Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 24:14 “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I qwill strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Psalm 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word). In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
I got a call for prayer from someone very dear to me looking for prayer as he was fighting with fear and anxiety regarding new responsibilities and a new system with his job. Two years ago, he left one government agency and went to work with a different government agency. Certainly there was a learning curve, but he looked forward to the job, learning new responsibilities, the procurement, and the different management styles.
Six months into the new job, COVID struck and changed so much of the peace, fear, anxiety levels within the world, and of course within work protocols. Folks were mostly encouraged to work from home unless they happened to be a front liner who dealt with illness in one capacity or another. For those who were now working from home with only a computerand a cell phone for outside access to help and direction, it was a struggle at times. In this case, it would have been helpful to be able to access a person and computer in front of him to reassure he was doing the correct steps, following all procedures and to complete the task; it was a matter of reassurance and brief overview. But that assistance is not easily attained now that each is working from his or her own location, and not meeting in an office where ideas, means and procedures can be shared.
One of the enemy’s greatest assets is the ability to instill fear within us. It’s not like I even hear him sneaking in, but suddenly I can be full of anxiety and fear. I never heard the actual whisper of “You can’t do this. You forgot the steps. You are going to make a mistake.” My heart can still clutch and I can feel the acceleration of my heart as the worries begin to cascade in a waterfall of apprehension. Having years of knowing God is stronger than the greatest enemy to us, that generally lasts for a few moments, before I am seeking His guidance and peace, and asking for the fear to be relieved as the answers and the way become clearer. And then of course, I have to believe; I have to leave the issue there, and not keep snatching it up in fear and anxiety.
For me, leaving it alone used to be the hardest. It is less so now; maybe that is experience with letting go and letting Him. Now, it is easy for my mind to bring forth do not be afraid verses and I am with you verses.
I believe even though Satan knows he will lose the actual war when Jesus returns and he knows Jesus defeated death, he wants to take as many souls into hell as he can. And that is why he remains so busy trying to cause upset, fear, anxiety, and feelings of failure and incompetence. He snickers and sneaks around looking for vulnerable areas so he can find entrance and instill doubt, then fear, then belief of his lies into full blown anxiety and feelings of uncertainty and failure.
For years it was easier for me to believe the negative, to feel like a failure, less than mediocre, and less than almost anyone else in every area I chose to look. I had been saved for years before actually reading the bible consistently, then beyond reading to studying, attending a bible teaching church, joining bible studies, surrounding myself with other bible believing folks, and beginning to see me as God sees. It still takes work. I do not always see myself in a wonderful light, but then God places someone in my life who gives a praise or compliment or acknowledgment of something I’ve done, and my vision clears and I am reminded of who He sees—and my vision although somewhat still dark and cloudy with Satan’s residual lies, it clears and brightens knowing how God sees.
One of things that helped me initially dealing with those fearful times, was to print out verses that dealt with my fear, anxiety, and that He was walking with me. My path may not be easy and free from strife, but He is with me. Whatever I ask, He is there for me. I needed to read the words often before I totally believed them, but now it is knowing.
I pray for all who doubt are not full of faith in the fact that He is there when one fully believes. I pray for this special person who is full of doubts which have lead to fear and anxiety and the Holy Spirit will provide protection from any further doubts getting through and that the ones there have been driven back by prayer warriors. Stand strong on His promises. Know them so you can pull them out and believe because you know what His word says.
I am so thankful I got deeper into Your words and thoughts, and know Your promises so when I have those periods of fear, I remember the many verses of You commanding to do fear as You are with me; that You can handle issues in unimaginable ways. I know You can refresh memory and give assurance to do what I am supposed to do according to Your plan. Thank You for blessing me and ‘mybellaviews.’
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Isaiah 2:8,9, 17 Their land is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. People bow down, and each man humbles himself; therefore do not forgive them….The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, but the idols He shall utterly abolish.
Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me
There are many different kinds of idols available in this world. For some it may be their sight in the mirror, turning this way and that, combing hair over, pulling back, and so forth, just admiring how they look. That can be fairly common for young teen girls. It can be the same for the teen male who has started to fill out, maybe lifting weights or doing some other activity that with the beginning of more testosterone is helping those muscles get bulked. Sometimes it is the addiction to just working out, and although activity is healthy, it is not when it is to the detriment to spending quality time with others.
