The Cure For Anxiety
Posted on October 16, 2022 Leave a Comment
One morning while studying for an exam my son said, “I think I do have anxiety. You know, anxiety and fear are a real thing.” I replied, “Yes, they are a very real thing that can affect your mind and body. But you don’t have to live with it. There is a solution.”
Believe it or not, there is a very real solution to anxiety and fear.
The definition of anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. Similar words to anxiety are worry, apprehension, fear, angst, nervousness, agitation and stress. Opposite words to anxiety are calmness and serenity. You could also say peace. The definition of peace is a state of tranquility or quiet. Like using water to extinguish a fire, you can use peace to extinguish anxiety.
Peace to extinguish anxiety? Yes, we can call on the name of Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace to put out our anxiety. The Word of God, Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Jesus is like the strong and mighty bodyguard standing at the gate of your mind. He kicks the bad thoughts out that are causing the disruption and replaces them with words of truth He has spoken full of faithful promises. His presence and word in your heart and mind is the source of your peace. Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” When Jesus rules in your heart and mind you will have peace in circumstances when peace doesn’t make sense. I like to call it Jesus peace.
If you want to overcome anxiety. Jesus is the solution. He alone is the cure. When you believe that Jesus Christ is the living Son of God who has all authority on heaven and earth you can trust Him with your life. You talk to Him instead of talking to yourself or to others. You faithfully devote every care or concern to Him because you believe He cares for you. And you trust Him with those things because you believe He will work all things together for your good because you love Him.
Jesus is as real as anxiety and fear. Jesus came to save you from anxiety and fear so you could live life free from them. And your life free from anxiety and fear will bring health to your body. A daily dose of Jesus peace is just what the doctor ordered!
Buh Bye Anxiety…Hello Jesus!
Write these scriptures on your heart and keep them on hand to help fight the good fight of faith!
PRAY PRAY PRAY…THEN PRAY SOME MORE
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 6-7
BELIEVE HE CARES
“Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
THE ONE AND ONLY
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
SOURCE OF REAL PEACE
“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace.” Ephesians 2:13-14
A PEACE LIKE NO OTHER
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 14:27
BE INTENTIONAL
“Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.” Psalms 34:14
BELIEVE HE WILL WORK IT OUT
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
PEACE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
“A tranquil heart is life to the body.” Proverbs 14:30
TRUST HIM…HE’S DONE THIS A TIME OR TWO
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8
A Slap In The Face
Posted on September 25, 2022 Leave a Comment
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. Matthew 5:38-39
When I read this scripture the word that immediately came to mind was forbearance. The definition of forbearance is a refraining from the enforcement of something (such as a debt, right or obligation) that is due. Forbearance may also be defined as patient self-control, restraint or tolerance.
In life, we can encounter people who have experienced a lot of hurt and pain. People who are angry on the inside and aggressive with their words or behaviors. People who do not have the love of God in their heart who may lash out, speak unkindly, use words to insult and tear down and may even go as far as to use their hands in an unloving way. And in the heat of the moment, we may be tempted to respond in a way that would hurt them in the same way they hurt us but Jesus teaches that is wrong. When dealing with an evil, unkind, angry and aggressive person Jesus instructs us to exercise forbearance or patient self-restraint. We are to refrain from giving them what we think they deserve because we are not justified when we take matters into our own hands.
Romans 3:22-26 reads, “even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; who God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Friends, we are only justified through our faith in Jesus Christ who through His blood paid the high cost for our sins. Through Jesus, our debt is canceled and we are forever free from the eternal consequences of our sins. Because of the finished work on the cross, we do not receive from the Father what we deserve. Because Jesus paid for our sins we do not make others pay for theirs. The same immeasurable amount of mercy that He pours out upon us daily we are to graciously extend to all others regardless of how we are treated.
