God's Wonderful Gift of Peace

Sometimes I read words that others have written that express what I want to say much better than I can.  Today is such a day.  I want to share with you from Grace for Each Moment the words of Solly Ozrovech regarding God's gift of peace. 

Jesus promises peace to His followers. Often God's blessings and peace are all that we desire here on earth to help us in our everyday lives.  The Lord does not want us to worry or lose hope because of things that are happening around us.  That is why He promises to "bless His people with peace" (see Ps. 29:11).  The Lord does not force His gifts upon us, but He is always ready to grant them when we are ready to receive them.  If we ask for peace in prayer, then the Lord will bless us with His peace in our innermost being so that we may experience His peace here on earth.

Sometime in our daily struggles we forget the most important part, that is to ask.  Ask God for peace.  And His peace that transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4). 

To God be the Glory!  Amen.

Depression and Spiritual Warfare

"Do not be afraid, Daniel.  Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them."
                                                                                                           Daniel 10:12

For Christians who are seeking the Lord depression sometimes comes as the result of spiritual warfare.  In the Old Testament book of Daniel we are told in chapter 10 that Daniel sought understanding from the Lord and that he mourned for three weeks.  Daniel's mourning is not described in detail but he at not "choice foods"  and had no meat or wine.  To me, this sounds a lot like symptoms of depression.

Later in the same chapter Daniel is visited by an angel who tells him he has come in response to his prayer but was delayed because he (the angel) was fighting the spiritual prince of Persia.  Then Michael, the chief angel, came to help so that the angel could come to answer Daniel's prayer.

When we are seeking the Lord and fall into depression we must remember that faith is not a feeling.  Faith is a gift from God that strengthens us in our inner spirit.  We may not feel the Lord's presence but, nevertheless, He is with us.  Feelings are deceptive.  It is Satan's goal to steal and kill and destroy our faith.  But Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

The Holy Spirit is always at work within us to give us abundant life.  Depression may last for weeks but hang on.  Help is on the way.  Remember Daniel's story and know that even the great prophets of the Bible experienced depression.

Our Lord loves us and is greater than anything we feel.  He will never leave nor forsake us.  Hallelujah!  God is good and loves us when we're depressed and when we're not depressed.  Faith tells us He WILL answer our prayers.  Never, never, never give up!

And as always...To God be the Glory!  Amen.

Confidence in God

I am still confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the 

LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart

and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27:13-14

No matter where the road may 

lead me

no matter how the path may

wind

Regardless of the up and downs

and hills that I must

climb

Of this one thing I can be sure

God will never let me 

down

He guides and always 

lights my way

His goodness does

surround.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, 

and He delivers them.                            Psalm 34:7

Praying the Armor of God

In the past I have blogged about remembering in the dark (the darkness and agitation of bipolar disorder) what Jesus has taught me in the light.  Part of what I have learned in the light is to speak God's word daily and to clothe myself in His mighty armor.

We, Christians, are in a spiritual battle.  In the New Testament book of Ephesians, Paul, tells us that to fight this battle we must be clothed in the armor of God  (Ephesians 6:10-20).  Therefore, I pray the word, clothing myself in His mighty armor using His own word, the Sword of the Spirit, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, as my defense.

Sweet Lord, I pray, clothe me in your mighty armor:  the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the sword of the spirit.  That I might stand strong in the faith and do everything in love.

If I have blogged this before and you find me redundant please forgive me.  I feel so strongly about being prepared in God's word that I felt the need to write this again.  If you have not read this recently then, well, there you go.

To God be the Glory!  Amen.

Southern Heat

The heat ascends as if from the very ground
shrouding, winding, leaving tendrils
of wet warmth
to smother and engulf
threatening
molten lava seeking to inhabit
even the depths of my mind.