Perfect Peace

 Isaiah 26:3: You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (ESV)

Perfect peace comes from keeping our minds on God, the Father, because we rely on and lean on Him. Refusing to let this world with all its distractions drag our minds away from the Lord will keep us in His peace. If we do get caught up in the chaos in the world, our remedy is to focus our thoughts back on God and His ability, His power, to bring peace to any chaotic situation.

We don’t sink into despair worrying what to do about the chaos. We trust in God, and we turn to Him in prayer. We turn our minds back to our powerful Heavenly Father and pray about the problem or situation, trusting God can and will help. 

This is work—spiritual warfare. The Enemy wants your mind focused on anything other than our Lord and Savior. But we don’t need to fear him. Jesus has promised He will never leave us or forsake us. He is for us, and we have the Holy Spirit in us. 

So, how do we turn our minds from the chaos back to God? Focusing on Scriptures that speak against the chaos, the problem, and/or the fears helps me tremendously. We walk in the kingdom of Light now; we read God’s thoughts found in Scripture, and we align our thoughts with His. We read Scripture, meditate on Scripture, memorize Scripture, quote Scripture to our souls. And soon we’re back staying our minds on Jesus, and we have peace—perfect peace—that only comes from trusting God and His Word. 

Grace and peace to you.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Reopening Redeemed and Summoned

 Almost two years ago, I closed this blog. But I’ve been sensing the Spirit’s urging to start posting on here again. So, I’m going to follow this prompting and do just that. 

First, let me say that God has recently blessed me big time by answering two prayers. These are prayers I’ve prayed for several years. One—that my husband would want to be in the Word with me; and two—that my youngest son and his family would start going to church. 

My first prayer was answered in December when my husband agreed to listen to portions of Scripture each day during Advent (He’s blind from retinitis pigmentosa), and then agreed I could continue reading the Bible to him after supper each night in 2025. We’ve read Genesis, Exodus, Nehemiah, Philemon, and Hebrews so far.

My second prayer was answered this month when our son told us a friend of theirs invited him and his family to go to their church. My grandchildren loved it, and so they’ve been going since then. 

I’m beside myself with joy! 

If you’ve been praying for something for a long time that you know is in line with God’s Word, I encourage you to stay with it. God is faithful. He’ll either answer in the affirmative, or He’ll let you know to let it go and trust that He knows what He’s doing. 

May God bless you with answered prayers in 2025! Nothing is impossible with God!!

Good Information on Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

The Mayo Clinic on Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

Click here.

Read the Bible to Your Anxiety

Dr. John Piper takes on anxiety in this three-part video series. Click here.

Love this excerpt:

"Jesus assumes that truth — reasons, arguments, facts — affects or influences the emotions. Anxiety is an emotion. It is not a decision. We don’t decide to get anxious. It happens to us. Jesus attacks anxiety in Matthew 6 with truth, facts, promises, and reasons."

Store Up God's Word

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Ps. 119:11, ESV

Merriam Webster definition for stored: lay away; accumulate; to stack against a future time, to place or leave in a location for preservation or later use…a source from which things may be drawn as needed; a reserve fund; an abundance.

Stick some of that definition in the verse above and it might look like this: I have stocked up, accumulated, reserved an abundance of your word in my heart in order that I may draw from it as needed so that I won’t sin against you.

I’m thinking God wants His Word to be the spiritual weapon I use to nail my sinful nature to the cross.

Praise God, Exalt the Name of Jesus

No matter what is going on in your mind, heart, or life right now, praise God. Sing His praises and remember you belong to Christ. Keep Jesus exalted in your mind over every thing because no thing is greater than your Savior.  He chose you, called you, redeemed you, justified you. He will enable you to stand, and stand you will. God is faithful, no matter how it feels or looks right now. God is watching over you. Praising Him will strengthen you and encourage you, and help you get rid of "stinkin thinkin".

You are loved and precious to God. You can have fellowship with Jesus. Keep your eyes on the goal--complete union with Christ, following His example and His leading.  Remember what the Lord told Peter--"You follow me".  Let everyone else and everything else go, entrust them to God, and you follow Christ. He is your refuge and your strength. He is your life!

God Knows

Never believe the lie that God doesn't know what's going on in your life. He knows. He not only knows what's happening, He knows your every thought. (Ps. 139) The Lord proved to me this evening that He knows even things that we ponder out of curiosity. He is the ever-present Lord! Lean closer in to Him. Quiet yourself and allow Him to speak to your heart as you "pour out your heart like water before the Lord". You can trust Him with your thoughts, your hurts, disappointments, all your "stuff". Just tell Him all and then wait on Him. He is our Prince of Peace, our Counselor, our Everlasting Father. He is the God who forgives all your sins, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with love and compassion. He satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. I want that kind of renewal, and He wants that kind of renewal for me. It comes as we walk in close fellowship with Him. What better thing do you have going right now? For me, I don't have anything better. "For me it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge." (Ps. 73:28, NIV)

My Redeemer is Jesus Christ

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. Job19:25 NIV84 

Thankful this morning for all my Redeemer's done for me. More than I can ever repay. I know He lives, and I am so grateful for that deep-seated knowledge. It was worth going through all the panic and depression so that I could be brought to the point of desperation and finally let go of my fears, doubts and insecurities and let God take it all. I don't know why it took me so long to just give in and admit I couldn't fix myself. My Redeemer is a much better Fixer than me. He does better than fix...He restores and makes all things new. Praise to you, Lord. You are most worthy of all praise! 

Jesus Makes All Things New

It is fitting that we celebrate Jesus' birthday near the end of the year. As we review the past twelve months and remember the hurts, disappointments, and losses, we also remember Jesus--our Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  Instead of placing our hopes in a new year, we can place them in Jesus, who makes all things new.

