Power, Love, and a Sound Mind

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

~2 Timothy 1:7, KJV

Don't be afraid. We have power and love through Christ. Even when the world is in turmoil or things seem bad do not be afraid. The spirit of fear for your circumstances is from the devil, not the Lord. The Lord will not forsake you and He has you in his hand. Be of a sound mind and know that you have the power of the Lord on your side!

Fornication

"Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, the ye should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:"

~Thessalonians 4:1-5, KJV

This is for anyone that wonders if the Bible actually does talk about fornication or sex outside of marriage. It clearly does talk about it and it states that ye should abstain, or that you should not do it. It's not a cultural thing either as some people say that it is, it is a commandment given by the Lord in the new testament. It's not outdated and it's not a suggestion.

The Lord does not want you to have sex outside of marriage - why? Because it's healthier for you emotionally (and physically). Sex doesn't make love as the world suggests today, love makes sex. Going from person to person falling in love and having sex is just going to tear you up and leave a part of you with each individual until there is nothing less. You can't go around giving up pieces of your soul and expect not to be affected.

Tribulation

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
~John 16:33, KJV

This verse is really encouraging during times of struggle when everything seems to be going wrong. This hits home for me because a few months ago my husband and I lost our jobs and I have this verse on a plaque in my house. It was a good reminder that we didn't need to fear the world because God would take us where He wanted us and the world couldn't stop it.

We were never promised that in life we wouldn't have trouble, this verse is actually saying the opposite, it is saying that we will have tribulation. Yet we shouldn't walk around in fear or depression but we should be of good cheer because we are in God's hands and God has overcome the world. Since we lost our jobs God has moved us to where He wants us to be and our lives are so much better. We are so happy and are where we want to be. We had okay lives before by now every day feels like an adventure and a blessing.

God is awesome!

He Hears You

"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask an thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."

~1 John 5:14-15, KJV

How wonderful it is for us that we can know that He hears us. You are never alone.

That's the sort of confidence that gives me comfort, to know that the God of the universe hears my prayers. That He hears what I ask of Him. That if what I'm asking is within His will I know that I have that which I asked for. What a wonderful comfort. 

Just Ask

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that sketch receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom is his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

~Matthew 7:7-11, KJV

I wonder how much we don't have as Christian at times just because we don't ask the Lord. I can't begin to remember all the times that I struggled with something day by day to find a simple prayer could make each day so much easier and the burden lighter. 

It's not always easy to remember but it's so easy to ask the Father. Sometimes I need a gentle reminder from my husband that I should just pray about it and when I do it is better. Yeah, life can still be difficult but prayer helps put it in perspective and sometimes the Father just says, "Yes" and who can beat that? Sometimes it's a different answer then you are expecting or wanting but it's always better when God is in your life and the situation and you invite Him there. 

Do you really want or need something? Are you struggling to obtain something? Ask the Lord. 

Faith Standing in the Power of God

"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

-1 Corinthians 2:4-5, KJV

So many people, not just today but for ages, try to entice people into believing their religion. They try to act as if they have more knowledge and special revalations in their denominations than in others. And people are tricked into believing in the religions without even realizing that they are believing in the men and what they say and not in God. They also end up believing in the men's wisdom and their own wisdom instead of God and what He can do.   

How to Live

"The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.
Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility.
He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him."
(Proverbs 18:11-13, KJV)

A strong city and high wall is a rich man's wealth and conceit. How easy it can be for a rich man to become conceited and caught up in his money and it blocks him from others, or from the truth and/or from heaven. I would rather my strong tower by the name of the Lord where I can run and be safe!

When you become haughty is before destruction. You can't have true honor without having humility. If you have a solution before you hear the problem, or if you make up your mind before you hear the end, it is a folly and a shame to you. 

Do not be puffed up with pride. Don't build upon your wealth or intelligence. Be humble and build upon the Lord, realize that you are nothing without Him. Do not claim to know it all or have all the answers or know what someone did or didn't do. Hear both sides of a story, hear the whole story, and learn before making up your mind. You are not better than other people and if you act superior you are heading down the path to your destruction. Now that you are only where you are because of the Lord or you will never have true honor. Be humble and realize that you are a sinner too and can't make it on your own. Do not look down upon others and lift up your brothers and sisters in Christ.