I Will Praise You In My Wellness, I Will Praise You In My Illness

Early last month was a difficult one for me. I was suddenly stricken with horrific nerve pain from a weather front, as well as unrelated nausea and fever. I was miserable. I felt like I was under attack for no particular reason. I began to take inventory of myself. I had not committed any sin. I had remained faithful to tithe. And I had no hidden hatred or unforgiveness in my heart that I knew of.  Sometimes in our misery, we can have a tendency to believe God sends punishment of some kind because we've been a "bad child." Job had done nothing against the Lord and in fact, was sold out on Him 100% yet he suffered terribly with the loss of his children, property, wealth, his good name, and his health. When I realized my relationship with the Lord was stellar and yet Satan was attacking me I put my foot down.  I was angry with Satan for thinking he could get me to blame God or to doubt God's goodness. I know there are those of you out there who question God or blame God for illness or chaos in your life, IE: "Why are you doing this God?" "Are you mad at me God?" "What did I ever do to deserve this?" Sound familiar? Instead of getting mad at God, instead of complaining or whining, instead of letting frustration get the best of me (which I have done I admit), I decided to praise God in the midst of my agony. I was not going to let Satan win. I wanted Jesus to hear my voice loud and clear that I was still with Him, for Him, and loved Him regardless of my present situation. The Bible is filled with examples of praise when we see His power released. There are life-changing miracles, dramatic stories of the enemy being halted or defeated, hearts being changed, and people drawn closer to Him. We have so much to praise God for, there's great power in giving honor to Him. And many of you live that truth out every single day of your lives.

Sadly, the reality is that way too often, daily struggles or constant life demands can crowd out our praise to God.  For some, it really is a sacrifice to offer praise. We may not feel like it. We're struggling. We're weary of life. Or maybe, we feel like He's let us down. We think God seems distant, or against us, or that He doesn't really care about what's troubling us. Painful life blows, families in disarray, illnesses, conflicts with our spouses, etc. might have recently sent us spiraling. We must realize what can make a lasting difference. When we make the decision to fix our eyes on Him, and DAILY praise Him, no matter what is staring us in the face, we suddenly realize that God has already begun to release the grip those struggles and circumstances can have over us. One of THE MOST powerful scriptures is, "God inhabits the praises of Israel"(some translations say 'His people.') The Matthew Henry Commentary says, (quote) "This may apply to any child of God, pressed down, overwhelmed with grief and terror." There is power in our acknowledgment that He is worthy, above all else, of our worship and praise. His Spirit urges us onward, to press close to Him.  That's what happened to me, that still small voice in my spirit that said, 'draw close to Me and I will draw close to you.' It didn't matter how miserable I felt, I could still sing. And I did. I looked miserable, I sounded miserable as I held back becoming sick to my stomach, but what mattered was this -- my heart was in tune with our Creator and King. 

Why is praise so important? Let me count eight ways. #1) It truly gets our focus off ourselves and back on God.  IT DID FOR ME! Life is not all about us though we are now living in a "selfie" focused world. (Psalm 150:2; Psalm 35:28). #2) Praise truly brings us to a place of humility. Again, IT DID FOR ME.  As tears rolled down my face I realized how small I am in the scheme of things and how dependant I am on God (Psalm 95: 2-3; Psalm35:18). #3 Praise makes the enemy flee! How? Praise pushes back the darkness because evil will not stick around if we are praising God! In my case, I felt it waning, literally! (2 Chronicles 20:22).  #4 Praise leaves no room for complaining and negativity. Through praise, we're focused on Him, no longer allowing too much attention to be centered around the struggles. When I began singing it wasn't long until I felt physically better, but not only that, I felt empowered. (Psalms 103:2; Hebrews 13:15). #5 Praise makes room for God's blessing over our lives. Again, praise opens the gateway of blessing as we come into the presence of our King! (Psalm 100:3; Ephesians 1:3). #6 Praise invites His presence.  Oh yes!  I felt Him right there.  My pain which manifested as a scowl turned into a smile and joy. (Psalm 22:3; 1 Peter 2:9). #7 Our spirits are refreshed and renewed in His presence. Just as I was strengthened by His peace and refueled by His joy as I felt His presence. (Psalm 16:11; Psalm 63: 3-4). #8 Praise paves the way for God's power to be displayed. Remember what happened to Paul and Silas when they sat in prison? Though shackled and chained they kept praising God, and God sent an earthquake that shook the prison cells and broke the chains. AND... that very night even the jailer and all his family came to accept Christ. (Acts 16: 25-26).

