Keeping Our Soul Safe

A property line around our yard, a fence around our house, a door on a room, etc. are all physical boundaries. They often keep us safe and settle disputes, as well as protect us from intruders and from losing our self in the midst of their problems.

Emotional boundaries are very important for the well-being of our soul - our thoughts, choices and feelings (Proverbs 4:23). We put distance between us and people who wound us, or we sever ties all together to protect our self from further abuse.

Every human needs to feel protected and unconditionally loved. As we grow in our self-awareness, we begin to realize our need for boundaries. We conserve energy, which we used to consume resisting perpetrators, and have more ability and resources to give to those who truly need what God gives to us.

We use the compassion and empathy we learned from our abuse to minister to those God sends our way. The thorns in our flesh no long consume our time or energy, because of boundaries. We focus on God's will for each moment of our life.

We have grace with our own personal insecurities, blind spots and fears and allow our self to receive God's unconditional love for us. We set limits on our care-giving of others in order to have enough personal resources to care for our own soul.

Saying "No" and speaking the truth in love prevents us from enabling and getting enmeshed by rescuing others who get into trouble due to their disobedience to God, their irresponsible behavior and their own lack of boundaries.

This prevents us from emotional and physical depletion and burning out, and helps us to be more effectual and appropriate in helping others with legitimate needs. We only rescue those for whom God provides us with a lifeline.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that You already rescued every person in the world through Your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. We have no responsibility to rescue people, because they need to turn to Christ in their hour of need, not to us. Help us not to enable selfish and irresponsible people, but only to help as Your Spirit leads us. Enable us to resist taking the weight of the problems of the world on our shoulders and to leave it on Yours, where it belongs.

Cleanse our heart from anger, resentment, an overload of stress and burnout which we acquire from our lack of boundaries and our penchant for attempting to help where You are not calling us to give aid. Do not allow us to be manipulated by the negative emotions others use to control us. Allow us instead to abound in Your grace and to pray for the needs in the lives of others as they learn to trust You as their Savior instead of us.

Thought for the Day:

Jesus made His need for physical rest and the restoration of His soul as a priority in His life by following the leading of God's Spirit with His life. - Luke 5:16

Walking in God's Light

There is a trend in the world today to dabble in the mystical paranormal, which is Satan's counterfeit for God's supernatural power. It leads to death and destruction.

People who participate in the occult open themselves up to demonic oppression or possession with the same intensity that Believers are filled with God's Holy Spirit.

Satan provides a fleshly fulfillment in a person's life, satisfying their carnal desires until they sell their soul to him. God provides us with fulfillment in our spirit, which is Born Again by His Spirit.

Satan's demonic spirits, who are fallen angels, appear as angels of light, but carry with them the seal of eternal death to everyone who opens up their soul to them (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Authentic Believers realize that we need no mystical events in our life, because we have the constant presence of God's Spirit in us, filling us and enabling us and giving us wisdom in every trial.

We do not seek visions of angels or signs and wonders, because Christ is enough for us. He is the head of His Body and He supplies all of our needs through His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19).

Jesus is our all in all (Ephesians 4:6). Therefore, we trust in the sufficiency of Christ and His Word. We reap His benefits as God's children (Psalm 103:2) rather than the consequences of entanglement in demonic forces.

We walk in the Light, as Christ is in the light, and we want no part of the darkness of this world. We have fellowship with other Believers and the blood of Jesus purifies us and makes us whole (1 John 1:7; Isaiah 2:5; John 12:36; Luke 11:36; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

Prayer:

Father God, we thank You for all of Your blessings to us each moment of the day. Remind us to thank You for the sun on the leaves of the tree, the clear air to breathe, the bird songs, the taste of the delicious foods You allow to grow in the earth. These are all blessings, which we so often take for granted.

Even in the midst of abject poverty, physical ailments, rejection from loved ones, hard physical labor and unending trials, we feel Your love, which gives us hope, and your joy, which is our continual strength.

Thought for the Day:

We were once in darkness, but now we abide in the light of the Lord. - Ephesians 5:8

The Mind of Christ

Our thoughts are as important in our walk with God as our words. God stresses their importance in many Bible verses. We need to guard our thoughts as well as our words (Proverbs 4:23).

Satan plants thoughts of temptation in our mind. Will we act on it and sin, or will we “draw near to God and resist the devil, so he will flee from us?”  (James 4:7)

We keep our mind in peace by dwelling only on issues, which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).

I often hear people say that God does not speak to them, or that God stopped speaking to them. Have we grieved God’s Holy Spirit by our thoughts, word or deeds? (Ephesians 4:30-31) Are we walking in the will of God? (2 Corinthians 6:16). Or is this a quiet time?

I believe that in the quiet times, God is telling us to wait, to trust, and to rest in His love as we enjoy His companionable silence (Psalm 27:14). We sit in silence and just enjoy His presence while we focus on His goodness in our life. Almighty God, Creator and Master deigns to fellowship with us each moment of the day.

God delights in sharing with us all the needed tidbits of information to enable us to serve Him during our day, or in the coming weeks. He gives us the wisdom we need or some counsel on an issue in our life.

God’s Spirit within us calms our fears when we worry about the future and we succumb to the anxiety surrounding the unseen issues, which disturb our peace. God remedies this by giving us the faith of Christ who dwells within us (Romans 2:20; Colossians 1:27).

Prayer:

Father God, we love belonging to Your family. Everything else on earth fades when compared to this privilege. You always know when we need Your spiritual strength for the next bend in the river. You are the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). As fear rises in our heart during some daunting experience, thank You for continually  abiding within us, and enabling us to do whatever You call us to do (Philippians 4:13).

Thought for the Day:

God gives us the mind of Christ. - 1 Corinthians 2:15-16