The Super Substance

       

       Let me tell you about a truly miraculous substance. This substance is very real and very powerful. It can do what no earthly power can do. It is above and beyond any known substance on our planet. Therefore, it qualifies as super indeed. If mortal man could somehow manufacture and bottle this substance, unimaginable wealth would flow. It cannot be bought at any price. But the good news is that it's free and readily available to anyone and everyone who knows the ''formula'' for its activation.
       What is this super substance, you excitedly ask? I have kept you in suspense long enough...
» Hebrews 11:1 (emphasis mine)
1 Now FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
       Faith is the substance. There you have it - the Super Substance has been revealed! What things do you hope for? Faith is the substance of those things. Faith is the substance of our heavenly hope and it is the substance of every other blessing we hope for along our spiritual journey.
       The entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews is devoted to the working of this amazing substance in the lives of the Bible's most celebrated names. From Abel to Samuel, we are given insight into the vital role of faith - God's super substance - in a variety of circumstances. In fact, so prevalent is this substance among Heaven's all-stars that ''the time would fail'' to recount every case (see verse 32). The Super Substance of faith is the sine qua non of our spiritual adventure; it's impossible to please God without it (verse 6).
''FAITH ON!'': HOW TO ACTIVATE THE SUBSTANCE
       The skies of the superhero universe are frequently illuminated with a streak of fire. What might this fantastic flash be? It's the blazing glory known to comic book consumers as The Human Torch - a mythical character who can transform himself into fire, opening a new realm of transcendent capabilities. He can activate these hyperhuman powers by uttering but two words: Flame on! In an instant a man of flesh is turned into a living inferno. He isn't consumed by the fire because he has become the fire.
       There is a miraculous flame available to us, and it wasn't kindled in any art studio. This combustible substance is very real and ever accessible.
       Faith is a latent spiritual torch, and like the aforementioned super power, it must be activated in order to save the day. It would be nice if we could flip the switch by merely commanding: Faith on! But The Faith Flame doesn't work like that. Thankfully, our Super Manual gives very specific instructions concerning its activation.
       It turns out that the Super Substance is activated by a special application of vibration and electromagnetic radiation. I'm not making this up. It's all in the Manual...
» Proverbs 4:20-22 (emphasis mine)
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine EAR unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine EYES; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
       The collected words and sayings of our heavenly Father are contained in the Bible. They are the Super Scriptures and Super Sayings of the Higher Power. What a precious, priceless treasure! Once you ''find them,'' you have found spiritual life and physical health.
       ''...incline thine ear unto my sayings.'' This means, quite simply, to hear the Word of God. Listen to the Super Scriptures. Let the sweet sound of God's sayings penetrate your ears. By so doing, you will position yourself to receive biblical blessings.
       From the physics point of view, sound is actually vibration. It is vibrational energy. When an object vibrates, the energy is transmitted through the air as sound waves. Once this energy reaches your ears, it causes your eardrums to vibrate as well. The sound waves continue to advance until they arrive in your inner ear. At this point you ''hear'' the particular sound.
       Alas, there are a swarm of sounds gaining entrance to our ears (and thus our spiritual consciousness) on a regular basis which do not serve us. This auditory tidal wave rushes in with anti-Bible and anti-faith messages from manifold sources. Whether it's from television, the Internet, ungodly music or even loved ones, the Nemesis of our souls uses this phonic phenomenon against us.
       The solution is to ''block'' these nefarious waves of sound with the spiritually-uplifting vibrations of the Super Scriptures. To incline your ear to God's Word is to create a supernatural interference field against the negative noise seeking to overwhelm you. The implementation of this countermeasure will effectively activate the Super Substance of power-packed faith.
» Romans 10:17
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
       Faith comes by hearing what God has said. Faith is activated by the hearing of God's Word. The vibrational energy of ''Word waves'' flowing into your ears causes faith to awaken within the inner man of your spirit. Thus roused, the Super Substance is poised to secure epic victory for you.
