... you... light bulb?"
     "All those that are close to your heart that you've been dishonest with are here."
     "Oh brother." Jimmy says as he dawns his new uniform, "This is going to be a long day"
     Jimmy takes off in the direction of the screams. The little ball of light stays with him giving him enough light to see his way. He draws his sword as he nears an opening to another large room in the cave. He can smell the beasts foul odor as he creeps along the outer wall in search of his sister. It wasn't long before he spotted her up ahead chained to the wall in a slight recess.
     "Jimmy!" She shouts joyfully as she spots him. "I'm so glad to see you but you should get out of here. There's a huge beast out there somewhere."
     "I know," Jimmy replied, "and it's my fault you're here. If I hadn't lied to you and everyone else about something none of us would be here."
     "You?" Stephie said as if he had just told her he grew another arm during the night."That can't be. You've always been the most honest person I've ever known."
     "Well, I had gotten into a habit of bending the truth a bit. like yesterday I told mom I'd taken out the trash already when the truth was I was just about to take it out."
     "What lies have you told me then?"
     "I can't remember. I've been trying to think of what it was but nothing comes to mind."
     "No matter what happens little brother I still love you. I always will and nothing can change that."
     "I love you too Stephie." He said as he wraps his arms around her. "I'll figure out how to get us all out of here. Don't you worry."
     At that moment Jimmy began to here the beasts claws running on the cave floor. They were getting closer and closer until it suddenly stopped. Jimmy couldn't let go of his sister. He was heartbroken that he had brought her here with him.
     "Awe isn't that cute?" The beast snarled. "But you'll never make it out alive dear Jimmy!"
     Jimmy spins around quicker than the average human can blink and unsheathed his sword. He looked the beast straight in the eyes and then began to swing. The little ball of light flew up to the top of the room and let it's lite shine bright enough for Jimmy to see how to fight. The beast matched Jimmy blow for blow. Claws against steel filled the cavern with a beautiful melody.
     The beast seemed to have the upper hand as he knocked Jimmy's sword aside and sliced his arm with one of his claws. Jimmy screamed out in agony but kept fighting. He continued matching the beast blow for blow but he couldn't keep up. The beast landed another blow to his leg. Jimmy knew he was in trouble if he didn't think of something fast.
    He ran from the beast to give himself a little time to think and to give his arms a little rest. He decided on a hail marry and ran straight for a wall. The beast had him cornered now but when Jimmy reached the wall he kept running. With a burst of strength and speed Jimmy flipped around kicked off the wall and swung straight at the beasts head. The beast raised it's paw in defense but seemed to be afraid at what it had just witnessed because it ran off into another dark tunnel. It had left something behind however. Jimmy had chopped one of the beasts claws off.
     He ran back over to his sister.
     "Jimmy!" His sister yelled when she saw his arm and leg. "Are you alright? You're bleeding!"
     "I'll be fine." He reassured her. "They aren't that deep."
     They talked for a little while about life in general. He hadn't seen his sister in a good while because she had moved with her husband across the country. They only got to see each other a few times a year when they came to visit. It was then when he finally remembered the lie. 
     "Do you remember Ricky's surprise party?" Jimmy began.
     "Of course I do." Stephie replied, "I was so happy that you were able to make it. Even though you did forget the cake"
     "I didn't forget it. I was on my way with the cake but I had to make a quick stop. The cake was ruined. I went back to the bakery and had them make a new one but obviously it wasn't gonna be ready in time for me to make it to the party so I went. I told you that I had forgotten it and secretly sent mom after it a few minutes later."
     Jimmy saw a smile creep across his sisters face but before she could say anything the chains fell from her wrists and she faded away like she were never there. Jimmy knew what she was going to say. He could almost hear her cheerful voice reassuring him. He also noticed that the wounds on his arm and leg had healed. He knew then what he had to do.
     He didn't linger long. He knew the beast was out there somewhere just waiting to attack and he had to rescue the rest of the people he inadvertently sent here. He set off through a nearby tunnel the little ball of light leading the way.
     "I should tell you more about the beast." The little ball of light said as they walked. "His only desire is to kill you. If he succeeds then you will cease to exist. Then he will live on in your place."
