Gospel Groundwork Part 2: 21Verses of Freedom

To be justified means to be declared as righteous in the sight of God. Very simply put, you may have heard the saying, to be ‘justified’ can be remembered by saying, “Just as if I’d never sinned”. Before we get to the application part of Romans, we first have to look at how one is saved. If you aren’t saved, Jesus made a way for you to be free from the bondage of sin, even if you have not accepted Him yet.  To be justified through faith means that you have to believe what Jesus did was on your behalf and that He desires a relationship with you, for free. If you already have accepted Jesus as your Savior, reflect on whether you have surrendered to the full weight of His lordship in your life or not.

As you read this post, which is Romans 5, I pray that you will accept that Jesus has made a way for you to stand rightly before Him. If you are a Christian, reflect on the love He gives, the hope you have, and the forgiveness that you have been given for FREE. The act of justification was NOT FREE. Jesus paid the price for sin. He presents it to us as a free gift of grace. Independence Day was over 2000 years ago when the Savior of the world suffered, died, and was resurrected for you and I so that His glory could be seen and His grace experienced by us.

This has everything to do with how you live your life. It has everything to do with how you love your spouse. It has everything to do with how you serve others. It has everything to do with how you date. It has everything to do with how you choose your career. Sisters, what Jesus did on the cross has everything to do with your freedom.

ROMANS 5, NIV

(Bold and italic emphasis mine)

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And weboast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but wealso glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Guarding Your Heart Series- “Whatever is Honorable”

 

“FINALLY, BROTHERS,

WHATEVER IS TRUE,

WHATEVER IS HONORABLE,

WHATEVER IS JUST,

WHATEVER IS PURE,

WHATEVER IS LOVELY,

WHATEVER IS COMMENDABLE,

IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE,

IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE,

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS.”

Philippians 4:8

My younger sister was recently told her privileges of TV and freetime had been suspended because she had abused her grounds to speak freely, and moved into disrespectful territory. The God-given authority, her parents, whom she should honor, had reminded her that she over-stepped her boundaries and dishonored them. Her response, which got her in even more trouble, was “SO DON’T HAVE ANY RIGHTS!?” She’s 11.

I don’t like politics.  I don’t like to vote. I don’t know much about how the government actually works. (Does anybody really?)

However, I know that the reign of God and the acceptance of His absolute authority in the hearts of men is a concept that many people, and even Christians despise. Even those who participate in political talks, who are Christian, rarely speak of Jesus as Lord and King, in the literal, everyday context.  Christian jargon uses phrases like, “Jesus is Lord”, “Jesus is King”, “King of Kings”, and “Jesus is Lord of my life” way too loosely without a life that matches the words, although they are all true.

Do you know what it means to make Jesus the Lord of your life? It means that your life has to be a theocracy. Theocracy is a form of government in which the people and land are governed by a god, gods, or a ruler with direct connection with the divinity. Moses and the Hebrew people are considered a theocracy in social studies.  Moses spoke directly to God and conveyed God’s law to the people. Simple. However, what about your personal life? The example of Moses is an Old Testament or “old covenant” example, meaning that before Jesus came to earth in human likeness to pay the price for sin through His death, burial and resurrection, those who wanted to follow Yahweh could not have direct access to His ways or words without going through the prophet of God or priest.  Jesus is has three primary offices he holds of Prophet (Luke 13:33), Priestest (Heb.4:14), and King(Eph.1:22; Col. 1:16-17). (You can check this post for further study and explanation of the threefold offices of Christ.) Jesus executes these offices perfectly and in them we see the ruler of our hearts.

We must submit our lives to His authority as King and ruler of everything in our lives (James 4:7). Those phrases are just words without actually submitting to the lordship of Christ in our lives.
So what is honorable? Whatever is honorable or noble is what we are discussing in this post, so what does the lordship of Christ in my heart have to do with what I should think on? The Greek word here is semnos meaning venerable, honorable, grave, serious, dignified. I love word studies because they give you a deeper meaning of the original word where our English languages sometimes fails.  This word is derived from the Greek word sebó which means to worship.  Honestly, I was a little confused at how we went from thinking of honor, to worship.

