Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.
Luke 12:25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about , but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
1234567890
Before I had a relationship with God, I thought I was in charge, and burdened myself with thoughts on responsibility, duty, keeping all the balls in the air as though they were uncooked eggs. Nothing could fall to the ground, everything had to be handled. And of course, I worried about “what if…” And the spins my mind could whirl and twirl around were horrific. Sleeping was intermittent, as negative dreams would spur me into wakefulness, and the worries would trip over themselves like a running stream.
And of course, NOW I know that not one of those worries helped me. IN fact, I think they were detrimental to me and to my family. I’m sure I was cross, preoccupied with anxiety, fear, and really….”what if…?”
Yes, that devil Satan was alive and well in my mind, consistently showing me my flaws, my failings, my mistakes, and my LACK.
I certainly didn’t totally know God; only knowing Him in a nebulous, cloudy way. I surely did not have a relationship, did not expect answers to questions, and know my prayers beside my bed each night were recited by rote. They were not heartfelt, they were dutiful…although I really believed that “Now I lay me down to sleep…” was wrapping me in His protection. for the most part I believed God was angry and prone to punishment, not loving, patient, and doting.
Because I was spoiled in many ways, I did not perceive His generosity and goodness to His people. In hind sight, how selfish, and full of complaints I was. yet, I always had enough to eat, warm house and snuggly bed to sleep in, loving parents and grandparents, and my list goes on.
Yet, I tried to control outcomes all the time; I certainly had to keep the eggs in the air. Smashed raw eggs are such a slimy mess to clean!
But then I learned more about Jesus, and in all honesty it took a long while for me to grow in a relationship. I mean a RELATIONSHIP? He was God–not a sibling, a friend, a human, touchable parent. He was far too busy keeping the world spinning and the stars in the sky, and having the sun come up, and sending the rain down than to bother with, really care about ME.
I had trust issues, worth issues, control issues, and was frequently frustrated seeking an answer and WAITING. I read–did not really believe then–but read He cared, so I prayed. Did I pray with confidence? Did I pray His will? Did I pray expecting an answer? NO. Then I would wonder ‘Did He answer and I missed it? Is this not important enough for Him to guide me? Am I being foolish with this so He is not going to help? Am I not good enough and He really does not care about me? Maybe I am one of those that He just cannot endure. He is SO busy taking care of everyone in the world, and I am so bad…He must just be disappointed in me all the time.’ And on and on and round and round my worries circled.
Gradually, I learned more, grew in the knowledge He is not dismissive and one to hold a grudge, or not forgive. But it was a slow process for me to develop the trust needed to believe Him, believe that He is Truth and Light. And how could I give up control for this being I couldn’t see, and trust that He truly cared about me and my life and choices? So I tried to stubbornly cling to the things I did know, and of course the process stalled with me pulling all my doubts and “what if…” over and over. How can anyone have so many of those? They are catastrophic scenarios, and they drain the energy away. I felt that I was being drained and stressed, but I did not see another way then.
But then I realized how many wonderful things I have—eyesight to enjoy beautiful birds, flowers, the many blues of a sky, the varied colors of the ocean, the mountains, the autumn colors especially up north, the smile of pleasure and surprise on a face of someone important to me. But wait, that’s not all… I can hear those pretty birds, they also sing and praise God daily, the ocean has a quiet splashing to a mighty, strong and vicious roar, there’s a babbling brook, the sound of leaves falling to the ground and then the swish as you walk through them, and with that pleasure and surprised look on a precious face, there is an exclamation of joy, pleasure, and maybe thankfulness. My health is good, my appetite is much more than I would like–and I am able to overfill my belly frequently. My family is loving and supportive. I am blessed with many friends. Budgeting allows me to afford some extravagances sometimes. I am so very blessed.
Satan loves to lie, to fill us with fear, anxiety, and worry. His goal is to fill us with upset, unease, and negative thoughts. “He comes to steal, kill, and destroy…” John 10:10. Steal your joy, kill you from eternal life, and destroy your peace and harmony and prosperity. The goal is our death—no eternal life, no forgiveness, no peace, no freedom and no confidence that one day you will live with Jesus!
How could I spend time worrying about catastrophic scenarios that MIGHT happen, when I have so much to be thankful for, to enjoy, and realize the abundance of gifts I have been granted? I know that no one is worthy and we are each forgiven and given eternal life by grace, by a GIFT, if we accept Jesus as our Savior.