» 1 John 5:4
4 ...this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
       There are multiple ''radios'' built into the Helmet of Salvation which can transmit the spiritual vibrations of God's Word (see Isaiah 59:17; Ephesians 6:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Think of a professional quarterback receiving wireless coaching within his helmet. This pales in comparison to the headset of God's spiritual soldier! There are multiple ways you can incline your ears to the Lord's sayings.
       You can hear the Super Scriptures emanating from the pulpit. You can listen to Bible-based and faith-fortifying television, radio and Internet programs. You can play audio teachings, readings of the Word and scripturally-sound music. The best way, though, to utilize the vibrational energy of the Super Scriptures is to hear them flowing from your own mouth. Speak the Word. Quote the Word. Pray the Word. Sing the Word. This is, after all, the shortest route for those super sound waves to travel!
       ''Let them not depart from thine eyes...'' It's not enough to place the Super Scriptures before your eyes. That is a great first step, but more is required in order to harness their practical power. You must keep them within your sight. You must not let them depart from your eyes.
       It's fairly easy to understand the reason why this is crucial to victory and spiritual growth. Consider the constant stream of negative images flowing into our consciousness. Where are they coming from? Everywhere! They are streaming in from every side. In times past television served as the main culprit. But social media has surely taken over the role. (Admittedly, I don't know the official statistics but my observations make me feel reasonably safe in my assessment.) For this reason it is of the utmost importance to mount a visual counterattack. These power-sapping optics must be countered with positive images. And there is no more positive sight than the written Word of the living God before our eyes.
       What is this perceptual phenomenon known as sight, anyway? Light produces sight. Light makes vision possible. You can see these words only because of light waves. Take away light and sight goes with it. The result is darkness. The eyes need light in order to fulfill their intended function.
» Psalm 119:105
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
       Light is more than a purely physical phenomenon. There is a spiritual aspect to it. God is not only the Creator of light; He is light, and ''in him is no darkness at all.'' (1 John 1:5) Light was the subject of God's first recorded utterance (Genesis 1:3). As such, it was the first creation. The Prince of Darkness himself understands the spiritual power of light, using it to deceive. ''...Satan himself is transformed into an angel of LIGHT.'' (2 Corinthians 11:14, emphasis mine) The Bible is the Book of Light. To open it is akin to opening the curtains in a dark room on a sunny day, allowing the sunshine to scatter the darkness. The Super Scriptures will likewise scatter the spiritual darkness on this side of eternity.
       When viewed through the scientific lens, light is electromagnetic radiation. This radiation travels in wave form. When this happens, light is produced. At least this is the physical, earthly manifestation of light. As with all natural phenomena, the spiritual version is far superior, having created the physical version. God is the Source of light, and He is Spirit. Physical sight would not exist without physical light. And physical light would not exist without spiritual light. (After all, when the Bible tells us that ''God is light,'' are we to interpret it as ''God is electromagnetic radiation''? Of course not. The light of God is much higher, deeper and more powerful than that!) Even so, this electromagnetic radiation enables our eyes to take in the Super Scriptures of Almighty God - our heavenly Father. By so doing, it serves as an activator of the Super Substance of faith.
       Pretty cool, huh?
» SUPER SUMMARY
1.) Faith is the Super Substance. It is the substance of our heavenly hope and it is the substance of every other blessing we hope for along our spiritual journey.
2.) The Super Substance of faith is the sine qua non of our spiritual adventure; it's impossible to please God without it.
3.) Faith is a latent spiritual torch, and it must be activated in order to save the day.
4.) Let the sweet sound of God's sayings penetrate your ears. By so doing, you will position yourself to receive biblical blessings.
5.) To incline your ear to God's Word is to create a supernatural interference field against the negative noise seeking to overwhelm you.
6.) There is no more positive sight than the written Word of the living God before our eyes.
7.) The Bible is the Book of Light. To open it is akin to opening the curtains in a dark room on a sunny day, allowing the sunshine to scatter the darkness.