This word really means that we should think on whatever is worthy of worship with a sense of weighty awe, reverence, and grave sobriety.  Whatever is of noble stature, exalted in moral character and uprightness, is what we should meditate on.  Jesus is worthy of our worship (Ps. 96:9). Jesus is to be reverenced and feared (Deut. 13:4; Ps.33:3). Jesus is royalty and therefore, He is honorable (Zechariah 14:9).

In America, we have a democracy. A democracy is a form a government where the people decide who represents them and govern the society.  As an American, I can say that I am VERY unclear about how a monarchy is run.  A monarchy is the form of government where there is one ruler, who rules the government well, and wise, and is the sole decision maker.  American Christians have no idea what this means. We are very spoiled believe that our decisions are our own and we are entitled to live how we please. We want to marry how we choose. We want to speak our minds. We want our own way. We love to tell people that they cannot tell us what to do. We love to say “This is America!” or something about our rights when confronted with any hint of tyranny, like my sister, who believed the parents she should honor, had taken away her freedom and turned from loving to tyrannical.

Tyranny is the form of government where the ruler has obtained the office of a monarch, unnaturally or unlawfully and has corrupted the office. We can sometimes live like we think God is the tyrant, not the monarch. He loves us and wants to protect us. He is kind, gentle, loving, and gracious. He is also just and will not tolerate anything trying to be a tyrant in your heart. No spouse, no job, no vanity, no thing will overthrow Him in your heart. He won’t allow it. He is jealous and has clearly stated that there will be no other god in your life before Him.(Exodus 20:5, 34:14)

Surrender your heart to Him. He is a kind and merciful King. He can rule your heart better than any tyrant or democratic government ever could. When your id, ego, and superego (psychological voices of reason in your head) try to make the decision-making in your life democratic, remind them that this is not a democracy. What the King says in His Word, the Bible is what is going to govern all your decisions. Remind the voices around you that you are not of this world and that you will not entertain other options that are contrary to the Bible, or against your King’s laws. We cannot live a “when in Rome” lifestyle. We are called to live like we belong to another kingdom.

The ruler of your heart must be the King, Jesus. There are no other options in his Kingdom and He will never share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8, 48:11).

Jesus is honorable, noble, upright, and worthy of worship. Nothing in my life requires that kind of attention, but Him. Spend time in quiet, solemn, meditation, where you think on the goodness and wonder of God. Take time daily to worship Him with a serious, reverential attitude. Think on these things and the peace of God will bee with you. Phil. 4:8

Guarding Your Heart Series: Whatever is True

“FINALLY, BROTHERS,

WHATEVER IS TRUE,

WHATEVER IS HONORABLE,

WHATEVER IS JUST,

WHATEVER IS PURE,

WHATEVER IS LOVELY,

WHATEVER IS COMMENDABLE,

IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE,

IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE,

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS.”

Philippians 4:8

There is much talk about what truth is today. “What is ‘your’ truth?”  “I’m/That’s the truth” ” Find your truth” and so on. The primary thing this whole series should point to, is the fact that you cannot guard your heart from life. God is the One who guards your heart with His peace in every situation. One way we receive this peace and are able to experience it is through meditating on God’s word. God’s word is the Bible. The Bible should be the most important book that you read each day. I remember being in college and with all the reading, it was impossible to have a desire to read God’s word.  I felt like I already had so much to read!! I preferred listening to conference and church service messages or sermons then because it was more palatable.

It was true that I had a lot of reading to do. It was true that I needed to make time to read the most important book in my life. It’s true that I did not read God’s word like I should have and during times of stress and temptation, I fell short. My heart was not guarded. I was not prepared to cope with the cares of this world and I lost the SENSE of God’s peace. God’s Spirit was drawing me near most of those days and when His voice beckoned me to receive His peace and be still so that I could find direction in my life.

Even now, at times, I forfeit the peace that is mine, that Jesus left with me, with us, and I pick up “my truth”.

John 1 says, “ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Jesus prays in John 17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” 

There are many, MANY passages on God’s word, the inerrancy of God’s Word, the concept of walking in truth and God’s truth.  God’s Word, Jesus, is truth. God’s Word, His way and the completeness of His thoughts were embodied in Jesus Christ as He lived through what He spoke to us and as He followed the Father’s way and will completely and perfectly.  Jesus left us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, to teach us His Word, the words that He spoke.

