Secure

In another post, I presented a concepts called "daily grind of uncertainty." While in our hustle bustle world of busyness, this uncertainty can germinate when we are not focused on godly concepts and flourish when others with critical attitudes and comments cross our paths. However, three items can help us combat such feelings. First, remembering that you are of such importance that someone, God or Jesus, died to release you from anything that might cause uncertainly of closeness to God. Second, the Christian has the indwelling Holy Spirit, God himself, living within them; no person or entity is more powerful that God. Third Jesus will always protect our spiritual lives. We may pass through some times we struggle with many parts of life, but Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit said, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." John 10:28-30 

Clear perception

We place a great deal of dependence on our eyes and what we can see. When difficulties arise, we usually seek glasses or other solutions to maintain the ability to create images in our minds of those things we observe with our eyes. The eye is only one of our senses, but we tend to depend on them heavily. When we sense something via any of our senses, our minds react to it based on our previous experiences. Sounds, sight, and touch of a loved one remind us of many fond memories. Many visions can excite our perception about the magnificence of God’s creation. What we sense also drives our next actions; will they be positive or negative in God’s sight? If we have a strong previous experience of God’s word, then we can better translate those things we sense to make the better decisions for next feelings and steps. The Holy Spirit, who lives within the Christian desires to prompt us to make the best next actions for glorifying God in some way. He desires to help us make decision that guide us along holy pathways. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psa. 119:105); “The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.” (LK 11:34); “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? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a 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 7:3-5)

Light from Darkness

Many times we do things that in retrospect are either wrong or not best. When those things occurs, most times we would rather no one else knows about our failures and we try to hide them or consider them less serious than they really are. A way to describe not admitting mistakes or defects in our character can be described as "darkeness." A life dedicted to God attempts to admit that even though they are declared sinless by the grace of God, we are in fact, not sinless. When we admit these faults and confess our wrongdoings, we live in the light. A person living in the light doesn't need to fear God's judgment. The indwelling Holy Spirit will help overcome tendencies toward falsehood or dishonesty, if we ask Him. When we admit or confess our weaknesses and ask the Holy Spirit for help, help will come. One person said, "My desire to open my life to the light of God's truth and holiness reveals my desire to do what is right. My reluctance reveals how the power of sin has come into my life and my heart." John would advise this, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God." John 3:20-21 (NIV)

Prayer empowers

Recently, a picture was published showing a police officer keeling to pray beside his cruiser. This was actually a simple testimony to the power that he thought would protect him that day. Many other policemen pray verbal or silent prayers in their crusiers before leaving or on the way to answer a call, because they do not know what dangers they may face. Many military organizations have troops who will pray before going into battle every day. These examples speak of groups of people who understnd they live in a world of unseen and unexpected dangers. We all live in such a world, although the dangers may be differnt. The letter known as Acts documented the power of the Holy Spirit guiding early believers as they proclaimed the message of Jesus by their actions and words. The same Holy Spirit who empowered those early believers empowers us, to the degree we allow. Prayer is our avenue to His guidance. "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." Ephesians 6:18-20 (NIV)

Semper Fi

When people become exhausted or experience some level of pain, energy required for patiently addressing many situations dwindles and tempers can flare. Sometimes feelings are hurt or dreams and expectations end in heartbreak. Exhaustion can usually be solved with rest, but pain is a major source of energy drain on people; any type of pain may prevent getting the rest needed to restore healthy body functions. Prominent questions for addressing any pain focus on intensity and cause. Rest and relaxation can usually ease pain caused by simple physical stress and physiological pain can be addressed by a physician, while emotional pain is sometimes more difficult to calm since there may be so many intertwined causes and degrees of distress. Spiritual pain has only one solution, Jesus. Human emotions are an extremely powerful part of our existence. Inputs from any of our 5 senses can trigger thoughts and intense emotional responses; our emotions can quickly gain control of further thoughts and subsequent actions. Can the indwelling partner of Christians help in these situations? Yes! He knows every desire, expectation, thought, feeling, and inclination we have. If we turn to Him and ask, He will help us. The Holy Spirit does not prevent us from having certain feelings or emotional responses. He does not prevent us from making poor decisions or judge us – He wants to help us make good decisions. He does protect Christians against Satanic attacks to the degree allowed, we only need to turn to Him and ask. He speaks to us immediately when we admit we need His help, honestly pray to Him and open ourselves to His guidance. If we want to hear His response, we must open the Bible and listen to His words. Reading scripture and focusing on God can soothe anger, start healing bruised emotions, and provide guidance for next steps for any recovery needed. However, it is imperative we believe He will help and ask for His help. His operation is a continuance of the ways Jesus worked while here on earth. USA Marines have a strong bond exemplified by the motto: Semper fidelis, Latin for “always faithful.” A Christian’s bond to God is stronger; the Holy Spirit is always faithful to stand by us, protect and encourage us, as much as we will allow.

Sustenance

Jesus had much to say about sustenance and life. He used physical life as an example of the spiritual life within us. His hearers knew they needed food and water to stay alive. Jesus relates this need for sustenance to their spiritual lives. Jesus and God were one; we could see Jesus, but not God. Jesus not only demonstrated the qualities of God lived out in human form, but also how He was the solution to ALL spiritual challenges. He was water to quench spiritual; thirst (Jn 4:10), and bread, "Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35 (NIV)

Unbelief

Imagine God displayed as Jesus the prophet, trying to point His people back to a teaching they had overlooked. Jesus was the great prophet promised and the solution they so desperately needed, but they would not follow what had been given them earlier. It was their lack of following the earlier information that showed how mistaken they were about Jesus. Jesus harshly scolded the Jewish leaders when He said, "Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” John 5:45-47 (NASB)