When I look at a minus sign, I feel negative.  When I look at a plus sign, I feel positive.  We all look at life either “half full” or “half empty”.  You might be thinking you don’t know what has happened to me in my life; I have a right to be negative.  I understand that bad things happen to all of us but I have learned the outcome is how we perceive and then receive the situations in our life that determines the end result.

The following statements are typical of us as humans: Why doesn’t anything happen for me? Why are you making me do this?  How come everybody else gets to do it but me?  How come you prosper them and not me?  Why don’t you help me?  Why does my husband do what he is doing?  Why don’t you make him stop?  Why aren’t my children better?  Why does my wife complain all the time?   Whine, Whine, Whine, Whine, and Whine (not Wine!)

Don’t be hardheaded like I was and think that your words are not a reflection of your attitude and what is happening on the inside of you.  You have to make the decision to make a change if you want something different than what you are living in at this very moment of time.  Some choices you have made will have repercussions for years to come and others can be rectified easily but you have to decide what it is you truly want.  Don’t let the enemy of your soul defeat you in your life through your attitude because for him it is an easy way to gain the victory over you.     

Your actions reflect your attitude so take a good look at what is happening around you.  If you want something different than you have right now then you will have to do something different.  The choice of positive or negative is for all of us but you are the one who holds the key to unlock the outcome.  Don’t let the enemy of your soul or the actions of others determine your fate. Your life/ Your choice… we all have free will.

 “I will bring locusts onto your territory…  And they shall cover the face of the earth…and they shall eat the residue of what is left…and they shall eat every tree which grows up…”  Exodus 10:4-5

The festival of Passover is mentioned about 85 times in the Bible.  I have been taught that if God says something more than once, that we are to sit up and take notice.  Passover begins this year at sundown on March 25 and concludes the evening of April 2.

Something that happened earlier in the month has raised eyebrows in Israel, especially because it has occurred, interestingly enough, right ahead of Passover and it has a nation wondering what the Lord is saying to them.

You may remember that the Lord sent 10 plagues to Egypt in an attempt to make Pharaoh release His people from slavery.  With each plague, God said, “Let my people go,” but Pharaoh refused.  With the eighth plague, God sent locusts and according to the Word, they “covered the face of the earth.”

Recently, a swarm of 30 million locusts invaded Egypt and caused massive damage to crops.  A locust can grow up to 6 inches in length but these locusts were described as being “bird sized.”  Egypt and Israel border and locusts numbering in the tens of thousands have crossed over to Israel.  This has many people on high alert, fueling fears of apocalyptic proportions.    

Thus far, agricultural damage in Israel has been minimal (how merciful) but what is God saying to Egypt and Israel?  The relationship between the two countries has been described as “cold peace” and some are leery of its effectiveness.

 I do not believe in coincidences so I feel in my heart that God may just be trying to get their attention.  Perhaps it is just to make them sit up, take notice and remind them that the commandment, as recorded in Leviticus to keep Passover, should be adhered to.

As mentioned last year, Passover is not just for Jews.  If you call Jesus Savior, it is your heritage to participate in this feast of our Lord as well.

Katie Altobellis 

A recent occurrence prompted me to write this piece and I hope it will edify you in some way.

Psychologist Harriet Braiker says, “To please is a disease.”  Years ago, I would have said she was dead wrong because all my life I thought success meant being a people pleaser.  However, the thing that presented itself a couple of days ago made me realize I have made some gains in this area.  I was advised to do something that was legally wrong, not to mention first and foremost, had I done it, wrong in the eyes of God and then no telling…  It made me realize that people pleasing can be dangerous to my walk (and anyone else’s).  I dodged a bullet that day but only because I have been superbly taught God’s truth these past several years and have, but not without failings, adhered to these teachings. 

I do not think I am wrong in saying that from an early age we all have had instilled in us the importance of pleasing others our parents, siblings, friends and others who were in our realm of influence, because face it; we all thought if we did we would be accepted and well-liked.  I used to think the bandwagon would leave me in its dust if I did not jump on and then I would have missed “spectacular” things.  I know now that that was a belief born from fear and insecurity. 

It is so easy to fall in the enemy’s trap by allowing yourself to feel embarrassed and thinking you do not measure up to others’ standards if you “go against the grain.”  I suppose, though, responding to peer pressure is an example of where the rubber meets the road. 

The Bible is full of examples of men who were crowd pleasers and moral and eternal corruption was their payday.

Do not let public opinion cause you to sin.  We always have to stay sharp and on our toes Satan is just waiting for us to stumble.

“You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” Exodus 23:2  

Katie Altobellis