Hebrews 8 Sunday School Lesson

Gleanings from Hebrews 8: Because of Jesus, I can stop trying hard, trying harder, trying hardest to be good. When I give up trying to change myself by adhering to a set of rules and regulations and instead focus on my relationship to God through Jesus Christ, His Word becomes engraved in my heart and mind and His Spirit directs my actions. I'm freed up from working myself to death at being religious and I'm filled up with freedom that comes from knowing personally my Lord and Savior! This is part of the saving grace of the new covenant. Good news, indeed!

Daniel Bible Study

Finished the 5th session of Beth Moore's Daniel Bible study with my Bible study ladies last Tuesday. Beth had us repeat this declaration after studying Daniel 5. Thought I'd share it because it meant so much to me. Place your own name in the blank if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I, ________________________, belong to God. I am a holy vessel because I house the Holy Spirit of the Living God! The Lord of Heaven and earth has said over me, “I declare you holy.” Today I commit to start believing what He says. I am holy! Empower me daily, Spirit of the Living God, to treat myself as holy. Open my eyes to every scheme of the Enemy to treat me as if I’m not. You, God, are God! Your Word is Truth. This day, Father, I choose to believe You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. (Declared holy in Deut.7:6; 26:19; 1 Peter 2:9; Exodus 22:31; Lev. 20:26; Ro. 1:7; 1 Corn. 7:14; Eph. 5:3 {NIV})

God's Children

It’s in drawing near to Christ no matter what the circumstances that we discover who we truly are in Christ--His child! It’s in coming boldly to the throne of grace that we find the strength and hope He provides to carry on. It’s in heartfelt, honest prayer to God that we find healing for our deepest hurts. It’s in abiding in God’s Word and doing what it says that we find out just how faithful our Lord is. There is no downside to walking in fellowship with Jesus--to know Him and the one true God is eternal life (John 17:3)--but there is no hope, no life, no truth, no light when we walk without Him. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 1:3 (NIV84)

Beth Moore's Simulcast Identity Declaration

Be Still, Kay Arthur Photo

Long Term Treatment for Panic and Generalized Anxiety

(Update 7/27: I inadvertently combined some information from Dr. Hart's Relaxation and Christian Meditation CD with his DVD message. Sorry about that. You can order his CD here .)

I watched Dr. Archibald Hart's dvd again the other day, Overcoming Stress and Anxiety, and couldn't remember if I posted his suggestions for the long-term treatment of panic disorder and generalized anxiety--both are biological forms of anxiety. With biological anxiety, Dr. Hart teaches you have to change some things in your life--become more proactive--in order the get the brain chemistry balanced again. He said in the dvd that stress plays havoc with the brain, and it will take some time to de-stress the brain. He suggests medication to treat the symptoms of biological anxiety but also urges us to go further to change our lives so that the root cause of the anxiety will be exterminated--the root cause being too much adrenaline and cortisol caused by too much stress. He mentions that relaxation techniques will help lower your adrenalin. He makes the point that research supports the best way to stop panic is to meditate.

Christian meditation helps slow down your brain, takes control of your thinking. He suggests taking a psalm like Psalm 23 and reading it through slowly one time. Then go back and take it phrase by phrase, pausing to meditate on what the phrase means. For example, "The LORD" from verse 1. Meditate on what LORD means to you. Ask yourself questions--Is He really my LORD? Am I loyal to Him?, etc. You can also take this time to dialogue with God--tell Him how thankful you are that He is your LORD.

After thinking about LORD, then go on to the next phrase, "is my shepherd." I tried this form of meditation this morning with my Sunday School class. When we stopped to meditate on the phrase, "is my shepherd", the word my jumped out at me. The LORD is my very own shepherd. I never thought about that before. Then I thought, what does a shepherd do? He feeds the flock, protects the flock, rescues the lost, guides the flock. I remembered Jesus said that He was the "Good Shepherd", and so I discussed that with my ladies. While we went through the first phrases of the psalm, the room was quiet and calm as each one of us were meditating on what the words meant to us. In the stillness, I felt a sense of reverent awe for God. And also contentment because of what His Word was saying to our hearts. Dr. Hart says if you go through the first three verses within five minutes, you're moving too fast. The point of meditation is to take your time and listen to what God might say instead of rushing through.

I hope you try this form of worship by yourself. It really does calm down the mind and I love what God's Word says in Isaiah, "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever." Meditating on God's Word brings healing to our minds, hearts, and souls as well as peace. It encourages and edifies us and develops our faith in God. It also places us in the position to hear from God. We will be able to hear His still, quiet voice.

Dr. Hart also suggests getting nine hours of sleep every night. And de-stress before bedtime--turn off the tv, take a hot bath, read uplifting material like a Christian book or the Bible. If you can't get a full nine hours each night, take naps during the week so that you average out nine hours a night. If you don't sleep enough your brain chemistry is not going to be in balance because sleep enhances the body's natural tranquilizers. It takes discipline to do these things, but they are so beneficial. I'm encouraged to start putting his suggestions into practice. Dr. Hart's dvd is called Overcoming Stress and Anxiety and can be purchased on eBay or Lifeway.

Post from Beth Moore's Blog

http://blog.lproof.org/ April 19, 2014 THE WOMEN THAT SATURDAY

The place God carved out for women in the Bible’s account of Christ’s death and resurrection is astonishing. To be noticed in the scenes at all in the religious climate of their day was revolutionary. To be recorded by name, an immeasurable gift wrapped in the incarnation.

As women of Christ seeking to identify with those first female followers who were eyewitnesses of His life, parts of His ministry (Luke 8:1-3), His passion, His death, and resurrection, we try to place ourselves in the unfolding drama that has made room for our kind. Imagining what it was like to be Mary, the mother of Christ, on the lurching patch of ground near the Cross is soul-wrenching. To see your child, grown though he may be, thrashed into disfigurement, unclothed and exposed and hung by nails through the flesh of your flesh for hours on end, fighting for breath, is too much to wrap our imaginations around.The seconds must have dragged their feet like a suffering man dragging a cross.

