I feel happy when my beloved Buddy smiles. It shows that he enjoys living with me. After three years of being abused by his former owner, he’s loved sharing thirteen-and-a-half years with me now, someone who loves and dotes on him.
God is called “Our Heavenly Father (Matthew 6:26, 32),” yet sometimes Christians are presented with a solemn, joyless image of Jesus in movies and pictures as if being miserable or unhappy is the preferable Christian personality.
Does your earthly father want you to be miserable? (If mentally healthy, he doesn’t.)
Or, too often, pastors tell us that joy is independent of circumstance, meaning that you’re not supposed to feel or be happy, as if a smiling countenance means you’re not thoughtful or taking your faith seriously. That you can be cognitively happy, but to actually be happy is an unrealistic expectation.
Please ask yourself: Does a happy, energetic joyful person attract you more or less than a solemn, frowning person?
Jesus told His disciples:
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”—John 15:11
I believe Jesus wants us to be authentic people. To be honest with Him when we talk with Him. To cry when we’re suffering, to smile when we’re happy, to laugh when we think something’s funny.
Jesus said:
“I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”—John 10:10
After all, who invented laughter?
As the Bible says, and modern scientific research continually confirms:
“A cheerful heart is good medicine.”—Proverbs 17:22
Go ahead and enjoy life.
Giving thanks to our loving Father Who has created a beautiful world full of wonders.
After all, who should be the happiest people on earth than Christians who know that all these worldly sufferings are temporary and in no way comparable to the eternal joys of heaven (Romans 8:28) prepares for us by a loving God?
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
PS. I realize pastors are trying to deal with human suffering, but is that how God wants our lives to be? Nothing but suffering without overcoming? To focus only on unhappiness? Even cops use gallows humor to defuse stressful situations.
When I first left Buddy to stay for a few days with my parents, I was concerned he’d become their pet and not return home with me to our condo.
Turns out that he stares at the front door for hours, waiting for my return. Buddy does not forget that he’s my best pal.
My parents love Buddy and he’s fond of them, but he loves me the “mostest”.
The Apostle James reminds Christians not to forget who they are:
“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”—James 1:23-24
Once you were “dead in your trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1),” “slaves to sin (Romans 6:20)” and “the powers of darkness (Colossians 1:13),” until you believed in the Gospel and became born again.
You were a sinner who sometimes did good deeds.
But now you are a saint who sometimes sins!
“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”—Apostle Paul, Romans 6:18
You are no longer a dirty worm. Nor a reformed sinner.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”—Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 5:17
You are a saint! You want to act saintly.
Or you grieve the Holy Spirit within you and become miserable.
It’s vitally important that you remember who you are! What is now your natural bent!
You were dead; now you’re spiritually alive!
The author CS Lewis got it correct in his Narnia book series:
You are now a prince or princess. You now wear the royal garments of Christ Jesus.
Look into the mirror which reflects back “Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).”
Buddy wasn’t too thrilled to get a bath this afternoon, but he was starting to get stinky. No one wants to be around a stinker.
Sometimes I have a stinky attitude; the only thing that can wash it away is to remind myself about God’s love and power toward me.
“But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy hill.”—King David, Psalm 3:3-4
Reminding myself to call out to my Lord when I feel distressed or sad gives the Holy Spirit the opportunity to work on my attitude.
And He will lift my attitude skyward, to rise above my circumstances, to remember that He is with (me) always, even to the end of the age,*” to grant me the courage to face the day.
Nobody enjoys the company of someone with a stinky attitude. Instead of wallowing in self pity, it’s best to call out to Jesus, just like the ancient King David did.
Ah, Christmastime. The time, once again, to torment our furpals with costumes as part of the holiday season traditions.
Just as Buddy isn’t too keen to put on his Christmas outfit, there is a group of Christians who seemingly refuse to enter into the joy of the season and put on their happy faces.
They self-righteously proclaim several reasons for not participating in the Christmas spirit:
Jesus wasn’t born on Christmas Day. He was likely born in Springtime as the shepherds were sleeping outside in the field.
Christmas is a pagan holiday, since it takes place on, and replaces, the pagan holiday of Saturnalia, traditionally celebrated around December 25th.
They claim that the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol, so we shouldn’t put up a tree in our homes.
And a couple other highlights worthy of Dickens’ Scrooge:
You shouldn’t be celebrating with your family on Christmas Day. You should be out serving and helping the poor.
