Choose Joy

I choose to laugh in the midst of trouble.

In the midst of sorrow, I choose joy.

All things will always work together to

strengthen me and bless my life.

My Heavenly Father has promised it.

I can trust in what He says.

He is the One True God!

 

© SJHolland

 

Romans 8:28
 

 

Due Time: Christian Poetry

Just like this man who has gotten this kite to fly, we can also get it right with God's help.

It is when you see something happen in your life.

Something that you feel is not right.

There is that feeling that you were wronged.

One thing that you have to do is give it to the Lord.

You have to trust in the Lord that things will work out.

That is having faith in something that you do not see.

I know that it is something that is hard to do.

It is just something that you have to do.

©Leo

Leo  is a poet who has shared some of his poems at WritersCafe.org. He says that this poem is about things and time. He lives in Florida, and says about himself, "I am one that just loves to write."

 

 

Freedom From Bad Memories

We've become adept at suppressing distressing and painful chips and chunks of memories. At the time when bad things happened to us or when we did something bad to others, we were not able to process it, so we buried it and hid from it. This is often the source of an unhealthy mental state.

 

Hurtful memories cannot be laid to rest as long as they are suppressed. Offending persons cannot be forgiven as long as the thoughts of them are suppressed. We can't forgive ourselves until we face our offenses. The results of trauma cannot be converted through healing and deliverance as long as they are suppressed.

God shows us how to get free of the debilitating effects of these hidden facts. When the Holy Spirit allows a memory to surface, it's usually at the most unexpected time. It's often something that you think would be long forgotten and in which you are surprised that it has come back to memory. It was always there and we are adept at fooling ourselves that anything that we are not conscious of doesn't matter.

Don't ignore the pop-up memories that God allows to plague you. Face the feelings that they unearth. God often asks us to relive painful memories so that we can endure them in a new state of mind that can go through and overcome them. No, it's not fun and it doesn't feel good but if any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. All things have become new. (11 Corinthians 5:17) Painful memories can only be crucified by facing the origin of them.

 

I am on that journey of deliverance. Bad memories, the ones that we were able to bury deep inside, are like gray shadows behind a thick, gauzy, misty curtain. Something is there but consciously we don't know what it is. Despite that, it effects our personality and our daily life.

 

We would never open the curtains to see the trauma that doesn't exist but God is able. Our Father, in his loving kindness and mercy, would never force us to face something that would cripple or destroy us any more than it already has. We usually don't know but God knows when we are strong enough. 

You might say, Well, it sounds like I would have to relive the bad experience in my mind and emotions. Yes, you would to a certain extent. Experiencing some parts of traumas with a strengthened, spirit-filled heart again lays them to rest. God decides what we are to revisit in our emotions and to what extent. We feel these old but potent, living emotions with a reborn mind and heart, abilities we did not have back then.

 

As we grow in Christ we become more able to handle difficult circumstances. We were not able to handle what was happening before, especially in childhood. Because of that, the secret memories keep hurting us today.  The whole point is that we can't go back and change things but Our Loving Father will help us come to terms with the bad memories from traumatic experiences.

Allow God to take you through the healing process and purge you of bad memories because of past offenses. You don't have to keep hurting and suffering through things that you did or didn't do, or things that someone did to you or didn't do for you. Even though you are lost about it all, you are not alone.

 

Stand firm on your daily prayer life and determine to have faith in your daily Bible reading, because you know that the Word of God converts. It's the Living Word and no word goes out of the mouth of God without effect. All of God's words accomplish what he intends for them to. His words in you are life, healing and health. 

When he begins to lift that curtain on your memory, go with God. Our Heavenly Father himself will hold you with the right hand of his righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10) He does care. He will guide you on how to be delivered. Whether it is in private between you and God, whether he leads you to a good Christian counselor, whether he prompts you to join a support group or whether it is a combination of these and other things, he will lead and guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)

 

You might say, Well, I could never talk about my bad memories with anyone. Well, God knows that and he understands. You may not have to. Don't be afraid. He's ready and willing to help you on your own level, from where you're at in this challenge. He won't force you to do anything. He never does. He's kind and considerate and will always work with you. He wants you to be free.

