How's your walk with the Lord?
We must overcome illness
Sometimes it is easy to give into the depression that pain from chronic illness can bring. Especially when we have lost sleep or had an unrestful night. It is so easy to allow the pain that sometimes overwhelms us in the morning to colour our whole day. We must try to overcome that because if we don't, we will make matters worse.
It is true that our thinking patterns dictate how our day to day living is going to be. We can literally talk ourselves into having a worse day than what it is. How? you say... by not clinging to the LORD and taking all of our thoughts into the captivity of Christ. In order to stop the continual downward spiral of depression that pain brings, it is imperative that we try to redirect our thoughts and literally force our focus onto something other than our pain.
We should treat ourselves with the pain relief that our doctor has given us, take our other medications and do whatever else we can to relieve it. Then we must try to focus our attention onto what we can achieve that will lift us up. Because if we don't, we will talk ourselves into such a state that it will exacerbate the pain. Thoughts can and will do that- and serve up a great dish of depression that is hard to shake.
Now please don't throw tomatoes at me for being direct, because I suffer pain in movement and just in breathing every moment of every day. I speak to you on your level and with understanding. That is why I know the reality of pain and its effect on our life. I know that to live a reasonably personally satisfying life, we must overcome the pain by redirecting our focus!
When I am in so much pain that I cannot stand it, I listen to worship music, blog or write my feelings in poetry. Poetry can be a healing medium and a release. Another thing I avoid like the plague is forums for disabled or chronically ill people. Why? Because they force us to focus on others' pain.... this can be too much to bear when we have our own. Believe me, you can dwell too much on your disability and pain and weaken your enjoyment of life.
Enjoyment of life? what enjoyment is there in life? you ask. There is always something to enjoy in life, even in the worst of times. Vision, hearing, touch, love, dear ones, sunshine, birds singing, coffee brewing, soft sheets, warm showers, freshly fallen rain, restful sleep after pain. I am sure you could add to the list. If you don't shift your focus, you will definitely sink into the Pit of Despair. And you *don't* want to go there!
What I am saying is that those of us who suffer from unrelenting pain *have to* make a supreme effort to shift our focus onto something *greater* than the pain. Because pain will be our constant companion, we therefore have to *live* above the pain factor. Easier said than done, you say! Of course it is, but what alternative do we have?
We have to overcome the psychological effects of pain as much as we are able or else our life will be one of constant distress and frustration. Lift your thoughts to a higher place if you can, and lean on God. It will be hard to not make matters worse for ourselves by refusing to accept our illness, but we must be overcomers...
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Chronically ill but faithful
For His sake put some clothes on!
Once we name the name of Christ, we automatically come under greater scrutiny, not only from the world, but from fellow Christians. Like it or not, one of the first things that is gauged about our commitment to Christ is our appearance. Unfortunately, a lot of us let the side down badly..
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
I have the mind of Christ
Don't let fear ruin your peace!
He did all things well
As a child
God is in control
In these harrowing times, it's important to cling to the LORD. He is in control. All He asks of us is that we trust Him.
In our Father's House!
It's the simplicity
I read about Christians who don't believe in the pre-trib rapture who accuse those of us who do as being spineless, and wanting a way of escape from the tribulation...
I asked myself, why would you want to stay? God in His Word has warned us what the tribulation is gonna be like and how He would hide us from that trial for the unbelieving world...
It is not from fear that I believe... I believe in the just, loving and protective nature of God. His past present and future acts of divine protection are what I see and believe Him to be. He never ever has punished the righteous with the unrighteous and I can't see Him doing it now
Further, did not the Israelites daub their doors with the blood of a lamb so that the Angel of Death would passover their dwelling? Because they knew enough about God's protection to do that... and that they did not want to die or be punished by not doing it. Not exactly fear but fear of God and obedience. So also with that knowledge comes the desire to be on God's side and protected by Him.
I think the post trib people are of the kind to want to prove a point- if not to God, but to themselves, that they must suffer for their faith when Christ has said there is no need to. Surely then pride comes into view... a puffed up sense of spiritual superiority... portraying us who long for His catching us up to Himself, a second rate class of Christian...
