Emotional and Mental Health - Eliminating Anxiety

Life is insecure at best and terrifying at its worse. People say that bad things happen in threes, but at times in my life, I have counted five or six stressful catastrophes in a row.

I learned early on in life not to expect anything good to happen. That way, when good did happen, I was mildly pleased; but when it did not occur, I was not overly disappointed either.

As an authentic Believer, we learn to cast all of our anxious thoughts on God's strong shoulders - to leave them in His benevolent heart and to have faith in His faithfulness instead of in people (Mark 10:22; 1 Peter 5:7).

As we turn our attention away from our self and onto helping other people, we continue to heal from anxiety. This brings inner peace because we help to ease another's burdens and we find fulfillment in sharing our abilities and resources.

As we pray during each moment for God's will and direction, we acknowledge that God is in control of our life (Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:6-8). This reduces anxiety quicker than any mantra or affirmation we can repeat.

God orders our steps and gives us the grace to enter into His rest (Hebrews 13:5). His presence in our life allows Him to provide serenity in anxious situations. He helps us to set priorities and to follow them.

This habit is comforting and provides us with a routine to which we can establish and adhere. Routine limits anxious feelings and defines our responsibilities according to the will of God, rather than our own stressful agenda.

I do not hide from life any longer. I know from experience that our Daddy God is faithful, I experience security by walking in His presence and praying without ceasing, and I find fulfillment and peace in the comfort of the shadow of His wings.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that prayer is not created for us to manipulate You or to demand that You do our bidding in our way and timing. Our communication with You is for our benefit, however; and we do not need to wait for a crisis, which we can no longer control before we come to You. We wait in silence until we discover Your will for us during each moment of our day.

Thank You for giving us Your peace, which transcends any comfort the world attempts to provide for us. You are only a prayer away; and yet we fail to avail our self to the intimacy of our union with You. Thank You for abiding within us with Your presence and for filling us with Your Spirit and fruit.

Thought for the Day:

God is not our puppet to manipulate according to our will, but our Savior and King whom we willingly serve according to His will and way; He is not obligated to grant our wishes, but He chooses to give us only the best that we need to live a fulfilling life.

Authentic Worshipers

God is looking for authentic worshipers who will live for Him by His Spirit and in His Truth (John 4:23). He wants to raise up an army united in Christ, not a bunch of Lone Rangers doing their own thing.

As we allow the nature of Christ in us to infiltrate every area of our life, we decrease so that He may increase (John 3:30). We serve God by His Spirit moving within us and through us (Philippians 2:12-13; Act 17:28).

When we come to truly understand that we are dead, and that our life is now hidden with Christ in God, we live in God’s power, which works in and through us (Colossians 3:3; Galatians 2:20).

God will use our body, soul and spirit by His Spirit to work in the lives of people we encounter each day. He will give us His words to speak to them that we cannot possibly know in our human capacity.

This opens doors for us to witness to people and to bring Christ into their life, so that He can change their heart, lives and circumstances for their good.

We put no confidence in our fleshly abilities; and we do not boast in our own accomplishments, because we achieve all things through Christ in us (Philippians 3:3; 2:12-13).

Sinful mankind, who are lost in pride, arrogance and the exploitation of others, consider their own needs more frequently than anyone else’s (Romans 12:3). However, God brings everyone down to the same level through the grave (Isaiah 14:15).

Our eternal destination is determined by our earthly beliefs. If we live for self, we reap corruption; if we live for Christ, we reap eternal life and serve God as Authentic Believers (John 3:16-18).

Prayer:

Father God, it is not difficult to sustain a constant relationship with You as our living Lord. Every moment of our day is authentic worship to You. Living with honor and respect for You gives us a secure life with protection from lasting harm (Proverbs 19:23). Even negative circumstances turn around for our good (Romans 8:28).

