Victor vs. Victim

We are beginning the ninth chapter in our book, which is entitled, Lies Women Believe...About Circumstances. As we address the first Lie, I am sure that we will recognize it as one that each of us have entertained sometime during our lifetime. It is:

If my circumstances were different, I would be different.

Unfortunately, this way of thinking makes us out to be the victim in our circumstance. In fact, if you know a lady like this, it is very likely that this outlook permeates every other area of her life. Conversation will eventually center on her being the victim in all situations. We must recognize that, as with every Lie that invades her mind with deception, Satan is the author. His purpose is to cause separation in her relationship with the Lord. Without the Word of God, she might conclude that since God is in control of her circumstances, then He doesn't want the best for her because He doesn't want her to be happy, and....and so the lie goes!

As we endeavor to look for and find the Truth of the matter, we must remember to make it a habit to always consult the Word of God. What does the Lord have to say so that we can gain victory over wrong thinking? Read the Scritures with me:

Philippians 4:11-13, "I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens. I know how to live when I am poor. And I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens. I have learned to be happy when I have all that I need and when I do not have the things I need. I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength."

James 1:2-5, "My brothers, you will have many kinds of troubles. But when these things happen, you should be very happy. You know that these things are testing your faith. And this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete. You will have everything you need. But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. God is generous. He enjoys giving to all people, so God will give you wisdom."

Romans 8:28, "We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people God called, because that was his plan."

It is clear that God has a purpose for every circumstance He allows in our lives, and that He is mindful of our particular situation. Great joy and peace enters our lives when we walk with the knowledge of His loving participation in the details.

Psalm 139:1-6, "Lord, you have examined me. You know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know well everything I do. Lord, even before I say a word, you already know what I am going to say. You are all around me -- in front and in back. You have put your hand on me. Your knowledge is amazing to me. It is more than I can understand."

Amen.

Love, Karen

The Word of God is Our Instruction Manual

Hebrews 4:14-16, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to hlep in time of need."

Philippians 4:4-8, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things."

Colossians 3:1-4, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."

Pray with me.
Lord Jesus, as we meditate on Your Word, please renew our minds and teach us how to deal with our emotions. Remind us to seek You first whenever we encounter struggles or failures, disappointments or grief. Teach us to take every thought captive and make them obedient to you. Train us to run to you and not to run from you, for you will always forgive, always love, and always meet our emotional needs. In Your Name, Amen.

Love, Karen

When Sadness Enters, Run to the Lord

"A study of depression and despair in the Scripture reveals that, in some cases, the pain we identify as emotional depression is simply one of the unavoidable consequences of living in a fallen world. In Romans 8, Paul indicates that the entire creation 'groans' under the weight of its fallen condition, longing for our final redemption from this sin-cursed world."

The above quote, found on page 204 of our text book, gives us one very adequate explanation of why we have all experienced some level of depression in our lives. As Eve reached for that fruit that day in the garden, she could have never forseen the far-reaching effects of her disobedience. Because of the first Sin, we live in a fallen world.

However, we are exhorted in James to keep ourselves unspotted from the world in which we live. So, we have a choice! We can actually choose to stay down in the dumps. Or, as we walk in the Spirit in obedience to the Lord, we can choose to exercise self control and willfully put aside the sadness that causes depression.

If believing a lie causes sadness, then take your sadness to God and pour out your heart to Him. Allow Him to show you truth from the Word, which will conquer the lie so that it will have no power in your life. "Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad." Ezekiel 13:22a

If living in a fallen world of sickness, hunger, and poverty causes a sense of hopelessness which could lead to depression, then again, turn your heart to God and cry out to Him. "'For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,' says the Lord; I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.'" Psalm 12:5.