To try to stare into the eyes of the women at the crucifixion of Christ and imagine the lung-heaving weight of their grief and the crashing of their hope is endurable only because we know the rest of the story. On the third day through the pool of a woman’s tears, the face of the risen Son of God was beheld, the sun piercing the black hole of an empty tomb.

Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?

Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.

And Jesus spoke just one little word to the woman from Magdala.

Mary.

She turned and said to Him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”

Stunningly beautiful. Haven’t most of us imagined being her?

The account of the women over that weekend of earth-altering events doesn’t skip from the Cross to the tomb. Luke 23:56 records a single piece of information that scripts hours of silence. I’ll include the surrounding verses here so that you can see it in a loosely draped timeline:

______

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. (Luke 23:50-24:11 ESV)

______

Go with me there again: the women saw how His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments.

Then they had to sit and wait and bide their agonizing time until the Sabbath was over so that they could tend to the deceased body of their beloved.

No work. Just wait.

Sometimes waiting is the work.

Nothing makes us sweat like waiting.

Sometimes rest is imposed on us when what we want to do more than anything on earth is work.

I’ve got to do something.

To women, there is always something to do in a catastrophe.

Fix it.

If you can’t fix it, fret over it. Flail. Demand. Make yourself heard.

But do something.

To us the answer is never do nothing. I’m not sure womanhood had ever been put to trial more thoroughly in the Gospels than in the still shot of Luke 23:56.

I don’t want to wait and see. Let me see to it myself. Nothing mauls a sober woman’s sensibilities like staying put in a crisis.

We want to wrap things, even if they’re dead.

At our bravest and most selfless, we want desperately to bring fragrance to the pall of death and give it, if not beauty, dignity. If we cannot, we feel useless.We do not realize that our presence right there before God in the trust of our worklessness can be fragrance. It’s not in the spices and ointments. It’s in us.

It is Saturday. Not only a day in a week of seven but maybe a season in your own pain and bewilderment. Maybe something terrible has happened; that which could make many you love lose hope. Maybe it looks like God did not come through. You keep taking up for Him but He doesn’t seem to be taking up for Himself.

But you believe…because you’ve seen so much. You know God can work things for good and you volunteer almost violently for Him to use you to do it but, still, resurrection waits. Nothing you’re doing is working. Your hands are tied. You feel useless. After all, what good is a woman who’s forced to rest?

Go with me to one more scene of women. Rewind the sacred clock to the week before Christ’s death and resurrection. The place is John 11. 17

Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.

Moments later, that dead man came walking out of the tomb, grave clothes dangling.


Rest.


You cannot fix it.


All your panting will not resuscitate it.


Resurrection is divine.


We can’t help God with it. He alone can do it.


And He will. He is life. He cannot leave death well enough alone.


Rest.


Tomorrow is Sunday.

Become Empowered

You can meditate on fearful things and become fearful, or you can meditate on the power of God, His Word, and His love for you and become empowered. The most often used phrase in the Bible is "Do not fear". 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

Jesus Our Hope

Whenever it's darkest, remember Jesus. He is your light. You're not without hope. His power goes beyond your ability to conceive. So does His love. He will fight for you. Cry out to Him. He is close to the broken. His compassion is unfailing. Eleven years ago, I thought I was a lost cause. He proved me wrong. And I give Him praise this morning. 

My Hope Video Links

Link to watch the My Hope video and see more video links:

http://myhopewithbillygraham.org/programs/the-cross/

The Mind Controlled by the Spirit

One of the most effective ways for me to calm my anxious mind and refocus my thoughts on Jesus is to meditate on the verses I found and wrote down back in 2004 that speak truth to my soul. During my quiet time recently, I wrote down a few; and as I wrote the words, I meditated on their meanings. I used my NIV Hebrew-Greek Study Bible Lexicon to gain even more insight. You can do this online here.

Here’s my example: Romans 8:6 “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” (NIV84)

Life—zoe (Greek)—Life, the element or principle of life in the spirit and soul. Distinguished from “bios”, life, the course of life, the business and affairs of life. Zoe is used most often in connection with eternal life. This life is the very life of God of which believers are made partakers.

Peace—Eirene(Greek)—peace, tranquility, repose, calm, harmony, accord; well-being prosperity. It denotes a state of untroubled, undisturbed, well-being. Such a state of peace is the object of divine promise and is brought about by God’s mercy, granting deliverance and freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as a result of sin. Hence the message of salvation is called the gospel of peace, for this peace can only be the result of reconciliation with God, referring to the new relationship between man and God brought about by the atonement.

After reading about these two words and how they relate to Romans 8:6, I applied it to my life: The mind controlled by the Spirit is God’s life for me. It’s eternal life, life to my spirit and soul. It’s true life: it keeps me alive to Christ and dead to sin. And it’s deliverance--freedom from the distresses caused by sin in my life or by sin in others’ lives. It’s calm, tranquility and harmony in my thought life. No fear, no striving, indecision, anxiety, disorganization of my thoughts. No despair or dismay. No judging others or thinking negatively about them. Only peace, a sense of well-being, thoughts aligned with God’s Spirit.  A mind controlled by the Spirit is a praying mind—a mind stayed on God.

This is the kind of mind I want, but it takes yielding to the Spirit and not insisting on my own way. That’s something we can pray about—asking God to help us yield to the Spirit's control so that we may have His life and His peace.

My Determined Purpose

Sometimes we get disappointed with ourselves because we’re believers but our actions (or maybe reactions) aren’t what we want them to be in certain situations. Sometimes we get disheartened because we know God could change some things in us, but He hasn’t yet.  Sometimes the battle is an old one-- that “thorn in the flesh.”  Sometimes we don’t feel like “more than conquerors”, and yet, we know we have a Champion for whom nothing is impossible and Who is “for” us, not “against” us. Sometimes trying to walk like Jesus walked seems too hard, and it’s easier to say, “I give up” instead of looking up and trying one more time. 

