Are you worried?

[oak]

Thank you for the post. It certainly challenges our modern day conception that anxiety and worry are quite natural and though help is available, many miss the True healing source. When you are afflicted with it, use it, and bring to its rightful place. And if by chance it continues, know that with God it has a true purpose, bare it with a good heart (with a judicious aid of medical science) and your reward will in no way be taken away from you. By no means let it make you bitter and discouraged. And if it does there is still hope even if you hang on to a mere thread of faith. Thank you for the post.

[O'Dannyboy]

I am not worried for myself. I do, however fear what our children, and theirs, will have to endure. The United States is a house divided and cannot stand unless it rediscovers it's purpose. Alas, as Jesus said "I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword".

There is no middle ground and as we watch the "middle" class disappear so must we watch the "sides" become more defined and more zealous for their cause. Things will only become more "heated" as time goes on. I fear for the innocent ones caught in the crossfire.

Interestingly it is the Antichrist who will come promising to being peace and unity and will seem to have the answer for everything. Remind you of anyone?

[jehovah Nissi]

My problem with worry is that my flesh screams so darn loud! And non-stop. Fear shows up first (I'm never going to make it through this!) Then fretting comes. When its done fretting (what if?! what if?!), it starts whining (but God! You said....!). When it's done with that, it turns to complaining (I hate my life!), that turns to self-righteous anger (I SO totally do NOT deserve this!), then it plots (A-Ha! If I do this then...). Fretting returns to destroy the plotting (yeh, that might work, but what if?). After a battle between those two, guilt shows up (did I cause this? How?), then Satan makes his appearance (of COURSE you caused it!) then, it just plunks down defeated and cries (why me?). When it's cried all it can, my spirit can finally hear God's whisper (shhhh....and remember what I've taught you...) Ahhhh....peace. Then my spirit starts eating His heavenly manna and gets prepared by putting on the armor of God.

Now, if I could find that perfect flesh shutter-upper, I could make far better use of that wasted time!

This is great because my pastor had a sermon on what Jesus said to the storm and waves when His deciples woke Him up cuz they thought they were parishing. Jesus Got up and spoke to the storm and said "shhhhhhhhhhh". when fear tries to come in your life or anxiety or worry...just remember what Jesus said..."shhhhhhhhhhhhhh" "peace, be still". Always remember God's promises (Isaiah 26:3, 54:13, 55:12).

Very nice Julz

[Poindexter]

From my corner of the world to yours....

G-d bless,

Julia

We are an anxious nation...in fact, we are an anxious world. There is no question that uncertainty seems to have increased dramatically in the last few years. We worry about the economy. We worry about terrorism. We worry about war. We worry about losing our jobs. We worry about the dangers confronting our children. And on and on and on.....

Now the New Testament word for worry (merimnao) means "to be anxious, to be distracted, to have a divided mind." It's the word Jesus used when He said, "Do not worry about your life" (Matt. 6:25). Paul used it when he wrote, "Be anxious for nothing" (Phil. 4:6). People who worry are preoccupied or distracted. No matter what else they may be doing, one part of their mind is worrying.

What does the Bible say about worry? The Bible teaches that there are two kinds of worry: (1) a negative, harmful, crippling worry(2) a positive, beneficial concern. Negative worry in the Bible is a troubled fretting and anxiety. Jesus mentioned this kind of worry six times in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6). Peter instructed his readers to cast their cares on G-d (1 Pet. 5:7). When we use the word worry, we usually have this negative, crippling kind of worry in mind.

Do you remember the time the disciples were out in a boat in a storm? Jesus had sent them ahead while He went to a mountain to pray (Matt. 14:22-33). A strong wind swept across the Sea of Galilee. It was so powerful that the exhausted disciples could make no headway rowing into it. Then Jesus appeared, walking to them across the water. The disciples were terrified.

After Jesus identified Himself, Peter was skeptical. "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water" When Jesus said "Come," by faith Peter walked out on the water toward Him. But then he looked around him. He saw the power of the wind and the huge waves. He thought about the danger he was in and began to question whether he could survive in a situation like that. He began to sink. He cried out to Jesus, who reached out His hand and escorted Peter back to the boat.

We worry because we distrust G-d. Confronted with our vulnerability, we have a choice. We can turn our safety over to G-d and trust Him with our apprehensions. Or we can take our well-being into our own hands. That's what Peter did on the water. Confronted by his frailty, he lost faith in Jesus. Yet he knew he couldn't save himself. Jesus' words to Peter are revealing. "O you of little faith," He said. Peter stopped trusting Jesus. When we no longer feel that we can trust Jesus with our lives, our feelings, or our future, we worry.

All of us can rise above any situation that life hands us. All of us can live a fulfilling life in the middle of the turmoil! Worriers have focused their eyes on the consequences of events that have not yet happened. They feel vulnerable and expect the worst. They take responsibility for things that are out of their control. But if they will turn to G-d, they will find in His character the answer to their vulnerability. G-d's character is best seen in His Word. G-d is in charge. The Bible teaches that nothing happens in this world that is beyond the knowledge and control of G-d. "The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all" (Ps. 103:19). He is God Almighty (Ps. 66:7). He is the sovereign Lord of all. Worriers feel that things are out of control--that something terrible is about to happen and they can't stop it. When the questions raised by those feelings create anxiety, worriers need to remember three important truths about

G-d…….

1. G-d is everywhere (Ps. 139:7; Jer. 23:23-24).

2. G-d knows everything (Job 7:20; Ps. 33:13).

3. God is all-powerful (Gen. 17:1; 18:14; Matt. 19:26).

Last but not least, "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your G-d" (41:10).

AMEN and AMEN !!!!!!

When you see how many times that God the Father or Jesus the Son has said, "Fear not" in the word, why should we fear the end? Saved is saved and lost is lost.

Edited October 22, 2008 by Poindexter

[mead]

So you got your own little corner of the world now huh,lol. Great post sister