If mocking and persecution for righteousness has come your way, go to the Lord. Seek Him so that He will show you the great rewards that follows suffering with Him. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

Anytime you feel the pain of living in an unfair world, you will find comfort and peace in our Heavenly Father when you turn your heart to Him. In Him is fullness joy. "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33b

Lord, thank You for pouring out to us all that we need to take a firm grasp of our emotions. You have sent Your Word, Your Spirit, and Your grace to enable us to be the women that You have created us to be. Thank you for Your love, and thank You for knowing what we need even before we do. We love you. Amen.

Cry Out to God for Emotional Needs

When David was distraught or full of fear, he did not fail to go to God. As in Psalm 6, He would take his pain to the Lord and express his feelings. He knew that he could not depend upon his emotions to help him lead an army or to rule a country, so he cried out to God who is steadfast and unfailing. David poured out his heart to the Lord because he knew he would receive forgiveness for the sin that may have caused his anguish. He also found comfort from sorrow and grief, refuge from his enemies, and assurance of the Lord's protection. King David, the ruler of Israel, received God's grace to obey.

We would be wise to use David as an example for our own lives. We, too, can go to God and cry. The character of our Lord is unchanging; He will always hear us, always receive our prayers, and always understand.

Psalm 6

O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled;
But You, O Lord -- how long?
Return, O Lord, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies' sake!
For in death there is no remembrance of You;
In the grave who will give You thanks?
I am weary with my groaning;
All night I make my bed swim;
I drench my couch with my tears.
My eye wastes away because of grief;
It grows old because of all my enemies.
Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord has heard my supplication;
The Lord will receive my prayers.
Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly."

Surely, we are the same as David. We, too, will find strength and grace as we cry out to Him and express our emotions. Our Heavenly Father is faithful to give us all that we need. He is the unmoving Rock that we cling to when our emotions want to run wild. He gives us our reason back, and all we have to do is trust Him.

Lord, steady me that I might find peace in the midst of emotional swings. Allow me to be assured of your presence in my life, and help me walk in peace. Thank you for hearing my prayer and for understanding my frailty. Amen.

Love, Karen

Responding to Our Feelings

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trust in You," Isaiah 26:3.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you," Philippians 4:8-9.

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth," Colossians 3:1-2.

One tactic that Satan uses is to persuade us to believe that we have no control regarding our emotions. While it is very true that emotions sometimes catch us by surprise, it is just as true that we can definitely have control over the way we respond to them. The Word of God indicates that we can exercise self-control over our feelings, and that when we do that God will pour out His peace upon us.

It is crucial for us to understand that the peace of God is not found in positive thinking or in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control. He is the Blessed Controller of all things.

When we begin to understand even a part of the character of God, we are moved to praise and worship Him. The psalmists wrote, composed, and sang to the Lord in response to their learning and experiencing God's magnificence. They expressed their emotions in the form of adoration and thanksgiving in melody. David and the other writers have taught us and left us a way through the Psalms to direct our emotions to the Lord.

Have a wonderful week!

Love, Karen

We Are Emotional Beings

As women, we carry with us certain qualities that give balance to all humanity. As Christian women, we understand that those qualities are God-given, and that there is a purpose for our lives that a man was not created to fulfill. In chapter 8 we come to an aspect of our make-up that is very often difficult to understand -- our emotions. However challenging we find this topic, God's Word holds the truthful answers. Let our Bible study begin!

Psalm 30:5, "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

Psalm 36:5, "Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds."

Matthew 26:38, "Then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.'"

We learn from these Scriptures that the Lord feels emotions, and so it follows that we also have emotions because we were created in the image of God. Therefore, we are emotional beings, but we are not to be controlled by them. It is a relief for many of us to be reassured that emotions are not wrong in themselves. The Lord showed emotions such as anger, jealousy, sadness, grief, frustration, pity, and joy.

As we study this chapter in our books, we will learn about the role that faith plays in gaining control of our own emotions. We will see that it is not necessary for us to ride a roller coaster of feelings. The Lord is our rock, and it is vital for us to run to Him. He alone provides a steadfastness that we will always be unable to provide for ourselves.