You shouldn’t waste your money buying gifts for family and friends who already have too much. Give your money to charity, instead.
I remember something a Counseling Pastor’s wife once said: “Christians need to stop shoulding on other people.”
About a week ago I attended a Christmas Party with fellow authors. One dour-faced woman announced that she’d just received her license as a pastor (the denomination surprised me).
She scowled through the entire party, her small, bear-like eyes never sparkling with joy or gratitude. Not even a forklift could lift up the corners of her mouth to resemble anything like a smile.
I would never want to be her friend, let alone listen to her preach. As an unbeliever, I’d probably run the other direction if I saw her heading my way.
I remember walking to a church service one night with a group of students from the dormitory when attending college. I wasn’t a Christian then and appreciated that they wanted me to accompany them.
But, the pastor preached that you should never joke or be jovial, but always “sober-minded (1Peter 4:7, 5:8).” As an aspiring comic strip cartoonist, this lecture was a big turnoff to ever joining that denomination. After all, isn’t it the Scriptures that advise: “A joyful heart is good medicine. But a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22).”
The Christian spoilsports always seem to rear up their legalistic heads during any holiday.
The Christmas tree actually has its origins during the Protestant Reformation. Supposedly Martin Luther began the tradition in Wittenberg, Germany, while walking beneath an awe inspiring, starry sky: “This wondrous sight inspired him to set up a candle-lit fir tree in his house that Christmas to remind his children of the starry heavens from whence their Saviour came.” The tradition supposedly was imported into Great Britain by Queen Charlotte, December 1800. (See article by Alison Barnes, 2006: https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/first-christmas-tree). Some scholars say that the traditional star atop the Christmas tree represents the Star of Bethlehem.
OK. Jesus likely wasn’t born on December 25th. But the early church planted the holiday tradition on this date to turn people’s attention away from worshipping a false god to worshipping the true God, Jesus Christ. Just as they built many churches upon the ruins of pagan temples.
Isn’t it wonderful to have festive Christmas lights and beautiful carols and family celebrations during the darkest time of the year?
Instead of being focused on the Winter Solstice, a traditional tine for pagan celebrations during the shortest day of the year, people are instead preoccupied with parties, gift giving, remembering the poor, baking delicious goodies, decorating their homes, and celebrating loving relationships.
If someone wants to be a Christmas Scrooge and scowl their way through the “happiest time of the year (see below video)” that’s OK. God’s unconditional love shines also upon his cranky children; they’re recipients of God’s grace too and deserve our love and compassion.
But don’t feel obligated, please, to heed their joy-killing admonitions.
Even the angels took a break to joyfully announce the birth of the Savior to lowly shepherds one dark night:
“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
“And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
“‘For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.
“‘And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’”—Luke 2
Enjoy the holiday season.
Merry Christmas from Dawn and Buddy
Don’t worry; be happy!
***
Knowing Jesus Christ is good news. It’s wonderful to discover that God is real and loves you immensely.
But too many Christians only preach half the gospel, so it sounds like bad news, instead of the Great Good News that it really is.
Through Moses, God brought the Law, His rules of right and wrong, to show us how sinful we are and in need of abandoning our right to rule our lives and submit to His rule and authority.
But too many legalists stop there.
God makes you feel bad to announce the way to eternal happiness.
Jesus died for our sins on the Cross so that we don’t have to suffer the punishment for rebelling against a holy God (Colossians 2:13-14).
But followers of Jesus are saved, given eternal life, through His resurrection (1 Peter 1:3).
Too many focus on the Cross and forget why He was resurrected. He rose bodily, not spiritually, and walked amongst His followers for 40 days till he rose heavenward with his apostles looking on.
We are all born spiritually dead. No one is holy enough to deserve to be saved, to become born again. Everyone must repent.
But we must repent so that we can be given spiritual life by the Holy Spirit.
Other religions or leaders can tell you how to be good. But only Jesus can give you spiritual life. That’s why He claimed to be:
“The way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”—John 14:6
EVERYONE needs to repent to receive eternal life with God in Heaven. There’s no sliding scale where someone does enough good deeds to get in.
Jesus said that the standard to enter heaven through good works is “perfection (Matthew 5:8).”
No one is perfect, even if they think they are.
EVERYONE is on the same level, and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). It’s the most fair religion there is.
NO ONE can earn their way into bliss. EVERYONE must humble themselves before the Almighty Lord.
