Christian learning

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. – Psalms 139:23-24

There had been many years that I lived with anxiety, a fear of the unknown, and this worry growing up. My mother worried excessively. I grew up afraid of almost everything because of her fear.

There was constant dissension in our lives, coming at us from all directions. It wasn’t until I truly gave my life to the Lord, as an adult, that I was able to understand this generational sin trying to entangle me.

When we’re dealing with mental illness, it seems impossible for anyone to move forward. How do we get through these periods of disillusion? How do we overcome the physical/mental challenges, but, also, the spiritual attacks surrounding them?

When I imagine mental illness, I do see it more as a spiritual assault on the mind. The enemy has taken an overwhelmingly painful situation, maybe from childhood, trying to break our minds, and in causing this mental entanglement. It’s a division of mind, body and soul. But if we can’t overcome the mind, then how do we overcome the spiritual warfare all around us?

Full Surrender

I’ve seen the amount of damage a dysfunctional family dynamic can cause. I lived with it, and was personally treated for anxiety for many years.

When I made a decision to fight it, eventually being weaned off the anxiety medication (for it), I was free to allow God to heal my heart (and to free my mind) of this.

It took years of surrendering completely. You see, it wasn’t a disorder of anxiety that ailed me, but a broken heart, a wounded spirit, and a lot of unforgiveness. I was hurt. I had been abused, and I didn’t trust anyone.

I was a victim in my own world. I was stuck in a prison with the door wide open. I was scared to leave what I only knew to be the norm for me. I learned to survive in what seemed to be a godforsaken world, and I didn’t have any hope of getting past it.

The Choices We Make

I watch the world, the choices we each make, day in and day out, wondering if there will ever be true peace or contentment in the heart of man. My struggles were real, and it took me hitting rock bottom, and almost dying, to finally look up. It was a painful experience, but a blessing all the same. What didn’t kill me, made me stronger, and I found hope to get through it (only in Christ).

My epiphany came when I surrendered my life to Him. He was diligent in His efforts to reach me. He came to me, time and time again, but I continually rejected Him, believing I could manage on my own. He revealed His face to me in my darkest hour, and I finally accepted Him, surrendering to Him. It was between me and Him, and I chose Him in that instance. He comforted me and told me it was going to be alright. The choices I had made were forgiven, and I knew without a doubt that He loved me.

We do not have to be a product of our environment. We are exactly who we are (in Christ), even though we live in a sinful world. We are God’s children, precious and loved, no matter what our circumstances may be. Jesus Christ died for our sins for this purpose. He’s given us a “way out,” a way back to God.

It has to be a choice. Our choice. You have to choose Him, and not because I told you to. You have to come to the end of yourself, no matter what it takes to get you there. I was stubborn. I was deeply hurt, and I had a lot of this unforgiveness to let go of.

A Weapon Formed Against Us

Bitterness is a weapon the enemy has no problem using. It is sin that stems out of heartache and pain, and many of us were only children when we were inflicted with it. It causes a heart to harden and not feel loved. Imagine the puppy that has been beaten its whole life, all to grow up becoming a vicious dog.

Without love, we’re all hopeless. Love heals, and the enemy knows this. Abuse, trauma, growing up in a generational curse (of dysfunction), it’s a viscous cycle that will try to keep repeating itself.

Put an end to the generational curses in your home, in your family. Make a conscious decision that it ends with you, and do your part to help in the healing process (for your own family).

Break free from the chains that bind you, telling the devil, “No more!”

The Proof In Your Story

Do yourself and your family a service by forgiving those who have hurt you. Choose forgiveness, no matter what has happened. It’s the past, let it go, and make way for a brighter future. Love those, even if they choose to go a different direction. Be a beacon of light for others (to help find their way), allowing the light of Christ to shine through you.

When anyone asks me, “How do you know God is real?” I simply explain how He’s changed me (my life). I know my heart, and I know how different I am. I am the proof in my own story, and I am grateful to Him for rescuing me.

He is reaching out for you. Please take His hand. Allow Him to rescue you from the depths of your own pain and despair. The heartache is real; I get it. Let Him submerge you in His love and grace. He is your lifeboat, He is your preserver… Your hope can be found in Him.