Jesus wants us to do everything His way. His way is through forbearance. His way is through restraint. His way is through patient self-control. His way is through loving kindness. His way is through understanding. His way is through mercy. When we believe that Jesus is just and righteous and we have the faith to stand upon it, we have no good reason to take measures into our own hands. When we know and believe how much the Father loves the sinner as much as He loves the saved, then we have no good reason to take matters into our own hands. When we know and believe that Jesus covers the cost of every sin we have ever committed and will ever commit, we have no good reason to take matters into our own hands.
So friends, if someone insults, snubs, humiliates, rejects or even slaps you in the face, we are to bear it and practice restraint and tolerance like Jesus as a demonstration of the great love and mercy that He continually pours out upon us daily as He passes over and covers a multitude of our sins.
Above all, love others deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions. Proverbs 10:12
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Matthew 5:11
Because He Cares For You
Posted on September 17, 2022 Leave a Comment
Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
Recently, I was speaking with a friend and we were sharing times when the Lord cared for a seemingly small thing in our life and how when that small thing was cared for it made a great difference and impact on our health and well-being. In life, it’s easy to believe that God has greater things to tend to rather than our small cares and concerns but that is not true. Any care or concern, great or small, matters to the Lord. His love and compassion for you extends to the heavens. There is no end to His willingness to help you because He knows even the small, seemingly insignificant things when cared for properly will drastically change your life for good. So do not worry about what cares you bring to the Lord, just know and believe how much He loves to take care of you.
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies, Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; Your judgements are like a great deep. O Lord, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your loving kindness, O God! Psalm 36:5-7
Posted on August 19, 2022 Leave a Comment
Social media is not all bad
There is some good to be had
But the good that comes from it
Makes me sad I must admit
Sad to know it’s become the way
To keep up with each other’s day
Sad to know how much time is wasted
Scrolling through each other’s pages
Sad to know it’s become our hope
For saving lives and selling dope
See life is not found on a feed
Or through the comments that you read
Life is found deep inside
Near and far
High and wide
You can’t hold it in your hand
Or turn it on when you land
Life is what your breathing now
So inhale
Now let it out
Life is as great as the air you breathe
And as small as the mouths you feed
Life surrounds you every day
So turn off your phone and go play
Enjoy the life God’s given you
Because before you know it
It will be through ❤️
Slice Of Heaven
Posted on August 6, 2022 Leave a Comment
My daughter recently asked if I would paint her bedroom yellow. I was surprised by her request but was happy to agree. How could I say no to such a bright and cheerful color? I happen to love yellow and have a happy buttery shade on my front door. The shade we agreed on was called Warm Summer which I thought was perfect considering it was June. So with the perfect shade chosen, I gathered supplies and began working. It wasn’t long after starting that I realized conceptualizing this room was much easier than the work required to make it reality. As it turned out, this room was more costly than I expected and required more time than I hoped but in the end it was worth it!
For me, this project required a lot of endurance and perseverance. About half way through the first day, I was beginning to feel discouraged because I could see the walls were going to need an additional coat of paint to cover the previous color. And already by that time, my body was beginning to ache from the work I had done. At that point, I was beginning to question why I agreed to do this at all? What was I thinking? Purple was a good color. She could have lived well with purple. To be honest, I was not feeling very happy or excited about this room anymore but I knew I had no choice but to keep moving forward.
So the Lord, being the good and gracious God that He is, used my daughter to encourage me. On occasion, she would pop her head into the room to check my progress and offer comments. The first time she walked in she shouted, “I love it!” “It looks like sunshine!” Another time she exclaimed, “Wow, impressive!.” But my personal favorite was the time she said, “This is the color of heaven!” Her words and excitement over this room was just what I needed to remind me of why I was painting. The work itself did not change but to me it had new meaning and purpose. The thought of her resting and waking up every day in her own little slice of heaven on earth brought my heart so much joy! Her words lingered in the room and in my heart long after she left. Thoughts of heaven was the right kind of encouragement I needed to get the work done!
