I was drinking my coffee, yes decaf, and thinking about a vacation the family had taken a few years ago.

Now I do not know about you, but Joe and I have two small dogs, Sara and Katy, that we take with us. They behave better than many children do.

A couple of years ago, we went to my mother's, in Louisiana. There are cows in the pasture around the house. One cow in particular liked to jump the fence. Well, the cow was out of the pasture and our dog, Sara, had never seen a cow. Boy, was she ready to find out what that funny looking thing was. We let her out of the car, and away she ran, chasing the cow until it jumped the fence and went back into the pasture. Now let me tell you, Sara thought she was the big dog. If there had been a prideful look, she had it. "Just look what I have done. I chased that thing right back where it belongs!"

Anyway, the next day, the cow was again out of the pasture, so we thought we would let Sara chase her again. And Sara was more than ready. This time we got the movie camera out. We wanted this on tape. You know, funniest home videos. Well, we let Sara out and away she ran, chasing that cow right back into the pasture. Well, that was supposed to be what happened. Instead, the cow stopped, turned around, and started back toward Sara. When this happened, she lost all her bravery. She immediately laid down on her back and put her legs up in the air. Total submission to the cow. Or maybe she thought if I act dead, that thing will just go away. We all had a good laugh and Sara did not care for chasing cows any longer.

Now you know that there is a devotion somewhere in this story. I got to thinking about the situation. When everything is going good, we are brave hearted. We laugh and tell the devil where to go. But when the devil attacks us, we, like Sara, turn and act defeated, just hoping that if we play dead, and do not do anything, he will just go away. In other words, we give total submission to the devil. He can take our lives and destroy us.

But that is not the case. (Ephesians 6:12) says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Yes, satan and his demons do try to attack us daily. This is the reason we need to read our Bibles and stay in prayer daily. Remember, Jesus defeated satan in the wilderness by saying, "It is written, satan, you shall not temp the Lord your God." See, we have to use the word of God on Satan.

(Ephesians 4:27) says, "Neither give place to the devil." If we stay in fellowship with God, then the devil does not have a place in our lives to attack us. When you are filled with the word of God, there is no room for satan or his demons. But when we get out of fellowship with God, then we open ourselves up to every attack that satan can throw at us.

See, if Sara had been raised on a farm, then she would have known what to do. She would have had control over that cow. So instead of her ruling the cow, the cow had rule over her.

Some of us have been raised in the church, and we know what is right. We know how to defeat satan, but we back down. Why? We have gotten out of fellowship with God. We are not reading out Bibles daily and praying. Right now, you need to make a decision that you are going to set things straight. Right now, put satan back where he belongs, out of your life. Then fill your spirit daily with fellowship with God. Read your bible and pray. Then, when the cow comes after you, you will be able to send him back to the pasture.

Playing Sports With God

Playing Sports With God
By: Pastor Pat Aman

John 13: 14

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:7
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Matthew 10: 28 31

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.


When I lay in bed after several surgeries, I had a chance for God to speak to me, and for me to listen. One of the things that God spoke to me about was on prayer. The way He did it was funny. Why? He used sports to do it.

Maybe it was because my daughter was Volleyball Coach and Assistant Basketball Coach during this time, and I had been to several games. Even the State Play-offs where their team had won. So, sports was really on my mine, in this season of time of my life.

God though the Holy Spirit told me that He would like for us to stop playing basketball with Him. He said a lot of people will give him the ball (problem) and just as He is about to score a three pointer for us, we foul Him out. We try to take the ball (problem) back, when we think the time is running down on the scoreboard clock.

Why? We are thinking He is taking to long are maybe He is not doing it as we would want Him too. Then because we fouled Him, the ball (problem) went out of bounds. As He runs to get the ball (problem) back, it is to late so He has to go to the free throw line. He can not handle it the way He was going to, because we either added to the situation are caused more trouble for ourselves. Then just as He is about to throw the ball (problem) from the free throw line, we get in front of Him and are trying to rebound the ball (problem) into our hands. Why? Because again, we are not letting Him handle the situation for us. Then we are questioning God.

Then He told me that when we give him the ball (problem), that we need to just leave it in His hands to handle , because He promises to score a three pointer for us.

He said remember I do not play volleyball with you either. When you give me the ball (problem) I am not going to volley it back to you. I am going to do what is best for you, because I am your Father and a Father is not going to let his children be hurt, depressed, lonely and sad. He is going to take care of all of our wants and needs.

He told me just to do as a baseball player does. When Satan throws a ball (problem) at you. Just pick up the bat and hit the ball (problem) to God. In other words hit a homerun and then run around the bases praising God for the answer while the angels in heaven are cheering you on.

Now I told you this was different, but my God has a sense of humor and sometimes He use the strange things of this world.

Hope that you have enjoyed this as much as I did.
Love Pastor Pat