It seems that lately my mind has been on overload. I have always taken much pride in the fact that I can multi-task and I actually can do it pretty well. I can even “multi-task think” I have been accused on more than one occasion of thinking too much. Of over analyzing situations, etc. It is my personal opinion that I can’t think too much.
Lately though, I feel like I am frying my brain. I have so much to think about. You know the normal things….. increasing my walk with Christ, my marriage, the kids, home school, business decisions, things to prepare for the beach, financial situations and opportunities, going in the direction God would have me go in, relationships with others, overcoming hurts and fears of the past and current situations, allowing myself to be who I want to be….not what others want me to be or what I think other expect of me, but who I want to be and who God wants me to be. It can get crazy in my little brain with all this and much more spinning around in there. At times I can allow it to consume me. This morning during my devotion the scripture was brought to my attention Isaiah 43:2-3 says this "Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end—because I am God, your personal God.” How AWESOME is THAT!!!!! Having said that, it brings me to my next point……
I have noticed that facebook status updates have become peoples way of communicating their “true” feelings about themselves, others, and situations of life. The reality is their “facebook status” tends to be their “real life” status I tell you, sometimes, it is almost tempting to delete the account. I would never do that though because some of the most precious people in my life this my way of communicating with them. There are certain people with such gloom and despair it is depressing to read their status! What is so sad for me is that most of the gloom and despair people are believers in Christ. And good grief…. I have never in all my life seen the stinkin devil get so much credit for things as he does on facebook. I am not talking about “worldly” issues. I am talking about you know…”the devil is on my back, the devil is stealing my joy, and the devil is attacking my body again” Okay first of all….. Let me get a few things straight with you. Do I believe the devil attacks? Yes, I do, the Bible is pretty clear on that….1 Peter 5:7-9 (New International Version)7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Notice the scripture says. “Cast all your anxiety on him” It also says. “Be self-controlled and alert” and it says “resist him, standing firm in the faith” Where is our faith? Our faith is low because we do not follow the word. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” Most of us are not taking to time to really listen to the “word” of God. If we were, then not just our facebook status would change but our “real life” status would change.
Another thing, he can only steal your joy if you allow him to. The devil can only do what you allow him too. The word of God also says in Isaiah 54 “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.
As far as the devil coming against your body, remember Psalms 103:3 “he who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. That tells me he doesn’t just pick and choose, but he can heal ALL our diseases. Physical, Mental, Emotional, Financial, and Spiritual disease!!!! He heals it all!
We have been doing a study at our church on Ecclesiastes. I encourage those of you who are struggling to go to
http://www.gracechurchsc.org/ and download the series for free and listen to it! It will help you understand, that this world and everything in it… the good and the bad are truly meaningless. If we are believers in Christ, we have to know that the things of this earth do not matter. But what matters the most is that we live for him and be examples to this fallen world of what Christ has done for them. To reach out and live a life that others see a difference. They see God moving in you and through you, creating a desire for life change that only Christ can bring.
As I was writing this blog, I received a phone call from my brother. I did not tell him what I was doing. We happen to bring up an individual who sometimes is grouchy. He began to say all the reasons this person is grouchy. They have had a bit of troubles lately, “I made the comment, well just because you are going through a hard time doesn’t mean you have to be a butt-hole” (Yes, I said “butt-hole” (could have said worse...LOL)). Then I said to him, “Look at you, you are jobless, and as of today, homeless, but you are not being ugly” He said, “That is called Peace” WOW! That is what I am talking about. Some of you know my brother… go look at his status updates….”The Lord is near to those who call him, enjoying a great day of packing, the Lord is faithful, He is good, God is GOOOOOD, Good Day, Good Day, we had a moving sale” You would never know that He was going through such a hard time. That is what I call knowing who your redeemer is!
I leave you with this with a message from Jesus himself.… Mark 11:22 "Have[
a] faith in God," Jesus answered. Have faith because we have a big, big God who wants to do more for us than we could ever imagine. Trust him because he is faithful!!!