We have a choice every day in this life... to live absorbed in worry, stress, doubt, fear, and defeat by staying tuned into the roar of the world or our own messages of doubt that play through our heads. OR we can ask God to help us take our eyes off all that is swirling around us: our problems, our mess, or the voices of others that try to convince you there is no victory in Christ. We can look up -- to Him, the One who holds it all together, and who holds us in His hands. God desires our whole hearts. He waits for us. He wants us to lean on Him, count on Him, TRUST HIM WITH ALL OUR WHOLE BEING. He longs for us to know the power of His presence in our lives. He really does desire to bless us more than we could imagine.  Praise will put you in the presence of the Lord, and in His presence there is peace, there is assurance.  In His presence fear melts away, problems become lighter, joy fills your heart, confidence grows, healing comes. In closing, here is a prayer for all those who reading today.

Dear God, we praise You today with our hearts and songs, we praise You for Your faithfulness, we praise You for Your great power and love.  We confess our need for You, our lives don't go so well when we just spin around on our own. We struggle and worry, get weary and worn. Yet, You never leave us. Thank You for your presence.  Thank You for Your care over us, thank You that You breathe renewal right into our souls when we worship You.  We ask for Your Spirit to fill us now and work Your purposes through us, as we set our eyes on You. In Jesus Name. Amen. 

Until He Comes,

-Pat-

ENCOURAGEMENT

 Encouragement (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

We all face struggles of various kinds, some are self-afflicted and others are not.  We need to take comfort in what Christ has done on the cross and how Jesus’ sacrifice guarantees that God loves us and is watching out for us though there are times it feels like He has left us.“ When life is tiring, when you are struggling with your sin, when family members aren’t saved, when bills aren’t paid, when school is difficult, when work is exhausting, when your health is failing, when your loved ones are hurt, when the future is unsure because of this pandemic, or when a good friend betrays you, it is easy to be discouraged.

Discouragement is a thief.  Why? It steals your vitality, your zeal, your joy, your peace, and your contentment.  If discouragement dwells long with you, its friends will soon join.  Their names are fatigue, hopelessness, despair, self-pity, depression, doubt, and bitterness, and even illness. Sometimes, discouragement can be so strong that you even don’t want to go on living. If we have nothing to rely on, or we forget our blessing and look to our circumstances, then that is when discouragement begins to take hold. Instead, what we need is encouragement.  We need hope and peace and the knowledge that the Lord knows our troubles, has great concern and compassion for us and is not leaving us unloved or uncared for. Keeping your eyes on Jesus is the best way to be encouraged because in Him, you can have comfort and peace, and encouragement.  You need to find Him and His words, and by faith rest in Him!

Be encouraged because God is a God of mercy and comfort. Verse 3 says, "Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort." In Greek the word “mercy” is oiktirmos.  It means compassion, pity, mercy.   And, it is something that is felt in the heart.  In God’s very heart, He feels mercy toward you. WOW. He is the author of mercy.  His mercy toward you brings salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and deliverance from eternal damnation… and this, because of Jesus, because of His sacrifice, because of His shed blood for you. God IS the God of mercy: Psalm 86:5 says, “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.” The word in Greek for “comfort” is paraklesis.  It means, exhortation, comfort, and encouragement.

In fact, a form of this word, parakletos is used for the Holy Spirit. That is why the Holy Spirit is called the Comforter in the KJV in John 14:26: “But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. In the NASB the word is rendered “Helper.”

