DATE:
PLANTING SEEDS: (Truth)
Scripture Memorization : Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
COFFEE CUP COUNSELING: (My Personal Perspective)
I remember when I came to Christ, just 12 short years ago, as I shared before, I was in the darkest place in my life. I was suicidal and depressed. The kind of depressed that makes you not want to brush your teeth, not care about life, or anyone in it. It’s dark. When I say dark, I mean hopeless and when I say hopeless I mean to say you can’t even see any possible way out. Luckily, I reached out to the Bible for comfort and answers. I began to finally absorb Truth. Truth is only found in the Bible, not in people. The issue with problems in our lives is we look to all sorts of things for answers, and don’t stop until we find someone or something to tell us what we want to hear to solve our problems. People provide you their answers and their opinions and their experiences, but those things are not absolute answers. The Bible is absolute solutions.
To make matters a little tougher during that time in my life, I happen to have opened the Bible and began to read things about myself that God revealed to me as sin. He did not point out the sins of anyone else, which I suppose I had hoped he would. I was looking for sympathy. See, at that time, I owned a bar, it was fun and exciting and filled with parties every single day, with loads of friends. I had tons. If there wasn’t a party, I’d make one. I’m very much Sanguine, so this lifestyle seemed to fit my flesh very well, and it did. If you wanted to see every single one of my fleshly temptations that I was personally tempted with, and indulged in daily, you could view them very clearly if you had spiritual eyes. At that time, I did not, nor did anyone I hung out with. My life suddenly experienced a drastic earthquake. Thankfully, God took the opportunity at the only time in my life that I might listen, to expose my sins. He did it, however, without condemnation. He didn’t bring guilt or punishment. He brought answers.
Many times, we see God as a Sadistic killer, who already knows who is going to heaven and who is not, and yet we say, he made us anyway, so we can suffer and be humiliated and fight temptations that he put in us. We mistakenly think we don’t have a choice in the matter, which ironically means that we actually all were made for heaven, but sadly too many of us choose our sins over our Savior. I had one friend tell me straight out, God makes people like you Angie to go to heaven, and people like me to go to Hell. Instantly my flags came up, and I said, “is that really how you see God”. You are going to blame God because you continually indulge in your sin? Because that’s the real reason we see God that way. We all have fleshly temptations, and if we choose to act on them, our perspective about God is tainted.
We also get frustrated with God when he doesn’t answer our prayers. Or when someone passes away. We see God as withholding our dreams and taking things from us. We can get overwhelmed in grief, mainly because we don’t truly understand how much God loves us, and can only focus on our own circumstances. We need to get into His word to understand who He truly is, not our perspective of him.
After 12 yrs of experiences with God in my own personal life, my view has changed drastically. Now when my temptation flares, and I find myself getting upset because my flesh wants to indulge in my sins, I thank God for providing the Holy Spirit to lead me into righteousness, because I know, in doing so, not only am safeguarding my eternity, but also I am being a witness to others without ever having to say a word. Now, I still have a lot to work on. I still have many things that God has to work on me with, but I’m very thankful that I’m on his side, so he can warn me when I’m about to make a wrong turn and correct me when I’m confused, and instruct me when I’m open to instruction and forgives me when I tell him I’ve made a mistake.
He’s an amazing God.
So share away. Speak truth, set the captives free!
MEDITATION & DISCUSSION:
Take time to journal your thoughts on this scripture. You are more than welcomed to share your insight, testimony, thoughts, questions with me below, or keep it for your own personal journal.
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SHARE WITH A FRIEND:
Studies indicate that if we share what we have learned with someone else within 24 hours of being taught, the chances of it remaining in our memory is increased. If you have had a friend, relative, or anyone come to mind while reading this blog, please share this with them! You can text it, post it to Social Media, Discuss it at Bible Study, watch my YouTube Channel or print this blog out, invite a friend to have coffee and discuss! It’s easy!
I’m going to share today’s blog with _____________________________________________________.
I thought of them because:
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Don’t forget to memorize and meditate on today’s Word! It’s absolute Truth!
Scripture Memorization : Psalm 119:11 (NIV)
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.