Jesus says in John 14:25-27, “These things I have spoken to you (the word) while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you (the word). ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” [emphasis and parentheses mine]

Now we are back to God’s peace. Jesus encourages us HIMSELF by saying that we should not be afraid and that we should not let our hearts be troubled!!  Why? His peace is left with you to rule your heart! He says that He will send His Spirit to remind us of all the truthful words that He said and in the same passage, says He gives you His peace.

WHATEVER is TRUE- God’s Word is true, Jesus is true; so think on these things. Think about Jesus and His words to us.

Don’t cling to lies from the world that will tell you that your ways are best for you. Don’t believe that a day at the spa or a fancy vacation will bring you the peace you need. Don’t believe that your spouse will be your source of peace.  And most definitely don’t believe that your truth is THE truth or that all roads lead to God.

‘Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:5-6

The lack of being filled with the truth of the Bible, will cause a troubled, anxious heart and you will believe so many lies, that the truth of the Bible will seem frivolous. Then what will you be meditating on? We all have heard the quote about watching your thoughts because your thoughts become actions and your actions become habits. I want God’s truth to be my thoughts. I want God’s truth to fuel my actions. I want God’s truth to be my habit. Whatever is true, think on theses things.

Read John1, John 14, John 17, 1 John 1 and Psalm 1

Guarding Your Heart – Whatever! Subseries

“FINALLY, BROTHERS,

WHATEVER IS TRUE,

WHATEVER IS HONORABLE,

WHATEVER IS JUST,

WHATEVER IS PURE,

WHATEVER IS LOVELY,

WHATEVER IS COMMENDABLE,

IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE,

IF THERE IS ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE,

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS.”

Philippians 4:8

Let’s review how to cooperate with the work of God that brings peace to guard our hearts:

• Rejoice in the Lord
• Be known as a gracious woman who extends grace and does not impose legalism
• Be aware of Christ’s soon coming
• Do not be anxious nor filled with anxiety about anything
• Pray and pray consistently and often
• Give thanks to God
• Tell God what you desire, no matter what it is
• Don’t be surprised when God’s peace guards your heart

Paul is at the beginning of his conclusion in his letter to the Philippians by verse 8.  He begins it with “Finally”.  This is a beautiful indicator that the process that we went over for the believer in Jesus regarding the anxious heart and God’s peace is sealed with one more thought.  He encourages us to think. Think about these things.  In the next few posts I want to breakdown these attributes that we so easily recite without care. This verse is almost like a mantra of sorts. The repetition of the “whatsoevers” or “whatevers” have a cadence that help you remember the characteristics ascribed to these “things”.

I wanted to build up to what those “things” are, but I feel the Lord leading this post in a more direct way.  The Greek word hosos, meaning “whatever” is very inclusive. It means “all things whatsoever, or all that”; “how much, how great, or how many”.  There are so many wonderful nouns that could be placed with the characteristics named, but why list what is obvious in the text? Does this mean we should think about rainbows because they are lovely? Or virtues and merit because they are praiseworthy? This can cause you to think the text is permitting your thinking and meditation to be subjective and relative. What if I think murder is praiseworthy? Or revenge is right or just? What if my truth does not line up with God’s word? Is it still true? God’s word is not speculative. It is concrete; it is absolute. We cannot take what we think to be true or just or commendable and attribute our own definitions. The Bible is the final authority on what life, marriage, love, justice, truth, honor, glory, grace, and “whatever” is.  God created these “things” and therefore He is the One who gets to define them. The Scripture is explicit on what your mind should be set on and not be set on.

Colossians 3 says to set your mind on things above.

Philippians 3 says enemies of Christ have their minds on earthly things.

Psalms 1 says to meditate on God’s law day and night.

Romans 8 describes the mind that is set on the flesh and the Spirit.

1 Peter 1 talks of a sober mind that is focused and alert.

Now we know that all things are created by Jesus, for Jesus, and are sustained by Jesus(Col.1:16; John 1:3; Rom.11:36). We also know that these things that He made were made to His glory and our enjoyment. However they were not made to be the source of change in our lives, nor worshipped, and they definitely were not made to be thought of as a means to inner peace. They merely and greatly reflect God’s ingenuity, beauty, and perfection. They do this insofar as we observe what God allows us to as His truth, justice, honor, and love in created things, so that we worship the Creator, Jesus, who is the One who satisfies what these creations appear to do.