Are you ready to become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) in Christ Jesus? If so, please repeat the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and ask for Your forgiveness. I realize that I can never be good enough or do enough good deeds to earn your love and forgiveness. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. And teach me how much You love me. Thank You for hearing my prayers. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible daily. I suggest starting with the Book of Luke this Christmas Season as it tells the most complete story of the first Christmas. The Bible is your soul food. Just as you need to eat daily for your body to be properly nourished, so does your soul.
Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message) and http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by false teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well.
God bless you as you celebrate your first Christmas, united with God through Christ Jesus.
Every time I look at Buddy, I smile because I love him so much.
Now many preachers claim that joy is independent of circumstances, but happiness is based upon circumstance. In other words, you can be joyful even when life sucks.
But I think joy is more than an attitude, but also a wonderful feeling. When I focus on the Lord, how magnificent, creative, intelligent, patient, and kind He is, it’s more than an intellectual exercise: I feel gratitude and thankfulness and love.
So, if you’re feeling down or under spiritual attack, please start praising God and singing His praises.
“Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”—Nehemiah 8:10
It’s Christmas time, when God sent His greatest gift, the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ, “God With Us (Matthew 2:23).”
Go and enjoy great food, gift giving, and loving relationships this Christmas Season.
God actually encourages celebrating His goodness.
As artist Sandra Boynton made famous: Don’t let the turkeys get you down.
Buddy was squealing frequently yesterday, indicating that he was in pain. He limped a little but wouldn’t allow anyone to approach him to inspect his paws. At times he’d stand behind me and squeal, causing me to jump in surprise. But I couldn’t take him to the veterinarian till today as I had to take a family member to their doctor for a post op checkup.
Buddy calmed down later in the evening, so I didn’t have to take him to the After Hours emergency clinic.
But I was distressed, wondering why God allowed him to get hurt the same afternoon that I needed to help someone else who couldn’t drive themselves.
You can see above that Buddy wasn’t happy visiting the veterinarian and wanted out of the clinic room.
But the Lord was answering my prayers to protect Buddy.
Fortunately, the vet discovered that he had something imbedded in his paw pad that likely poked him at times and two little burrs between his toes. I have to be more diligent in inspecting his paws in the future, particularly as Buddy is the most careless of any of dog I’ve owned regarding where he steps.
For instance, this past winter we were walking on a trail. There was a big pad of horse poop. I thought surely Buddy would be wise enough to walk around it.
Nope. He shoved one little front paw straight into the center of the plop. I had to wash his paw, after carrying him across my living room into the bathroom to protect my rug.
But just as Buddy should be more careful about where he puts his paws (he won’t), it’s beneficial to our physical, mental, and spiritual health to be careful to monitor our thoughts, as thought precedes emotion.
The Scriptures frequently exhort believers to be joyful.
After the exiles returned from Babylon to Jerusalem to successfully rebuild the city’s walls, they wept over their sin. The scribe Ezra had read God’s commands from the Holy Scriptures for many hours, and they felt convicted.
But what did God want them to focus on?
His mercy and goodness.
Nehemiah told the weeping Israelites:
“‘Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is Holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’”—Nehemiah 8:10
Life is short. Please don’t spend it being unhappy. Be joyful.
And please remember, when times are tough, if you know Jesus, there is a seat at the table of God’s great banquet reserved for you in Heaven.
Prepared by a loving and merciful God so that you can rejoice in His goodness.
The Apostle John wrote in Revelation, verse 19:9:
“Then the Angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’”
Amen! God bless you.
Look to the future and be happy.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy.
***
You see, Jesus doesn’t want to bring punishment and judgment. He wants you to accept Him as your Lord and God, repent of your refusal to obey Him, and give you eternal life. But it’s your decision.
If you’re ready to become born again, to follow the Lord Jesus, please pray the below, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sin and take my punishment on the Cross. Thank you for not wanting to punish me, but to save and love me. I call on Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. Please forgive my sin. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I want to live for You. In the name of Jesus, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please read the Bible as it’s your spiritual food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment, so your soul needs daily food—soul food. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.
Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. Both have apps, if that’s your preference. There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled by false teaching or legalism till you know the Bible fairly well.
Remember, God loves you. Focus on Jesus and His righteousness and goodness. Relax and let the Holy Spirit work through you.
It really hurts my feelings when Buddy cringes as I reach down toward him. My intent is to lovingly pat him on the head, but due to past abuse before his adoption, he often still acts as if I want to hit him.
Anyone who knows me also knows that I adore Buddy and would not beat on him.