Negative thoughts and feelings can really discourage us, paralyze us, and drag us into despair. We need to take them captive and bring them to Christ. We are not perfect human beings. We need to confess our sins and shortcomings. We need to accept hardship as the Lord’s discipline, knowing that we’re being changed for the better. Our hearts and our faith are being purified. In the meantime,  Jesus says His grace is sufficient for us. God’s Word tells us that He is indeed working in us to will and to do His good pleasure. We’re encouraged to stand firm and to put on the armor of God in Ephesians 6. And in order to think like Christ, we need to meditate on God's Word which contains whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, noteworthy, excellent. (We're told to think on these things in Phil. 4:8) Then we can trust God to take care of our concerns and problems that we’ve laid out before Him in prayer. We can cast all our anxieties on Jesus because He cares for us. We can trust Jesus. But it’s hard to trust Him if you don’t know Him.

Almost a year ago, I placed a card on my refrigerator that had this verse on it: “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [the power it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death.” (Phil. 3:10; Amp)

“For my determined purpose” caught my attention when I read it again recently. If I’m going to continue this spiritual walk I’m on, I’ve got to be determined and turn away from anything that would keep me from knowing Jesus my Lord deeply and intimately, as well as knowing His spiritual power. I can’t imagine a better example of someone more determined than Paul, the writer of Phil 3:10 and Phil. 4:8. Beaten, flogged, jailed, chained, chased, surviving shipwrecks, ridiculed, rejected. He must have been determined since he never gave up. It inspires me and convicts me to make knowing Jesus my determined purpose because Jesus went through much worse for me. Beaten, flogged, ridiculed, rejected, spit upon, crucified, pierced. But that wasn’t the end. He had to endure the cup of God’s wrath for the sins of the world in addition to the physical suffering. I can’t even imagine what all He went through for me and for you. And then, victory—just as He promised. Resurrection. Hope. Eternal life.

Paul says something else about his trials as he continued in his determined purpose—“But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength….”  (2 Tim. 4:17, NIV)  We can count on the Lord standing by us. As soon as we cry out, He strengthens us. Jesus loves us with an unfailing, unending, unconditional love. He is worthy of our love, our devotion, our determined purpose to know Him.

A Prayer

Prayer from Richard Foster's book, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home. Picture from  (http://www.incourage.me/2013/03/53649.html)

Focusing on Jesus in the Midst of Difficulties

How do we keep our minds on Christ in the midst of difficulties? For anxiety-prone people like me, the answer to this question is extremely important. John Ortberg talked about this in If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat. He reaffirmed what I’d learned from one of Beth Moore's studies: whatever we focus our minds on, whatever we meditate on continually, determines the way we think. I love this excerpt from Ortberg’s book: “Psychologist Archibald Hart writes, ‘Research has shown that one's thought life influences every aspect of one's being.’ Whether we are filled with confidence or fear depends on the kind of thoughts that habitually occupy our minds. The way you think creates your attitudes; the way you think shapes your emotions; the way you think governs your behavior; the way you think deeply influences your immune system and vulnerability to illness. Everything about you flows out of the way you think. I believe this is one of those cases where we are simply coming to confirm what the writers of Scriptures knew quite clearly all along. Paul said, 'Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.'

The law of exposure is as inviolable as the law of gravity. No one is surprised by the law of gravity. No one says, 'Hey, I dropped this priceless antique crystal vase on cement and it broke. What are the odds of that?' But amazingly enough, people react to the law of exposure in total shock. People are surprised that what their minds are constantly exposed to, attend to, and dwell on eventually comes out in how they feel and what they do.

The events you attend, the material you read (or don't), the music you hear, the images you watch, the conversations you hold, the daydreams you entertain-all are shaping your mind and, ultimately, your character and destiny. This is supremely true when it comes to hope.

Is. 26:3 says, 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.' It all depends on where your mind stays. The good news is that you can put these laws to work for you. If you really want to become a certain kind of person--a hopeful person focused on Christ--you must begin to think thoughts that will produce those characteristics. So we understand why Paul said, 'Think about these things.' When you focus on Christ, these are the kinds of thoughts he will inspire you to think. Therefore you must put your mind in a place that will lead you to think hope-producing thoughts. You need to expose your mind to those resources, books, tapes, people, and conversations that will incline you toward confidence in God. Your mind will think most about what it is most exposed to.”

So true!  When I begin the day by praying to God and then reading His Word, and when I sit in silence and listen with my heart to what He’s saying to me, or while I’m engaged in memorizing a few verses, or singing praises to Him, or meditating on a psalm, there is a marked difference in the peace and joy that I have and in my awareness of God's faithfulness and love for me. My blood pressure goes down, and so does my heart rate. My thoughts are pleasant and faith-filled. I feel the peace of God and His Presence. John Ortberg has much more to say about feeding your mind and soul in his book.  

 

What is Truth?

The Bible can tear you up or it can heal you. It all depends on your relationship to the Lord. It's not head knowledge that counts--it's heart knowledge. When you become a friend of Jesus, when you make Him Lord of your life, then the Word becomes alive in you, and the Bible confirms what you already know in your heart--God is real, Jesus is alive, and God's Word is true. Healing begins. Having the Spirit of Jesus Christ as your moment-by-moment Counselor, Friend, Shepherd, Sustainer, Helper, Healer is worth giving up your own self-made belief system which will destroy you in the end and rob you of the Greater Glory--Christ living in you.

The Truth that Defeats The Lies I've Told Myself

All Scripture in NIV unless otherwise noted.

 

LIE—I am all alone with no one to help me.

TRUTH

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.’”

 Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Joshua 1:5 “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Isaiah 49:15-16 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”

Matthew 28:20  “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

John 14:15-17 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Psalm 9:10 “Those who know your Name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

LIE—I am going to lose my mind.

TRUTH

Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (NKJV)

Romans 8:6b “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.”

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

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.”