© Matt Decker

» This post is an excerpted chapter from my book  SUPER SCRIPTURES ON EARTH  (available as paperback and eBook)

HOW TO SHAKE IT OFF

       

       As the book of Acts comes to a close, we find Paul on an island named Malta. The weather is less than ideal. It's cold and raining. The inhabitants of the island bless their new visitor by kindling a warming fire. Paul gathers sticks to add to the fire. He is unaware that a venomous snake is lurking beneath the sticks. As he adds the sticks to the kindling, the rising heat forces the snake out of its hiding place at which point it strikes and buries its poisonous fangs into Paul's hand.
       In my mind's eye I can see the great man of God standing by the fire, calmly looking down at the viper dangling from his hand - the same hand with which he had ministered the grace of God to so many lost and hurting souls. In fact, he uses the very same hand a short time later to minister healing to the ailing father of the island's chief, then to other sick islanders (Acts 28:7-9).
       How can he remain so calm in a time like this? From a natural standpoint, he needs immediate medical attention. He could die soon. But Paul is well-versed in the protective grace of God whereby nothing - including this creature fastened to his hand - will by any means hurt him.
Acts 28:5
5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
       There are some things which need to be shaken off. (Just ask Taylor Swift.) We may not have a literal snake hanging onto our hand, but there are all sorts of negative things which ''fasten'' themselves to us.
       Bear in mind that, ever since the Garden of Eden, the devil has been represented as a serpent (Genesis 3:1-15; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9; 20:2). He will hang onto your life for as long as you let him. He will hang onto your mind for as long as you are willing to put up with it. And every passing minute that he is not shaken off, his venom is doing its damage.
       We can shake him off by the power of grace. We can shake him off by accessing grace via our faith. Jesus shook him off by speaking God's Word in response to his attack (Luke 4:1-13). We can, and must, do the same if we too are going to shake him off.
AccessKey: Practice the following exercise - Shake your hands as if you are literally and physically shaking something off which had fastened itself to you. As you do this, imagine all the negativity in your life falling off and away from you.
       Miraculously, Paul suffers no adverse effects from the snake attack. He feels no harm and suffers no harm after shaking it off. He is totally unaffected by it - even as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are unaffected by the fire. He doesn't collapse. He doesn't get sick. He experiences no swelling of his bitten hand. He doesn't even scream out in pain.
       It's one thing to shake a negative situation off. But oftentimes, even after turning away from the problem, there are still unpleasant, lingering effects to deal with. Have you noticed this? The aftereffects of a soured relationship can linger even after the person is gone. But grace can heal us of those residual effects so that it doesn't by any means hurt us. Grace delivers, protects and heals.
Acts 28:6
6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
       The islanders are horrified as they witness the poisonous snake strike Paul, then fasten itself to his hand. They are a kind, caring people. This is evidenced by their building a fire to warm the Christian missionary. They are expecting certain things to happen as a result of the attack. They wait for his hand to swell, but nothing happens. They wait for him to drop dead from the venom coursing through his veins. But it doesn't happen. He appears fine. Paul's body is not reacting to the bite in a manner consistent with their knowledge of the natural world.
       Grace can keep you alive and well when you are supposed to be defeated, dead and destroyed. There are a host of things which should have happened to wipe us off the map but yet, here we are - still standing. It's a testament to the power of God's grace.
       The natives of Malta, after carefully observing Paul for ''a great while,'' are eventually forced to change their minds when nothing negative happens. They are forced to throw away their assumptions and suppositions. When grace is in play - when grace is factored into a situation - the playbook might as well be tossed in the trash. Grace is a game changer. They conclude that Paul must be a divine being, for this transcends human ability. No mere mortal has the power to shake off a deadly snake as if nothing happened, they reason to themselves. They don't understand the grace factor.

© Matt Decker

» This post is an excerpt from my book  GRACE IN A MAZE: How to Make it Through  (available as paperback and eBook)

A Place Called Hollow Graham

Welcome to the sleepy suburb of Hollow Graham. The sunny-yellow sign warmly invites you inside. As you enter, you see the usual. There are quaint shops, manicured lawns and more than a few bicycles in motion. You almost expect to see Otis stumbling toward the courthouse or Barney ticketing a jaywalker.
       

If you require an elevator here, well you're out of luck, I'm afraid. You see, there are no high-rise structures here in Hollow Graham. Ironic indeed - because there are strangers in town who are about to take the everyday reality of this place to a whole new level.
       

"Are you seeing this?!"
       

"What do you mean, am I seeing it? Of course I am!"
       

This exchange - or some version of it - is intermittently taking place on the immaculate sidewalks of Hollow Graham. The downtown street is lined with shocked spectators. The main attraction? A car. But this car is unlike any other witnessed by earthly eyes. At least in the real world, outside of smartphones and television screens.
       

"That's impossible!," cries out a voice amidst the gawking crowd.
       

