Power Struggles With God

I have been absent from writing due to some struggles going on in my life.  The truth of the matter is that I am having power struggles with God.  Sometimes it is very hard for me to remember that I am powerless and I want to control every area of my life.  I forget that things happen in His time, not mine.

This morning, I decided I am going to let go, and let God.  I am going to obey God by doing His work.  So I am intently reading His word and doing what He has asked me to do.  So, please forgive me as I confess my anxieties with you so I can infectiously motivate others.
In Psalm 127:2, I am reminded to work while trusting God, and also rest while trusting Him. 
John 14:27, John wants us to understand that the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives offers us a lasting peace. That we have no need to fear the present or the future.  Jesus says all I have to do is accept it from Him.

Well, I know all that…  so…. what is my problem???  
I want resolution yesterday!

It is easy to get impatient and feel hopelessness when my resolve is moving too slowly.  Especially when we are close to the situation, it is difficult to see the progress.  Joshua teaches us that when we look back, we will see God’s hand in it.   Joshua 11:18

And in 1 Samuel 13:11-12, it is recognized how difficult it is to trust God when you feel your resources slipping away.  Saul though his time was running out and he became impatient with God’s timing, so he substituted a ritual for his faith.

When we are faced with difficulties, we should never allow impatience allowing us excuses to ignore or disobey God.  We know God has a plan for us, and often uses delays to test our obedience and impatience.  We should never justify our mistakes or sins because of “special circumstances” because God knows our true motives.  1 Samuel 13:13

In Exodus 2:23-25, God promised to bring the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt.  The people waited a long time for that promise, but He knew the perfect time to rescue them.  God rescues us in His timing, not ours. 

Jesus trusted God’s timing for His life in ministry according to Luke 3:23.  Like Jesus, we need to be patient to receive direction.  We need to trust God’s timing.

I used to sing this song in my gospel bluegrass band: (rest in peace Karen!)
In His time, in His time.  
He makes all things beautiful in His time. 
Lord, show me every day, as You’re teaching me Your way,
that You’ll do just what You say, in Your time.

Defeat Temptation

Defeat Temptation

As a human, defeating temptation is difficult.  We face temptation every day.   It is easier to blame others and to make excuses for our actions.  But a Christian should accept responsibility for their actions, confess them and ask God for forgiveness.

In James 1:12-15, we are reminded that when we endure trials we are blessed because when we pass the test, we receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. 

To help resist temptation, you can ask a trusted person to be your accountability partner.  It has to be a person you can be forthcoming with.   In return, that person should reciprocate with non-judgmental honesty and grace.  This person should be someone you are comfortable to pray with, to be a prayer warrior for you. 

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16.

Learn From One Another

Learn from one another

We should always be open to learning from one another.   Do you accept “training” or “constructive criticism from others?  In Proverbs 27:17 we are reminded:  “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”  NLT further explains “Mental sharpness comes from being around good people.  And a meeting of minds can help people see their ideas with new clarity, refine them, and shape them into brilliant insights.  This requires partners who can challenge one another and stimulate thought – people who focus on the idea without involving their egos in the discussion; people who know how to attack the thought and not the thinker.  Two friends who bring their ideas together can help each other become sharper.”

Protect Yourself From False Philosophies

How do you protect yourself from being lead into false philosophies?   

In 2 Timothy 2:14-16, Paul explains false teachers will use trivial arguments that cause strife and division.  To know if their teaching is true, we have to study scripture so we understand what it means.  We are instructed to build our lives on scripture because the Bible tells us how to live for Him and to serve Him.  We are to study the Word regularly or we will find ourselves neglecting God and our true purpose for living.  Hebrews 2:1 tells us to pay close attention to the truth so we don’t fall prey to false teachings.  We must not neglect our salvation.

In Acts 1:11, Paul reminds us there are people who teach wrong doctrines and lead others astray.  Some are misguided or confused, and some are self-serving.   Acts 17:11 it also says we can verify teachings by comparing them from scripture.  Anyone who teaches God’s word will never contradict the Bible.    “You can recognize false teachers because they will (1) focus more attention on themselves than on Christ, (2) ask you to do something that will compromise or dilute your faith, (3) de-emphasize the divine nature of Christ or the inspiration of the Bible, or (4) urge believers to make decisions based more on human judgment than on prayer and biblical guidelines.” NLT

Worried Christian

I am not your fire and brimstone kind of Christian, but I need to share this with you because of what is going on in our world today.

My bible study and church service both paralleled each other making its emphasis so much stronger.  The other parallel it brought to mind is what is going on today in our world.

 

In my bible study we studied Daniel 7.  Daniel prophesized in a dream where he saw visions of nations at war.  He saw four huge beasts representing a world empire. 