All this shows you that God is a God of Comfort, exhortation, and encouragement. All comfort comes from God who is the God of comfort, mercy, and love. It isn’t an angel, or a cosmic force, a pill, psychotherapy, or a quick and clever slogan that warms your heart and lifts you up.  It is God! But you may ask, “How is the Comfort received from God?” 

1. By faith – because God says He is the God of comfort, then you need to believe it and act upon it; that is, you need to trust Him and receive His comfort as He provides it. 

2. From others – God uses His people to comfort you.  When you have a problem doesn’t the Lord send someone with an encouraging word, a helping hand, or a shoulder to cry on? 3.Through His word – reading and hearing – The words of God are beautiful and are there for our instruction and encouragement.

3. By the Holy Spirit.  He is called the Comforter. He indwells you! You can take encouragement too because God is there in your afflictions.  Verse 4 – “who comforts us in all our affliction . . . . so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Affliction (NASB) (“trouble” in the NIV) in Greek is the word is thlipsis.  It can be translated as tribulation, trouble, anguish, persecution, burden, and, of course, affliction. Afflictions come in all different shapes and sizes. Sickness, financial difficulty, loss of a loved one, an unsure future, an auto accident.  But also, and this is something very important, the affliction occurs in the heart in that place where we get frustrated, confused, and hurt. Why do we have afflictions? Because we live in a fallen world. And it takes a world with trouble in it to train Christians for their high calling as children of God and to carve upon their souls the features of the face of Christ.

James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (NIV) So then, afflictions are a way of making you better.  And that is how they should be tackled: as the testing and strengthening of your faith — through the comfort and mercy of Jesus. So for those of us, particularly those suffering from physical conditions, disease, or disorders, we push through and persevere sometimes without even knowing it's making us stronger.

You don’t have to worry whether or not He is going to take care of you.  He already has, (THE CROSS), He is currently doing so, and He will continue to care for you.  After all, aren’t you more valuable than sparrows and He cares for them. YOU SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED BECAUSE YOU CAN BE AN INSTRUMENT OF COMFORT TO OTHERS.  Verse 4 “ . . . so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Personally, I've known others who have said they are encouraged by me even in my condition which in turn has given them strength to endure their own physical challenges. This glorifies God — to comfort others. Being used by God makes you feel good – that isn’t the only reason to help someone, but it does feel good when the Holy Spirit uses you to do good. As odd as this may sound, you need to praise God that you have even had afflictions so that you can be able to help others. How many of you, because of a trial, have been able to help another better because of that same type of trial? You see, God does not comfort you to make you comfortable, but to make you comforters. Let that sink in. God never causes diseases, sickness, or illness, but He can use it for good.

Lighthouses are built by shipwrecked sailors. Roads are widened by mangled motorists.  Hospitals are built by those who were sick. Where nobody suffers, nobody cares!  When you suffer you learn to care, right?  That is why God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.

But don’t forget, He suffered first….. You should be encouraged because the comfort you receive from God comes through Jesus.  Verse 5.  “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” This means that all comfort, encouragement, and hope that you receive through people, through the Word, or through circumstances are filtered through Jesus. Encouragement is something that belongs to you as a Christian.  You do not have to live in a world of hurt and doubt.  You don’t have to live alone. You don’t have to weep in solitude.  You have the body of Christ to lift you up.  You have the group "Just Saying" and the Christians who gather here. You have the Word of God to teach you.  You have the Holy Spirit indwelling in you who warms your soul. You need to depend on and keep your eyes on Jesus and Him alone. Be encouraged. You are not walking alone.

Until He comes,

-Pat-

Where The Mind Goes The Body Follows

 I once bought an unassembled gadget. After reading and re-reading the instructions I couldn’t figure out how the pieces went together. In my frustration, I finally threw the instruction booklet down, picked up all the pieces, studied them, then began assembling the gadget. In a short time, I put it together without the instructions. I'm still like that today with watches, mechanical things, furniture, etc. I simply cannot follow instructional manuals or the processes as written! I have to look at something to be assembled or taken apart AND THINK on my own!