"Did you put those tires on, Bill?," jokes another voice, directing the sarcastic question to Hollow Graham's sole mechanic.
       

Said tires are spinning nicely. There's just one problem with this picture. The tires are in the wrong place. They are...inexplicably and impossibly...ahem...on the roof. That's not all. The bottom of the crazy car, where the tires should be, is levitating above the pavement.
       

Suddenly the car backfires, sending it to --- well, nobody knows. It simply (or maybe not so simply) vanishes into the pristine air of Hollow Graham. There are a few scattered gasps, but mostly stunned silence. The collective noodle of the crowd struggles to process this ridiculously-illogical event.
       

Finally, a painfully-uncool dad speaks up. "Maybe it was Marty McFly in there." Not getting the ancient movie reference, the man's preteen kids glare at him in consternation. He presses on. "You know, Marty McFly? Back to the Future? Doc Brown? Time travel? DeLorean?"
       

Still nothing.
       

"Forget it."
       

The driver of the car was not, in fact, Marty McFly. It was one Bugs Glitcheson - husband to Milli, father to Digit and giver of new meaning to the phrase "stranger in town." Indeed, stranger things are happening in Hollow Graham.

© Matt Decker

» This post is excerpted from my short story MEET THE GLITCHES. The full story is included in my latest book  SPACE & RHYME

POP!

I look around
For blooms aground
That popped from the ground
But none yet are found.

Maybe a baby can walk
Before mastering the crawl?
In truth it's known by all:
This isn't true at all.

Whether birth or earth
If a thing has worth
Something must come first.

Has there ever been an instance
Of wishing into existence
Without traversing distance
Or overcoming resistance?

Does a dream pop into reality
Or will the magic happen gradually?

Do you know of any success
That manifests without process?

Can you cite a case
Where a goal is chased
With no steady pace?

What has been achieved
That hasn't been conceived
Then stubbornly believed?

Have I processed
That my progress
Is a process?

For better or worse
(More better than worse)
Steps tend to come first.
This seems to be the course
Of our elegant universe.

The answer to problems and prayers
May not appear out of thin air
But if I really do care
Eventually I will get there.

© Matt Decker

Pecs versus Peck

The desperate air of the prison cafeteria is, unshockingly, suffused with tension. Palpable tension. So thick it could be cut with a knife - if sharp, pointy objects were allowed, that is.
       

An epic staredown is in progress. On one side, an unconventional inmate named BB. And on the opposite side? A red tray of something masquerading as food.
       

"Um, BB?" Bob White, seated opposite, leans forward. "I know you're new around here and all. But I believe you will get more benefit from your food if you actually eat it. You know, instead of staring at it. Just some helpful advice."
       

"You mean there's food around here? Where?" BB, perched on the table, looks around. "Did I miss something? This stuff in front of me can't be food. I really don't think it's edible. It doesn't look fit for avian consumption."
       

"What? Come on. It's giblets. Dig in. Besides, it's all we're gonna get."
       

"Really, Bob White? Really?" BB is incredulous. And nauseated. "You really can't see why I might object to eating giblets? I can't eat this slop. I won't. It's making me sick to my gizzard just lookin' at it. Not to mention smellin' it."
       

Bob White shakes his head with a smirk. "Hey, I have an idea," he offers sarcastically. "Why don't you call the waiter and demand to see the manager? Or how about this --- just stiff him on the tip. After all, we are in a five-star restaurant, right? I mean ---"
       

"Alright, Bob White. I get it."
       

"No, I really don't think you do, BB. What --- just because you're different from the rest of us, you think you deserve special treatment? You are in for a rude awakening, my fine-feathered friend. That's not how it works in here."
       

A rude awakening. Funny how a particular phrase, or even a single word, can seem to glow with special significance. "A rude awakening," said Bob White. Awakening. Awakening. A-wake-e-ning. The word echoes in BB's bird brain. There's something about that sequence of letters. Something meaningful. Something that BB is unable to put his beak on at the moment. Perhaps the mystery will be cleared up in the near future...
       

Suddenly BB is jolted out of his reverie with a bang. Actually it's more of a boom. The tattooed knuckles of a scarfaced prisoner have slammed down on the table. The man bends down and evilly grins, showcasing rotting teeth and questionable breath. His massive frame bulges against his orange jumpsuit. Musclehead meets lovebird. Pecs versus peck.
       