 

Knowing God is supposed to make a difference in our lives. If we allow him to, he will deliver us from the evil of past traumatic memories, no matter what they are or how they came about. God does not want you to keep carrying that burden or burdens. Don't turn away anymore when he shows you a past memory. Trust him, draw nigh to him, obey him and get freed.

***************************

Stop bad memories from popping up, Stop bad memories, Eliminate bad memories

No Doubt Jesus Is Alive!

 

Honoring Jesus Christ Of Nazareth Today

For He Is Most Certainly Alive

Happy Easter from Draw Nigh To Hope

  He Arose & He Is Without A Doubt Alive!

God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to die for us.

Happy Easter!

This is the day that Jesus arose!

We celebrate his obedience to the Father

and love for us!

 

He was obedient to the cross.
He was separated from his Father for a period in time,
all for our salvation.

We remember his selfless act
and how he submitted,

because his Father
asked him to.

It was all for us. 
For God so loved us 
that he sacrificed His Only Son,
so that whoever believes on Him
should have everlasting life.

I hope your Easter

is full of joy and peace
that will carry throughout the

rest of your life here on this earth.

Remembering Jesus' Palm Sunday Journey

Happy Palm Sunday!

Happy Palm Sunday!

We remember Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

We remember that today represents the day that Jesus Christ of Nazareth made his humble but triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

Jesus on the donkey is a beloved Christian icon.

He rode upon a donkey as he made his journey in.

I wonder what led to him sitting on that donkey.

Did he allow the throngs of people to put him on the donkey because that is how they wanted to honor him?

Was he simply weary from a long, hot, dusty journey and in danger of collapsing? Whatever the reason, Jesus on the donkey is one of the many revered icons of Christianity. It symbols victory!

Hosanna, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Christian icons in themselves don't possess any power and we don't idolize them. Like the Cross, they are beloved touch-points for our great love for our Savior and all that he stands for.

We honor Jesus' obedience.

Today we remember with joy that Jesus was obedient to the Father. He was strengthened and determined as he journeyed towards that inevitable suffering that we remember with sorrowful joy.

Jesus Christ gave his life for our salvation.

 We thank you, Dear Lord Jesus, for your obedience.

Help us to be obedient always to Our Father God.

Image Credits Starting At The Top:

1) 123RF.com

2) PicSunday.com

3) St Paul's United Methodist Church

4) Pinterest.com

5) SPWOC.com

6) 101Greetings.com

Tithing With Wisdom & Faith

Are you tithing out of desperate need?

I believe giving 10% of all funds that we receive is a good point from which to start tithing. We can always give more or less. Additional offerings can also be given. I don't believe that tithing should be done if a Christian has only enough money or less to pay the bills. To be faithful, some Christians give part of their bill money in tithes, believing for an immediate return from God. When God does not make it up by bill time, the person is in a worse situation than before.  Oftentimes, they have given into ministries where the ministers and staff are doing much better economically than they are.

 

I am not begrudging ministers for prospering. The Bible teaches that we should not muzzle the mouth of the oxen. (I Corinthians 9:9) I am asking you to examine your faith if you've been struggling to tithe or give because you observe the recipients prospering, but you do not do any better financially.

I know many Christians believe that in order for our financial status to grow we have to give out of our lack. They often use the widow's mite Biblical story as an example. (Luke 21:1-4) I agree to a certain extent. I like tithing and giving into God's work. I think, however, that people who are struggling financially are often coerced to give and they do it because they need an immediate return. Their intention is sincere, but they can't afford to give and wait on a return that may not come until who knows when. It may come tomorrow but often it does not.