     "Don't you worry." Jimmy reassured the little ball of light. "The only one that's gonna do any dying is him if he gets in my way again."
     After walking for what seemed like hours the tunnel finally widens into another great cavern. He is once again greeted by the smell of that foul beast. He could hear its claws scratching the ground as it came to meet him.
     "It's about time you got here." The beast taunted. "Your mom has been waiting for you."
     "Mom!" Jimmy shouted his voice full of worry.
     "Don't worry Jimmy." The little ball of light said calmly "He wouldn't harm her. If he had the chance he'd have everyone locked in here. I'll shed some light on the situation"
     The little ball of light flew up to a high spot in the middle of the room as before. Jimmy, with a stern look on his face gave the beast an ultimatum.
     "Out of my way or the next thing you'll taste is my steel piercing through your heart."
     "You?" The beast laughed. "I seem to remember you were the one that nearly died last time we met but if you insist I'll be glad to end you right here in front of your dear old mom."
     "Bring it!"
     Jimmy leads the offensive with a thrust as he unsheathes his sword but the beast was quick to block. Jimmy turns and with a speed the beast hadn't seen from him before cuts his paw. The beast quickly retaliates with a fierce blow with his paw sending him flying across the room. Jimmy gets back up barely fazed at all and charges again jumping just before he reaches the beast preparing for a vertical slash like before but the beast whips around and bashes him with his tail.
     "Not this time Jimmy boy' The beast taunts as Jimmy flies against the wall.
     Jimmy takes a moment to catch his breath before charging again slicing away at the beast. The beast matches him  blow for blow but his claws are starting to wear down. Jimmy sees the effect his sword is having and makes another strong blow. The blow seemed to have affected the beast but it gave one last swing. Jimmy dodged it jumped up and sliced the beasts arm. It then ran off again into a dark tunnel.
     Once the adrenaline wore off Jimmy collapsed to the floor. Being hit twice and slammed into a wall had taken more of a toll on him than he had realized. There beside him lies another of the beasts claws. When Jimmy saw it a smile came across his face and he struggled to his feet. He walked over to where his mom was chained using the sword as a crutch. She appeared to be unconscious.
     "Mom." He said gently while brushing the side of her face with the back of his hand.
     She began to move with the sound of his voice and the touch of his hand. She looked up at him with a smile on her face. She tried to hug him but had forgotten she was bound by the chains. He embraced her with a hug as if he hadn't seen her in years.
     "Jimmy!" She spoke with an excited tone. "I thought you would be bound up somewhere like me. The thought had me worried sick. I didn't know who had brought me here or what they wanted but I couldn't help but think I wasn't the only one of us that was brought here."
     "It's my fault we're all here mom." He admitted. "I haven't been entirely truthful to you. Like the other day when you asked me if I had taken out the trash I really hadn't done it yet and when I sent you after Ricky's cake I didn't forget it I just had to have another one made because I ruined the first one."
     Just as before the chains fell from his mothers wrists and she faded away. Jimmy felt much better now and could once again walk under his own power. He thought for a moment as he saw a trail of blood leading down the tunnel the beast had ran into. Once he looked around the room he saw another tunnel leading in a different direction.
     "I think we better go this way for now." He said to the little ball of light as he walked toward the other tunnel. "I'm more concerned with freeing the rest of the people I've imprisoned here than I am with the beast."
     They started down the tunnel and before long the came to another open space with other tunnels leading out in different directions. He saw his dad chained to a far wall and started running toward him. When his dad noticed him he had a look of shock on his face.
     "Jimmy?" His dad said in dismay. "Of all the people that could've sent me here you were the last one I would've expected. You've always been so trustworthy."
     "I know dad but white lies are still lies. I never realized how caught up in them I had become. Wait, you know about this place?"
     "Yes. I was sent here myself as a child. I was a terrible liar but this place taught me the error of my ways."
     "Wow, I never knew. Hey maybe you can help me find my way around since you've been here before. I could tell you the truth and your chains would pop open but then you'd disappear. Maybe if I do this."