You give us everything we need to live in contentment through a genuine Godly life (1 Timothy 6:6). You are our strength and shield. We trust in You with all of our heart. You fill our soul so full of joy that we spontaneously burst forth into songs of praise and thanksgiving to You (Psalm 28:7).

Thought for the Day:
Christ in us gives us joy in tribulation (Romans 5:3), hope in devastating trials and loss (Romans 15:13), and a bright vision for our future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Fathomless Tranquility

 

The life of the authentic Christian is one of complete dependence on God. This dependence develops a deep restfulness that permeates every area of our life. There is no reason to struggle and strive in life. When stress tries to overwhelm us, we can go to our solid Rock who is higher, stronger and more stable than we are and find rest for our soul (Psalm 61:2).

God gives us a firm footing on which to walk in this unstable world in which we live (Psalm 37:23; 40:2). He makes our path level so we do not stumble or fall (Isaiah 26:7). He guards our feet. It is not by strength that we prevail, but by the power of God in our life (1 Samuel 2:9). When we hide God’s Word in our heart, our feet do not slip as we work to increase the Kingdom of God by His Spirit’s direction (Psalm 37:31; 66:9).

We do not use obnoxious gimmicks in ministry, but we simply present the gospel in a kind manner to whomever will give us their time to listen. It is not our responsibility to make anyone believe. They come only as the Holy Spirit draws them (John 6:44). However, it is our responsibility to go into the entire world and to make disciples for Christ of anyone who wants the blessings and relationship we have with Him.

The Vine and branch is such a special, reciprical relationship mutually benefitting one another; and we rest in our union with the Vine. He is also the Potter, we are the clay; and we rest in His hands as He molds us into a vessel of His choosing. Another analogy is that He is the Head and we are His Body. Our body never moves unless our mind tells us to do so. This is the same as with our relationship with God.

We depend on God entirely for our every need. The deeper our union, the more we listen to His Spirit. We never move unless He directs. Our love for Him and our passion for winning the lost and growing His Body increases with each passing day. The days get sweeter and even in negative circumstances, we maintain the positive attitude, which faith provides.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we sit at Your feet and learn from you, just as Mary did when she chose the wiser part in your visit to Your friends’ home (Luke 10:39). We bask in the peace and rest, which increases in us as our knowledge of You and relationship with You increases. We give you all of our anxieties, because You care for us (1 Peter 5:7). Give us Your divine promises, love and abilities in order to affect a change in our world. 

Thought for the Day:
We rest in our relationship with God and move only as He directs.

Faith Without Doubt

 

After Pentecost, the apostles, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, continued to share Jesus’ teachings. The Word of God multiplied in the hearts of many, and even some of the hard-hearted priests, who schemed to bring about Jesus’ demise, put their faith in His divinity (Acts 6:7). This same thing occurs today through the preaching of God’s Word.

Faith gives us the assurance of what we hope for, and confidence even when we see no way for it to occur (Hebrews 11:1). Jesus’ life gives us the faith to believe that God exists also, because God raised Jesus from the dead and glorified Him at His right hand in Heaven. This allows us to place our trust and hope in God alone rather than in our own abilities (1 Peter 1:21).

Our faith grows as we exercise it. Faith visualizes the impossible (Matthew 19:26), overcomes the lies of the devil (Revelation 12:9-11), believes in God without proof (Hebrews 11:1), holds us firm during life’s tribulation (Matthew 7:24-27), places our feet on the solid Rock (Psalm 40:2), sees the Creator in nature and clings to God’s faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9).

Faith overcomes temptation from the world, the flesh and the devil without giving them any credence (Galatians 5:16). Even when we do not fully comprehend it, faith helps us to believe the truth of God’s Word (Mark 9:24). Just a little faith allows us to move huge impediments in our life, even those, which are the size of a mountain, because nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 17:20; 19:26).

