Monday, June 30, 2008

Comments on Consecrate Your Mind

Thank you all for taking the time to comment. Sheryl, God gave me a wonderful example of my relationship with Him yesterday. It just came to me. I remembered how in the first Superman movie, Superman took Lois on a flying lesson. At first, she was terrified and clung to his shoulder and arm and hid her eyes. Then as she saw he had her, she stopped hiding her eyes and began to enjoy herself. Then, she let go of his shoulder and just held onto his arm. A few minutes later she was enjoying her freedom so much, she let go of his arm and just held his hand. As her confidence grew even more, she let go of his hand until she was holding onto just a finger. Then she felt so confident and free that without realizing what she was doing, she let go of his finger--and plummeted to earth. But he was there to swoop down and catch her again. The parallel between that flight and my walk with Jesus was so illuminating to me. I had grown too confident. In my heart and mind, I had let my grip on Jesus relax until I was just holding His hand. And I didn't even realize it until the anxiety symptoms started coming back. Praise God for the way He cares for us and helps us fulfill our commitment to Him!

Jill, I prayed the same thing to God. I know myself and how easily influenced I am by the things I watch on television and the news. Somehow I have fallen into the habit of television again. I asked Him years ago to keep me from loosening my grip on Him, and I believe He did that Sunday.

Linda, (I sent you an email), thank you for your encouragement to keep blogging. Believe it or not, I had thought about shutting down this blog just moments before I read your comment. I wondered if I spent too much time writing (I'm a perfectionist and it takes me awhile to write and make sure it's something that glorifies God.) After reading your comment, I felt God had affirmed I should keep blogging until He tells me otherwise.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Consecrate Your Mind

For the past several days I've been crying out to God asking Him to show me or tell me what's going on with me. Anxiety has been cropping up in little symptoms here and there--I couldn't understand why they'd come back and not stay away like before. This morning while singing in the choir, I felt these words impressed upon me--Consecrate Your Mind. I was in the middle of singing a song, but it was like these words were written in bold, large letters in my mind. I knew instantly what He meant. I had not been guarding my mind. Because I have had peace for so long, I had become confident and had stopped reading the Bible as much and listening to praise music as much as I did in the days I was desperately seeking Him. I had been watching too much television, spending too much time on the computer--letting too much of the world enter my mind. So I said, "Yes" in my spirit this morning and I recommitted my mind to Jesus. Everything I have is His, after all. Then I came home and told my husband. And bless his heart, he agreed. We turned off the television and left it off until the Astros baseball game came on. Then he watched and I cooked dinner. I feel so much better now. I feel as if God's eye is on me and He's helping me live for Him. Glory to God!

Friday, June 27, 2008

It's A Great Morning!

I woke up this morning and immediately thought about my God. I praised Him and gave Him my submission and allegiance. I was thrilled that my mind turned to the Lord first thing this morning. It used to in my panic days when I was first learning to walk with Him. I believe it happened because I read from the Word last night for an hour before bed. I actually slept 6 full hours last night! Praise the Lord! I hope your morning is just as glorious as mine is today!!!!!


Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. (NIV)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Feeling Abandoned?

If you, like me, have ever felt abandoned by the Lord, I'd like to share this with you. Feelings come from thoughts and thoughts that are not under the Holy Spirit's control can't be trusted. How do you know if your thoughts are under the control of the Holy Spirit? Beth Moore talked about this in her Bible study, Living Beyond Yourself. She said, the Holy Spirit always believes God. So if you're having thoughts that go against what God says in His Word, then you must abandon your thoughts and cling to the Word.

In Hebrews 13:5, God says again (because He first said it in the OT in Joshua 1) "Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you." That Greek word for "never" is "oume" and it is a double negative strengthening the denial. Another way to say it is: not at all; by no means; no, never. (The Complete Word Study New Testament, Spiros Zodhiates)

The Greek word for "leave" is "aniemi" and it means to let up (lit.) slacken or (fig.) desert, desist from--forbear, leave, loose. (The Complete Word Study New Testament, edited by Spiros Zodhiates)

The Greek word for "forsake" is "egkataleipo", and it means to leave behind in some place. (The Complete Word Study New Testament, edited by Spiros Zodhiates)

Here's how it reads in the Amplified Bible: "For He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

So when your thoughts are telling you that your God has abandoned you, tell your thoughts to "bow the knee" to God's Word. The battle of faith is in the mind. We have to determine every day whose thoughts we're going to listen to. Our own? Or our Lord's? Whose thoughts contain the most truth? Jesus tells us in John 17:17 that God's Word is Truth.

I needed this today, dear Lord. Only you know how much I needed this. Help me keep this truth, O Lord, in my heart and in my mind. Forgive me for thoughts that do not do you honor. Forgive me for thoughts that rear themselves up against what You have said. In the precious name of Jesus I ask it. Amen.