Satan was certainly alive and well and chatting away to me reminding me how terrible I am, how unworthy, and on and on. And because his voice was familiar–and LOUD– it was easy to agree with him. It took a long time to convince myself he was lying—it had to be a repetitive mantra until it finally sank in, and I was able to face his lies and tell him to move on out of my life. But it frequently happened, he would try to weasel his way back into my mind.
Such a waste of time I spent worrying about things that could happen, and feeling how unforgiveable I am, and being anxious because of it all. I am so relieved and thankful I finally believe He loves me, He has taken my place, and I am awarded eternal life and He has prepared a special place for me. John 14:2,3. How different and smoother, easier and more pleasurable life feels now. Worry is not something I have dealt with in a long time. I have confidence that nothing can mess me so badly that God will not be there to help me deal with it. It is so freeing to not worry, to not feel burdened, and there seems to be even more things in my life to be thankful for. I am blessed and freed and saved!
Lord, I am so thankful that You saved me from all the torment I spun and helped me realize that your love is true and sure. Thank You for all you have done and given to my and ‘mybellaviews.’
Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord; plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 31:33-34 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 14:6,15 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me . . . If you love me, you will keep My commandments.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made , so that people are without excuse.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful ad just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
Reformation? change?
The Protestant reformation occurred during the 1500’s. Over the years from the first century to the 16th century, churches had sprung up and again were putting out man-made laws of celebration, and ways to “honor” God without getting to the truth. The truth was as men do, they feel they know better than God, and try to usurp their power onto others. It enhances the power they think they have. There was a mandate to confess your sins to the priests in the Catholic churches which sprang up in Rome then developed widely throughout Europe and Asia. The people were forced to pay for different articles in the church and the priests and others who represented the heads of churches who were gaining power and making rules that God had never intended.
As the original disciples went and spoke of the life, words and love, of Jesus, the miracles He performed while living, they shared He was the Messiah, the Son of God. They included that His death, hung on a cross, and three days later, the Resurrection. They staunchly insisted telling all the Good News as they traveled throughout Europe and Asia; Jesus was the Way, the Truth, and the Life for all who chose to believe and follow Him. They preached that if one believed in Him, and followed Him with a true and repentant heart, they too would have eternal life in heaven on their physical death. People came, heard the message, became believers, and many churches sprang up. These original disciples and the men and women who were taught after His death were so full of belief in Jesus they were willing to die horrific deaths rather than deny Him.
The Catholic Church became a stronghold in Rome and then throughout Europe and somewhat into Asia. But after some centuries, the Catholic Church also developed some man-made rules and mandates, like what many of the religious leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) had done inflicting more than 613 rules and laws on the Jews, when God had NOT commanded that many at all.
God gave the Ten Commandments and had some food restrictions, (all for our health so we would not get ill ) but did not order all the laws that the priests and high religious men demanded. For instance, the Catholic priests and authorities began not with the message of love, but of the need for people to have confession and one had to confess to a priest to be forgiven. Again, they demanded more monies be donated to the churches to remain in “good standing.” Scripture and readings should only be done by religious personnel and must not be available to the public.
At least Jewish boys went to school and learned Torah. But as the new churches sprang up, access to having a personal relationship with God was discouraged. That is not what God wanted. He had enjoyed that time walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve. But the religious leaders in the new churches began to hoard their learnings and were keeping people from having access to scrolls and readings. The disciples had introduced all Jesus did, how He loved, and how He lived and died for us so we could live an eternal life with Him in heaven upon our physical death. This did not sit well with the people. They felt they too wanted a personal relationship with this “new” God.
In 1517, Martin Luther had 19 theses he nailed to a church door, stating all people should have access to God without having to have pastors or church leaders being the go between. He and many others felt each person, all created equal in God’s eyes, should have access to the Creator. And he felt this was stressed the way Jesus had acknowledged all, touched all, forgave all, and healed all. He was the Son of God, yet He welcomed all. Those who began balking at not being able to know God on their own were called Protestors.
The Protestors believed that through faith all could have a relationship with God, and were saved through their belief, and not through their works. Good works came about as a result of relationship with God and Jesus, not because one could “buy” their way to heaven through their actions. Salvation was offered by divine grace, totally unmerited, but given to all who had a sincere heart, who believed in God and wanted to be obedient to Him. This ended up splitting the religion. The Catholic church, which had developed as a result of the disciples traveling and delivering the truth and good news of Jesus life, but the religious leaders began to enjoy power. They wanted to control all the people believed.