The Apostle John appears to have addressed this same issue of how we perceive our Lord in his first epistle, 1 John 4:18-19:
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment. But he who fears has not been perfected in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”
(Please note: My NASB translation of the ancient Greek reads “punishment” but the New King James version (1982) reads “torment”.)
If you fear that you’ll lose your faith and, therefore, your salvation, your love for God is incomplete. If you think there will be a big screen review of your life’s sins on Judgment Day, then your love for God is incomplete.
Because you are still fearing God will punish you in the afterlife, it’s impossible for you to fully love God. You cannot trust someone you believe wants to punish you.
Fear and love cannot reside together.
So please search your heart.
Do you truly believe that the Lord Jesus always wants the best for you? “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28)”.
Because if you’re afraid of pending punishment, the Apostle John states that you are like Buddy, cringing and pulling your head down in fear, when Jesus really wants to give you a loving pat on the head.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
PS. I’m visiting family so am posting a briefer blog tonight. I promised two more posts on the topic of salvation security; this touches on the topic but isn’t the two I’d planned. Please watch for posts #3 and #4 in the future.
***
The Lord Jesus promises that anyone “who hears My word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”—John 5:24
The Lord loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to the earth to be born as a baby to grow up and live amongst imperfect, unholy people. The human race is made in God’s image; He cherishes human life so much that part of the Godhead was incarnated then died to take the punishment for the sins we’ve committed. Because Jesus lived a perfect life, He didn’t need to pay for His own sins, so He could pay for ours, instead.
You can choose to reject Christ’s offer of forgiveness, but it’s like having a million dollars in your bank account that could bring you joy, but you never collect it.
The reason I post these blogs—take the time—is because Jesus changed my heart. My life is better, not because the world has changed, but because I am no longer so self destructive; over time, the Lord has been healing me of wrong beliefs and attitudes. I want this same blessing for others. My own salvation is NOT dependent upon whether or not someone else believes.
If you’d like a new beginning—within your soul, please pray the following, out loud if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m sorry for my sin and failures. Please forgive me. I call on Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Grant me the gift of the Holy Spirit to give me new life. I give my life to You. Please show me how much You love me. Thank you that Jesus took the punishment for my sins and was raised from the dead, so that I don’t have to be afraid of You, but can love You. I ask in the name of your holy Son, Jesus, and thank You for answering, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible every day as it’s your soul food. The Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and mind through this supernatural book. Just as your body needs daily nourishment, so does your soul.
And start attending a Bible based church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these two ministries, which also have apps, if that’s your preference: http://www.LTW.org (Leading The Way) or http://www.AndrewFarley.org (The Grace Message). There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get caught in legalism or bad teaching till you get to know the Bible fairly well.
Ask the Lord to guide you to the correct church or study. He promises to lead and guide you (Psalm 32:8) and to grant you wisdom if you ask for it (James 1:5).
May Buddy and I meet you in heaven one day.
God bless You as you start your new life in Christ.
Buddy is such a sweet boy, that he’ll acquiesce to getting a bath. Although he’d prefer not to.
After his bath, my squeaky clean little monkey races around, joyous to be released from his confinement to the tub and bathroom.
Sadly, many people never experience the joy of feeling released, even Christians.
Jesus warned that refusing to forgive would bind someone with the torment of bitterness and anger:
“‘You wicked slave. I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart.”
In this parable a high level slave owed his master a debt so enormous that it was impossible to repay. When the slave begged his master to permit him to repay, the master forgave him the debt, instead of insisting he pay.
Every person has a debt they can never repay: our sin. Since the entry requirement into Heaven and living in the presence of a holy God is perfection (Matthew 5:48), Jesus became incarnate and died in our place. Everyone who admits they’re a sinner and asks Jesus to be their Lord and Savior, receives this forgiveness (Romans 10:3).
Because God has forgiven our impossible sin debt against Himself, He demands that we forgive those who sin against us. In His eyes, we have no right not to forgive our fellow sinners. He is the Lord and we are not.
“Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.”—Jesus, Luke 17:3
Now, that doesn’t mean you continue in an abusive situation or relationship. That not only brings you harm, but is actually ungodly behavior, because you’re enabling the other person to continue sinning instead of forcing them to confront their wicked behavior and repent. Jesus commands to forgive—but also to rebuke, if necessary. If you’re in this type of situation, please seek professional help, as this blog is not intended to offer assistance in such instances.