Staring into the bloodshot eyes of this loathsome creature, BB suddenly finds his greasy heap of grub a little more attractive. He mumbles in Bob White's direction.
       

"Ok...this is awkward. What's happening here?"
       

But Bob White, avoiding all eye contact, seems inordinately focused on anything other than the developing situation. Clearly he wants no part of whatever is about to go down.
       

BB tries again. "C'mon, roomie. Help me out here."
       

Nothing.
       

"Bobby?"
       

Still nothing.
       

Finally, it speaks. "You gonna eat that?"
       

BB is fairly certain the man isn't attempting to kickstart a friendly conversation. But he doesn't have much of a choice except to play along.
       

"Well actually I ---" Before BB can finish his nervous reply, the muscle man buries his ugly mug into the pile of food. When he raises back up, the greasy giblets drip from his face. BB stares in disbelief.
       

Now Bob White decides to contribute a thought. "I think he's mocking the way a bird eats," he mutters. "In other words, you."
       

"Yeah, I got that," BB retorts. "Thanks."
       

The burly bully leans in even closer, wiping his face on BB's wing. Oh the humanity, thinks BB after getting an up-close-and-personal whiff of the prisoner's breath. And they say the animal kingdom is filled with stinky odors. Actually, BB begins to realize, this place is an animal kingdom of its own. A man-made one.
       

"I...don't...like...you." Well at least the man is pithy.
       

BB may be small. He may be a bird - and a lovebird at that. But he is also quick on his talons, ever ready and able to launch witty projectiles in any situation. Sometimes this characteristic doesn't serve him.
       

Perhaps now is one of those times.
       

Bob White, having been repeatedly subjected to the force of this jailbird's wit, can perceive trouble. He can see that BB, though trying to suppress it, is about to drip --- no, more like spew --- a sarcastic remark in Manzilla's direction. He realizes he must intervene.
       

"Don't do it, BB," he warns, barely speaking above a whisper. "Just don't do it. Resist it."
       

Bob White sees BB's beak beginning to open. He closes his eyes, bracing for Smarty McFly's response. He is pleasantly surprised, however, at the words which come out.
       

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir."
       

This is an unprecedented step for BB. But then again, he finds himself in an unprecedented circumstance. Whether he restrains himself out of fear, wisdom or simply wanting to live another day - no matter. Disaster averted. The man slowly straightens up to an upright stance and walks away.
       

Bob White is proud of his cellmate. And relieved.
       

BB hangs his head.
       

"Hey BB, don't be bittern." Bob White chuckles at his own joke.
       

"That's for calling you Bobby, isn't it?"

© Matt Decker

» This post is an excerpted chapter from my book  Jailbird

The Wheel of Misfortune

On January 6, 1975, daytime television viewers were introduced to a brand new game show called The Wheel of Fortune, created by the late media mogul Merv Griffin. Although the show has experienced cancellation and network change during the decades, it remains as an iconic feature of the t.v. landscape to this day.
       

While the ultimate goal for contestants is to solve word puzzles, Wheel is so named because of the giant carnival wheel which is spun to win cash and prizes. The wheel is essentially an oversized version of the roulette wheel.
       

Imagine that your life is a game show. You are the contestant. Things are not going as you had hoped because this game show is called "The Wheel of MISfortune." Rather than solving a word puzzle, you are tasked with trying to solve much more complex and frustrating problems.
       

The wheel represents the failure cycle of doing the same things in the same way - also known as old ideas. This wheel won't stop unless you make a conscious effort to stop it. The spinning of this wheel won't win you delightful prizes; only more misery, frustration and negative results. You "wheely" need to harness the power of NOODOO! "Wheel" you interrupt the spinning and do something new? (Okay, corny puns over now.)

© Matt Decker

» This post is excerpted from my eBook  The Magic of NOODOO

Do The Droid

All systems go!
Start the show
Make some noise
Here's DokTor Droyd...