In fact, it was after William Tyndale (one of the Protestors) had translated the bible which was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, to English, (1522-1535) that many in most of Europe could hear and understand it all. However, he was arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to death by burning. While in prison waiting, he continued to translate the Bible. When on the burning post, about to be burned, he was strangled, in the hope to be kinder for him than burning. (They are both horrific, so I choose neither for me).
Because the split between the Roman Catholic Church and men like Martin Luther, William Tyndale, and most of the common people, there was a huge rift. When King Henry, the 8th asked the Pope for a divorce and it was refused, he further separated from the church. The Church of England developed, which offered the English royalty more finances since the monies the Catholic Church had been collecting, were no longer going to Rome, but the churches laws in England remained about the same.
But there was a faction pursued by many who believed each person should learn about God and Jesus, and not need a middleman (priest) as intercessor. The religion developed was called Protestants. There were many factions within this mindset, but the prime belief was that each person could have a relationship with the Creator and could learn and study for themselves.
A group of farmers in Northern England disagreed with the new church which still believed the people needed to be led and taught by clergy. They believed they should have access to the writings and should be able to worship as they saw fit—honoring God without any interference from a governing body. At the time they were called Separatists, and they worshiped in secret—and were hunted down. They determined they needed to find a new place to live and worship. Initially, they moved to Holland, but it was not England, so they wanted their children to know about English culture, so decided to move to the New World.
They landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in December 1620. There were 102 people who boarded the Mayflower, there were 101 who disembarked, but only 50 who survived that first winter. Half of them died that first year from exposure, diseases, and starvation. After that first year, they learned how to farm and fish. They continued to meet for church worship but recognized they needed to have bibles for teaching and learning.
Quickly, a printing press was set up and bibles were begun to be printed for many, not just clergy. The first primers for children to learn to read were verses from the Bible. As more and more were printed, they were called the New England primers and were used for several years to teach children to read. So Christianity and Jesus’ examples were for all.
I am thankful for the Protestant Reformation as I too believe we should have access to reading the Word of God for ourselves, and to have religious leaders teach, preach, lead and continue to show that God has not changed, no matter how the world has skewed His words or teachings for ‘the times.’ Those times are Satan’s progression to promote sin. I am so thankful I have my copies of the Word and can learn and absorb and grow.
Thank You, Lord that here we can enjoy Your teaching, can read Your word for ourselves and know You are looking out for us. Certainly, You have always been with me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Psalm 69:10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.
Ezra 8:22-23 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and He answered our prayers.
Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?”
Daniel 10:3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
Joel 2:12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Matthew 6:16-18 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. “
Luke 6:45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Ephesians 4:29, 31, 32 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. . . Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you
Philippians 2:14-16 Do everything without grumbling or arguing.
Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. Abd the God of peace will be with you.
GodThoughts “Fasting from Negativity: July 16, 2017 Matt and Rebekah Johnson
A few weeks ago, I decided to learn more about fasting. I had a couple friends who fasted several years ago and had wonderful things happen—including one meeting her future husband, a minister and married him within a couple of months and is still deliriously happy.
I love food, so did not relate to having to give it up without really recognizing its import. I truly did not know enough about why either of these gals had gone on a fast and what the goal was. I assumed it was a weight loss plan. Certainly, at that point, I did not want any other ‘discomfort’ in my present state.
I was new at studying the Bible and learning who I was in Christ. Now, years later, as I was studying the various ways one can fast, I also came across fasting negative words and negative thoughts and actions. And oh, to my great sadness, I found I have a lot to do in that area also. My mouth and mind need to be cleansed; so that issue got raised on my priority list.
To rid myself of negative thoughts, and deeds, I started reading and studying on fasting negative thoughts and words. One can study a Negativity Fast—which is what I am attempting.
So, I am working on that, fasting negative words and thoughts. I am overwhelmed with how negative my mind and judgments could be. YIKES! When I really confronted—thank You, Holy Spirit—how negative my thoughts can be, I was mortified. So much for believing I am mostly kind and considerate of others. NOT. I am judgmental and do speak negative things and gossip at times—more times than I ever considered. I have work to do with the Holy Spirit. I have gotten on my knees and confessed these awful sins. Who am I to judge another? Who am I to speak of another? I don’t know what has occurred in another’s life—and I do not know what my responses would be—I can only guess. God has given to each of us individuality; we each have our own experiences and interpretations of those—it leads to different responses to what happens and how we make choices.
I am still studying fasting food; just fast certain foods—sugars, starches, and/or once I decide if doing full fast, and if so, for how long; or should I just do intermittent fasting, or if I should just fast certain time periods. Since this is my first food fast, I want to be successful at whichever one I choose. And the top goal is increasing my relationship with God. I love sugar and realize that causes my hesitation. Can I omit sugar for a period, or will I fail?