Prayer:

Father God, many in this world condemn themselves to hell by their unbelief (John 3:18). Their stubbornness and pride cripple their heart and prevent them from trusting in anyone but their own self. Those of us who do believe in You, often have trouble with whole hearted trust. Father, help our unbelief (Mark 9:24). Take our human doubts, which wiggle into our hearts and bind them with Your truth. Your Word proves Your faithfulness to us over and over again. Thank you for all You do for us each moment of every day.

Thought for the Day:

We live by faith, not by sight. - 2 Corinthians 5:7

The Power of Knowing God

 

To know God personally is to relate to Him intimately as a man “knows” his wife (Genesis 4:1). This is not an intellectual pursuit, but an experienced unity. Knowing God provides us with eternal life (John 17:3). The Jewish culture looked for signs, and the Greek culture craved wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:21). When Christ came, He served as a stumbling block for both cultures; however, to those who are called in Christ, Jesus is both our power and the wisdom of God in us (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).

When I consider the size and magnificence of creation, I cannot comprehend it. It is too magnanimous for me to fathom. The heavens and skies declare the glorious works of God’s hands (Psalm 19:1). God uses creation to preach His gospel (Romans 1:20). Even in countries where missionaries have yet to preach, the heavens are proclaiming His righteousness and the people see His glory (Psalm 97:6).

Those who reject Christ are without excuse, and refrain from believing only because of their rebellion and pride (John 3:18). God does not need natural beauty, skill and talents, just a submissive person, emptied of him/her self. He does not want those who take the credit, only those who give Him the glory. He has no need for excellence, eloquence and elegance in His people. He simply looks for a surrendered life.

We labor with all the energy of Christ’s power working in and through us (Colossians 1:29). This is the same power, which raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at God’s right hand (Ephesians 1: 19-20). Jesus knew Peter’s habit of depending on the flesh to fight his battles. That is why the transformation in Peter after Pentecost is so amazing! He learned that God needs no human talents or abilities, but only His Spirit working in and through us (Zechariah 4:6; Acts 2:14-36).

Prayer:

Father God, when I lay down to sleep, I remember all that You do for me. I meditate on Your goodness all through the night watches. You are my help, and I hide and rejoice in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You for stability and comfort. You hold me up with Your powerful right hand (Psalm 63:6-8). You are my rock and You bring me true salvation. You are my strong fortress, which prevents me from being shaken by the storms and quakes of life (Psalm 62:2). I depend on You to move in me by the power of your Spirit.  

Thought for the Day:

As Born Again Believers, we walk in the power of knowing God.

Victories and Delights

Jesus Christ is our whole life (Colossians 3:3-4). He lives in us and wants to accomplish our Father’s work through our life, so that He can do greater works than He did alone (John 14:12). When we rely on our own accomplishments and talents, we miss the whole point of our life in Christ. God can even overcome our inabilities with His glorious abilities within us. As we submit our life to Him, He puts us in the right place at the right time to live in the center of His will.

We are joined with Christ and with His Body, the church, in one Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). His divinity steadily replaces our humanity. We abide in Him and the fruit of His Spirit replace our carnality (Galatians 5:22-23). We rest in Him and enjoy all of the fullness of the divine Trinity in our life. We trust in His faithfulness, regardless of the circumstances in our life. He uses us to accomplish His works and He brings us total fulfillment (Ephesians 2:10).

We no longer rely on what our heart advises us to do, or what our soul’s emotions feel is the best course for our life, or what our family, friends, the world, the flesh or the devil determine for our day (Jeremiah 17:9). We rely on God’s Word to feed us, and God’s Spirit to lead us (Matthew 4:4). We live in God’s will for each moment and soon find that our only desire is to accomplish His purposes for our life (Isaiah 26:12).

Christ unites us with Himself in an intimate and integral relationship, which lasts for eternity. Especially in times of anguish, we can cleave to the Lord with our whole heart (Acts 11:23). We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). We no longer have responsibility for our life, because Christ in us is ready to take over at the moment of our salvation. We simply yield to Him and He births His righteousness within us (Titus 3:5), leads us by His Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25) and turns all of our sins and sorrows into victories and delights.