1 Corinthians 14:15 “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”

(See also, 1 Corinthians 2:16; Romans 8:27;)

LIE—I am not safe! There is no place where I can be safe!

TRUTH

Psalm 18:2 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. (NLT)

 Deuteronomy 33:12 “The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders.” (NKJV)

 Psalm 4:8 “I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (NKJV)

 Psalm 12:5 “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.” (NKJV)

 Psalm 91:1 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (NKJV)

 (See also Psalm 91; 121; 139)

 LIE—I will never be at peace again.

TRUTH

Psalm 85:8  “I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints— but let them not return to folly.”

 Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”

Isaiah 32:17 “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

(See also, Psalm 29:11; 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11; John 20:19, 21, 26; Ephesians 2:14)

LIE—I’ll never change; I’ll always be afraid.

TRUTH

Isaiah 43:1-2;4  "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you.”

Isaiah 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

 Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Ephesians 6:10-11;14-18 “Be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit….”

(See also, Isaiah 35:4; 41:10; 41:13; Joshua 1:5-7; Jeremiah 30:10)

 

 

An Unexpected Guest

The other morning I was having my quiet time when my chihuahua walked in. She knows I won't pick her up until I'm finished with my prayer time, but sometimes she likes to test me. When I ignored her paws on my pajama leg, I assumed she'd leave;  however, she began sniffing around the room. She stopped in front of my chest-of-drawers and began to growl. It was low, menacing, and long (when you're sitting in a room by yourself and it's early morning and really quiet, you don't want to hear a growl like that).

I glanced over and she was staring underneath the chest-of-drawers. Not really wanting to, I carefully rose praying it wasn't a snake or something. Then I had to bend down, which I did slowly. After a quick sweep with my eyes, I saw the shadowy head of a lizard raise up from the floor. Yikes! I ran to the kitchen for an empty coffee can. When I came back, the lizard had moved out from under the chest-of-drawers and was hanging onto the floor molding. Thankfully, I was able to capture it and toss it outside. I felt quite proud of myself. My little dog got an extra hug and treat after that. :)

The Spirit of the Lord is Life and Peace

When I have anxiety attacks, I feel that I am all alone and fighting the attacks all alone. I feel as though the attacks are designed to make me believe Jesus doesn't love me. But that's not true. One of my favorite verses to repeat when I'm feeling down is this: Isaiah 59:19 "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him." (KJV) I know I have the Holy Spirit in me because I've received Jesus as my Lord and Savior and because I sense His Spirit in me. I can't explain it. I just KNOW. It's a different reigning attitude in me--not the dark, melancholy thinking I've been used to all my life before Jesus stepped in and saved me. Sometimes, He fills me with such joy, I don't know what to do with myself. Usually, it's after I've spent time all alone with Him in prayer and Bible study and after my own personal songs of worship.

And sometimes, He fills me with such gratitude, all I can do is say, "thank you" over and over through my tears. Just today, after walking on my treadmill, the verse came to me, "I consider our present sufferings not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us." Ro. 8:18. I thought how wonderful God's plan of salvation for us. Nothing we go through is for nothing. It's all to draw us to Jesus. To help us lean on and rely on Him instead of ourselves because He loves us so much and is our Champion. He is so much stronger than we are. We cannot fight our battles in the mind and in the world without Him. He alone has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. He alone is Victor and makes us victorious. The power for forgiveness of sins is in His blood and He ever lives to intercede for believers. (that's in Hebrews). We fight the good fight of faith with His Spirit in us equipping us to fight and to serve and worship and love our Lord. And one day the greater glory will come into view, as Travis Cottrell sings in Thanks Be To Our God. Keeping my eyes on Jesus, my greater glory, is what makes me victorious, no matter how many anxiety attacks I have. And when I take on this attitude, I have less attacks. No coincidence there. "The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace". (Ro. 8:6)

God Never Changes

"Believe God is always the God you know Him to be when you are nearest to Him." Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Believing that statement keeps worry at bay for me and encourages me to continue on my pilgrimage to know God even more. "So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn, and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth." Hosea 6:3 (NASB

Life Between Your Ears

I've heard it said "you live your life between your ears". In other words, what's going on in your mind is your reality. I tend to agree. When I had panic attacks, it never occurred to me that no one else was experiencing the fear I was experiencing. But it was my reality alone because of what had been going on between my ears. Medication helps deal with the physical aspects of panic and anxiety attacks, but it takes renewing your mind--your thought-life--to change your perceptions of what is real and what is true: in other words, to change your life between your ears.

That's what God and His Word did for me and continues to do for me on a daily basis. After telling us not be to anxious and to pray about everything, Paul said in Phil. 4:8 "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable; if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, THINK ON THESE THINGS." (emphasis mine) So thinking on these things will help keep our minds occupied in a healthy way instead of with anxiety.

I find all THESE THINGS first in my relationship with Jesus and God's Word. That's what renews my mind and transforms my reality. So if I seem a bit obssessed with my relationship with God through my Lord Jesus and God's Word, now you know why. This obssession has exchanged a mind filled with fears into a mind filled with faith on most days. Sometimes I have difficult seasons, and my nervous system balks, but God's grace gets me through. Glory to His Name!

 

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.Trust in the LORD forever for the LORD, the LORD is the Rock eternal." Isa. 26:3-4 NKJV

 

Another favorite of mine: "The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Ro. 8:6b I keep this one in my kitchen. :)

He Cares for You

Found this posted on http://www.girltalkhome.com/blog/category/fear/  ---

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
“Not only will He never leave you...but He cares for you. He is not just there with you. He cares for you. His care is constant—not occasional or sporadic. His care is total—even the very hairs of your head are numbered. His care is sovereign—nothing can touch you that He does not allow. His care is infinitely wise and good so that again in the words of John Newton, ‘If it were possible for me to alter any part of his plan, I could only spoil it.’”

—Jerry Bridges, Trusting God, p.199.