Or perhaps it is the person who craves sugar, bakery goods, salty foods, or some other kind of food. Or perhaps it is alcohol or some other drug/activity/hobby.
Addiction is defined as “state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit forming…and to such an extent that its cessation causes trauma.” Merriam-Webster. Giving up the addiction may cause some of these feelings and more, anxiety, stress, anger and perhaps physical symptoms—shakes, nausea, sleeplessness, headaches, etc.
Wikipedia gives a definition “brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. Despite the involvement of a number of psychosocial factors, a biological process—one which is induced by repeated exposure to an addictive stimulus—is the core pathology that drives the development and maintenance of an addiction.” It states that two properties characterize all addiction—repeated exposure and intrinsically rewarding.
I confess that I started playing a word game and a jigsaw puzzle game on my phone last spring. As I was closing my day, I had tv on, and would pull out the phone and open one of the games. It was a mentally stimulating challenge as I would try to beat my times and to also get the puzzle solved. But I began losing track of the time I spent on it as I challenged myself to ‘just one more…’
Then I was losing sleep. I’d glance at the clock figuring I was close to 11 and bed, only to find that the clock was reading after 1 AM. My internal clock wakes me between 6-6:30, so with less than five hours of sleep I was depriving myself of vital, recuperative rest.
So after a couple of nights not getting proper rest, I decided I would set an alarm, allowing only 30 minutes play time. Sometimes I would hear the alarm, and promise myself as soon as this particular game ended, I would put the phone down. Other times, I did not hear the alarm, so intent was I on the challenge, and then the reward of a “win,” finding a difficult word or whatever. In short, I was addicted to playing the games, to winning and beating my times, finding the challenge of how pieces fit the jigsaw, or solving the word problems.
The point is I was addicted. I think I should only be addicted to doing God’s direction. I do my devotional and bible readings in the mornings. Sometimes, I will pick it up and read more, and of course, since I write this blog, I am frequently looking up the verses I want to use. The games had me challenging myself, and filled hours in the evening when I was completing my day, and became a reward of sorts. But it was detrimental. It was hard to put down, and that is damaging. That was how it turned from a relaxing brain stimulating event, to an addiction.
Addictions can be anything, even something as mundane as game playing. Folks are addicted to watching a soap opera, and any number of activities, poisons we ingest and so forth. We tend to think of addictions as chemicals–nicotine, OTC meds, heroin, and of course oxycodone, alcohol, and any number of substances. But as I have confessed, addictions can come from any manner. Do you have anything in your life that pulls at you and takes precedence at times?
People can do the same with food, alcohol, sugar, drugs, both over the counter, illegal, and prescription. It is possible to become addicted to all sorts of things, shopping, beauty treatments, games, and so forth.
I asked God to help break this habit, and He did. The first couple of evenings, I wanted my “reward” for completing my day, feeling as though I had done well. But I couldn’t initially chance putting the phone and the games in my hand. So I asked for help when Satan would quietly, sneakily prod me to pick up the phone and ‘play just one…’
Better to be addicted to thanking God for His glory and creations.
But I read one of the books I always have going, watched a show I wanted to see, and learned to do other things until the habit was broken. I only want to be habitually with God and learning of Him. I don’t want or need any deterrents in my life.
Thank You, God, for letting me realize my games were a type of addiction to me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Matthew 8:8-13 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heave. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that very hour.
Romans 3:23-25 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus
Galatians 3:16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ.
Faith. It is fairly easy to explain, but more difficult to experience. It is the hope and belief of things not yet seen, but believe and hope for in the future. It is the belief there is SOMETHING nebulous, stronger and more enriching than what we have, what we see, what we experience, and know.
In a way, it is beyond us. But if we have it, IF we believe in that which we do not see, we do not experience, we have faith.
For me faith developed overtime. I accepted Christ as my savior, but then what? I didn’t totally understand how to grow the faith. I would attempt to read the bible, particularly the Old Testament, and in all honestly it was ‘blah, blah, blah, and some more blah, blah blah.’ WHAT??
What is this saying? What is pertinent? Do I care or understand what a Selah of flour is or a cubit, or all this gold and silver??? NO, I don’t. I do not have the understanding, or the ability to recognize the importance….at THAT time. And the genealogy? One complicated name after another begetting another. I felt frustrated with the reading. I liked the New Testament.