And since that day I can’t help but wonder what is the color of heaven? Will our heavenly homes be filled with brightly colored rooms honoring our days here on earth? Will the fabric of our lives be woven and sewn like tapestries dressing heavenly walls? Will there be rooms and rooms filled with curtains of love and laughter dancing in the heavenly breeze? For now, I can only imagine what heaven will be and I am happy to wait for my time as I am enjoying creating a little heaven on earth with my family.
Sometimes I wonder if perhaps the purpose of this life is to create your own little slice of heaven on earth to enjoy and share with others. A place that fills your soul with the love, joy and peace of God. A safe place where you can escape the chaos of the world. A place where you can rest. A place that awakens you to life. A place where you are free to be you. A place where you can create. A place where you can play. A place where you can dream. A place where you can grow. A little space tucked in a perfect place in your home away from home!
We are all deserving of heaven and I am so thankful that Jesus made a way for that to be possible. It’s never too late to trust Jesus with life. You never know what kind of heaven He has planned for you in this life and in the next.
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” John 14:1-4
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us. Ephesians 3:20
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Let Your Light Shine
Posted on July 11, 2022 Leave a Comment
What good are you tucked away
Hidden from the light of day
Jesus died to set you free
Not hold you in captivity
The devil is a liar still
Always has and always will
Try to keep God’s children bound
To feel lost and not found
But as we all surely know
Jesus is still upon the throne
Watching over good and evil
Speaking truth and delivering people
Bringing them back to the light
To shine bright in the darkest night
To lead others to His grace
So they can find their happy place
A place on earth where they can live
Free and forgiven for all their sins.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
Rise Up!
Posted on July 9, 2022 Leave a Comment
Sometimes we stumble and are able to catch ourselves and other times we fall flat on our face. Sometimes we are quick to get up and other times we lay there unable to move. Sometimes it hurts on the outside and other times the hurting is greater on the inside. Sometimes we are unharmed and other times we are left bruised, bleeding or broken. But no matter how minor or significant a fall may be, one thing is true of them all, you never forget them or lessons they teach❤️
Had I not fallen I would have never come to know a greater depth of His love, kindness, care and compassion towards me and others. I would have never gained a greater understanding of the saving and healing power of forgiveness. I would have never truly known how much I need Him and how dependent I am on Him to live. I would have never learned how to walk at a safer pace, moving more slowly and carefully. I would have never had the strength to encourage you today that it does not matter how you got where you are but it only matters that you resolve not to stay there. What matters most is that you believe you are loved, your heavenly value is great and you are worthy of so much more! What matters most is that you get up and not let the fall define you! What matters most is that you shake the dust off and move on with your life❤️
So if you have fallen recently, no worries! You’re not the first person to ever fall. Jesus knows how to handle these things well. Saving is His specialty! Jesus will take you by the hand and help you rise up. He will strengthen you and encourage you on to greater things! It may not be easy but with God all things are possible❤️
For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again. Proverbs 24:16
And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
So do not fear; you are more valuable than a great number of sparrows. Matthew 10:31
Let Go And Let Love
Posted on July 8, 2022 Leave a Comment
Jesus was crucified by people who believed that what they were doing was right. They could not see that what they were doing was wrong. Many people today are unable to see how they hurt, wound or offend other people even to the point of death. Jesus, as He was being murdered, showed compassion towards them because He knew they did not know what they were doing was wrong. Like Jesus, in our heart we should believe that most people are innocent and that they do not know what they are doing is wrong. So instead of anger, bitterness, resentment or hostility we should show those who hurt, wound or offend us compassion and forgive them❤️
When we forgive others, we are forgiven for all the ways that we hurt, wound or offend other people that we can’t see. When we forgive others, we are free. When we do not forgive, we are bound to sin. It’s not always easy but it is always pleasing to the Father when we forgive others❤️
Let go of offenses and let love come in❤️
But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34
But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire compassion, and not a sacrifice,’ you would have not condemned the innocent. Matthew 12:7
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. Matthew 6:14-15
Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all offenses. Proverbs 10:12
Wynter Kettlewell 