The primary point here is that God perfectly knows “whatever things are …”. He knows what truth is. He knows what is able to be honored. He knows what righteousness and justice are. He knows what is pure. He knows what’s lovely. He knows what is of a good report and to be commended. He knows what is excellent and He knows what is praiseworthy.

The Holy Spirit is revealing to you, as you are reading this post, that He IS all these things. His perfect character and nature in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is and always will be everything you need to meditate on in this verse.

In the next few posts, we are going to take some time to explore where these characteristics are in the Bible and what God says about Himself, you, and His many gifts.

What steps can you take this week to change your thinking to meditate on WHATEVER or WHOever is …(Philippians 4:8 fill in the blank)?

Guarding Your Heart Series Pt. 5-Cooperate

“AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS”

Philippians 4:7

I believe God is going to allow many of you to receive the freedom that is yours in Christ from studying these passages. Let’s recap our past few weeks together, because today, God is going to speak to you about what is causing so much anxiety in your heart or preventing you from seeing Him clearly today.

According to Proverbs 4:23, guarding your heart is:

• Keeping the sin that flows from your heart under the submission of the Lord to prevent yourself from hurting others
• Protecting others from the damage that you can cause that may have lifelong effects
• Putting to death any indulgences of any sin in your heart that can damage your fellowship with God and your relationship with others

According to Proverbs 4:23, guarding your heart is not:

• Putting up walls around your heart so that you don’t get hurt
• Withholding your true feelings, self, emotions, opinions from a significant other out of fear of being hurt or their response
• Protecting the ugly, inner parts of our personality and habits to ensure perfection in a relationship

I also mentioned that it is actually impossible to guard such a precious thing. In fact, God is the only One, by His Spirit, who can guard your heart. You cannot put up the necessary barriers and guards to what comes out of your heart or affects it. Why? You have to trust God and turn your heart towards Him. Trusting in yourself with what you are capable of is dangerous and foolish. Also trusting yourself to try to “handle” a situation where you will have to resist the enemy, temptation to sin or temptation to respond sinfully in a hurtful circumstance will usually not end well if we are honest.

Jeremiah 17:5 says, “…Cursed is the man who trust in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Verse 7 says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is in the LORD.” On top of that, Jeremiah 17:9-10 continues to say that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” ( proving that it is something which no one will understand) and goes on to say, “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

You must trust God with your heart.

You must trust God with the hearts of your friends and family.

You must trust God with the heart of your significant other or spouse.

You must trust the power of God’s Spirit in you to give you the ability to resist the devil and temptation.

GOD IS THE ONE WHO GUARDS THE HEART.

PERIOD.

We do, however, play a cooperative part in working with the Spirit of God in our lives to apply this. I shared with you that this whole thing is not about being a good woman, the best wife, mom, or girlfriend. This is about you following Jesus and His ways and He will empower you to fulfill any role He allows you occupy.

Remember that being a wife or mom is not promised to any of us.

Being a follower of Jesus is what we must focus on in order to fulfill these roles, if they ever are afforded to us. Colossians 3 is clear about “putting to death” earthly things in you and to,

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…and above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR HEARTS, to which indeed you were called in one body.”

This passage is very similar to Philippians in explaining what we should be doing to cooperate with the work of the Spirit inside of us. Verse 18 solidifies the order of events in your life. First, put off worldliness. Second, put on Christ-likeness. And THEN wives submit, husbands love, children obey, fathers don’t provoke, bondservants or workers obey, and work as unto the Lord, masters or bosses be just and fair. The order is clear sisters. Know your place in Christ. This passage covers work and family! Paul is very clear in this passage in Colossians about the order to seek God, know your identity is in Jesus, cooperate with His work in you to remove anything earthly in you, and fill yourself with the acts that reflect, and are empowered by, Him.

This is how we get back to Philippians 4 which gives us clear instructions on how to position ourselves to have our hearts guarded by God.