I think it is human nature to want to save one's own skin... and why would anyone willingly want to stay to drink of a cup that we don't have to drink? We know God's wrath is not for us. But yes, even so- it is not a sin to want to flee the horrors Jesus warned us about..
To me, the post tribbers seem to be taking the simplicity of accepting Christ's offer to keep us from the hour of trial and turning it into a works oriented faith.
Christ tells us to be watching and ready for the rapture. Simply being alert and longing for the Blessed Hope... an act of faith and a gift of grace.
The post tribbers must rely on their works and struggle to keep alive until the Second Coming... enduring unspeakable horrors that clearly are not what they were saved to endure.
We have a very loving Father Who has His children's best interests at heart. He's already sent His Son to die for us. His Son has now returned to the Father. He now prepares a place for us.
All He asks is that we stay faithful to Him and look with longing for His return for His Bride...
Maybe that is what is a stumbling block to the prideful post tribbers. The love. The simplicity.
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth- Revelation 3:10
Where will you go?
In life, we don't have a say how we were born, or who our parents are, but in death, we do have a say. Either we will be in Heaven or hell. Either our Father will be God or the devil.
Sick of doing good
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household- Galatians 6:9-10
While we wait for Jesus
Resolve to keep close to Christ and to share to others whenever possible that they need to know Jesus as their Saviour NOW. But, be glad for whatever calling you are in now, and keep on keeping on.
Faith stronger than fear
As soon as I made my way to a seat in the ICU waiting room, I felt a peace wash over me like a cloak around my shoulders.
I knew that she was going to pull through- which she did and I still can remember the feeling of faithful assurance and peace that defied the situation.
Give your cares to Jesus and feel His peace in your life. No matter what the situation. Let your faith become stronger than your fear.
© Glenys Robyn Hicks
Ours alone to deal with
Salvation: Responding to Gods' invitation to accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour is a very personal thing. Nobody can do it for you. You can't be saved by relying on your church attendance or your parents' or spouses' profession of faith. Salvation is strictly between you and God. It is by its very deeply personal connection between you and Gods' Holy Spirit, that you are saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10
Responsibility for your own actions: The original finger-pointing and blame shifting happened in the Garden of Eden. Eve blamed the serpent, claiming that he beguiled her and she ate the fruit, and after eating of that same fruit, Adam shifted the blame to Eve, claiming that she shouldn't have shared it with him. We are experts at avoiding responsibility for our own actions. But taking responsibility for our own actions is critical in coming to a place of repentance. When I shall say to the righteous, [that] he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. Ezekiel 33:13
Repentance: Being convicted of an offence or sin before the LORD is often something that is personally painful. No one else can make us repent, it is again a deeply personal matter of the heart.There can be no repentance if one does not take responsibility for our actions that gave occasion for us to sin. Only we can repent of our own sins. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
Obedience to God: We are required to obey God. One can obey Him but with an impure heart. Others can force us to tow the line, and we can give lip service to God, and fool man. But this outward obedience doesn't fool God. True obedience comes from a servants' heart, a clean heart that longs for the closeness that obedience brings in our relationship between Him and us. And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart. 2 Chronicles 25:2
Faith: Likewise faith is something one either has or hasn't got. No one can bestow faith on us. It is a very personal thing, again a matter of heart that only we can have or pray for, for even so faith is a gift from God.. But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Feeding on the Word: Whilst it is true that one can be forced to endure bible studies and gospel readings, if ones' heart is not in it, it will not bear fruit. We have to be prepared to listen... and learn. So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
Attitude to life: No one can form the attitude we choose to take in life. We can be persuaded or forced to comply to a set way of thinking, but ultimately we take charge of how we respond to life and its joys or stresses. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45
Control of thoughts and emotions: Whilst people can encourage us to display certain emotions, we are the ones who must learn to master them. With all the above coming into play in our lives, control of thoughts and emotions are critical. Thoughts and emotions vie side by side in importance for one controls the other. For through these thoughts and emotions, attitudes are produced and if entertained, they become actions. For good or bad. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5
We must get over the finger pointing and crying that "the devil made me do it!" and take responsibility for our own life. Accountability is both a pain and pleasure but something that we all are before the LORD. You are responsible for yourself and no one else. Let's run the race well and be responsible for ourselves!. Ourselves are ours alone to deal with!