Monsters Under the Bed: Scare Them Away

My most popular entry to this date is my last one "So You're Feeling Low?", which tells me that there are those out there that are dealing with the effects of depression and sadness. I can't change the situation that you are in, but I am learning how to make life a little more bearable.

As children, after watching movies that our parents warned us that we shouldn't watch, when the lights go out, we begin to create the monster under our beds, in our closets, or outside our windows. The monster we create in our minds our hearts because we didn't listen, causes us to be afraid of the things that go bump in the night. Life is the same. We create the monsters in our lives because we breathe life into them, causing them to become real. The bills that are due, the job that you don't have, the disappearing relationships, the loneliness, and hurt; is all something that we create. The more that we are frightened, the worse things get for us. Putting fear into these things only creates a bigger and scarier monster.

I have learned that, as it states in Proverbs 23:7, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he". So if you believe in your heart that things won't turn around, that life is not worth living, then guess what...you are breathing life into that monster of yours. Proverbs 18:21 also tells us that Death and Life are in the power of the tongue. So when you are low, speak life into your situation.

If the bills are due, say I'm not going to worry about that because I know that they're going to get paid. You may not know how, but believing and trusting that they will and moving forward in your life, an unexpected path will be created for you. What that path may be, no one will know but you and God, but believe me, that it will.

It's just as those who've experienced people in their lives constantly telling them that they can't do something, that they'll amount to nothing, that they are stupid and worthless, believe those things and become them. Those negative comments and thoughts gave life to someone that believed they in fact could be nothing.

The power of the tongue and the mind is a real powerful thing. I pray that each of you reading this, will think positively, and speak it. It works. Just as in physics, Newton's first law, if something is in motion, it stays in motion until another forces stops it. Don't allow your monsters to stay in motion. I've learned this weekend to laugh at them. When you laugh at them they disappear, because you no longer fear them. The laughter and the believing that things will come to pass is the other force that will stop the trouble from moving forward.

Don't breathe life into your monsters. Laugh at them, be encouraged, no matter what's going on.

Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, I thank you for the word that you have brought to me this weekend to share with others around me. Lord I pray that the monsters that I have given life to, will no longer be. I believe that you are a wonderful and powerful God, and that with you nothing can't be done. Instead, I breathe life into that new job. I breathe life into those paid bills. Life into the bank account. Life into the relationships. For you are the one that will help me chase these monsters away. I believe it, I trust it. I speak life. In Jesus' precious name I pray, Amen.

So You're Feeling Low?

Depression is a serious thing. Many play with the word and say they are depressed when they're sad, but only those who have been in that state truly know the feeling. The thoughts of not wanting to continue life, thinking you're inadequate, the crying, the always wanting to sleep, not wanting to face the world. Depression. There are many that deal with it for reasons too many to name. Those that are happy in their lives, and life is going the way they could hope for, this post isn't for you. But for those that don't want to face the day, I tell you to remember this; Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." 

Though your depressed state may seem like it takes forever to get out of you must stay encouraged. During your low moments in life, read the Bible. The scriptures will tell you that the Lord our God is here for us when we need Him and that He has a plan for us that we could never imagine. So, as in Psalms 40:1-3 suggests, wait patiently on the Lord, He has heard your cry. He will lift you out of your pit and set your feet on a firm place to stand. He'll put praise in your mouth so that others will see that He is the Lord and will put their trust in Him. So, if you believe in the Lord and live a righteous life, when you need help in life, the Lord will hear you and deliver you from your troubles (Psalms 34:17). 

Just know, that the storm may endure for the night, but the joy of the Lord will come in the morning. It's not going to last. Something wonderful will happen for life when you expect it the least. Just continue to believe, continue to trust that the Lord is working in your life. Things will turn around soon. 

Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, I thank you for bringing this word to us when we truly needed it. There is nothing more powerful than having faith that you will bring us out of the darkness and onto firm ground. Lord I pray that you keep us encouraged, and lifted in your name. Your are a wonderful God and we thank you. In Jesus's precious name we pray, Amen.

Grow a Bit of Humility

There’s one thing that I’ve noticed amongst my peers, is a lack of humility. It’s as though they work hard to get what they can, just so they can flaunt it in front of others. The shots of money spread out are seen through out my timeline. The bags and the shoes, the clothes and the cars, are shown, just so everyone else knows that they’ve got it. And it’s not like I don’t applaud you for having the financial freedom to do as you please with your money (I do hope you are financially free), I just believe that there’s another way to live life. 

With time and practice, we each grow and become wiser (I pray). I myself am learning to let go of my pride so that I may move forward into the direction that has been planned for me.  Even in his word, in 1 Peter 5:5, it tells us that we must clothe ourselves with humility toward each other, because God opposes the proud and arrogant, and favors the humble. For His son Jesus was a humble man, who rode a donkey, when he could have had any animal to ride upon (Zechariah 9:9). We are asked to be like him. Though we may have found our successes in life, it is best to not flaunt it in front of everyone. Yes, you may encourage those to follow you to success. Yes, you should use your success to help those in need. But it is not for us to push under people’s noses so they can smell what you have. It is our job, not to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45), as Jesus did for us so many thousands of years ago. 

I tell you, if you humble yourselves, your rewards will be even greater. Take Tim Tebow as an example. Everyone picks on him and how he believes in Jesus Christ and thanks Him for his every success, but there has never been a point where he has needed for anything. Because he has stayed humble, even though he still hasn’t received a contract, he is still working and making money in some shape or form. And every team that he was removed from hasn’t had it’s brightest of moments. In Proverbs 11:2, it tells us, “Arrogance comes, then comes shame, but wisdom remains with humble people”. 

So let go of the pride, stop the flaunting, and submerge yourself in humility. For God saved you and gave you what you have through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. It’s a gift from God. It’s not the result of anything you’ve done, so no one can brag about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9) As you ponder this, watch this video of the song “Who Am I” by Casting Crowns. (**The scripture at the end of the video is wrong, the verse is actually Psalms 143:5**)

Dear Lord, Heavenly Father, thank you for being the wonderful God that you are! There is no one like you. I don’t know what I’ve done to receive your grace and your mercy. I do not deserve the wonderful things that you have done for me. I come before you as humbly as I know how, just to thank you for your wondrous works. You are a great God and you should be praised. Thank you for giving your Son, so that he may be an example to us to show us how we must act and how we must live our life with humility. For these great things that we have been blessed with, we know that they have not come from our hands, but Yours. I pray that through our thanksgiving that others will be able to see and understand, that with humility You will allow great things to happen in our lives. In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.