However, over time, listening to different sermons, I was shown the connection from an Old Testament history, wording, promise and whatever, and how it was connected and followed through to the New Testament. Oh, now, I can read with more ease. I could connect. Oh boy, now it was getting good and exciting! Over time, God revealed things, and other bible teachers helped open my eyes…Joyce Meyer. Joseph Prince, Charles and Andy Stanley, and I began to say ‘oh, noooow I’m getting it.’ There is still lots more to learn, but it is a growing process, as we mature as Christians, we understand more of the Word, the Living Word, unchangeable and written for all.
It became easier to understand things that were SO hidden to me prior to others teaching. Now, with a stronger base, I can examine more on my own and my understanding increases each time I explore the bible. And it has broadened my understanding. I KNOW God loves me, I don’t always understand this, ( as this is not the way of most humans. We have a judging system, and do not like some others we come across. But God loves all His children, equally). And I want that desperately. I KNOW HE does. Jesus, sinless, wonderful in-human form, yet God, JESUS willingly took my place of beating, scourging, crucifixion, death and RESURRECTION—and He did this for ME.! Yes for YOU also, but for ME!! WOW!
My savior, my SAVIOR died a brutal death on a cross for MY sins, and YOURS, and then 3 days later He rose to ascend into heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father, and HE LIVES. He is ALIVE, ALIVE.
I KNOW this, no doubt, and I KNOW that He is with me and He will always want the best for me. But it took time for my brain to come together with my heart. I had doubts, questions, and uncertainties. Certainly it could NOT be ME that Jesus took to be with Him. I am pretty scummy, sinful, and yikes, ROTTEN, yes, ROTTEN. Must be a mistake.
But I didn’t want it to be a mistake. I wanted to belong to Jesus. I wanted Him to really want me…ME? Aww, did I even want me?
But slowly, with testing, and assurances, and reading and exploring and listening to teachers, I learned, ‘YEAH, He wants me. He loves me.’
And Faith grew. FAITH, that nebulous belief which is kind of hard to prove, but you KNOW. And I KNOW, KNOW that Jesus LOVES me, He died for Me and (for you IF you CHOOSE to accept Him as YOUR savior and LORD…then you are saved.
Your eternity is in heaven. . . . I understand it’s glorious. It sure beats fire, brimstone and agony.
I choose Jesus. Faith, it seems a little nebulous and full of questions at first…. I did a lot of testing. I accepted Jesus hearing the sermon on Judges 6:36-40. Gideon tested God, or at least his understanding of what God had asked of him with fleeces: “if this…then that.” Gideon was fairly certain he had heard from God, but not quite positive, so he hesitantly and with trepidation tested God.
So I initially tested, at first with minor things. “it’s pouring, can I have a parking spot right beside the store?. Please?” And it was available. I tested in simple, childlike ways and most of the tests were satisfied and quickly.
Then God said,”Enough. I have more than proved I can, I will, and I am able. No more tests. Stand on your faith.”
Aw-oh! Big girl panties. Did I have enough faith? Yes.
I still listen to bible teachers at my church, on television, and I read the bible often.
Wow, Jesus died for me. For ME! Jesus lived on earth, He suffered (by His stripes we are healed), He was crucified and died on the cross, and was buried in a tomb, and on the third day HE ROSE AND HE ASCENDED into heaven. HE LIVES!!
Our Savior is not dead, He is alive, and He cares, and He wants you . . . and His offer is better than the Uncle Sam poster claiming he wants you … Jesus wants you to spend eternity with Him. You will NEVER get a better offer than that.
Accept and start building your faith in the One who saves.
I am so glad it is the foundation of all ‘mybellaviews.’
Psalm 139:7-12 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me, if I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me, “ even the night shall be light about me; indeed the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.
Jonah 1:1-4, 9, 10, 12, 17 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. . . .(9-10) So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. . . (12) And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”. . . (17) Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah 2:1, 10 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. . . So God spoke to the fish, and the fish vomited him up onto dry land.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
I know several folks who do not want to accept Jesus as Lord and savior. Many feel ‘he was just a man, not the Man, the Messiah; talented speaker, charismatic, but no miracle worker.’ They do not believe God created– by voice– just spoke the world and all of creation into existence. They think there was an explosion or something. What? I’ve heard them also claim they humans were created from apes….then why are there still some apes, and some humans? What, pray tell, caused some to advance and develop and others to remain apes?
