Losing our minds...

There is a very real danger of losing our minds, our sanity, our emotional stability when we are not grounded firmly in Christ. Satan will stop at NOTHING to gain our sanity, stripping it from us in any way he possibly can. The closer a person is to Christ the more Satan will fight for them, he will stop at very little to  try and win them from salvation. The onslaughts will come when we don't expect them. We can think our faith is strong only to have it rocked off its foundation, ripped from its sure hold and tossed about in the wildest of storms. By the grace and mercy of God may we never LOSE complete faith, may the tiniest of tethers remain in Christ always, because the tiniest tether in Christ is stronger than any storm of the Devil's.

Emotional turmoil.

Anger, disappointment, sadness, heartache, confusion, fear all these emotions and more created a torrent of anxiety within us that is far from quiet, far from restful and therefore by definition- far from peaceful.

We say we can't help but have these emotions as circumstances dictate in our lives. We've grown used to experiencing these kinds of responses to the stimulus that warrants the behavior. We tell others instantly that it is normal to feel the way they are feeling, and we are speaking the truth because in our lives we've allowed ourselves to make these things normal, things that wouldn't be considered normal at another time, another era. We've called it advancement, emotional advancement now that we can express our feelings so openly. Before when they were repressed it led to all sorts of angst, at least that's what we've told ourselves.

You know, just because enough people in supposed positions of authority have declared something to be truth does NOT make it truth. Yet people want to agree with the authorities on a subject when it gives them any insight into their lives. Am I advocating hiding emotions? Maybe I am, because when I say we should take our 'cares' to God and then by HIS grace and power, leave those cares with HIM, I am saying we truly do not have to blanket our friends and family with our anguish as if we do not have a God who is in control and wants all things to work together for our good. I am NOT saying hide it from friends and family IF you are needing to share it with them to get their prayer support, never hide it to your own harm. I think what I'm trying to comprehend for myself and maybe any others should they possibly need it, is that for us to have spirit peace, that very special peace that passes understanding that comes from God, we need to seek spirit peace. We need to ACTIVELY seek out spirit peace as life constantly throws us one trying time after another.

Do you remember this song--

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well

With my soul

It is well, it is well with my soul

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul

It is well (it is well)

With my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, o my soul

It is well (it is well)

With my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul

It is well (it is well)

With my soul (with my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul

Written by Horatio Spafford

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul>

Do you know the story behind the song- I may have written of this before but it warrants doing so again- Wikipedia-

This hymn was written after traumatic events in Spafford's life. The first was the death of his son at the age of 2 and the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer and had invested significantly in property in the area of Chicago that was extensively damaged by the great fire). His business interests were further hit by the economic downturn of 1873, at which time he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre. In a late change of plan, he sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone …". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.[3]

From <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Is_Well_with_My_Soul>

Just imagine the great losses this man endured and yet he still held fast to his Savior, Jesus Christ. The hope he had brought him SPIRIT PEACE. The peace that can only come from God.

Quietness, restful, set at one again- a Bible dictionary definition of peace.

Joh_14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Spirit Peace.

Peace. Who doesn't want to be at peace within themselves, with others, with life in general? You might say that you thrive on conflict, on confrontation, on having a chaotic life, but generally the more your life is in an uproar you are wishing it wasn't. That's not to say you don't enjoy some of the chaos- it may give you a feeling of being active, etc. Yet truthfully those who love chaos are not of God, how can they be when He wants us to have our hearts and minds kept by His peace.  I'll tell you one thing though, some who love chaos may claim they love God, and they'll tell you that because Satan has led them astray, they've become blind to the truth. There will be a lot of Christians, in fact almost all of Christ's followers will have a chaotic life but chaos will NOT be something they seek or even claim to enjoy. The chaotic life of a Christ follower is not indicative of their state of mind or heart which amidst that chaotic life could be filled with the peace of God which passes all understanding. That's right. A Christ follower's peace is not one of quiet, calm days. A Christ's followers peace is one of spirit peace no matter the type of day they are experiencing. It almost seems wrong somehow to have a spirit peace when others around you may be coming apart at the seams. They'll claim your spirit peace is proof you just don't feel things as deeply as they do, you aren't as sensitive as they are, you are much more callous than any of them and they'll base all that and more on the fact you claim spirit peace as one of God's most precious gifts.  You might feel odd yourself as you experience spirit peace, wondering why you aren't in tears, or filled with rage in situations which seem to warrant those responses. God's peace is for the spiritually minded- hence spirit peace, not carnal peace, not flesh peace.  Jesus told us outright that He wants us to have HIS peace, NOT the peace the world has to offer us.

