Lord, protect us.....

 

Soul and Spirit

A glimpse of the vast gulf between the soulish and the spiritual will save us from many deceptions which afflict Christendom today. Almost all religious literature gives the soul the place which God reserves for the spirit. The soul is strictly limited to the physical senses. It uses the various bodily members to function. It feels and sees and hears and tastes and smells. It is consciousness and sensation. It yearns for physical pleasure and carnal comfort. It dominates the human body now, before it is vivified by the spirit. The joy and satisfaction which are ours in Christ do not come through sweet smelling incense, or fulsome food, or solemn, stirring music, or majestic cathedrals, ornate without and beautiful within, or even through  moving emotions in great mass meetings. It comes through the still small voice of revelation, striking the strings of the spirit, engaging it with the delicious thoughts divine, energizing it by the Living Word. 

A. E. Knoch

God Created You

 

God's Heart

 

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Rest

 Rest is not laziness or idleness. It’s not the antithesis of productivity nor the absence of work. Not at all! Rest is the highest expression of trust. It finds its authenticity in the complete surrender of control in deference to the superior care and capability of Another. When we operate from rest (which is actually a person, Jesus Himself), we are acknowledging the Holy Spirit as the active agent by which all growth occurs in our lives. While we have the pleasure of participating in that creative process as partakers of the divine nature, the source of the transformation is Him.

Passages to Ponder:

Hebrews 4:10-11

As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works, just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them. So then we must be eager to experience this faith-rest life, so that no one falls short by following the same pattern of doubt and unbelief.

1 Corinthians 3:9-11

We are coworkers with God and you are God’s cultivated garden, the house he is building. God has given me unique gifts as a skilled master builder who lays a good foundation. Afterward another craftsman comes and builds on it. So builders beware! Let every builder do his work carefully, according to God’s standards. For no one is empowered to lay an alternative foundation other than the good foundation that exists, which is Jesus Christ!

2 Peter 1:3-4

Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness. As a result of this, he has given you magnificent promises that are beyond all price, so that through the power of these tremendous promises we can experience partnership with the divine nature, by which you have escaped the corrupt desires that are of the world.

All reactions:

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Life can be like a roller coaster ride

Life can sometimes be like a roller coaster ride. There are ups and down, joy and sorrows. The next time you experience life's harsh side, such as a job loss, separation or divorce, prolonged illness or the death of a loved one, do take time to heal your hurt.  

Here are some suggestions that I hope will help you. 

  • Take the time to heal the hurt. The struggle is real. Avoid the temptation to ignore or escape from it. By taking time to accept the pain is the way to recover from it. Covering it up may only resurface later in a potentially more serious way.

• Take time to slow down or grieve. Cry when you need to. You have every reason to weep when you are hurt. It is the cleansing process.

• Take the time to be vulnerable. A crisis may have occur into your life. If you broke an arm, you would not expert to function at full capacity immediately. If your heart is broken and spirit is hurting, there will be confusion, overwhelm, feeling of despair. These are a normal part of adjusting to life's blow.

After you have gone through the above process, move on to the next level, that of healing. 

• Take time to identify resources. Seek out people who can help and guide you. A coach, mentor, counsellor or compassionate friends.

• Take the time to care for your health. During a stressful time be sure to look after your well-being. Eat healthy food, exercise, pray and sleep well.

• Take time to be patient. God has given us capacity to heal, at times, it may take longer than you expected. Be patient. The flow of life will return to it's normal pace.

Remember, it is perfectly okay to cry when you need to, however, never forget that YOU are special and beautiful within you. God loves you! You are worthy and wonderfully made!  

 

Pain