Let’s review how to cooperate with the work of God that brings peace to guard our hearts:

• Rejoice in the Lord
• Be known as a gracious woman who extends grace and does not impose legalism
• Be aware of Christ’s soon coming
• Do not be anxious nor filled with anxiety about anything
• Pray and pray consistently and often
• Give thanks to God
• Tell God what you desire, no matter what it is

“AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS”

Guarding Your Heart Series Pt. 4b-He’s There

“DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING,BUT IN EVERY SITUATION,

BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD”

Philippians 4:6

“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear;

what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer.”

– John M. Scriven

 In the last post, I gave my personal experience with anxiety and depression and how Christ has set me free from the bondage that anxiety can easily bring to the Christian woman.  Unfortunately, we measure how we can get through our trials by comparing them with those who are less fortunate than we are.  Those who have gone through “more” than we have in our lives are seen as saints, or stronger than us because they have had to endure more.  Everyone of us has our share of trials that God has ordained which shape us into the women He wants us to be. As I don’t believe the mindset of comparing trials is beneficial normally, I do believe that we can learn from the strength and mistakes of others. Sometimes we can approach our lives with sensitivity when we keep the purpose of the trial in context. There is so much weight and truth in this one verse of Philippians for us to glean from.

Guarding your heart from your personal motives that may not glorify God and from the lies of the world is essential to keeping your peace.  A worldly mindset that stems from lusting after what you see, feel, desire, and pride of the heart could be that of entitlement(1 John 2:16). We think we are entitled to a “good man” because of how much we have done for others. We tell ourselves we “deserve” the American dream; well-behaved children, a loving, sexy husband who loves Jesus and serves, maybe a cute pet, a clean, well-decorated home in the suburbs, and a welcoming church home. We are not entitled to any of this friends. We are sinners, saved by grace, making us saints (Eph. 2:8). It is by grace that your messed up self, husband, and children have been or have the opportunity to be saved. You and I were not born with a “perfect life” coupon; a golden ticket, EZ Pass for living above trials.

John M. Scriven wrote the beautiful hymn “What A Friend We Have In Jesus” as a poem to his dying mother, who lived across the world.  He had his share of heartache in this life and from it wrote the most beautiful words to comfort someone he loved dearly. Scriven’s tale starts with being a very privileged man who was born into a wealthy family. He was to marry the love of his life, but tragically, she fell from a horse into water, while riding to meet him, and drowned the night before their wedding. Later, Scriven moved to Canada and married another woman, a relative of the woman he worked for. She was baptized in an icy river before their wedding, developed pneumonia, and died four months into their marriage. I’m convinced that this man knew pain. He knew the friend Jesus could be, in loneliness, anxiety, and grief.

Marriage is SO very temporary.

We place much anxiety and worry over the person whom we will marry and invest so much care into the daily living after marriage, that we often forget that we are eternal beings.

“Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there”

This is why Jesus continues to prompt us to not worry for anything, and to give our cares to Him (Matt.6:25-34).  He encourages us to make Him the primary focus because this earth is not our home(1Peter 2:10).  Scriven was able to write the beautiful words to this poem, now international church hymn, because he was able to understand that it is an honor and privilege to take things to the One who is there for us. Jesus is here for us. He knows the plan He has for our lives and is a good God who will give to us all that we need to please Him (2 Peter 1:3).

Guard your heart from the lies that Satan will tell you through media, people, and even your own thoughts. You can do this by re-ordering these thoughts in your mind, casting down any high thing or thought that tries to exalt itself against the knowledge of God and His word (2Cor. 10:4-6). God’s word is the final authority in your life. It must be the only thing that we believe to be the truth or we will constantly fall victim to dissatisfaction, discontentment, anxiety, and worry.  This is why the verse states to bring everything to God, making what you lack or desire known to Him, with thanksgiving.  Why with thanksgiving?

When we are thankful for what God provides, we will realize that He has given us everything we need in Him. You are not alone. You are given daily bread. You have peace. You are loved.

Philippians 4:6 says with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. God knows that you have a need in your life, relational, emotional, physical.  He knows before you ask. However, keeping the peace that will guard you heart, as we will see, will be ever present as you take everything to God in prayer.  Scriven’s words weren’t written out of the life he started with- privilege.  It has to be assumed that knowing that God bears all our griefs, and being “heavy-laden” are words from experience.

“Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!”

 Sister, your experiences will allow you to speak life and hope into another sister’s pain. The glory of your greatest victories in your life will be given to the Lord because you know that He bears your burdens and the peace you experienced in a time of such turmoil only came from Him. He is there.

It’s the peace that surpasses understanding.

-Joy

Guarding Your Heart Series Pt. 4a-Pray

“DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION,

BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD.”

Philippians 4:6

I think the 25th and 26th years of my life were the worst years of my life so far. I had trouble in every area of my life. My health, my marriage, my emotional/mental health, my job, my friends, my family.  This verse in this series is where I have to get real with y’all. Prayer is a discipline that none of us can afford to take lightly.  It is the way we talk to God, fight spiritual battles, and find the comfort we need.  In all honesty, sometimes prayer can be the discipline that frustrates us the most when God is silent, or we disagree with the answer. Even in writing this, I know this will be more than one part because I really want you to understand what God is saying to you through this verse.  I can’t be long-winded here because too many of us have an issue with anxiety.  Some of us more than others.  When I was little, I used to get too excited about holidays, field trips, birthdays, and various events that produced anxiety in my heart.  I didn’t have an anxiety issue but my nervousness showed itself in my health through stomach viruses, without fail, around these times. My gut couldn’t take the unknown. Even if it was good! I was saved a young age and I remember thanking God in my teenage years that I did not have an anxiety disorder like other girls I knew in high school who struggled with depression and panic attacks.  My day was coming.

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Two years ago I had the WORST boss of my life. I will spare details for another post about your purpose and career, but during that year and a half of my 25th/26th year, I was drowning. I barely had any support and no one understood what I was going through. I suffered from depression and anxiety. The overwhelming feeling of dread. The feeling you would probably get if you saw a killer coming towards you and you know that they will do the worst possible things imaginable to you, not if, but when they catch you- triggered by the thought of going to the office. If you have not experienced severe anxiety or panic attacks, thank God. However, I know so many of you have experienced this.  I asked God why, I wanted Him to take it away, and I truthfully, felt prideful about dealing with it.  (My name is Joy I have a psychology degree. I’ve counseled people through this. I know my purpose is to be used by God to walk others through their deliverance from depression and anxiety. So why me?)

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Experience, with God, is the best teacher. I understood what this was, based on my college textbooks and WebMD, but when I went through it, God gave me empathy.  When I say I know what you are going through, trust me, I do. However, today, I am healed. I am delivered. I am set free.  This verse was brought to me in a time of prayer by the Holy Spirit when I was broken, hurt, and desperate for more of God in my life. (If you are dealing with anxiety or depression, feel free to email me at 21verses@gmail.com)

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“Do not be anxious”, I read to myself.  “Do not be anxious….about, … ANYTHING?” I felt God’s presence rise in my heart as He comforted me and reminded me of His Word.

Do. Do NOT. Do not BE ANXIOUS. Do not be anxious about  ANY  THING! Any circumstance, any one, any job, any friend, any pain, any decision, any THING.

And the Word of God is so clear to us sisters. God says to you today, about your marriage, about your future spouse, about your money, about your purpose, about your career, about your family, about your children:

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“DO NOT FRET OR HAVE ANXIETY ABOUT ANYTHING”- Amplified Version

God has set you free. If you belong to Jesus, you have already been set free from the gripping pains of depression and anxiety. I understand that you will believe it is easier said than done, but that is a lie. The enemy, your adversary, is purposely trying to make you believe that you are not set free. If you are a Christian, your salvation is secured and the enemy cannot take that away. So what can he do? He can try to take your peace. The peace of God that will guard your heart and mind, that is already yours.

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So what if you are not dealing with anxiety?

Single sisters, worrying, fretting, or constantly fantasizing about the future is a state of being anxious. Married sisters and mothers, worrying if your spouse is cheating, constantly wondering if your children are ok or if your husband will ever change is being anxious. Jesus says in Matt. 6:25-33 to not be anxious about your life! This passage talks about food, clothing, and your lifespan, but in later verses it says “what shall we eat?”…Is it not true that sometimes we’ve said “Who shall we marry?”