[Verse 1]
Have you ever heard a roboto croon?
I give brand new meaning to "autotune"
Bot is hot, mics I drop
Take your shot, all you got
You won't top, you won't stop
You won't top or stop this hot bot
I beat to battle
I rap to rattle
I fight by mic
I win with spin
I blink, I blip
I squeak, I step
I pause, I pivot
Gettin' giggy wit' it

[Chorus]
DO THE DROID
DO THE DROID
Don't be annoyed
Just DO THE DROID

That robot dance
Has been enhanced
Take your stance
And DO THE DROID

[Verse 2]
You just got lifted
Because I'm gifted
Let me get more specific
Don't ever get it twisted
I can futuristic spit it
Like no machine that's existed
Let's be realistic
I can most def' spit it
Like no human's business
Designed to rhyme
Rhyme to shine
Built to the hilt
Made to throw shade
Configured to deliver
Programmed to slam
Engineered to domineer
I am on automatic
You might call it tragic
The Dok calls it magic
I am what I am
Because I'm programmed
The program makes me what I am
You see my robotic shell
I see your hypnotic spell
We're not so diff'rent
Me and you
I run on auto
But humans do too

DO THE DROID
DO THE DROID
Don't be annoyed
Just DO THE DROID

That robot dance
Has been enhanced
Take your stance
And DO THE DROID

[Bridge]
The robotic is hypnotic
The autonomous rocks the populace

DO THE DROID
DO THE DROID
Don't be annoyed
Just DO THE DROID

That robot dance
Has been enhanced
Take your stance
And DO THE DROID

[Verse 3]
"Calling Dr. Freud"?
It's me -- DokTor Droyd
Oh boy, Droyd don't toy
Can you feel the joy
In that inner void
When you DO THE DROID?
Has it hit you like an asteroid
In the tushy like a hemorrhoid?
From androids to humanoids
To all kinds of girls and boys
This is DokTor Droyd
Hoping you enjoyed
The hot sound is found
In the outer bounds
Now with a strike
Droppin' the mic
I must power down.

© Matt Decker

SEED

Heed the seed,
Read the need,
The need for seed.

Needs need seeds,
Seeds meet needs,
That need needs a seed.

Deeds are seeds,
Seeds are deeds,
That deed is a seed.

Seed the need,
Feed the need
With a seed.

Has the seed been freed,
Freed to meet the need?
When the seed is freed,
We're freed by the seed.

If no seed,
Then we cede
Right to succeed.

When seed is decreed,
To succeed is guaranteed
When seed is The Creed.

Daily deeds,
Daily seeds --
They will lead
Me to succeed.

Succeed with seed,
Exceed with seed,
The X Seed
X's out the need.

"Seize the day"?
Seed the day --
Then we may
Seize the day.

Stop the bleeding,
Start the seeding,
Seeding stops the bleeding.

Pull up the weeds,
Needs are weeds,
Weed out the need,
Leave the weeds.

If the weeds breed,
They'll choke the seed,
Tend to the seed
To beat the weeds.

Rethink the letters
And it gets better --
Look in a new way,
What then does it say?

(S)omething (E)mpowering (E)very (D)ay

© Matt Decker

F.O.C.U.S

Under this stress,
Test and mess,
I'll buckle unless
I answer this:
What is focus?

When I'm at my lowest
And progress is slowest,
Through ferocious explosives,
Caught within the locus
Of bogus hypnosis,
Facing the atrocious diagnosis
And the hopeless prognosis,
I place myself on notice --
The notice to focus.

Have I been promised
Constant doses of roses?

When has ever been an opus
Apart from the art of focus?

Will I let the stressing
Take away my blessing?

Hocus Pocus?
Hocus Focus --
The magic of focus

So what is focus? Just this --
(F)aculty (O)f (C)reating (U)nder (S)tress

© Matt Decker

Cre8

The hour is late,

Time will not wait --

Will this be my fate?

God forbid I stagnate,

The temptation is great --

I must awake to create.

The ideas to date I appreciate

But new ones it's time to create --

The monotony must I escape.

The crooked becomes straight

When dare I to create --

It's beyond debate.

This trait is innate,

This trait I activate --

The fire that inspires me to create.

A clean slate,

A changed state --

These wait 'til I create.

When "it" is created,

I will be upgraded.

Meant am I for something greater,

Here am I to be a creator.

© Matt Decker

Your Magic Mirror

In the classic fairy tale Snow White, the Evil Queen possesses a magic mirror - capable of answering her questions. Similarly, if you are struggling with your weight, it can seem that you possess a "talking" mirror of your own. Every time you step in front of it, that looking glass cruelly reminds you of your weight reality. It mocks you and spews discouragement at you.
       