Coming to God just like we are is easier if we will remember that our Lord cares for us. Even when we screw up, even when we fail of faith, He still cares for us.  I love the verse in Romans 8 that tells us nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. His steadfast love is what I depend on.

I spent some time today on my patio swing and meditated on God and me. I told Him how I wanted more faith, how I wanted to be all He created me to be, and how I wanted to know Him more. He is my Rock, my safe place, my hiding place, the Source of my mind's peace. All my scrambling comes to an end when I get alone with God and rest in His love for me. How could He love someone like me? I am so flawed. I am so weak. But He has made it clear to me in His Word and I have His testimony in my heart that He "does" love me, He "does" care about me and for me. There is no God like my God. How I long to live a life worthy of His love and faithfulness to me. I asked Him to help me do that today.

Redirecting Our Anxious/Negative Thoughts

I’ve been re-reading Who Switched Off My Brain?: Controlling toxic thoughts and emotions by Dr. Caroline Leaf, and ran across some really great information. I also found similar information by Dr. Archibald Hart. Both Dr. Leaf and Dr. Hart agree that people who suffer from anxiety need to pay attention to their thoughts. An excerpt from Dr. Leaf’s book says: “What you do and say on the outside must reflect what you think on the inside. A lack of congruence causes stress and affects the way information is processed and memory is built. Framing your world with your words involves replacing negative thinking and words through a right attitude shift. You do this by: acknowledging that an issue exists, reflecting on what is wrong with it, considering how you can cope with it, asking whether you can do it alone or if you need help.”

Dr. Hart says: “Daily write in a small notebook every bothersome thought, event, or person that comes to mind. Ask yourself, “Which of these can I take care of right now? Is there anything I can change? Then take that action immediately and cross that thought off your list. Take the rest of your list—things you cannot take care of there and then and pray about them. Commit them to God. Then close your notebook. Doing this at the end of each day or whenever a bothersome thought occurs will help transfer it from your mind to paper.” If your mind keeps harping on an issue, write it down as often as you think of it. Pray about it. Then move on to other things.  

Dr. Hart also suggests writing down several good events that have happened in your life that bring you pleasure when you remember them. (Phil. 4:8) Write them on a card to keep with you throughout your day. For each event write down two or three specific things that happened that makes the event pleasurable for you. Keep this card with you at all times. Every hour or two review one of the memories on your card. Re-live it, savor it. Meditate on it for four or five minutes. Then return the card to its safe place and continue about your business. In this way you’re redirecting your thoughts away from anxious ones.

You can do this with pictures, too. Not long ago I found an old picture of my husband and me when we were celebrating his birthday in his parents' backyard. We were dating at the time—still teenagers. It made me smile to remember us back then. I’ve looked at it several times this past week and smile every time as I relived those wonderful days of getting to know each other and just being together. My children’s pictures bring wonderful memories to mind as well.

And there is always Scripture meditation—both Dr. Leaf and Dr. Hart speak of the importance of meditating on Scripture.  I’ve been reaping the benefits of that--as you know.

The more we concentrate on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praise-worthy in our lives (Phil. 4:8), the more positive thoughts and memories we’ll have to fill our minds and hearts. We'll then be more congruent--positive on the inside and on the outside. Faith-filled on the inside and acting in faith on the outside.

 

More Verses to Battle Fear

Beth Moore has put together a booklet of verses for battling the stronghold of fear and anxiety. It's entitled, Fear and Courage, The Great Forsake and Take. The title comes from the fact that we need to "forsake" fear and "take" courage.

Here's the link: http://blog.lproof.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/The-Great-Forsake-and-Take-Final.pdf

I already printed mine out! :)

May God richly bless you as you continue believing Him for freedom from all your fears. He is able! Oh, yes, He is able!

Who Is In Your Grandstand?

Kathleen Hart, wife of Dr. Archibald Hart, retired Professor of Psychology and former Dean of the Graduate School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California, asks this question in a counseling dvd I watched recently, "Who is in your grandstand?" It really opened my eyes to the importance of not putting myself, my parents, my husband, or anyone else in my grandstand. The only One who belongs there is Jesus Christ. This idea of "grandstand" assumes we're all performing for somebody's approval. I've been asking myself,  "Are my decisions being influenced by God, by my own misguided self, or by the people whose opinions I value most?" When God is not my priority person, I make unwise decisions.

Kathleen Hart emphasized there should be only One in our grandstand, and His Name is Jesus Christ. When we "make it our goal to please Him" (2 Corin. 5:9, NIV), life works and we are happier children in the Lord. Our hearts, souls, minds, and spirits are freed up from trying to please others and from trying to fullfil our own selfish desires. Instead, we are filled with the peace and love of Jesus, and we begin to operate out of that sense of His loving, healing presence in our hearts. We seek guidance from His Holy Spirit and humbly submit to His perfect will. Living out of that guidance, love, and peace that guards our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:7, NIV), we become more of a positive influence to those around us. Instead of seeking the approval of others to fill our needs, we become people who have something of great value to offer--Christ Himself--the only One who truly satisfies our deepest, heart-felt desires, who heals our deepest wounds, who rebuilds minds, hearts, souls, and bodies, and restores broken relationships.

He makes all things new. (Rev. 21:5, KJV)

June Hunt, Christian Counselor

June Hunt has many counseling helps that are downloadable and free in addition to books that speak about fear, worry, rejection, verbal and emotional abuse, grief, depression, etc. Her link for short teaching videos: http://www.hopefortheheart.org/2011/10/i-dont-think-that-my-life-has-any-purpose/

Confession and Forgiveness

Life has a way of beating us up, doesn't it? I know I've felt beat up a time or two this year. Difficult, stressful situations wear me down. They tend to bring out the worst in me. I'm forced to see things in me that I thought were dead and buried since I've begun walking with the Lord. It seems there are some things in me that just refuse to die. Then, when the dust has settled, I wonder, "How can I face the Lord after this?" But I go to the Lord anyway because He is everything to me. Without Him I have no hope of changing, no hope of surviving.