I do know that the Holy Spirit will give me strength, at least mentally I know this. But do I have confidence? No, not much confidence; I know how weak willed I am. But I do have the stronger desire to know God deeper and better.
What if I do not have a closer relationship after I purge sugar from my system. But in all honesty, I should probably commit to 3 days with NO sugar, spending time thinking and praying to God to bring me in closer. And trust that it will happen.
My sugar desire is important for me to deal with; and will take more prayer and attempts. I can remove desserts…but that is only part of the issue. I like sweetened creamers in my coffee, I have a difficult time if offered ice cream and chocolate is a desire I can only walk away from occasionally
At the same time I need to change my negative thoughts and words, and repent of them, and rely on the Holy Spirit to help me rid myself of these disgusting sins. They are sins—negative thoughts and criticism, gossip, and so forth. I am first and foremost working on obliterating my negative thoughts and words.
I have started capturing my thoughts and am pleased to realize I have a better hold on those and correcting thoughts and words. Presently, I am working on my negative words and negative thought processes. And thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me correct my thoughts and speech. I am not 100% without negative thoughts, but I am catching them, and not passing judgments, and gossiping, criticizing—although yes, I am still muttering about the winds that kick up in the afternoon. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit has reminded me, and stopped me before much uttering. I have become conscious of negative thoughts, and been able to stop them before I speak, and thus I am aware of a criticism, a judgment, the close call to speaking some type of gossip, or complaining.
I have not started this fasting with sugar yet, but it will be in the very near future. I am hoping the Holy Spirit will assist me with my desire to fast sugar and and all the unhealthy things I put in my mouth. Lord, You are cleansing me–and although You helped me with my cigarette addiction years ago, I did not believe that this too would be easier than I expected. Lord, I thank You for helping me fasting my negative thoughts, actions and words. You are always there for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
Deuteronomy 1:21, 29-30 ‘Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’
Deuteronomy 3:22 ‘You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.’
Deuteronomy 31:6-8 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
Psalm 56:3-4 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
Joshua 1:9 ‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’
Joshua 8:1o Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.
Joshua 10:25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Luke 12:7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Hebrews 13:6 So we say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
I certainly think God recognized that we would face times of fear, anxiety, and lack of courage and be dismayed. He urges to go forward, recognizing that we may feel fear, but reminding us we are not alone. But His word promises He is with us, and that makes a lot of difference for me and my life. I sometimes have to remember these scriptures and remind myself Satan is a liar—the best of them, but with that fact in my mind, I know God is with me and will fight for me. it is my job to continue marching forward in God’s plan. Hooray!
There are times in our lives when we are afraid, and sometimes those are justified events. We are in a war in another country, facing a wild situation nearby as violence is becoming more common, and apparently many seem to think life is worth less or nothing to some. We can be fearful when we feel the wheels of our car slip and suddenly we have lost control on ice and things are spiraling out of our control. Maybe we have lost our job and bills are building up while prospects are not appearing. Occasionally, we have made a poor decision and things are catapulting into a huge mess, and we are unsure how to make things right again. Perhaps, there’s been a horrific diagnosis and the treatments and prognosis all sound grim and uncertain.
Fear is a human emotion that God instilled in us. It is to help us be cautious walking into unknown or dangerous situations, it is to keep us mindful and ready to ‘fight or flight’ as the situation calls. There are sometimes we would be foolish not to be somewhat fearful in some situations. I am not a good or strong swimmer and because of my healthy respect of the ocean when its waves are large and powerful, I don’t go further than my knees.
Often God commands us to have courage; ‘do not fear nor be dismayed.’ Our senses can give us information that can certainly give us reason to be fearful. The our minds can translate some of that info and make things seem so much scarier. Walking casually through a den of hungry lions or other big cats in Africa would be foolish; and certainly sinful if one chooses to walk through with some people holding guns ready to kill these creatures because of one’s foolish desire to be close to these creatures. So, God gave us sense, smarts, and He never urges us to be daring and risky.
He does urge us to trust Him, and even when faced with fear and uncertainty; and the devil is filling our thoughts with thoughts of running, “step back, save yourself, don’t take the risk, you’ll be badly hurt or dead….dead is forever.” (But please remember, Satan lies, and if you know Jesus and you have claimed Him as savior in your life–even if your body dies, you have eternal life). God is steady and with us when He tells us to do something. He promises to be with us.