Prayer:

Father God, our soul is capable of becoming distress and discouraged (Psalm 42:5). The Psalmists consistently illustrate the need for our soul to praise You, who are the only One who can truly encourage our soul (Psalm 42:6 & 11; 3:1, 104:1). May the eyes of our heart be enlightened in order that we may comprehend the hope, in which You called us to live; so that we can enjoy the riches of our glorious inheritance with You and Your holy people (Ephesians 1:18).

Thought for the Day:

The Lord lives in us as our might Savior. He rejoices over us with great gladness; with His unconditional love, He calms all of our fears. He is so pleased in us that He rejoices with a new song. – Zephaniah 3:17

 

The Door to Freedom

 

It almost takes a lifetime for human beings to come to the realization that God is always right. Starting with the fact that there really is nothing good about our humanity (Romans 7:18, 8:7). Our personality and talents from God are so much more winsome and creative than those we develop through our training and natural abilities. If we look to our self or to this world for life, liberty and happiness, we are miserably disappointed.

Our flesh is despicable to God. That is why Christ died in our place (Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 11:18). Nothing less than absolute annihilation of our flesh will aid us in coming into perfect union with Christ in us. This is not our responsibility, however. We simply surrender to the Holy Spirit who perfects us by replacing our carnality with His fruit. Sometimes, it takes more than one trial to completely eradicate our flesh in one certain area.

Therefore, it may take a lifetime for Him to replace our carnality with each one of His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Through His death, Jesus gave us eternal life, which begins the moment we believe in Him and commit to walk away from our sins (John 3:16-18). It is only through our union with God that we attain eternal freedom and joy (Galatians 5:1; Psalm 27:5-7). We no longer hunger and thirst for what this world has to offer. We only want more of God (Matthew 5:6).

Seeking God with our whole heart is the only way we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). If we go without food for days, we are no longer hungry; and we will die a slow death. The same thing happens in the spiritual life. When we lose our hunger for God, we die spiritually as well. Fellowshipping with other Saints who also hunger for God will help to fill our hungry soul and spirit (Psalm 107:9).

When we comprehend the freedom, which is ours through Christ, who is our whole life, we realize that our humanity is already dead, because we are actually hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3-4). Then, we cease from our human striving and stress and enter into His rest (Hebrews 4:10). Absolute surrender to God’s will for our individual life (Ephesians 2:8-10) is our only door to freedom.

Prayer:

Father God, You gave Jesus the power to save us to the most extreme measure of perfection (Hebrews 7:25; Romans 5:6-9). We are crucified with Him; and we can only successfully navigate the life, which we now live on this earth, by the power of Christ in us, who loves us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20). Therefore, we voluntarily lay down our life and take up Your life by Your Spirit in us (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Thought for the Day:

Jesus is the only door to the throne room of God. – John 10:9

Not of Our Self

Our human plans often operate on impulses, and are otherwise the results of us reasoning things out with our finite mind. However, we are never quite able, apart from Christ, to come to understand the complete truth about life (2 Timothy 3:6-7). Deep thinkers, mystics, scientists, authors and poets all try to pinpoint the origin and meaning of life, but they reject the truth of God’s Word. Then they come up with theories they cannot prove, even by their own laws. The wisdom and power of life come only from the crucified Christ (1 Corinthians 23-24).

We cannot boast in our own knowledge or abilities (1 Corinthians 4:7; 5:6). Neither can we dwell on the negative aspects of our life. We look above and beyond everything to Jesus who is our wisdom and our joy (John 15:11). In order to live daily in God’s joy, we develop the habit of making Jesus the center of our focus. We submit to God’s Spirit as He crucifies our carnal humanity, and we exalt Christ’s divinity within us (Galatians 2:20). Once we reach this place of dying to our self, our soul truly prospers (1 Corinthians 15:31; 3 John 1:2).