The first Slim Gem pointed out the value of standing in front of a mirror to improve your posture. There is another type of mirror that you need to know about. This mirror is not made of glass and cannot be purchased at any home improvement store. But it is the nearest thing to a "magic mirror" in the real world. I am referring to your mental mirror - the mirror of your imagination.
       

You can experience the magic of this mirror via your imagination. Specifically, the idea is to create a mental image of the person you wish to become. In terms of weight loss, visualize the way you want to look. Visualize what you will look like after you have reached your goal weight. Project your thoughts to a point in time when your health and fitness goals have become a reality. Now imagine looking in a literal mirror. What image is staring back at you?
       

Psychology refers to this inner picture of ourselves as our self-image.
       

The year was 1960 and a book was published which would become a self-help classic, inspiring the teachings of future motivational giants such as Zig Ziglar and Tony Robbins. The book was titled Psycho-Cybernetics, authored by Maxwell Maltz. The core message of the book was that our self-image, be it positive or negative, works on a subconscious level to determine our success or failure. We cannot achieve success, Maltz wrote, as long as we hold a negative self-image. This concept applies to any and all areas of our lives, including of course our attempts at weight loss.
       

Maltz was a plastic surgeon before penning the wisdom of Psycho-Cybernetics. He wrote that his work as a plastic surgeon gave him an opportunity to witness the incredible power of the self-image to create either positive or negative results. Maltz noted the dramatic change in a patient's personality after undergoing a cosmetic procedure.
       

Conversely, he observed the phenomenon of a patient thinking nothing had changed with their appearance, despite a significant cosmetic difference having been performed. Maltz concluded that a person's mental picture of themselves functioned as a subconscious success (or failure) "mechanism."

"Our self image, strongly held, essentially determines what we become." ~ Maxwell Maltz ~

       

Good luck trying to become a slim person while "seeing" yourself as an overweight person. Good luck in reaching your goal weight while focusing on your present weight and identifying with that reality. Good luck because you will need luck. The point? In order to become the person you desire to be (which includes your desired level of health and fitness), it is necessary and essential for you to align your self-image (the mental picture you hold of yourself) with your desires.

You can't transform into a butterfly as long as you see yourself as a caterpillar.

"The Transformation Chamber" 

       

Imagine that you have access to a magical transformation chamber or booth. Imagine stepping into your transformation chamber. Now imagine stepping out - transformed into the highest version of yourself.
       

What do you look like? How is your body different from your present body? Far more importantly, how do you feel? How is your attitude and personality different? This is a simple visualization technique which is designed to help you form a clear mental image of a leaner, fitter, healthier, better you. I know from experience that it works.

© Matt Decker

» This post is excerpted from my booklet  Slim Gems: 10 Priceless Weight Loss Techniques

The Spiritual Decepticons

''Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of The Decepticons!'' 

       

So goes the classic Transformers theme song - music to my young ears back in the day. Led by the maleficent Megatron, The Decepticons are the ''bad guys'' in the superbot saga. These vehicular villains are the sworn enemies of the benevolent Autobots. Possessing red eyes, they are as menacing as they look. However, they have the ability to assume many forms, disguising their true identities and intentions. These transformations include aircraft, ground-based vehicles, weapons and even small objects. If the name of these rogue robots strike a familiar chord, there's a good reason for it. They get their title from the well-known (and spiritually-important) noun deception. What you see isn't necessarily what you get. There is truly more than meets the eye - and this applies to more than the good forces. I think you know where I'm going with this...

» 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (emphasis mine)
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, TRANSFORMING themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is TRANSFORMED into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be TRANSFORMED as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
       

It's worthy of note that the word transform plays a key role in each of the Super Scriptures cited above. The Apostle Paul is writing about the dark side of transformation. There are nefarious ''transformers'' at work in our universe, our world, our earthly realm - analogous to The Decepticons who menace fictional cosmic territory. But unlike their imaginatively invented counterparts, these treacherous transformers are very real and very active. The mission: to deceive as many souls as possible. Deception is the goal.
       