 

If a Christian has a spouse and family and is tithing and giving significant portions of their finances away when they are barely making ends meet, it is poor money management. If God instructs a person to do it though, he/she should follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. The question is whether or not the Spirit is truly leading. We all make decisions and choose to believe that God is leading us when he is not. He did not put us into the situation and it was never his desire for us to suffer like we did. We were misguided in our desire to be faithful.

Is your tithing equal to poor money management?

More people than ever are in precarious financial situations today and our economy has been crippled for some time. Tithing and giving should be tailored to each individual who desires to do it. I do believe that the widow's mite example can inspire faith in a clear mind and a pure heart. I once gave 5 cents in offering, all that I had but I was not thinking about that Bible story.

 

I was visiting a cramped, bedraggled, storefront church and felt the desire to give it, but then drew back in my spirit. It was all that I had and I was putting a penny a day into the Lion's Club bubblegum machine to get 3 little square pieces of gum. This was my daily encouragement as I went to the library to use the computer to search for work. If I gave these 5 pennies, I wouldn't have that little bubblegum encouragement anymore.

 

For some reason, my desire to give was stronger so I placed the coppers into the offering basket. The youth who was helping gawked at my 5 pennies and my face felt hot with shame and embarrassment at my paltry offering. If it had been an adult who gawked, I would not have cared. It was something about that youth  not understanding that made me feel like I was being a poor example. I so wanted to explain to him but I just dropped my head in humbleness.

Are you tithing because you need an immediate return?

The next day a stranger with a black dog that I met gave me $50 for no reason other than that we started talking in the park. I only needed $6 to get where I needed to go, but had not even thought about that impending trip when I gave the pennies the day before. I gave all that I had, like the widow did. Note that my return was 1000 times what I gave. Wasn't that magnificent! The 5 pennies could not pay any bills and I had no dependents so I did not hurt anything or anyone by giving all that I had. It was a personal sacrifice that God honored.

 

The return was swift, coming the very next day! It was showered on me, pressed down, shaken together and running over. I have given up 15 pieces of gum and I was then able to buy all of the Chiclets that I wanted and more. I was so grateful that I made that $50 last me for weeks. Most importantly, I was able to travel to where I needed to go so that I could accept help to begin rebuilding my life. It was weeks before I connected my church donation with that astounding blessing.

If you want to tithe but you are struggling financially, maybe you should consider this. Pray to God to help you get your finances in order so that you can begin to tithe. If you have dependents and you barely have food, your lights are about to be turned off for the nth time and your rent or mortgage is behind, consider this. If you give a large sum of your funds in tithes, assuming that God will make up the difference by the time the bills are due or by the time dinnertime arrives, you and your family just may suffer more than you already are.

 

Assuming and presumption are types of faith but they don't produce faith-filled results. God wants us to develop and practice good money-management skills. If you take money and give it away, to ministries or to anyone, and your dependents suffer more than they are suffering now, what type of witness for God is that? What type of example would you be to your children, your spouse? How would you be representing the Kingdom of God?

Do you need your tithes to pay off by a certain date?

How can I sacrifice if I don't give what I can't afford to give, you ask? Well, tithing is always a sacrifice whether we are financially sound or not. When we are financially stable, the tithe could be used for something else, so it is a sacrifice to be obedient. A greater sacrifice is when we give above and beyond our tithes, when we occasionally give away money that we were going to use on ourselves. Work with God and get to the point financially where you can tithe regularly, then start to give above that and watch your cup overflow!

Is your tithing equal to gambling?

You do what you feel is best according to your relationship with God. If you feel that you can release some funds, just not 10% at this time, do that. Just remember that to give money for God's work while expecting a needed return by a certain time is unwise. Some may call it give and name it/claim it. Some may call it great faith. It can, on the other hand, be gambling and that is not something that our Heavenly Father wants us to be involved with.

 

He wants us to give from a pure heart. To do that, we have to give not needing an immediate return. The Bible tells us that we will receive when we give but we should give being happy if we never, ever receive a return. It's best to be in a position to kiss the tithes goodbye and forget about them, in Jesus' name.