We are going to dispel a few different lies that come at us regarding our emotions. One tells us that we can and should trust our own emotions. Another lie lures us into believing that we really have no control over how we feel. We can come against the enemy and render him powerless in our lives by going to the Word of God, seeking His Truth, and obeying Him:

"Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I." Psalm 61:1-2.

May the Lord give us insight as we seek Him and His Word.

Love, Karen

Salvation Without a Doubt

2 Corinthians 5:17
If anyone belongs to Christ, then he is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!

Hebrews 3:14
We all share in Christ. This is true if we keep till the end the sure faith we had in the beginning.

1 John 2:3-5
If we obey what God has told us to do, then we are sure that we truly know God. If someone says, "I know God!" but does not obey God's commands, then he is a liar. The truth is not in him. But if someone obeys God's teaching, then God's love has truly arrived at its goal in him. This is how we know that we are following God.

1 John 3:14-15
We know that we have left death and have come into life. We know this because we love our brothers in Christ. Whoever does not love is still in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

1 John 4:13, 15
We know that we live in God and God lives in us. We know this because God gave us his Spirit. If someone says, "I believe that Jesus is the Son of God," then God lives in him. And he lives in God.

It is unwise to assume that a son or daughter is saved, even though they repeated a prayer sometime in their past. If their behavior does not give indication of a true conversion, then it is important for you, their mother, to take note.

However, I think we will find great benefit if we examine our own condition first before considering our children's state. The Scriptures above explain the method we should use that will prove we are truly saved. The question, then, of how we can be sure can be answered in two parts:

1. Do what Christ says.

2. Live as Christ wants.

True Christian faith results in loving behavior; that is why John says that the way we act can give us assurance that we belong to Christ. It is so simple that it is complicated! The only way to gain salvation is to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins; we prove we are saved to ourselves and others by our conduct. As Christians, we will obey the Lord by doing what He says, and we will live a life of love. It is a choice, not a feeling.

Now, let us focus back on our children. Do we see the evidences of a true conversion in each of them?

Lord, help me evaluate my children through the scope of Your Word. Lord, You know them, and You know exactly what each one needs in order to have a relationship with You. Help me guide them to You, and help me teach them by the example of my Christian faith. Oh, Lord, I fall so short of being the woman you want me to be. I ask for Your mercy. I ask that you pour out Your grace and love upon my children, that they would know You and love You, and that it would be evident in their lives. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Love, Karen

Avoiding Rebellion in Our Children

As mothers, one of our many responsibilities is that of our children's religious education. Recently, I found an interesting meaning of the word "religion," so interesting, in fact, that it has a special place in this post:

Religion: a bond between God and man.

God commanded in His Word that the stories of His mighty acts regarding man in history be passed on from the parents to children. The Lord wants parents never to forget His work in their lives, and He wants them to share their "religion" with their children and their grandchildren. The reason for this is the same today that it was when He first had it recorded in the Old Testament: to help each generation obey God and set their hope in Him. It is the responsibility of parents to keep their children from repeating the same mistakes of their forefathers.

As we teach our children about the bond we have with God, they will listen to our words. As we tell of our successes and failures, they will learn of God's mercy. As we lead our lives with the "mantle" of genuine love, they will desire to serve the God that loves us.

Psalm 78:1-7, "Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,
Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,
And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children;
That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born,
That they may arise and declare them to their children,
That they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments.

The subject of educating our offspring can loom as a giant before our eyes, and we are tempted to distress over the thought of it. However, the Lord shows us in this Psalm that His way is for parents to communicate with their children. Yes! Talking is communicating; communicating is sharing stories; sharing is teaching; teaching is education. Down goes the giant!

It is vital that we keep the lines of communication open with our children. As we encourage open and truthful conversations, along with a clear understanding of set boundaries, then their security is settled. They will not doubt our commitment and love. The truth is that our children do not have to go through a rebellious stage.

Deuteronomy 6:7, "You shall teach [them] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

May the Lord bless you richly as you seek to have conversation with your children.

Love, Karen