Emotional and Mental Health - Christ Triumphs over Evil

Rather than to allow our mental and emotional health to gain its influence from the world, the flesh or the devil, we can glean as we read from God's Word and adopt its Biblical principles and concepts as our own.

Writing verses on 3x5 cards and carrying them around with us enables us to focus on scripture while waiting at traffic lights, retail lines at the check-out, doctor's offices, school pick-up lanes to retrieve our children, etc.

Rather than to fume about wasted time, we constructively focus on the Word of God, which is life to our spirit and soul. As we set our mind on things above, we grow in our faith, hope and love, and we increase our intimacy with our Lord.

Our trials in life give us the perfect opportunity for God to prove His love and sustaining power to us, it draws us together as a couple, a family and as the Body of Christ, if we pray together for our needs.

We are all falsely accused, misunderstood, and people make incorrect assumptions about us and our motives. Yet, evil will not triumph over us, because Christ in us is greater than Satan and the people in this world (Ecclesiastes 3:17, 12:14).

God will right all the wrongs when our righteous King takes His throne to rule and reign for eternity. There will be no more tears or sorrow; no more emotional of mental distress; only peace and joy for eternity.

Prayer:
Father God, You give us respect in our city, when we support one another as Your Body, and when we walk in Your ways (Proverbs 31:23). Yet, at other times, people around us hate You, and then hate us because we love You (Psalm 31:11-13).

We do not need to please people or lead people to You; we simply need to share Your gospel with whomever will listen; allow Your Spirit to do a work in their heart; and then, let our light shine in such a way that our family, friends, associates and neighbors will see our good works and glorify You (Galatians 1:10; 1 Peter 2:12; Matthew 5:16).


Thought for the Day:
When we choose to walk in God's rest and peace, we are paving the way for difficult, evil people to encounter the Prince of Peace Himself, because He abides within us; so we can choose peace over worry and walk in serenity instead or unrest and anxiety.

God Cares About Our Soul

 


This may not seem like truth to you at first. You may think that this is a selfish attitude. But, I want to assure you, that God desires for us to meet the needs in our own spirit, body and soul – our mind, will and emotions.

The Bible tells us to “Love our neighbor as our self”. If we have not cared for our own needs, we will have no emotional, mental, physical or spiritual energy to meet the needs in others that God brings our way.

You can only give from what you have. If you do not feed your body, you will have no physical strength. If you do not feed your spirit, you will have no spiritual direction. In the same way, if you do not feed your soul, you will have no intellectual or emotional energy to meet your needs or the needs in others.

If we wait on Him, God helps us to meet our needs in His own way and timing. Learn to laugh and enjoy God's blessings in your life, love the people He put in your life, and appreciate the unique person God created you to be.

Selfish people are so focused on their own needs, that they need to do less of that and focus more on the needs of other people around them - especially their family members, neighbors and workmates.

Some people feel guilty about allowing others to minister to their needs. This attitude actually stems either from false pride, a lack of self-worth or from unforgiveness toward our self. Please realize that you can accept help from other people, because it comes from God.

We may also feel guilty if we do not meet all the needs of all of the people who come our way. When others ask you to do something for them, if you do not hear God saying, “Yes,” then it is much wiser for you to say, “No.”

This attitude may take practice! This is especially true if you are not used to refusing another's request. As codependents, we compulsively feel the need to worry about everyone, and to meet all of their needs and to solve all of their problems.   

The real issue here is the will of God. If you do not feel God saying, “Yes,” then please, say, “No.” To do otherwise is disobedience to God!

Then you are out of the center of His perfect will for your life and you are frustrating God’s will for that other person too. If God calls us to serve in some position at home, work, church or community, He also grants us the grace to meet these needs.

If we find that we regularly lack peace in what is expected of us, then we must seek God’s will about our life. If we are out of His will, He will redirect us by His peace (Philippians 4:7).

Prayer:

Father God, we know we are walking in the center of Your will if we have Your complete peace within our spirit (Philippians 4:7). When we feel anxiety or any negative emotion, remind us to stop and pray! Help us to follow the leading of Your Holy Spirit each moment of the day.

When we feel Your complete peace again, regardless of all the natural considerations, we will know that we are back in the center of Your will. Our fulfillment only comes as we live in Your peace. Help us to serve You with our body, soul and spirit. Remind us that You have a perfect will for our life and we can walk in it (Ephesians 2:20).   

