What matters? Really, what matters? I want you to stop and consider your current situation. More specifically, your joy. Do you have the joy and excitement that you once did for Christ, or has the fire dwindled to a tiny flame?
I've seen this joy come and go at different times in my life, what I'm learning is the way that you maintain that constant joy is to consider the things that God has done for you, and remember what God has directed you to do. Jesus told the disciples in Mark 8:16-18 that the reason they were troubled is because they had hardened their hearts by not seeing what God was doing before their very eyes, and by not hearing what God was saying to them, and by not remembering the good things God had done for them!
When you think on the things that God has done for you and how he has brought you through impossible situations, how can you not be joyful. If you are focused on the cares of this world then it is easy to become depressed. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says that the sorrow of the world works death. Depression works death, it makes you sick. Focusing on the promises of God causes you to tune out the cares of this world, I don't care what they are! But it is up to you, you have to train your mind to focus on what God has said instead of what is going on in the world.
If you don't believe this then that's to bad... I'm going to stay excited about the things of God and remember what he has said about me!
The Apostle Paul received a word from Jesus when he was in prison. Jesus said in Acts 23:11, "Be of good cheer, Paul: for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, you will also be my witness in Rome." Paul was in prison for doing nothing wrong, and had people outside the prison that planned to kill him, and Jesus tells him to rejoice! Paul did rejoice, when he was brought before King Agrippa, Paul told him that he thinks himself happy. What do you think Paul was thinking about for him to be so happy? Paul testified of the wonderful things God had done for him(which he kept in his remembrance) and nearly talked King Agrippa into converting to follow Christ! Acts 26:28
If God says it, then you don't have to worry about what others are saying or what the situation looks like. Let God be true and every man be a liar! Romans 3:4
I'll end with this final passage of scripture, "I'm not saying this because I'm in any need. I've learned to be content in whatever situation I'm in. I know how to live in poverty or prosperity. No matter what the situation, I've learned the secret of how to live when I'm full or when I'm hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13 God's Word Translation
So if God tells you to do something or that you can do something, then he will strengthen you! You can do all things through Christ who Strengthens you!
If your not sure what God has said about you, then I encourage you to dig into the Bible which is the Word of God and learn for yourself the awesome things that he has said that you are and the awesome life that he has said you can live.
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Dude...you are on FI-YA!
ReplyDeleteI made my breakfast this morning and then came in here to check my e-mail while I ate. I saw you had posted again and I couldn't wait to see what today's "word" was. Not surprisingly, this is EXACTLY what Matt and I discussed in our Bible Study time this morning.
We were talking about how there are times when we "feel" excited and hungry for the things of God and then without warning or obvious change, that "feeling" is gone and it's just more of a struggle to keep the fire burning. So what was the difference? Well, of course, we know that "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."(Eph. 6:12) I truely believe that when we haven't changed anything in the natural and we suddenly feel the joy evaporate....it is purely a supernatural attack.
So what do you do? You use the authority that you've been given as one of God's children and rebuke the one who seeks to "Kill, steal and destroy" (Jn 10:10) you! Matt and I were talking about sometimes feeling like we're "faking it". You can't fake something that you ARE. If you are a child of God, then you have received a new Spirit, one that is evidenced by 9 fruits. To act like you have Joy or Peace or Self-Control when you're not really "feeling" it is not faking it---it's making your flesh be subject to the Spirit of God that lives on the inside of you. We have been given all these spiritual blessings. They don't leave us, we just become relaxed to tapping into them at times. I am a firm believer that if you aren't feeling something that the Bible instructs us to do (tithe, praise, be of good cheer, etc.) then that's all the more reason to DO IT. I will NOT be ruled by my flesh or told what I feel like doing. My flesh-man is a slave to my Spirit man, not the other way around.
I've become quite the "go against the flow" kind of girl lately...but I believe that is what God is calling us to do in these last days. We need people to STAND OUT, BE DIFFERENT, SAY SOMETHING!! I thank God every day for giving me opportunities to talk about Him and show people his Love. Sometimes it's the simpleist things like smiling and being extra kind and gentle. Sometimes it's just listening to people. Sometimes it's praying for someone. People notice the difference. Since I've been more diligent to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit and move when He urges me to, I have had person after person comment on how inspiring, encouraging and uplifting I am. Literally every day here lately someone sends me a message or a note saying how they want what I have. AWESOME! THAT is what this is all about! I am careful to keep humble. It is by NOTHING I have done or by any power of my own...God gets ALL the glory! I am just the vessel...He is doing all the work. I have never felt such an amazing and exhilirating feeling as knowing that God is choosing to use ME to reach others! Can you tell I'm super-charged right now?
Again,thank you for these posts. I feel like you just added another log to the fire!
People better watch out...this stuff we've got...it's contagious! :o)
Love you Bro!