Sometimes, God tells us to move forward to test our obedience and trust. Sometimes, God has chosen us to be a warrior for Him—Gideon, Judges 6 and 7, and David with the many books written of him and his feats. David did not seem to be fearful often, but certainly he was when it was his own son who hunted him.
Fear is a good thing unless it paralyzes us into being immobile, unwilling or unable to move. We have jobs God’ wants us to do. It is not good if we let fear prevent us from doing what God’s purpose for our lives is. But God’s words repeatedly tell us to not fear and to move forward. He is with us. His word promises to never leave us.
We have to MEMORIZE our favorite ‘do not fear or have anxiety’ verses, because life is full of ups and downs and stresses and we can feel our tension building. I have to consciously remember His promises and remind myself God has already won the war—the Book has been written with a happy ending. Will it be stressful, violent, and miserable for many? Yes. Will I experience some moments of apprehension and horror? Yes, I believe I will. But I know God is in control, and whatever horror I may experience is temporary. That is such a relief to me.
I am a wimp and don’t like suffering a hang-nail, never mind torture and the beastly misery spread by the Taliban, the Assyrians, and so forth. But I have the hope and knowledge of faith. So I will experience the moments of fear and anxiety, but I will know that my true future lies with Him. I am not courageous, but I do know He is with and that He offers comfort and everlasting.
Lord, there is so much sadness, unrest, suffering in this world right now. But You are in charge—always have been. My prayers are for those who are being tortured in Your name, and I know You receive them with tears in Your eyes for what they suffered, even as You smile and tell them “Well done, my faithful, servant.”
So I thank You for the fact I know I am Yours, and You hold in Your hands me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Leviticus 19:15 Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 141:3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.
Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 31:9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matthew 12:36-37 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them to do you.
Luke 6:37-38 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measures you use, it will be measured to you.”
Romans 2:1-3, 13 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? . . . Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Romans 14:3-4 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or t=fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Galatians 5:17
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
James 4:11-12 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?
I started looking into fasting several weeks ago. My initial intent was fasting food, but then I read about fasting other things—and came across negative words and thoughts to fast. There were other things also—alcohol, pornography, gambling, and so forth. We can all overuse things—food, desserts, and shopping, and watching too much TV, watching too many sports, and the list goes on. There is an abundance of things we can fast if we realize we are abusing them.
I came to realize I was negative and judgmental. Immediate conviction. I felt totally crummy. Certainly, I do not want someone judging me—I do enough of that on my own. And I find myself wanting in many areas. But, and surprise! This is NOT what God wants me to do. I am loved and cherished by God, and He made me with all my quirks, strengths, faults, and abilities. Who am I to judge my errors so harshly? Who am I to judge any others? I do not always judge others harshly. I see many others, several, and find myself lacking when I compare. But I am not supposed to compare myself with others. I am uniquely made, and I need to appreciate the way God has given me strengths, abilities, and gifts, and NOT make any comparisons. My reading of purging and fasting the negative words of judgment, comparison, criticism, gossip, negative thinking, and so forth also made me realize I am sinning by making judgment calls toward myself, therefore finding fault with how God created me.
But I certainly have no right to judge others. I am certainly no better than anyone else, and since God made each of us unique to the strengths, gifts, and abilities He gave—I have no right to judge or to envy others. I do find many that I admire, they have traits I think are wonderful, dress wonderfully, have a great sense of humor or an ease with others. I have a time getting accustomed to new people and feeling relaxed. There are many I admire, but then find fault with my whatever…but that is NOT God’s desire for me. He wants me to use my strengths and gifts to be the best ME–not to emulate someone else and their strengths.
And, most importantly, it is a sin for me to judge—and therefore be critical of the way someone else does something. I have been sinning. Only with the Holy Spirit can I change my judgment, my critical thinking, my envy of others, and gossip and so forth. Only He can point out and make me aware of the many ways I am sinning. And with the Holy Spirit, He can give me the nudge, the awareness to STOP, to confess and repent. With awareness, we can change our behaviors. I want to fast my negative thoughts, words, and deeds.
I will admit I am more aware—I have been shown when I have had a moment of judging, or begun to gossip, or whatever. And I am recognizing this negative behavior more and therefore able to stop it. My belief is I will overcome this with the continued help of the Holy Spirit. And it makes me very thankful. Lord, I want to get closer to You.
When I think back over the growth and walk I have had with God, I can be nothing but thankful. Thank You, Father for all the blessings You have given me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Hi, I'm Kathy. Welcome to my website!