We share in Christ’s peace and glory as we face our cross each day (Hebrews 12:2-3). We continually and totally depend upon, confide in and seek the Lord concerning all of our thoughts, feelings, instincts and leadings. We never rely on our own suspicions or perceptions. In everything we do, we identify the leading of God’s Spirit first, we are acquainted with His Word about the issues or events, and we submit our will to His (Proverbs 3:5-6). Then, God guides us and straightens out any uphill paths that may be in our way.

We never trust in our self or entertain an exalted opinion of our self (Ephesians 2:8-10). We respect the Lord and walk away from anything that we sense is evil. All Biblical advice brings health to our body and nourishment to our bones (Proverbs 3:7-8). When we choose the will of God over our own will and we grow steadily in our union with Christ, we grow more like Him with each passing day (2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). Jesus is all we need (Colossians 3:11).

God gives us His wisdom when we lack understanding (James 1:5). If we feel inferior or inadequate, He reminds us that we are children of the King, and He will never leave us or forsake us (Ephesians 2:6; Hebrews 13:5; Philippians 4:13). If Satan plagues us with guilt over our past, Jesus removes condemnation for those who trust in Him (Romans 8:1). In our times of trouble, we cast our cares on Him who cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Christ in us gives us peace in exchange for our worries (Philippians 4:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:7; John 14:27).

Prayer:
Father God, You will receive all the glory for the creation, salvation and glorification of all the Saints on that glorious day when we see You face to face. All we have to give You apart from what Christ works in our life, is the love, praise and glory due Your name. Our difficulties set the stage for Your miracles. The more impossible the solution, the greater the miracle; but with You all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

 

Thought for the Day:

If we humble our self, God will not need to humiliate us. – Matthew 21:44

Beyond Our Abilities

Read: Ephesians 3:14-19

“Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” - James 2:22 (NKJV)

My talents are in the area of crafts. I love to do anything that involves string and a needle or paper and glue. Therefore, when I turned my life over to Christ, I feared that I had no talents to offer, which He could use for His Kingdom. I had little more than genuine trust in Him. Then, I learned that with salvation comes the gift of faith to accomplish all that God calls us to do in our lifetime (Matthew 17:20).

We never walk alone, because God fills us with all of His fullness. Works become an indication of our salvation, rather than a prerequisite for it. We can obey the Spirit’s promptings in our life regardless of our talents or knowledge. No task, which God asks us to perform, remains beyond His anointing on us to carry it through.

On the other hand, sometimes we see a need and our compulsion prompts us to fill it. That is not always wise. Jesus helped everyone He felt God leading Him to assist, but He did not help everyone. Likewise, if we give aid to someone outside of God’s will for that person or for us, then we are actually enabling and rescuing, rather than assisting them in a healthy way. Our goal in life is to follow the Spirit’s leading in everything we say and do.

Prayer:
Precious Lord, lead us by Your Spirit moment-by-moment throughout the day, so that we may accomplish the greater works that You commissioned us to perform.

Thought for the Day:

God's Spirit in us is infinitely greater than the boundaries of all of our abilities.

Bearing More Fruit

Read: John 12:42-43 

"For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?" (1 Corinthians 4:7).

A friend told me she did not want to accept Christ in her life, because she was afraid of losing too many of her friends. I reminded her that she would gain even more and truer friends, but she was too fearful to give it a try. Another friend was afraid that God would require that he give up his self-important lifestyle and his excessive carnal desires.

All of our gifts and abilities come from God’s work in our life. He even prunes us, so that we can bear more fruit. God uses our trials to build into us the character of Christ (Romans 8:29). Our motivation in service to King Jesus comes from our love for God and not prompted by the praises of man or driven by our measure of success. God deserves all of the praise for who we are (Ephesians 2:10). When people praise our fruitfulness, we can thank them for their encouragement and give the glory to God.

Thought for the Day:

No criticism makes me less, just as no praise makes me more.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help us to keep You as our focus as we bear fruit for You and as You prune us to bear even more fruit.