Surrender to Him, and you, too, will know the difference. People will see it, and your love for Him will reflect onto others, as His love spreads, and continues to heal our land.🙌🌎

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. – Colossians 4:6

It can be a real challenge knowing for sure who’s planting the “good seed” of faith, and who isn’t. I’m learning to discern more; but, with this discernment, there have come many hard lessons.

Matthew 13:30 explains that both of these will be evident in the fields: “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn’.”

Knowing the Truth

We mustn’t allow the worries of this life to take root, choking out the seeds of what we know to be truth. We rely on the news reports, hearing about fake news, or no news being reported at all… Sometimes, it’s hard to discern the wheat from the tares.

Revelation 1:1-3 says, “The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,  who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

Where we’re all being called to prepare for this coming harvest, the enemy is causing a slew of distractions. It’s with this confusion taking place that we can become more vulnerable to the various attacks (around us).

The first line of attack may be on our character and integrity. If he can’t attack you there, he’ll attack you indirectly. The goal is to make you give up and give in, and he will use anyone who will allow him to hurt you.

The enemy will use people who think they knew us during a time when there were “unhealthy choices” being made (in our lives). They are being used to gossip, in hopes of discrediting us, and to keep us from our path of walking uprightly. It is a scheme to, ultimately, discredit our testimony.

What the enemy is using to harm you, God will use to teach you, and improve you. What the enemy purposes for evil, God will most certainly use for good.

Harvest: God’s Love Is Abounding

I had written about confession being a door to forgiveness, writing a short-story many years ago. In many ways, it was a necessary door that I had to walk through. I had to come to terms with the choices I had made in my own life. I wrote this at a time when I knew God was calling me back to Him.

There were circumstances in my life, I could not deny were “God circumstances” — I heard His call and went forth in faith. I boldly and confidently stepped out of my comfort zone, sharing my own personal stories (of Him).

Through all of my trials, whether they were caused by my own choices, or by others, the Lord has always sustained me. I knew that I had much more to learn, and not all were going to be receptive to what I was trying to say. I knew no matter what my shortcomings were, Jesus Christ died for my sins, too.

We must consider this truth in the world today. We must make a choice as to which side of the fence we choose to stand on. We’ve all made mistakes that I’m sure we regret, and wish we could undo. The good news is, we don’t have to live in those regrets.

The world is in a season of reckoning. Rather than judge our neighbors, we must open up our arms to love them. We must choose to love, if only from a distance, showing mercy, forgiveness, and this mutual concern.

The truth is, and as 1 Peter 1:22 teaches us, “You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.”

Help for the Harvest

There are many circumstances in life that we’re all going to experience. We are growing and developing, as we choose to endure, taking it one day at a time (with Him). Mistakes are going to be made, and in most cases, they will become these important lessons learned. We can use them to teach others, as God is a God of opportunities. Every day we live is another opportunity we can learn.

He knows that I’m not here to point the finger at anyone else, as none of us should ever cast that first stone. It is my heart to confess my sins, and it is also a necessary step in our being able to let go of the strongholds that bind us.

Humans know when they’re doing something wrong. However, the more we do these things, the more we can become desensitized to them. And like I said before, this is all part of the enemy’s plan to steal, kill, and destroy (us).

If we deny what we know (Who we know) to be the Truth in our lives, then the enemy has us right where he wants us.

An Eternity With Him

We know that life here on Earth is no more than a vapor compared to our eternity with Him. I do choose, with what time I have left, to encourage others. I do not need to remind you of your past transgressions. Instead, it is my heart to remind you that His mercies are new every morning, and that He loves you very much (Lamentations 3:22-23). 

John 12:24 states, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Even in death, our lives can bear this fruit. Let us live out this truth, as we choose, to pick up our cross and follow Him.

God does control His fields, and what it produces for the harvest.

Read more on the GOD TV blog, and watch GOD TV here.

Reprieve: to give relief or deliverance, for a time.

On the morning of November 5, around 5 o’clock, I was awoken, reciting the word, reprieval. This has happened to me before, and often, it’s not even a word in the dictionary.

In this particular case, I knew exactly what the word-meaning was. I believe that God was showing me there would be a “reprieve” for our nation. It was a comforting feeling that His grace and His mercy would cover us, and at least for another two years.

What is a reprieve in the Bible?