He will reach you wherever you are. You only need to reach back. He will find you in a darkened cave, in a drug filled den when you are stoned out of your mind, when you are in a dangerous situation of any kind of enemy or predator creeping close. He is everywhere, and He will reach you wherever, and set you free, bring you to Him, give you rest, and peace.e
That makes no sense to me. However, it makes no sense to me to hear folks who can see, feel, hear and experience all this wonderful world has to offer that they can really believe there is no creation and Creator. What caused the development of mountains, blue skies, lakes and ocean of vast and gorgeous blues, greens? What caused grasses and trees to have ranges in color of greens? The trees brilliantly change colors in early spring with new growth, and then change to yellows, golds, and rusts in the fall. How does one’s incredible body operate without you giving it a command? But your heart beats, your lungs fill with air, your eyelids blink, your stomach moves food along its path, all without you consciously thinking to make the various parts work.
We are a small part of God’s creation, but His most important part to Him. He made us in His likeness; He wants a relationship with us. But as most know, a relationship takes at least two beings, maybe a few more. I believe all of creation is important to Him. He is aware even of a sparrow’s fall, so He certainly cares even more for us. We are made in His image; we therefore make a bigger impact, positive or negative.
He is all knowing, and He is chasing after each of us. He will not force a relationship, He wants you to come willingly, gratefully.
I don’t understand why or how anyone wants to run from Him. But I know He is everywhere, all the time, and although you run, He can and will still be there if you ask and accept Him. Running doesn’t work to your advantage. It makes me sad to hear folks resist. What does your future look like after this life? Thankfully, I know what mine looks like, and I am so relieved. I would hate to think of nothing after. I know I will be in heaven, and with the inept words, the best descriptions these men could give of the visions they saw, I believe heaven is more spectacular than the descriptions.
I know some of the reasons folks choose to go their own way. They believe, and so far, have seemed, to be in control. They have not faced serious illness or injury, have not faced financial setbacks. They have made their own decisions in life and have chosen well for themselves. But they have no control over disease or severe accident/injuries. And maybe even then, the ones I love will not choose to reach out to God and let Him in. My heart grieves for this. My prayers will always continue in the same vein; I pray they will see His light before it is too late.
Thank You God for choosing me, and helping me and mybellaviews.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
Ephesians 6:13-18 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
We live in a beautiful land full of different sites in one area or state to another. But this truly is one of our Creator’s masterpieces in my mind. Fortunately, throughout our young history, we have had men and women willing to go out an defend our freedoms, our way of life, our belief in a God above, Creator of all, and in the right for you to have and hold a different belief.
Our military are men and women who are prepared–educated, trained, and outfitted with clothing and weapons to support us, to defend us, and to protect us. They stand for us and the freedom we live with in our country. They are willing to defend us to the death; and there is no greater love than this to be willing to fight and face death, to protect us. They are men and women to be proud of. I remember as a child going to the Memorial Day parade. Sometimes, I was a spectator, other times I was marching also because of scouts or something. But there was a little pride and awe watching the parade, seeing the former service members marching with the pride lift of shoulders and chin, knowing they had faced bullets for me and my family to be safe, so our space program could move forward, so we could have a good education, and for so many reasons.
To me, military members have always elicited a sense of pride and thankfulness. I was able to get a full education, work in my field freely, without fear or rancor, I was able to take my children to church and raise them to be productive hard working members of society, and I was able to pray for these men and women to be safe and protected while they were serving in far away lands.
But I was aware, even as these proud older former military men and women marched, they had lost friends, siblings, family members and had felt the immediate and heartfelt grief of losing a loved one in battle. I did not. The ones I had lost were fighting in the civil war, quite a bit before my time. But still I felt honored, and very thankful and proud of those who walked past now.
We have a lot of freedoms in this country other countries do not have. And we owe our military and constitution for those freedoms. God has richly blessed this country. I am not sure He receives a lot of thankful hearts from many, but I know my friends and family are grateful for the blessings we have and for the military who have helped bring those freedoms about. And to all those who have sacrificed their lives for me and for this country, there are no words. Thank you for your service, for the service and loss to your family, and for being a part of keeping our country free.
God watch over all on this Memorial Day, remember those who have fallen and sacrificed.
God bless you all and your families. Thank You, God, for blessing me and ‘mybellaviews.’
Hi, I'm Kathy. Welcome to my website!