''...deceitful workers...'' Deceitful is a synonym for deceptive. Deceit is another word for deception. Contextually, Paul is warning the Corinthian believers about human deceivers who were masquerading as apostles of Christ. These imposters were slipping in among the congregation, pretending to be ''ministers of righteousness'' when, in fact, they were wolves in disguise (see Matthew 7:15). They looked the part. They dressed the part. They said the right things. They uttered all the spiritual-sounding words and phrases. But there was, unfortunately, more there than met the eye. If a body looked closely enough, he could almost perceive the tell-tale insignia of The Decepticons affixed to these pseudo-preachers with their ''ravening'' agenda.
       

''...false apostles...'' Paul, serving as a genuine apostle, could authoritatively expose these counterfeits. They took on the form of the true in order to deceive and divide. They took advantage of the human tendency to focus on the surface of things, neglecting to discern the inner truth of a matter (or person). Alas, we see this same pattern in our present day. Even Spirit-filled Christians are vulnerable to this if not properly equipped with the truth of the Super Scriptures. Sometimes a sheep is a sheep. But sometimes a ''sheep'' is actually a wolf who has transformed himself into an innocent-looking sheep. The only way to discern the difference is to learn the Holy Word and to be led by the Holy Spirit.
       

Decepticons are imbued with life via a mythical cube known as ''The AllSpark,'' making sentient beings out of cold metal. No Decepticon poses any threat without this cosmic source of life. Similarly, the real deceivers are the evil spirits who employ human agents to work deception and consequent destruction. These ''spiritual decepticons,'' hiding in the shadows of the unseen realm, are the ''spark'' behind the deception of which we have been warned.

» Ephesians 6:12
12 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 [wicked spirits] in high places.
       

There is more to ''flesh and blood'' than meets the eye. There is more to ''false apostles'' and ''deceitful workers'' than meets the eye. Look to the spiritual source of the seemingly human conflict. The darkness of this world does not originate from this world. There are ''rulers'' behind the darkness, and these unseen potentates are demonic in origin. The human wickedness we see around us arises from the spiritual wickedness above us - in high (heavenly) places, in the space surrounding our planet. Wicked bodies are ''vehicles'' for wicked spirits. These are the true spiritual decepticons.
       

Paul writes to Timothy that, in the latter times of the prophetic calendar, there will be some who will depart from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1). This sad prediction doesn't arise from the great apostle's own sanctified mind. On the contrary, it is spoken ''expressly'' by the Holy Spirit. The cause of this backsliding and apostasy? The deserters give heed to ''seducing spirits'' and ''doctrines of devils.'' Seduction doesn't work if it is announced as such; it must be disguised as (transformed into) the truth. And who would willingly and knowingly listen to a sermon preached by an actual demon? The deception is sown by smiling, hand-shaking, self-proclaimed ''ministers of righteousness,'' and it is presented as the shining truth. Beware of the spiritual decepticons!
       

Let us now pivot back to our foundational scripture passage. Sandwiched between two verses concerning foes of flesh, the Bible digs down to the root of the problem in verse 14:

» 2 Corinthians 11:14
14 And no marvel; for [because] Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
       

To paraphrase, Paul tells the Corinthian flock, ''You shouldn't be surprised at the transformation of these imposters and counterfeits into ministers of righteousness. After all, they are merely mimicking their master - Satan. They are following the lead of their leader, the original and ultimate Deceiver, who transforms himself into an angel of light.'' What could be more heavenly than an angel of light? This illustrates the sophistication and diabolical strategy of the devil's devices, which Paul had already written about earlier in the epistle (2:11).
       

Actually, it can be accurately stated that the Prince of Darkness transforms himself back into an angel of light. That is, after all, precisely his former identity as Lucifer before his epic expulsion from Heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15). He is not a novice in spiritual warfare. He has been at this for a very long time. He is the spiritual version of Megatron - lethal leader of The Decepticons. He hates the Super Scriptures, but he knows them inside and out. And he will use every opportunity to twist them for his deceptive and diabolic purposes.

» John 8:44
44 ...the devil...was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
       

The only way to expose and overcome the lies of ''Deviltron'' is to arm yourself with the Super Scriptures. The dark shadows of deception are scattered by the glorious illumination of God's Word. The spiritual decepticons are unable to withstand the energy-blast of eternal Truth, for it is powered by God Himself!

© Matt Decker

» This post is excerpted from my book  SUPER SCRIPTURES ON EARTH