Sunday

It was wonderful to get back in my church Sunday. Somehow it made me feel that life could get back to normal now. God's Spirit was evident during the worship hour. There is nothing like being able to sing and praise God no matter what is going on in our lives. I felt so unburdened and free--lifted up and encouraged. I wasn't the only one. Several people in the sanctuary lifted up their hands as we sang, "All hail, King Jesus! All hail, Emmanuel! King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Bright Morning Star. And throughout eternity, I'm going to praise Him. And forevermore I will reign with Him." Let me tell you, seeing that many hands in the air was unusual for my church--Southern Baptist--and unbelievers would think it was most unusual for people who have just gone through a hurricane with damaged property and lives (or having relatives with damaged property and lives) singing praises to their King and Creator.

I was convinced once more that no matter what happens to us or around us, nothing can take away our joy and confidence in Christ Jesus. We may not understand all that He allows to take place, but we can be assured He is in control and is on our side. That He will listen to our cries and prayers and will help us. Hebrews says He ever lives to intercede for us. How I love Him!

I praise you, Lord! I am so grateful to You for Your love and support. Forgive me for not taking the time consistently to sit before you in praise and adoration, for not seeking Your wisdom and guidance before heading out and doing my own thing. For trusting in my own judgment and agenda and not waiting patiently to hear Your Voice speak to my heart. It's a lesson You've had to teach me over and over again. I'm sorry I'm such a slow learner!

Last Post for Awhile

Due to my parents' ill health, I'm shutting down my blog for awhile. I don't know for how long but I would appreciate your prayers for my parents. They are in their eighties and are needing me more and more which I do not mind at all. I love them both dearly and am so appreciative to God that I am available to care for them. I also request your prayers for my husband and children and me. I'll just end this by saying that the past few weeks have been the most stressful, the most difficult, but also the most glorious as I brought each and every situation under the protective umbrella of my Lord's good and perfect will. It seems the more stress I'm given, the more I'm compelled to lean on Him, and the more assurance He gives me of His Presence, and that if I will just let Him have control and have faith in Him and His Word, His perfect will (which is in our best interest) will be done. As I lay in bed last night and felt the old anxiousness building, God revealed to me that He was right there with me in my heart by reminding me of this Bible verse, "The kingdom of God is within you." I imagined Jesus sitting on His throne in my heart and I asked Him to reign fully in me and to bring my body under subjection to Him. As I prayed I felt my body beginning to relax. I hope I always remember that He truly is in all and in Him all things hold together--including me.

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.

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!

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)

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.

My "Word" for the Day

Jeremiah 15:16 "Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts." (NASB)

I've never read this verse until this morning in my quiet time, and my spirit vibrated with the Truth found in them. I could have written Jeremiah 15:16. One commentary says "ate them" means to meditate on; internalize. I've experienced joy and delight in feeding on (meditating on; memorizing and internalizing) God's Word. Today I realize that if I hadn't had panic disorder, if I had not plummeted to such deep despair, I never would have cried out to God nor immersed myself in His Word. And I would've continued to live in misery at the mercy of my emotions and dark thoughts. I would've never known the "rest" that Jesus spoke of or that my life could be different--that I could be different. I've discovered that losing my job and being forced to stay home--isolated--with no one to turn to except God has been the biggest blessing of my life. I rejoice in the fact that God allowed this so that I would realize I've been set apart for His purposes. I've been called by name, and I am on this planet to fulfill my calling. Blessed are you if you are struggling with panic, anxiety, or depression. This is your opportunity to truly lean on your God and let Him prove that He is "for" you and not against you in a way you could never have imagined. Let Him show you how He can be Lord of your life in the middle of your circumstances. Take this time to feed on His Word and let the verses become a joy to you and the delight of your heart. Blessed are you if you've been called by the LORD to experience Him in this way.

A God of Lovingkindness, Justice, and Righteousness

This morning my devotional was on Jeremiah 9:1, but as I read through the chapter, my eyes fell on verse 24 and the words penetrated my heart. Jeremiah 9:24 says, "'But let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the LORD."