In the Bible, a reprieve is a temporary delay in punishment or a deliverance from trouble. Noah and his family were rescued from the flood that destroyed the human race. Lot and his family were rescued from Sodom, before it was burned to the ground. Peter was rescued by an angel the night before his execution, and Mephibosheth was given a reprieve by David to sit at his table for life.

Joel 2:14 says that a reprieve could be a blessing instead of a curse, allowing people to offer grain and wine to God. A reprieve can also mean suspending the execution of a sentence, especially the death penalty.

A reprieve is a break in or cancelation of a painful or otherwise lousy situation. If you’re being tortured, a reprieve could be a break from whoever or whatever is tormenting you.

A reprieve can even come in the form of healing. It is revealed in the scriptures that there are times when one who was dead or destined to die was miraculously healed or raised from the dead.

Christ’s Strength Is Sufficient

Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.” When we know the God who created the universe lives in us, we can hold our head up high, knowing that if God approves us, we don’t have to worry about other people’s approval. He will equip us, empower us, and anoint us.

We’re all winners when we have God on our side. We cannot trust solely in our own strength, or have faith in man alone. God is the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and He will equip us with ALL that He has called us to do.

Let us pray for this reprieve, supernatural mercy, and favor. God’s grace is sufficient for us all. And I believe we are being given this chance to right the wrongs in our lives, in our nation, and even in the world.

We just have to surrender, and completely trust our lives to Him.

To have a chip on one’s shoulder is to hold a grudge or grievance that readily provokes disputation.

It takes a fine command of language to say nothing, especially when we’re offended. As Christians, we are encouraged to set a guard over our mouth and keep watch over the door of our lips, doing our best not to offend others.

I’ve found, for me, that it’s not always easy to remain silent. I try to silently observe what’s going on around me, keeping my opinion to myself. But the last 7 years have not been a testament to my patience. I’ve been offended, hurt, even wearing my feelings on my sleeve. I’ve had to learn that if something bothers me, I simply have to write my heart out. I have to consider that all of us, as God’s children, are precious to Him. Though we’re all made the same, we can be so very different.

A Diversified World

We are a body of people, trying to live together in a very diversified world. Coming together, on this common ground, isn’t always going to be easy.

There are many opinions in this world, and I’m usually really good at chewing up the meat and spitting out the bones (for it). It’s hard not to be affected by all the negativity that surrounds us. The dark side seems to be controlling the narrative, and the dissension can be relentless.

No matter how much we may try to tune out a lot of this unwelcomed noise, our ears do still hear it. Our eyes lay witness to much evil in this world. Keeping the offenses out, guarding our hearts, does take more work than just patience.

When we’re tired and run down, we seem to be more vulnerable to these attacks. We have to be careful not to allow those old thoughts to come back in, our old sins. Allowing resentment to take placement in our lives only gives the enemy more ammo to use against us.

The Power of Prayer

We’ve all got to do better to discern the truth in this world, and what each of us could do differently. Where the enemy purposes our words for destruction, we’ve got to choose words that will build each other up. Where we’re trying to find unity, the enemy will always purpose division.

How we lead by example is how others will follow. How we lead in our homes, our children tend to do, also. Choose to be a person of good character and integrity. Choose good over bad, allowing God to remove all the bitterness from your heart. Pray over your enemies, your family, your friends.

I choose to recite the prayer of Jabez over them. It is a very short, yet powerful prayer. It’s mentioned in the Bible 1 Chronicles 4:10. I’ve prayed this prayer for many years, and for myself, as well. I’ve found that when I’m hurt, upset, or there’s a grievance within my heart, it does help to pray this prayer for those who have hurt me.

It reads: “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!’ And God granted him that which he requested.”

There is a lot of power in prayer, and I do believe change comes when we believe for it.

Effective Communication

Effective communication is necessary in any area of disagreement. Yes, sometimes, we simply have to agree to disagree. You see, there’s no fighting or arguing allowed in God’s Kingdom.

If you have a chip on your shoulder, ask God to remove it. Go deep and let go of all past transgressions. We have to intentionally choose peace, and not war (in our hearts), or in this world.

We are a family of God, unique in every way. There will always be indifference, and I do understand this. We have to live here together, so let us find this “common ground” and grow together.

Let us value life, all life, respecting one another. Let us choose our words more carefully, before we speak, and let us, always, encourage one another.

Let us ALL be more conscious of how we choose to care.♥️

Read more on the GOD TV blog, and watch GOD TV here.