I thank God that He loves me so much that when I come to Him and confess my sins, He does not shame me or despise me. He welcomes me, forgives me, and loves me. I may get disciplined, but I would rather have the Lord's discipline than live without being reconciled to Him.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Nothing is better fuel for the Enemy's fire than the discouragement that comes from sin, especially if we sin after we've made a fresh commitment to the Lord or have been walking in joyful fellowship with Him. But I've learned to immediately go to the Lord and confess so that "times of refreshing" can come...and the sooner the better!

Just look at how compassionate our God is:

"He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." Ps. 103:10-14 (ESV)

Thank you, Father, that you do not deal with us according to our sins. Thank you that you remove our sins from us as far as the east is from the west. Thank you for your compassion to those who stand in reverent awe of you. Thank you for remembering that I am dust. Help me to live each day in submission to your perfect will and authority. Help me align my mind, heart, and soul with your Word. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I may have the power to live as you want me to live. In Jesus' name. Amen.

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.

Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress

This article is from the Anxiety Disorders Association of America--www.adaa.org. I would like to also add to this list: praying to God, meditating on and praying the Scriptures that deal with overcoming fear and anxiety as posted on this blog, and meeting with God in His Word, the Holy Bible, every morning before the day begins. Let Him speak to you through His Word. Also, praying to Him throughout your day and casting all your anxiety on Him whenever you feel it rising up in you. You can be honest with Him. He is your Sovereign Lord and He is in control. You can trust Him. He loves you so much!

Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress

When you're feeling anxious or stressed, these strategies will help you cope:
•Take a time-out. Practice (stretching exercises), listen to music, get a massage, or learn relaxation techniques. Stepping back from the problem helps clear your head.
•Eat well-balanced meals. Do not skip any meals. Do keep healthful, energy-boosting snacks on hand.
•Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.
•Get enough sleep. When stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest.
•Exercise daily to help you feel good and maintain your health. Check out the fitness tips below.
•Take deep breaths. Inhale and exhale slowly.
•Count to 10 slowly. Repeat, and count to 20 if necessary.
•Do your best. Instead of aiming for perfection, which isn't possible, be proud of however close you get.
•Accept that you cannot control everything. Put your stress in perspective: Is it really as bad as you think?
•Welcome humor. A good laugh goes a long way.
•Maintain a positive attitude. Make an effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones--like verses from God's Word (italics mine).
•Get involved. Volunteer or find another way to be active in your community, which creates a support network and gives you a break from everyday stress.
•Learn what triggers your anxiety. Is it work, family, school, or something else you can identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, and look for a pattern.
•Talk to someone. Tell friends and family you’re feeling overwhelmed, and let them know how they can help you. Talk to your clergyman. (italics, mine) Talk to a physician or therapist for professional help.

Fitness Tips: Stay Healthy, Manage Stress

For the biggest benefits of exercise, try to include at least 2½ hours of moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g. brisk walking) each week, 1¼ hours of a vigorous-intensity activity (such as jogging or swimming laps), or a combination of the two.
•5 X 30: Jog, walk, bike, or dance three to five times a week for 30 minutes.
•Set small daily goals and aim for daily consistency rather than perfect workouts. It's better to walk every day for 15-20 minutes than to wait until the weekend for a three-hour fitness marathon. Lots of scientific data suggests that frequency is most important.
•Find forms of exercise that are fun or enjoyable. Extroverted people often like classes and group activities. People who are more introverted often prefer solo pursuits.
•Distract yourself with an iPod or other portable media player to download audiobooks, podcasts, or music. Many people find it’s more fun to exercise while listening to something they enjoy.
•Recruit an “exercise buddy.” It's often easier to stick to your exercise routine when you have to stay committed to a friend, partner, or colleague.
•Be patient when you start a new exercise program. Most sedentary people require about four to eight weeks to feel coordinated and sufficiently in shape so that exercise feels easier.

A Little Bird

This morning while praying to God, I gave Him all of my recent disappointments and hurts that I had been trying to pretend did not bother me. After drying my tears, I made a cup of tea and looked out the window to my backyard. The song, It is Well with My Soul, came to mind. I quietly sang the first verse and my heart and mind became still. I thought about the words, "When sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well. It is well with my soul'." I thought about how it can be well within me even when there is still sorrow around me. Nothing had changed outwardly after I prayed, but I was relieved of the weight I had felt. I was freed up. As I continued to stare out the window, a sweet little bird with a yellow tummy landed in the practically bare branches of my English rosebush directly in front of me, hopped a time or two, seemed to look at me through the blinds, and then flew off.

I was delighted! Such an unexpected gift. I thanked God for it's coming and felt a surge of faith and love. I felt validated. God had heard me. He had heard my prayers and sent that little bird to lift my spirits. I knew it as sure as I knew my name. I just had to share it. Oh, how I love my God! He is faithful to us all.

Morning Reading, Charles Spurgeon

Morning and Evening
Charles H. Spurgeon
February 13, 2012
Morning Reading
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.

—1 John 3:1-2
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” Consider who we were, and what we feel ourselves to be even now when corruption is powerful in us, and you will wonder at our adoption. Yet we are called “the sons of God.” What a high relationship is that of a son, and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness the son expects from his father, and what love the father feels towards the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through Christ. As for the temporary drawback of suffering ...this we accept as an honour: “Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.” We are content to be unknown with Him in His humiliation, for we are to be exalted with Him. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” That is easy to read, but it is not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled under foot? Does your faith almost fail you? Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith on Christ. With all these things against us, now—in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be—now, as much in the valley as on the mountain, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” “Ah, but,” you say, “see how I am arrayed! my graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory.” But read the next: “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him.” The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, then shall we see Him as He is.

God's Covenant With You

I've recently signed up to receive the Morning/Evening devotionals of Charles Spurgeon from www.blueletterbible.org. I thought I'd share this one with you all because it so blessed me.