He follows that up with: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” This passage is not about marriage, so don’t get ahead of yourself. Marriage itself is not a promise. Jesus wants your complete dependence on HIM. That’s the point of the passage. Seek first His Kingdom!

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For any woman, married or single: Seek first His Kingdom.

Pray. Prayer is how we express our dependence on God. Pray that you will not be anxious about anything, but that He will show you what His will is for you. His will for you is to be free from the anxieties that accompany everything in your life. As the Lord’s beloved, you do not have to be anxious today, tomorrow, or ever. Go to God in prayer, because He is there, He is listening, and He desires our total dependence on Him.

He will gain your absolute attention sister, no matter what.

-Joy

What A Friend We Have in Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.

– Joseph M. Scriven, 1855

source

Guarding Your Heart Pt. 3- Chill Out

“LET YOUR GENTLE SPIRIT BE KNOWN TO ALL MEN. THE LORD IS NEAR.”

Philippians 4:5 (NASB)

Deaconess Rubella. LOL No one knows who this lady is but if you were raised in a predominately African American all black church, one of many on-going, church jokes is about this church woman. She isn’t real, but then again, she is. She’s the one who gives you “the look” when you check your phone in church, or says “SHH!”way too loud if you snicker at a friend’s joke.  She’s the parking space and sanctuary seat regulator with a short, ill-mannered attitude. The modesty mafia. She’s probably nosy, a busybody, or both.  You avoid her at all costs at church events, services, and possibly in the street because she annoys your soul! You want to tell her to CHILL OUT! It’s not that deep! lol. I think this woman exists in all types churches and comes in all races, shapes, and ages; I can only speak from personal experience.

The major issue with this type of woman in the church is that her countenance is antithetical of Christ-like character and nature. Serving, but without love (1 Cor. 13). Her heart and actions don’t reflect Jesus. People talk about her and get offended by her actions because they expect to encounter a woman who serves with the heart of Jesus and at the same time is real about her imperfections. Pray to forgive your Ms. Rubella if you’re having a hard time with the woman like this in your family or church.

What does this have to do with guarding your heart?

We are going through Philippians 4 to see what the Bible has to say about guarding your heart. Part of this includes personal responsibility, to be in a position to let God work in our hearts so it may be guarded.  Phil. 4:5 can be summarized by saying that Paul is encouraging us to let our fair, gracious, just, and gentle demeanor be known to everyone around us. Paul is communicating to have a spirit of grace that is mild in temper and self-controlled in the midst of others offending, or possibly offending God. Why? The Lord is coming back for a bride that reflects His likeness and at that time, He will set all things into place (Eph. 5).  (In support of this, I encourage you to read Ephesians 5, which explains what we should be doing because God is working in us to present us to Himself.  While we are focused on our current marriages or waiting for marriage, we have to understand that as a Christian, all of us are awaiting the return of Christ.)

The Bible calls us the bride of Christ and ultimately we cannot lose sight of this since the primary reason marriage exists is to display Christ’s relationship with His bride, the church.  Eph. 5 is always used at weddings and in marriage studies, but we forget about verses 1-21!

The bride of Christ can be known as a Deaconess Rubella. We know that the church is known for being hypocritical and judgmental; especially in the area of dating and relationships! We impose our ideas of who people should marry, how they should date, establish boundaries in dating/courtship, what we should call it, etc., on everyone! Let’s clarify for a second.

God’s word and His Spirit are the standard for all these things in life. You could say, “Well, aren’t you telling us how we should see dating and marriage in this blog?” The purpose of this blog is to communicate God’s word and help you search the Bible for yourself for possibly a better, less stressful way to deal with this topic. My experiences are only testimonies to how God has helped me with my courtship and in marriage.

I won’t digress, however, these passages support the primary point I have been making in these posts. Your goal as a Christian woman is not to be the best wife, mom, single woman or “fill in the blank” you can be. Your objective is to be a follower of Jesus. He will empower you by His Spirit to be all that you need to be in all these occupations.

Here’s the relationship stuff:

• As a single woman, chill out. Don’t be so uptight about your standards or how others are conducting their relationships. Seek God about how to set up boundaries and steer clear from actions that are obviously sin to God. Don’t ask questions like “How far can we go?” rather ask “How can I reflect Your standard today God?” or “God, can you show me what parts of my standards or expectations are not like nor from You?”
• As a married woman, chill out. Don’t impose your standard of what worked for you in your courtship period on single sisters. Share, but don’t be a legalist.