     Jimmy unsheathes his sword and strikes at the chains a few hard times and they finally break. He looks at his dad with a smile and slides his sword back into it's sheath.
     "So dad which way do you think we should go next? I'm trying to concentrate on getting everyone out of here. Then I'll deal with the beast."
     His dad looks around for a minute and smells the air around the tunnel entrances.
     "That way leads back to the beasts lair." He said as he pointed to tunnel to the right. "The other two lead to other rooms like this. The one on the left is most likely a dead end so I say we head that way first."
     Jimmy nods and they head into the tunnel. As they neared the next room the tunnel began to get smaller and smaller.  The entrance to the room was barely wide enough for Jimmy to squeeze through. Jimmy was horrified when he finally got into the room. It was so small there was barely enough room for him and the prisoner whom he loved very much. His girlfriend was chained to the wall much like the others but Jimmy knew she hated small spaces.
     "Sarah." he said with a small voice as he touched her cheek. "Sarah it's me wake up."
     She began to stir and she looked up at him with a tear in her eye. He leaned down and kissed her gently.
     "It's ok I'm here now." He said wiping the tears from her eyes. "I know this must've been hard on you. I"m sorry I put you through this."
     Sarah couldn't speak because she was crying but Jimmy continued.
     "Remember when we were out walking by the river and you thought something was bothering me? Well, there was something bothering me. My best friend and I had just gotten into a huge fight the day before. The things he said to me were really bothering me. I didn't realize how important it was for me to tell you the truth then. I promise I will never lie to you again."
     He wraps his arms around her and squeezes her tight. As the chains fall from her wrists she puts her arms around his neck for just a moment before she fades away. Jimmy squeezes back through the entrance to the tunnel and meets back up with his dad on the other side.
     "That beast is going to pay!" Jimmy shouted. "He didn't have to torture her like that."
     "You do realize that you were the one that did so." His dad said. "Her knowing you were hurting and not being able to comfort you in your time of need was like torture to her."
     Jimmy knew he was right but it still made him angry. With a quick word he told his dad the truth.
     "I knew where the remote to the TV was. I was just in a hurry to meet up with my friends."
     Within moments his dad was gone. There was nothing left in that tunnel but the bits of metal that were around his dad's wrists. He suddenly felt very alone. Still he pressed on. Once he reached the room he was in before. He stopped for a while to think. He could only think of three other people he had lied to. His friends.
     "They must be down this tunnel." He thought to himself as he walked into it.
     Then and only then would he face the beast again. This time it would be a fight to the finish. Jimmy knew that he could win so he pressed on walking as fast as he could towards his friends. He entered the room and to his relief they were all there.
     "Boy am I glad to see all you guys in one place. I feel like I've been walking in this cave for days. OK the truth is I could've gone with you to the movies the other day but I had already seen it."
     To his shock they didn't disappear nor did the chains fall from their wrists. His friends just looked at one another and then back at Jimmy as if Jimmy had lost his mind. Before any of them had a chance to speak Jimmy spoke up again.
     "I know what I haven't told you yet. Yes I did think it was rude of you guys to intrude on my date with Sarah the other day. Yes, yes I did think it was stupid for us to go to that abandoned building outside of town."
     To his relief the chains finally popped off their wrists and they faded away. Now all that was left was to destroy the beast that had brought him here. He could smell fresh air coming from a nearby tunnel but he knew the beasts lair was the other direction. He could smell a hint of that foul odor in the air. He took that tunnel and began to walk. It was a long winding tunnel that seemed to go on for days but he finally came to a room.
     To his dismay it only branched off into other tunnels but he knew exactly which one to take. The smell was strong. Before he moved on he decided it would be a good Idea to mark the tunnel that he came from so he could find his way back to the cave entrance. He took his sword and made a gash in the wall next to it. Then he carried on to the beasts lair.
     Once he entered the tunnel he knew that this would be the last time they fought. The beast also been preparing himself for battle while Jimmy had been rescuing the rest of the people in the cave. His claws had grown back and he adorned them with a thick metal. His wounds were beginning to heal and he felt confident that Jimmy would fall. He growled deeply as he saw the light from the little ball that had been following Jimmy getting closer and closer.