Thought for the Day:

Follow the Holy Spirit to do God’s will rather than allowing the compassion of your soul to lead you to meet the needs of those around you or to succumb to the obligations you feel are placed on you by your position in life.

       

A Life Worth Living

Life is only worth living as we live it for God. Jesus surrendered all to Our Father - even His crucifixion and death on the cross (Matthew 26:36-56). He gave us this example to follow.

God is more than one who answers our prayers. He is Supreme Ruler of the universe. We owe Him our allegiance. The least we can do is to surrender all to Him.

Once we realize the true meaning of Christ abiding in us, we appreciate our unity with Him, depend on Him for every breath we take, and trust in His grace and love.

He gives us power for our service for Him, gladness in our fellowship with Him and His Saints, and security in His goodness and provision for all of our daily needs.

Since God supplies all of our needs, if we do not have something we want, this means that we do not really need it at this time in our life. As we wait patiently on His timing and will, He will put His desires in our heart and we will live in true contentment.

When we surrender to God our cares in this life, we not only improve our outlook on life, but also our physical health, our emotional balance and our spirit's well-being.

We dedicate every waking moment to Him: serving in the vocation, ministering in the neighborhood and church family, and dedicating our fun times to the service to which He calls us.

We enter His rest, bask in His presence and walk in His will each moment of our day and night. We join all of creation in groaning for His glorious redemption and appearing (Romans 8:19-22).

His abiding presence in our life fills us with hope, gives us His joy as our strength and inspires us to live in the happiest place on earth - the very center of His will.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that sin separates us from You, and apathy will rob us of the joy of our salvation. You reveal to us Your path of life and in Your presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). You never hide Your face from your children as we walk in Your will and love You with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength (Luke 10:27).

We joy in Your continual presence in our life, we delight in doing Your will which You write on our heart, and we draw from Your constant strength which supports us throughout our day (Habakkuk 3:18; Psalm 40:8). We owe You all of our praise and dedicate our life only to you.

Thought for the Day:

We rest in undisturbed repose, unimaginable joy and a life blessed with quietness and worship as we totally surrender every aspect of our life to God.

He's Gotcha Covered

 

God's got us covered…He's got our back. His eyes and ears are always in tune with all of His children all over this globe (Psalm 34:15). His love for us is everlasting and provides us with true fulfillment and contentment.

God brought together sun bleached skeletons in the desert and erected a great army - the perfect picture of Him restoring Israel as a nation (Ezekiel 37:1-14). His love and provision for Israel are a constant testimony to us of His faithfulness to His Saints.

When the pain of life overwhelms us, we find encouragement, peace and joy in the fact that God is always watching, and never forsaking us or leaving us on our own (Hebrews 13:5).

He dwells within us and is experiencing our pain right along with us. His peace guards us (Philippians 4:7). He knows our needs before we do, and He already provided for them before we were even born (Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:11; Philippians 4:19).

When Satan sends his emissaries of discouragement to beat us down, we have a choice to believe their lies or to trust God. Regardless of the trouble we face, God is always there in us to help us through the experience (Psalm 46:1).

We simply place our faith in His faithfulness and He lifts us out of the pit of depression and hopelessness and plants our feet firmly on the Rock of Christ (Psalm 18:31, 40:2).

His work is perfect and He is just in all of His ways. He is our faithful God without injustice, righteous and upright in all of His ways (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 92:15).

There is no one like our God, holy and stable (1 Samuel 2:2). We have no need to fear when He is our Rock of refuge (Isaiah 44:8; Deuteronomy 32:31, 32:37). He is our salvation and rest, our strength and sanctuary (Psalm 62:7).

Prayer:

Father God, we call to You and You are not deaf to our pleas (Psalm 28:1). You never allow us to be ashamed of our relationship with You. You rescue us quickly as a stronghold and fortress. You lead and guide us for Your name's sake (Psalm 31:1-3). We continually come to You as our hiding place and You save us (Psalm 71:3).

We trust in You forever as our God, our Lord and our everlasting Rock (Isaiah 26:4; Psalm 91:2). You are the Lord of a host of angels and our stronghold (Psalm 46:7). You are our deliver, our shield, the horn of our salvation and full of loving kindness (Psalm 144:2). Thank You for delivering us from violence (2 Samuel 22:3).

Thought for the Day:
No matter where we are on the face of the earth, when our heart is discouraged and we call to God, He leads us to His Rock that lifts us above the storms. - Psalm 61:2