Basically, CHILL OUT! Some of us get tangled up in legalism. We really need to relax. Let the peace of God rule your heart. So what if the young lady you mentor didn’t take your dating advice? So what if your friend keeps going back to that bad relationship? So what if she married him against your counsel?

So what?!

Leave it with God and extend grace. You have the right to offer your opinion and share what God lays on your heart to a sister about her relationship. However, watch how you communicate it, make sure it’s from time well spent with Jesus, and if you are in doubt don’t say anything and PRAY!   Phil. 4:5 for the reader is a great reminder that Jesus will return to set all things straight, but in the meantime, be characterized by a spirit of grace and gentleness. Let the peace of God rule your heart.

See you next week.

 

 

Guarding Your Heart Pt 2: Rejoice!

“REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, REJOICE!”

 Philippians 4:4

We examined what it means when we guard our hearts from the sin that can affect others in the previous post and I shared a little about why this series is so important to me in the intro.  Let’s recap briefly:

• this series is not for singles only
• the Bible was not written for one type of role (men/women, husband/wife, single/married)
• the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for salvation of your soul and to transform you into His image
• guarding your heart is not primarily about protecting yourself from relational damage or getting too deep into a relationship
• you cannot guard your own heart, in your own power, by yourself

Proverbs 4:23 speaks of guarding your heart in the context of protecting your own motives and intentions (which can be deceitful when not submitted to the lordship of the Holy Spirit) from leaving a train wreck of relational and spiritual damage through life.

And so, as we comb through Philippians 4, I want to extend a similar greeting to you seen in Phil. 4:1-3:

I love you and I thank God for you. However you got here, I know by the leading of God’s Spirit, you were brought to this blog to hear from God. There is nothing miraculous from this screen, on these specific pages, on this particular site, on your specific computer. But the power of God can transform you into His likeness as you seek to study His word through resources like this. But know this; there is something miraculous about your life and how God will reach down from His heavenly throne to ensure that you are reading this right now, at this time in your life. Be encouraged by the remainder of this series. I pray you contend for the gospel of Jesus Christ, seek to live out His perfect will for your life and do not waiver when you get the answer from God you are searching for regarding your heart.

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God gave me Philippians 4 as a guide during my courtship period with Brian. He allowed me to first see that in Philippians 4:4, in all things I must rejoice. At the time, rejoicing was last on my list. I thought I could do that when I got married, on my wedding day after waiting for so long in abstinence.

As a single person, I thought sorrow was for the single person, and rejoicing for the married. (all the married people reading this are laughing at my 20-yr-old self right now)

The word “rejoice” here in the Greek means to “take delight in the favor and grace of God”. The basic, English definition of rejoice is to be glad, to make joyful, or to take delight.I was not taking delight in my circumstances. I hated where I was and little did I know, rejoicing while dating, engaged, and in marriage was and is a fight.  Today I fight for joy. I fight to say “blessed be the name of the Lord” and to tell my heart to praise the Lord.

This is why God was showing me that guarding the heart is not for the single person.

It is something that God will do for you as you rejoice. Take delight in the Lord Jesus sisters. He will be the delight and contentment of your heart when you have not properly guarded those doors to your heart and when what is not like Him, rises to burden you, hurt someone you love, or respond negatively to hurt you have received.

The Bible says to sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:18-20), your delight should be in His word or law (Ps. 1:1-3), and to delight yourself in Him (Ps. 37:4). God’s word makes mention many times of delighting in Him and rejoicing in Him. Rejoice in God’s grace and favor this week. Sisters the enemy, Satan, would love to categorize you and make you think that what God has given you at this time in your life is not how things should be. I fight against this lie daily. But I have to remind myself to rejoice; to take delight in the beautiful grace and abundant favor God has given me in my life.

See you next week.

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• Are you still single? What grace has God given you and what favor can you see in your life outside of this one area?
• Are you married? What grace has God given you and what favor can you see in your life outside and inside of you marriage?
• How can you take time out of your day to delight in the favor and grace of God?