     Jimmy was again horrified once he entered the beasts lair. He not only saw the beast with his new improvements but the entire cave wall was covered in what looked like prison cells. In each one was a person. Jimmy recognized some of them. They were from his high school.
     "Like what you see Jimmy?" The beast taunted. "This is your image. What you want everyone to see about you. Lets face it Jimmy you're afraid of the truth. You'd never tell them who you really are."
     "I'm afraid of nothing!" Jimmy said as he charged at the beast.
     They matched each other blow for blow but Jimmy was careful to keep the beasts claws on the other side of his sword. He knew what it felt like to have them taste his flesh and he wasn't about to let that happen again. He noticed the beasts improvements and that he would have to think of another way to get the upper hand this time. His mind begins to turn as he thrusts and parries.
     "There has to be a way to get past his defense." Jimmy thinks to himself.
     No matter what Jimmy thinks of it seems the beast has an answer for it. The beast was as ferocious as ever but Jimmy was confident. He displayed skills in swordsmanship that he never would've believed had he been watching himself fight. The beast nearly slashed Jimmy's arm as the fight drug on but it was Jimmy who took first blood. He slashed the back of the beasts paw. The beast roared in agony and Jimmy got an Idea.
     It wasn't long before Jimmy had his chance. He grasped his sword tightly and as the beast slashed at him he jumped back and pinned it's paw to the ground. Without a moment's hesitation he parried the beasts counterstrike with a well timed kick giving him all the time he needed to retrieve his sword and plunge it into the beasts heart.
     The beast let out a gurgled roar as it fell to it's side and then to it's back. Jimmy was quick to jump up and retrieve his sword returning it to it's sheath. He jumped down and once again took a look around the room at the hundreds of prison cells. He took a moment to reflect before he understood what he needed to do. He walked over to the center of the room and with a loud voice he began to speak.
      "Listen up everyone. I know you don't understand why you're all here but I have one thing to say. I am a Christian! I know when most of you had looked at me in the past you didn't see it. I never denied it when you spread rumors of my impurity. I didn't lie to each of you with my mouth but it was my actions that were so untrue. Worst of all I lied to myself. I began to believe the lies I'd been living rather than the truth. I'm not the inconsiderate jock I've been pretending to be. I don't care about my image. If you guys decide to make me the most unpopular guy in school from now on then so be it. I have to be true to myself from now on."
     Once Jimmy finished speaking the room was filled with the sound of prison cells opening and within moments the cave was empty. The beast drew one last gurgled breath as he began to take a dramatically different shape. Jimmy ran over only to see himself staring back at him.
     "A lie is a powerful thing Jimmy." The little ball of light said. "Even the smallest can have the greatest effect. There is no such thing as a white lie. Now that you've learned this you are no longer The White Lie. You are a soldier of the truth. I will help you make the right decisions but I am a gentleman. If you refuse my help then my light will begin to fade as you hide me from everyone as you did before."
     The little ball of light was no longer just a tiny ball but it had grown to the size of a person and it was so bright Jimmy couldn't look at it.
     "Thanks for helping me. I'll be sure and listen from now on. I'm just glad that I was given another chance."
     With that Jimmy walked back to the tunnel he had marked that led him back to the entrance to the cave. He walked for what seemed like an hour before he reached the outside. At the mouth of the cave was a field of beautiful flowers spread out through a sea of gentle grass. Jimmy began to walk through it smiling as he took in all the beauty. His eyes began to grow heavy as the smell of the flowers seemed to make him drowsy. It wasn't long before he was curled up in the grass sleeping like a baby.
     When he woke up he was back in his bed. He threw back the covers and jumped to his feet. It was Saturday. He remembered everything from the cave but he counted it as a dream. Nevertheless he was a changed man. From that day forward he never told another lie. Neither with words nor with actions.
     He looked in the mirror and something caught his eye. Leaning against the nightstand was the sword he'd used to slay the beast. He could also see the scars left behind from the beasts claws but when he turned around the sword was gone. He looked back at his arm and there were no scars. It was then he heard a still small voice.
     "Remember."