1 John 4:18

1 John 4:18

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Have you ever had an anxiety attack or panic attack? What brings it on? Is it fear?

Fear is the catalyst that leads to the all these sub categories. With fear we can’t function as we are supposed to as believers. I never realized that with fear God can’t work with us because it pushes out His love and replaces it with fear and all of its “friends”, such as anxiety and panic.

Because there is ‘no fear in love’, love can’t operate in fear. So when you are in a situation and you get into fear by worrying what is going to happen to you or loved one and doubting that God can or will pull through on your behalf  you step out of His love. His peace and perfect will can’t be done, our hearts put Him out and invites ALL possibilities to come in. It then can become a cycle if you don’t catch it after the first time; so you as a believer consistently get into fear over various situations and the outcome of every situation is not good and then we blame God or ask God why didn’t He turn things around for your good.

Think about it…the next time you feel anything but the peace of God about something cast down those thoughts of doubt and fear.

Quiet Suffering

There has been an influx of those who are quietly suffering from depression and a feeling of having to be perfect or having to keep everything in for fear that people would judge them.  I believe there are more people with this issue than those that don’t.

The youth today have more against them than those of their parents. With smart phones, internet and social media, the youth have to be on guard for the possible threat of being photographed looking a certain way or have rumors started about them because someone doesn’t like them. As a young adult I have had issues and seen my peers have to deal with the same, the only difference from myself at the age of 23 and those who are in high school and middle school today is that they have more popular social networks and a lack of celebrity “role models”. During my school years we only had myspace and the short-lived xanga and live journal, as well as the emergence of youtube but hadn’t reached its popularity quite yet. These social networks have created an outlet for some and a personal hell for others.

Other issues are based solely on past experiences that have caused them to become introverted or to withhold feelings that need to be released.

These are all things that contribute to a person’s silent suffering and can be one of the hardest  things to detect in others.

Christians can be sufferers from this too, this is why we have to fellowship with each other and edify each other. When we all create a safe and supportive space walls that have been built up will crumble and let God’s love come in. From there the healing process can begin and that spirit of depression can be defeated. Not everything is instant but  it will be defeated. 

Anxiety

Philippians 4:6-7

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I have written on this scripture before, but it’s worth repeating. Anxiousness is a feeling that everyone has felt at least one time in their lives, however it doesn’t mean that we should stay in it. I am a prime example of how anxiety has grabbed a hold of me in reoccurring situations or new situations.

Anxiety tries to creep up on you any chance it can get, even if it’s about something you have already had experience with-it’ll come in a form of a thought “What if I can’t do it right this time?”. It’s those type of thoughts that causes you to feed into it by agreeing with it and slowly running through a list of “what ifs” and how whatever it is can go wrong rather than what could go right.

Philippians 4:6-7 is a scripture to meditate on if you are dealing with anxiety and want to break free from this.

Equally Yoked-Cheaper To Keep Her

Many unhappy couples have thought it to be “easier” to stay married to their significant other just because they don’t want to have to pay for the divorce-from legal fees, to child support, to spousal support and so on. However is it really worth it?

This is why it is sooooo important to make sure you are married to someone you are equally yoked with. If you are with that other person just because you are attracted to them and it is convenient, what does that say in the long run?

We all hear about it on the news whether it’s a celebrity couple going through major trouble or hearing statistics on divorce and why people are choosing to stay married because of the recession.

If you are not married to the one you know, that you know, that you know God has shown you or somehow confirmed you are supposed to marry this person, don’t expect everything to automatically flip over and readjust to who you have chosen. 

Older people know how to pull back and listen and choose their spouses carefully, especially if they have been in long term relationships in the past. Younger people are quicker to get into a relationship and don’t have the patience to wait and pray for their wife or husband or if they are dating someone and want to see if that’s who they are supposed to be with. Some are so quick to get married that they bypass everything else and act based on a feeling, feeling like since they are both come from the same faith and are physically attracted to each other that the person must be the one.

When making a commitment like marriage, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons, not out of convenience or because you have a baby, and make sure you both pray, independently and together and seek a pastor, if you don’t already have one, and spend some time speaking with him and his wife.

To be continued….

Defile

Matthew 15:17-20

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

¹⁸ But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

¹⁹ For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

²⁰ These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Our parents have always told us if we couldn’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. On the same note, we’re told whatever people say about us to us doesn’t matter and “words won’t hurt us”.

It’s true that if we can’t say something nice about someone don’t say it all, but how often do we really do it?? Let alone think about something bad about a person. Did you know that that is just as bad saying something rude or mean to someone?

That was a real “mind-blower” for me when I first heard that. I thought I was being good by not saying anything to my enemies, but I was still thinking along those words.

Because it’s what comes from within us that “defiles” us, not what is said to us or what we physically do. It’s those inappropriate thoughts that are conjured up that is the catalyst then if you say them out loud is the next step. When we get use to thinking wrong, we will eventually say wrong and if we let it go any further we’ll do wrong and be further removed from those things that were once good.

To be continued…..

Knowing v.s. Understanding

Knowing versus understanding is a constant battle that many people in general deal with.

For example, it’s easy to say that you know the commandments in the bible, but it’s another to say that you understand the commandments. Understanding denotes that you recognize it, solve it (if necessary), recreate it and recognize why it’s necessary.

It sounds more complicated than it is, however it’s a process that we go through everyday; it’s how we function in the world. How did you learn what 2 + 2 equals if you weren’t capable of this process? Some may argue and say “What about those who are dyslexic?”, that’s a spirit that is preventing the person from understanding and retaining…but I digress…

There are many things that occur in this world that we can’t understand right now, but it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you it just means you need to pray about it and ask for the wisdom to understand a situation or topic.

Everyone wants to know the meaning of life not realizing that we have to understand how to live their lives and what are the results, and what relationship you have if any with the Lord.

In short “knowing” comes before the wisdom that leads to understanding. When you understand a scripture you can apply it to your life and believe it.

Smart Fasting

Matthew 6:16-18  "Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, 
                     of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear 
                     unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, 
                     when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear 
                     not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret ..."

Many Christians don’t fast or have ever experienced fasting. Fasting is a powerful tool; however some people take it to extremes. If you haven’t fasted before or haven’t fasted in a while, don’t think you can do a 7-day fast-I say this to those who haven’t been told by the Holy Spirit to do so.

Another point is that everyone has their own idea of what fasting entails: some say fasting means to give up something that they like to do or eat, some say to give up eating a meal or two, others say it means not eating anything all day or the more extreme which is not to eat anything, drink only water, no television, computer and phones. Everyone is different, not everyone has to shut themselves away from everything in order to have breakthrough, but something still has to give.

You have to give up something in order for it to be considered a fast. Fasting is something that takes practice, you can’t do the fast that everyone else in the congregation does, especially if you have any illness, such as diabetes or something temporary like the flu. You still have to be smart and listen to your body if you are feeling ill, you will feel hungry, but drinking juice helps fill that immediate void of substance.

Pray about it before you enter a fast and if you are doing a corporate fast make sure you are all on the same page as far as the type of fast and the purpose.