The human mind is amazing. It has great power to imagine and carry out good or evil. It has the power to shape a person’s life. What we think about is what we are or what we do. In reality, where the mind goes the body follows! How powerful is that thought! We all need the mind of Jesus! To become like Him we need His mind and His Spirit and this will only happen when we set our minds on His Word. Philippians 2:5 KJV  “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Whatever you hold in your mind will tend to occur in your life. If you continue to believe as you have always believed, you will continue to act as you have always acted. If you continue to act as you have always acted, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. If you want different results in your life or your work, all you have to do is change your mind. Thinking controls our actions. A wise person will change their corrupt mind. A fool never will. All of us are changing whether we want to admit it or not. The world affects and changes us through our thinking. For example, TV and movies are powerful influences on children and even adults. Commercials influence us to buy products. That’s why companies pay millions of dollars to produce them. Movies can influence a person’s behavior. Kids have watched violence and immorality and then have gone out and put these things into practice. It’s sad to think that good doesn’t affect us as much as evil does. Of course, we see less good than we do evil on the movie screen. 

If you want to know the mind of a person, just listen to their words. What a person talks about is what he is thinking. Why don't we talk about the Word of God and Christ? Could it be that we are not thinking about them? Out of sight out of mind? Our bodies will manifest what our mind harbors. One battle, particularly for men, is the attraction to pornography. King Solomon once said, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?” (Proverbs 6:27). Along those lines, can you repeatedly bring sexually arousing images into your head without consequences? You may not be physically burned by sexual images, but psychologists argue that those images can actually be burned into your mind. My husband and I knew of a married couple who regularly washed their minds with pornographic movies until it became an addiction and soon escalated into areas of deviation.

WE MUST THINK and train our minds to follow Paul's instructions found in Philippians 4:8, KJV: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. However, when you make the decision to clean up your mind, do you think the battle will be easier or harder? It gets harder. Temptation isn’t much of a battle if you easily give in to it. It is fierce when you decide to stand against it. Although you may despair at times, with all your steps backward, God won’t give up on you. Remember, your sins are already forgiven. This is a winnable battle because you are alive in Christ and dead to sin, you can become all God has called you to be. The bigger war has already been won by Christ.” No matter your sin ... big, small, perverse, habitual, all spiritual battles can be won because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world! We must believe this, trust, and ask for the Lord to work in us and through us. We must ask for Him to strengthen us powerfully by His Spirit who lives within us! Here are some relatable scriptures:

1) Colossians. 3:1-2 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

2) Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, 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.”

3) II Peter. 3:1-2 “Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.” The only way to wholesome thinking is by reading the Word of God. Psalm. 119:11 “Thy Word have I hid…”

4) II Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

As we set out to rid our minds of years of impure, foolish, vain, and prideful thoughts (making it obedient to Christ), remember that merely trying to stop thinking bad thoughts, whatever they may be,  won’t work. You must fill your mind with the crystal-clear Word of God. There is no alternative plan. We overcome the father of lies by choosing the truth! A good illustration is to picture your polluted mind as a pot filled to the brim with stale black coffee. It’s dark and smelly. There’s no way to get the pollution of coffee out of the liquid. However, sitting beside the coffee pot is a huge bowl of clear ice cubes. Your goal is to purify the contents of the pot by adding ice cubes to it every day. I wish there were a way to dump all the cubes (words of the Bible) in at one time, but there isn’t. Every cube dilutes the mixture, though, making it a little purer. Since you can only put in one or two cubes a day, the process seems futile at first. But over the course of time, the liquid begins to look less and less polluted, and the taste and smell of coffee decrease. The process will continue to work. But only if you don’t add more coffee grounds! Do you follow what I'm saying? Daily, little by little, line by line, precept by precept, scripture by scripture, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, THE WORD OF GOD washes your mind of old ways of thinking. Where the mind goes, the body follows.  "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2)

Until He Comes,

-Pat-