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Psalm 77
Many times in my life I have felt like I was completely alone; that even my God had abandoned me. That is not the greatest feeling in the world. As a matter of fact it is one of the worst feelings imaginable. Sometimes the reasons for these feeling are plain and at other times it is inexplicable why I feel so dejected. I know God is always there, so why is it so hard to feel his presence sometimes?
Showing posts with label sacrifice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sacrifice. Show all posts
Friday, April 6, 2012
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Victorious and Free
These are the things from which I strive to be free. Despair, strife, depression, anxiety, fear and low self esteem.
I have struggled with depression and anxiety since I was about nine years old. There are components of the depression that are due to brain chemical imbalances. I have never been able to "pray it away". I don't believe that it is because I haven't been faithful enough or that my relationship with God is lacking in dedication. That being said, I don't believe that I should just take medication and forget that it is God who lead me to my path of freedom from these stronghold on my life.
Satan seeks to make me believe that I am in charge of my own destiny, that I can overcome any obstacle if I have enough strength of character. This gives me a false sense of what I am capable of on my own. It is only in my weakness that I am made strong by God's power. The freedom that I find in Jesus' sacrifice is greater than anything that I can ever do on my own.
Jesus died on the cross so that I could have life and to live it abundantly. He expects me to live the victorious life that he has planned for me. For me to strive for anything else would be a rejection of his sacrifice. He gave his all for me and I should give my all to live my best life for him. This is where my reliance on him comes in. I have to count on him to pull me out of my own thoughts and dwellings on the negative things in my life so that I can focus on him and the great way that he made me.
It is not bragging to say that I am a wonderful, great and beautiful person, because I am made in his image and he is wonderful and great and beautiful. I have to give him his due and live like I am his child, with all the potential that is mine. It is great to know that these negative spirits have no power over me because in him I am Free.
Passage Romans 5:1-5:
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Passage Ephesians 4:1:
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Passage Colossians 1:10-14:
10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Passage 1 Corinthians 15:57-58:
57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain
I have struggled with depression and anxiety since I was about nine years old. There are components of the depression that are due to brain chemical imbalances. I have never been able to "pray it away". I don't believe that it is because I haven't been faithful enough or that my relationship with God is lacking in dedication. That being said, I don't believe that I should just take medication and forget that it is God who lead me to my path of freedom from these stronghold on my life.
Satan seeks to make me believe that I am in charge of my own destiny, that I can overcome any obstacle if I have enough strength of character. This gives me a false sense of what I am capable of on my own. It is only in my weakness that I am made strong by God's power. The freedom that I find in Jesus' sacrifice is greater than anything that I can ever do on my own.
Jesus died on the cross so that I could have life and to live it abundantly. He expects me to live the victorious life that he has planned for me. For me to strive for anything else would be a rejection of his sacrifice. He gave his all for me and I should give my all to live my best life for him. This is where my reliance on him comes in. I have to count on him to pull me out of my own thoughts and dwellings on the negative things in my life so that I can focus on him and the great way that he made me.
It is not bragging to say that I am a wonderful, great and beautiful person, because I am made in his image and he is wonderful and great and beautiful. I have to give him his due and live like I am his child, with all the potential that is mine. It is great to know that these negative spirits have no power over me because in him I am Free.
Passage Romans 5:1-5:
1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Passage Ephesians 4:1:
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Passage Colossians 1:10-14:
10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Passage 1 Corinthians 15:57-58:
57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain
Monday, January 14, 2008
In the stillness is the voice of God.
I am embarking today on a 21 day complaint fast. I really do want to become a positive person. I don't like whiners and I fear I have become one. Last week I think I complained about everything that happened in my life. By the end of the week I felt truly disgusted with myself. I know that this is not Christlike behavior and will not draw anyone to me. It is repulsive and repellent. Yuck! Here I am complaining about complaining...Time to move on.
This is something that I can't do on my own. I need God's help. What I will do these next few days is to be still and know that He is God. To be still in his presence is an act of worship and sacrifice. I need to sacrifice myself to his will. If I truly stop and think about the complaints in my life they really aren't that big. They are life's little irritants, people not showing up on time, invasion of personal space, being tired, those are some of the things that I generally complain about. If I stop at the moment the complaint comes to my mind and dwell on God, I am sure he will have better things for me to spend my time thinking about. If I need to complain let it be about things that matter like injustice in the world, homelessness, the uninsured, illiteracy, just to name a few. Then when I am done complaining I need to see what he wants me to do about the situation. Yikes! There is a new thought... stop complaining and get off my butt and do something about it!
Psalm 46:10:
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Zechariah 2:13:13
Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."
Video - Aaron Shust - Stillness
This is something that I can't do on my own. I need God's help. What I will do these next few days is to be still and know that He is God. To be still in his presence is an act of worship and sacrifice. I need to sacrifice myself to his will. If I truly stop and think about the complaints in my life they really aren't that big. They are life's little irritants, people not showing up on time, invasion of personal space, being tired, those are some of the things that I generally complain about. If I stop at the moment the complaint comes to my mind and dwell on God, I am sure he will have better things for me to spend my time thinking about. If I need to complain let it be about things that matter like injustice in the world, homelessness, the uninsured, illiteracy, just to name a few. Then when I am done complaining I need to see what he wants me to do about the situation. Yikes! There is a new thought... stop complaining and get off my butt and do something about it!
Psalm 46:10:
10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Zechariah 2:13:13
Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."
Video - Aaron Shust - Stillness
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