God wants us to know Him and understand Him. That He is not a harsh, evil god, waiting to zap us for every mistake we make, but a God of lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. How blessed we are to have a God who delights in such things and not in making our lives miserable--a God who's all powerful and who destroys all wickedness, but who is also so loving and gentle He can kiss the brow of a sleeping baby and not disturb its rest. That's the feeling I had when I read and meditated on this verse. Awesome God. Loving Father. Faithful Redeemer. Saviour. Friend.

Email Devotional

Wow! I received this by email today and it just fits what I was trying to express yesterday. God's timing is awesome!!

"'Even to your old age I am He, even when you turn gray I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear, I will carry and will save.'
Isaiah 46:4

God is a dwelling place for all generations. He values all of us as his beloved children, regardless of age. God crowns every age with its own beauty. Learn to recognize age as a gift from God. Have peace knowing that God is with you through your aging."

Be Still

I watched the Be Still DVD and have been putting into practice the Contemplative Prayer exercise that they suggested. This DVD has Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer, Richard Foster, Max Lucado, Dallas Willard, and others talking about the importance of contemplation and solitude while listening for God's voice as you read His Word. It suggests the sequence of praying that the Holy Spirit will speak to your heart and then instead of reading a whole chapter during your Quiet Time, take shorter passages of Scripture, perhaps 3 or 4 verses and read it 4 times slowly. As you reflect on what you've read, see if a phrase or a verse speaks to you--that's God highlighting His Word just for you that moment. Then ask yourself what God wants you to do with what He has shown you. You may want to write the verse down or journal about what He's telling you. Then sit back and rest in the awesome Presence of our Lord.

The first time I did this, I was already reading in the Book of John. I began where I had left off, only this time I had decided to read just 4 verses. However, when my eyes hit the words "the Father is greater than I", they refused to budge. I'd intended to keep reading but nothing doing. So I started over, because I had just read 2 verses, and the same thing happened. I couldn't get past the words, "the Father is greater than I". (I don't think I really realized God would speak to me on my first try at this.)

So then I sat back and I contemplated the words. I thought, as great as Jesus is, God is even greater. Then the words God is greater just kept ringing in my soul so that I had to say it out loud several times. Each time with more and more conviction, and then I finally realized God was wanting me to apply this to a problem I had prayed about the day before. (Sometimes it takes awhile for things to sink in.) I was able to sit back and just rest in the knowledge that God was in control and that He wanted me to know it. I guess that's what quiet time really should be--us asking the Lord to speak and then letting Him lead us through His Word. If you have a chance to get this DVD (I ordered it through Amazon) I would encourage you to do it. There's a beautiful song on there that you can listen to before your quiet time to help calm and settle your mind.

You Tube Video (Dancing with Jesus)

This is an awesome video. It reminded me of how torn apart, demoralized, and tormented my panic disorder made me feel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

Bible Verses for Panic and Anxiety

These are verses I used to defeat panic and daily anxiety. I read these verses day and night to get the truth of them into me. My panic attacks were very severe. But nothing is more powerful than God. When I had enough faith to pray them to God and to thank Him that He meant these verses for me, my panic attacks went away. Eventually, they stopped coming altogether. I pray these verses will help free others from panic and daily anxiety as well. The Bible translation I used was NIV84; however, because of copyright laws, I've posted them in KJV. After reading Beth Moore's book, Praying God's Word, I learned to personalize the verses--put my name in them. That really helped. The first verse is an example.

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee, (your name); be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Isaiah 41:13 ^"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

Isaiah 43:1-4 "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour....Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee...."

Joshua 1:5-7,9  "As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage....Only be thou strong and very courageous..Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.".
Psalm 107:13-16  "Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder."

Phillipians 4:6-7 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Psalm 91: 1-2, 4-6 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday."

Psalm 91: 14-16 "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."

Isaiah 54:10 "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee."
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Proverbs 1:33 "But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all you anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee."

Romans 8:6 "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."
Isaiah 59:19 "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him."

Ephesians 2:14 "For he is our peace."

Isaiah 51:12-15 "I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor....But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.
Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing."

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Proverbs 2:7-8 He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones. (New International Version)

Hebrews 13:5-6 God has said, "Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid." (New International Version)

2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises.... (New International Version)

Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him. (New International Version)

Psalm 34:4: "I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears." (New International Version)

I just found this one and decided to add it--
Romans 16:20: "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."