The lion represented Babylon (our modern day Iraq),

a bear that ravaged the lion representing Persia (our modern day Iran)

and the leopard represented Greece (our modern day Syria). 

The fourth and largest beast points out to Rome and the end times. 

The large one has 10 horns that represent 10 Kings who will reign before God sets up tribulation.  The little horn is a human ruler (an anti-Christ).   God describes the end times in II Thessalonians 2:3,4.  Also see Revelation 13:5-8.  

In Revelation 17:3, John recorded a vision of a scarlet beast with 7 heads and 10 horns symbolizing the powers on earth that will rule under the anti-Christ. 

Daniel 7:10 God is ministered by millions of angels (also Rev 5:11,12).  God opens his book of life and the dead were judged (also Rev 20:12).  Non-believers will not be saved.

Daniel 7:18,25  tells us that believers will be saved in the end times.

Daniel 7:19 discusses how Christians will suffer persecution.  We are seeing that today in Iraq and Syria (aka Babylon and Persia).

Daniel 7:23 One of the ten kings will take over three of the kings.  He will make war against Christ and Christians and attempt to stop all religious activities and laws. 26 But the Kings’ power will be taken away and destroyed and the Christians will be given the Kingdom of God.

Pastor Mike spoke from Matthew 24 & 25.

Matt 24:3 the disciples asked what the end times were going to be like?  4,9 says Don’t be mislead by a false messiah. 

Signs of end times: false messiahs, wars, famines, earthquakes, horrible living conditions, persecution, false religions, lawlessness and love turning cold (Matt 24:12) 

Does any of this sound familiar???

In Matt 24:36 Jesus says that no one will know what day or hour these things will happen.  It was compared to Noah’s day when people were told of the flood but everyone went on with their lives until the flood swept them all away. 

Matt 24:42 So we must keep watch!  We must be ready! (also Matt 25:13)

Matt 24:50 He will return unannounced and put all the hypocrites in a place where there will be weeping an gnashing of the teeth.

Matt 25:24-30 We must not make excuses to avoid what God asks us to do. If we ignore, squander or abuse what we are given, there will be eternal punishment.

Matt 25:32  All the nations will be gathered and He will separate them like a shepherd will separate sheep from goats (parable for believers from non-believers).

Matt 25:40 By serving others, you are a servant of God. (also Isaiah 58:7)  He will curse the ones who are unwilling to serve others and go to eternal punishment.

So what should we be like?  II Peter 3:11 We should live holy and Godly lives.  If we are morally clean and spiritually alert, Christ’s return will not be a surprise. 

 

There it is!!  Put out in front of you like it was given to me.  With this in mind,  I am a worried Christian.  I am worried for those that deny knowing Christ.  I am praying for my ministry to touch and heal bitter souls who have turned from God.

 

If you (or someone you know) have any questions about “being saved” or “becoming a believer”, please email me at judyherrig@abetterlivingexperience.com. 

Blessings to you and yours,

Judy Herrig

Serenity Prayer

I have a number of people in my life that are recovering from addictions.  So I am writing to say...
God Bless You and your journey.  I am proud of you for taking responsibility for it, and I commend you for each day that you get through - another day.
I adore the Serenity Prayer thanks to my Dad who explained what that prayer meant to him as a recovering alcoholic.  I shared a more in-depth version of this with my Toastmaster's group and received warm responses from it.
GOD, Grant me the serenity (God, please give me peace of mind and heart)
To accept the things I cannot change (to understand I cannot change what other people think and do)
The courage to change the things I can (to take responsibility for my own thoughts and actions)
And the wisdom to know the difference (self explanatory).
I get it!
Written with warm thoughts of my Dad who passed many years ago!
With Blessings to you and yours,
Judy Herrig

Why do we need to be neighborly?

It is very hot and humid today here in Tennessee.  This morning, as I drove by a familiar house where an elderly couple live, they had their door wide open.  I realized they do not have air conditioning in their home.  A couple of days ago, I saw that same couple with their underwear drying out on an old ladder.  All I could think was "Don't they have any family to help them?  What is their story?"  I sit here in my air conditioned home waiting for a storm to go by, thinking about that couple.  If they were my neighbors, what would I do?  I would invite them to my home for dinner! 
I would like to share a beautiful scripture in Matthew 25:30-34 (NLT).
It is a parable that describes acts of mercy that we can do daily.  These acts do not depend on your wealth, abilities or intelligence.  We are not to ignore people with deep needs and should not make the church or government responsible for them.  Jesus expects us to have personal involvement in caring for others’ needs.
Now that's something to think about!
Blessings to you and yours!
Judy