Joh_14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Spiritually peaceful. Our hearts and mind kept through Jesus Christ. Our hearts at peace, our minds at peace- in a peace that TRULY will pass all understanding.  All glory to God!

Strong's Dictionary- Peace- peace (literally or figuratively); by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.

The peace of God. Peace from God. The way of peace.  Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give unto you.  In me ye might have peace.  To be spiritually minded is life and peace.  The kingdom of God is peace. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. The Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. God of peace.  Php 4:7; 1:2; Luk 1:79; Joh 14:27; 16:33; Rom 8:6; 14:17; Col 3:15; 2Th 3:16; Heb 13:20.

Peace

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

The peace -OF- God.

Php 1:2  Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Peace -FROM- God.

Luk 1:79  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 

The -WAY- of peace.

Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

Peace -I LEAVE WITH YOU-.   My peace -I GIVE UNTO YOU-.

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In -ME- ye might -HAVE- peace.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

To be -SPIRITUALLY MINDED- is life and peace.

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

The kingdom of God  …. IS… peace.

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

LET the peace of God  -RULE- in your hearts.

2Th 3:16  Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. 

The LORD OF PEACE HIMSELF - GIVE- you peace -ALWAYS- by -ALL- means.

Heb 13:20  Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant

GOD OF PEACE.

Is your mind and heart kept by God?

Prayer

Do you pray?

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing. 

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint

Luk 18:2  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 

Luk 18:3  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 

Luk 18:4  And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 

Luk 18:5  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 

Luk 18:6  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 

Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 

Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 

Always pray. A widow constantly seeking justice for herself was granted that justice because she sought after it endlessly.  God wants to help us, He wants to listen to us.  Those who are God's will *cry* to him day and night.  That cry is through prayer.

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

Col 4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving

1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer

PRAY!

I can't help it this is on my mind endlessly it would seem--

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

God is trying to impress this upon me and by HIS grace it will happen. I need to go to him for all things, not just the things I deem prayer worthy.  Are we guilty of seeking God more when we are confronted with problems? Do we seek Him less when things are going well in our lives? Is it more normal to cry out than to praise?  We are to make requests of God, we are to use supplication with our God, and we are to THANK God.  All of these- prayer, supplication, thanksgiving- our requests.

We need God's peace which will keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus!

Is your heart and mind kept by God's peace? Think about that, how wonderful it must be.

Please, Lord, please we cry out to you, we entreat you, we thank you!  Let your peace KEEP our hearts and minds!  We can't keep our heart and mind by ourselves. Is it any wonder we have so much trouble with our minds and hearts? We are way too busy trying to keep them ourselves.

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE and WILL of our LORD JESUS CHRIST! Please, Lord, please! Save us from ourselves! Thank you!

Rejoice!

Rejoice! 

Dictionary definition-  Rejoice definition, to be glad; take delight (often followed by in): to rejoice in another's happiness

1Th 5:16  Rejoice evermore. 

We are told to rejoice evermore. What are we to rejoice in?

2Co 6:10  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing…

We are told to always rejoice even when we are sorrowful.   A contradiction?  Seeing the newly grieving widow smile- a contradiction? Watching as one who has lost everything, smiles- a contradiction? What are these people that they can smile amid personal disaster? Have you ever smiled while your life has fallen apart? We do smile not because we are happy about the awful circumstances in our life, but because perhaps a wonderful memory causes us a moments happiness, or perhaps the slip of knowledge that life does go on with others around us has us looking a bit to the future.  Maybe that smile is from the hope that the one thing in our life that cannot be taken from us is still with us- the hope found in our Savior. We can be sorrowful and yet rejoice in the hope we have in Christ.  It is a very sad world we live in, yet this world is not where our hope is placed. While this world brings tears, torrents of tears, not just once in our life but over and over again, the hope of a better world in Christ remains. The knowledge that this is not where our hope is place gives comfort.  So when our lives are destroyed in so many various ways we can tell ourselves that this life is temporary to eternity, and take solace in the future when there will be absolutely nothing to bring us any sorrow every again- this is hope.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 

We rejoice not in ourselves, or our circumstances because our circumstances can change in a moment. We rejoice in the unchangeable, we rejoice in the Lord always!

Mat 5:12  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 

We rejoice through persecution- physical, mental, emotional persecution- we rejoice because we comprehend those who are Christ's will be tortured so just as He was abused. We rejoice because we know heaven is the reward of the suffering.