Morning and Evening
Charles H. Spurgeon
December 21, 2011
Morning Reading
Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant.
—2 Samuel 23:5

This covenant is divine in its origin. “HE hath made with me an everlasting covenant.” Oh that great word HE! Stop, my soul. God, the everlasting Father, has positively made a covenant with thee; yes, that God who spake the world into existence by a word; He, stooping from His majesty, takes hold of thy hand and makes a covenant with thee. Is it not a deed, the stupendous condescension of which might ravish our hearts for ever if we could really understand it? “HE hath made with me a covenant.” A king has not made a covenant with me—that were somewhat; but the Prince of the kings of the earth, Shaddai, the Lord All‐sufficient, the Jehovah of ages, the everlasting Elohim, “He hath made with me an everlasting covenant.” But notice, it is particular in its application. “Yet hath He made with ME an everlasting covenant.” Here lies the sweetness of it to each believer. It is nought for me that He made peace for the world; I want to know whether He made peace for me! It is little that He hath made a covenant, I want to know whether He has made a covenant with me. Blessed is the assurance that He hath made a covenant with me! If God the Holy Ghost gives me assurance of this, then His salvation is mine, His heart is mine, He Himself is mine—He is my God.

This covenant is everlasting in its duration. An everlasting covenant means a covenant which had no beginning, and which shall never, never end. How sweet amidst all the uncertainties of life, to know that “the foundation of the Lord standeth sure,” and to have God’s own promise, “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” Like dying David, I will sing of this, even though my house be not so with God as my heart desireth.

What Is A Saint?

Romans 1:7 "...who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." (NIV Bible)

In my quiet time this morning, I began reading in Romans, and as I thought about verse 7, I wondered what the word "saint" meant. I've heard this word almost all my life, and it's mentioned in the Bible several times both in Old and New Testaments. I had a pretty good idea what it meant--those of us who believe in Jesus Christ. But still I wondered what the difference was between a believer and a saint, if any. This morning I looked it up in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.

The dictionary had much to say, but what really struck me were these words: "To be a saint is a present reality when a believer seeks to let the Spirit form Christ within."

I've been thinking about that ever since I read it. Especially the words, "let the Spirit form Christ within." Shouldn't this be the goal of all believers? I have really felt convicted about this. Am I letting the Spirit form Christ within me? I want to. I need to. And this morning I prayed for God to help me let the Spirit do His job. My life, my well-being, depends on my letting go of how I think life should be or how I think I should be treated. And after I let go, I need to grab onto Jesus and not let go, trusting in the Lord's will and in His love for me. He is faithful, ever-present, His love is unfailing, and His will for me is good, pleasing, and perfect.

Let the Spirit form Christ within....

A Prayer for Stress and Anxiety

Found this prayer that I thought might help someone.

Bible Studies and Books: A List

In response to an email recently, I listed some Bible studies and some books that I have read that speak to anxiety and I thought I would list as many of them as I can remember here on my blog in case someone else might be interested. Although Bible study, an active prayer life, and my Scriptures were my first line of defense against panic, I began reading Christian nonfiction books to encourage myself in my walk with the Lord and also to learn all I could about staying out of the pit of panic and depression. If you would like to share books that have helped you, please feel free to list them in a comment. :)



1. Bible studies by Beth Moore: Believing God, Breaking Free, Living Beyond Yourself, A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place; Bible study by Jennifer Rothschild: Me, Myself, & Lies

2. Loving God with All Your Mind by Elizabeth George

3. The Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

4. The Spirit-Controlled Woman by Beverly LaHaye

5. The Spirit-Filled Temperament by Tim LaHaye

6. The Psychology of Jesus

7. Boundaries by Cloud/Townsend

8. The Three Battlegrounds by Francis Frangipane

9. Hind’s Feet on High Places by Hurnard (This is a fiction book and a Christian classic whose main character is called, “Much-Afraid”. I identified with her very much.)

10. The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer

11. The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

12. Who Switched Off My Brain?

13. Ruthless Trust, by Brennan Manning

14. The Celebration of Discipline by Foster

15. Fearless by Max Lucado

Sunday

God is continuing to strengthen me so that even though I didn't get a full night's sleep, I was still able to get up and go to church yesterday. The rash on my hands is almost gone and I had a good hair day so I was feeling pretty good yesterday morning. :) I usually am running late, but Sunday morning my hair behaved and I was ahead of schedule. Being a shy person in my human nature, I did something I haven't done in a long time. I grabbed my spiral of Scriptures from 2009 and put them in my tote bag. My intention was that if there were not many people I knew in my Sunday School department because of the cold, damp weather we're having, I could refresh my memory of these verses while I waited for S.S. to start. Well....our department was full and I sat beside a friend and chatted awhile, and then she leaned in and confided in me that a loved one was experiencing anxiety and it was pretty serious. I told her how focusing on Scripture verses that speak to my heart and my circumstances help break the cycle of anxious thinking. I'm able to take my thoughts captive to Christ Jesus. Whenever I meditate on Scripture, my heart rate slows down, my thoughts turn to God and His love for me, His trustworthiness, and His power, and I have confidence and peace.  I pulled out my spiral of verses to show her how I write them on 3x5s to carry with me. She was excited and said she would share what I said with her loved one.

Isn't God amazing? He arranged for me to get ready early, caused me to grab my Scripture spiral, and to sit by this friend so I could talk to her before Sunday School started and share how God calms us when we are worried or locked into negative thinking.

Solis Deo Gloria--To God alone be the glory!!

God's Promises for 2011

Twelve Promises God Wants You to Remember in 2011

God is for you.

God loves you.

God will guide you.

God will not fail you.

God will be with you.

God will provide for you.

God will bless you.

God will give you rest.

God will strengthen you.

God will answer you.

God will uphold you.

God will keep you.



(Published in an email from www.dayspring.com)