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 

Again, we do not rejoice even when we are used of God for His work, but we rejoice in HEAVEN. We do not rejoice in anything fully but our SAVIOR. The danger of rejoicing in anything other than salvation through our Savior is having those other things taken from us, whereas our Savior and the salvation He offers, the heaven He offers can NEVER be taken from us, never.

Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope…

We rejoice in HOPE.

Our hope is Christ!

1Ti_1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope

Tit_1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began

Tit_2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ

1Pe_1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

1Pe_1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ

1Pe_1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

May we truly find our rejoicing in CHRIST, our Hope in our Savior, in the promise of heaven.

All in HIS LOVE!

Admonition

Do we… warn the unruly? Or do we laugh at them and make excuses for their behavior? Do we call the unruly acceptable, ignoring them because their behavior is commonplace? Do we get a bit frightened around the unruly, afraid to warn them for fear of their retaliation? Do we simple believe it is not our place to warn anyone? Maybe we think that warning the unruly is for another day and age, another time and place, not here in our world in 2017.

Do we…comfort the feebleminded?

Do we…support the weak?

Are we… patient with all? Truly, are we patient with all?  What sort of patience do we possess? Do we have internal patience? Seriously, often we may appear patient but are we seething inwardly? Maybe we imagine we score points (so to speak) when we hide our impatience from others.  God sees all of us. God knows our heart. God knows our every thought. We need even our hidden faults to be given over to God. Do we have patience towards all in all ways?"

Do we tend to render evil for evil? If someone does us wrong we wrong them in kind? How simple and easy it is for us to respond to wrong doing by lashing out, by hurting those who hurt us. We call it a natural reaction, we call it being human, we call it normal and to be expected. We excuse such behavior in ourselves and in others, we do it because it is our natural tendency to behave in a way contrary to God ways.  Would we have to be reminded to behave in certain ways if those ways were natural to us? If we automatically were patient we wouldn't have to be told to be patient. But we are given admonitions because we aren't naturally inclined to do what we should.

Let us heed the warnings given to us and by the grace of God seek to obey the instructions we are given. When we fail to behave as we should, we need to seek forgiveness and also seek to listen in the future.

By GOD'S grace may we do all He instructs us to do, and not excuse the things we don't do by believing they no longer matter to God. Who are we to discount the word of God?  Jesus would have us follow Him and His way, Jesus made known to mankind the heart of God. Let us live for our Savior! 

Help us Lord, help us! 

1Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 

1Th 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 

1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 

1Th 5:15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 

1Th 5:16  Rejoice evermore. 

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing. 

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

1Th 5:19  Quench not the Spirit. 

1Th 5:20  Despise not prophesyings. 

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

1Th 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1Th 5:24  Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 

1Th 5:25  Brethren, pray for us. 

1Th 5:26  Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 

1Th 5:27  I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. 

1Th 5:28  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. The first epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens. 

In Spirit

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

*******

God is a Spirit-  what does that mean to you? The Spirit exists from everlasting to everlasting.  The Spirit goes beyond our flesh and soul-self. We've talked about this before but it needs more discussion. If we are to worship God in spirit we need to know what the Spirit is, right? God is a Spirit. God exists and God's declared Son gave up His Spirit form and took on the flesh of humanity.  Yet, humanity is more than the flesh. Jesus gave up His unique sole Spirit form and took on the human form and all it is comprised of. The human being has flesh, soul, and spirit.  Jesus was flesh, soul, and spirit. So even though He gave up His Spirit form He gained another form of the spirit, the same form of the spirit we all possess. Jesus lived by the Spirit, His spirit was never overcome by His soul-self or flesh-self. He worshipped God the Father in spirit fully.  Jesus gives us a new birth - a spiritual birth.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

Joh 3:6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Joh 3:7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 

Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 

We who are flesh, soul-self, and spirit are born anew in the spirit when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Our spirit is once more able to reign over our flesh and soul-self. We can once more worship God in spirit. And this spirit change is a change that will go on in us until we enter death's sleep, or until Christ returns for us. 

The war we are in, this spiritual war is a constant war for our spirit. Satan doesn't want us worshipping in spirit, Satan doesn't want us to be born again of the Spirit. Satan would destroy us in spirit so that our soul-self and our flesh rule over us. The battle is unending as long as we live in the state we are in now.

Our Savior won the war for us, our Savior made a path of victory for all of us. We fight in the war that has been won because we are on victory's path and that path is through the war.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 

We will suffer as Christ suffered.

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 

1Pe 5:11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

More tomorrow by the grace of our God, all through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.