Note what happens to the wicked slave who refused to forgive his fellow servant who owed a smaller debt that was payable: He was tortured.
I am not condemning anyone. I struggled with forgiveness myself. I’ve suffered some pretty horrific situations, but also great harm from selfish or petty people. And I tormented my soul for years with bitter and angry thoughts. It didn’t benefit me even a teensy bit. I suffered the torment of bitter thoughts, while those who mistreated me seemingly enjoyed their lives. It’s actually stupid to inflect self torment.
When I began the process of forgiving from the heart, my soul felt lighter. Then I prayed that the Lord would bring to mind anyone I hadn’t forgiven and free me from that bondage. My soul now feels like a helium balloon floating skyward, free and light, that someone let go of its string.
I am telling you the truth: The more you forgive, the lighter your soul feels. You begin to realize how those unforgiving thoughts, tormented and weighed down your soul.
Many people have been carrying that heavy load of unforgiveness for so long, that they’ve gotten used to the weight and don’t realize how it’s weighing down their life and spirit.
Is that you?
Jesus never commands us to do anything that isn’t for our benefit and welfare.
Be like Buddy: Ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse your soul of tormenting thoughts, caused by a refusal to forgive others, and be joyous.
Or, as the author Oscar Wilde declared:
“Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so much.”
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy.
***
It’s difficult to forgive without the help of the Holy Spirit. When you ask Jesus into your life and accept Him as your Lord and God, you are given a new heart spiritually. This is called becoming born again.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”—Prophet Ezekiel, Ezekiel 36:26
If you’re ready to begin walking on a new life path, please repeat the following out loud, if possible:
Dear Heavenly Father, I want a new life and a new spirit that’s eager to forgive others. Please forgive my sins. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I believe Jesus died for my sins and was raised from the dead, offering resurrection life to anyone who calls upon Him with a sincere heart. I ask that You fill me with Your Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Thank you for loving me, despite my faults. In the holy name of Jesus, amen.
If you prayed sincerely, congratulations, you’re born again. Please start reading the Bible as it’s your soul food. Just as your body needs daily nourishment, so does your soul. I suggest starting with the book if Matthew as it’s easy to understand.
Also, please join a Bible believing church or Bible study. And get baptized. If that’s not possible right now, I recommend these ministries, which also have apps if that’s your preference: http://www.AndrewFarley.org and http://www.LTW.org. There are also other godly ministries, but it’s easy to get caught up with legalism or false teaching till you know the Bible fairly well.
Somehow Buddy senses whether I’m leaving for a long or a short time. If it’s a short trip, he thinks I’m obligated to take him along. He gets angry when I don’t.
He starts barking as soon as he spots me returning across the courtyard. Then he gives me a good chewing out once I enter our home. Oddly, he doesn’t bark otherwise.
When I’m with him, Buddy feels safe and at peace. He’s distressed when I’m not around.
When you become born again, the Holy Spirit comes and takes residence within your spirit. You are made alive, because your heart is circumcised and made new by the indwelling power of God’s presence (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 2:29, Ezekiel 36:26-27).
As a result, the Lord promises “‘I will never desert you, nor will I forsake you’, so that “we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what will man do to me?’Hebrews 13:5-6)”
God also promises that anyplace we go, He has us in His grasp: “You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me (Psalm 139:5).”
The dictionary defines “forsake” as “to abandon in time of need.”
I cannot promise never to leave nor forsake Buddy. I’m human, so it’s not always possible to be with him nor foresee all potential dangers. And there’s also the possibility that I could die suddenly and he’d come into my family’s care.
People who do not know Jesus don’t have the guarantee of His help or presence in time of need. Therefore, it’s not possible for their hearts and minds to remain at peace. Jesus says that peace s a GIFT that He gives to His followers:
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27).”
People of the world find all sorts of ways to seek peace and freedom from anxiety: pharmaceuticals, drugs, alcohol, parties and sex, camping, vacations, reading, political activism, binging TV programs—and many other ways to forget their anxiety. The world is unsteady. Evil never rests so needless wars, corruption and economies erupt, with unanticipated gusts of rest. But all attempts to escape the anxiety of an uncertain world and future are only temporary fixes.
As Jesus said, His peace is not like the world’s. Because He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent, He is always involved in our lives and aware of our circumstances. He loves each child of His and has each one in His embrace.
God promises a peace that is not based on circumstances:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and the mountains slip into the heart of the sea (Psalm 46:1-2).”
A Christian’s peace comes from keeping our focus on the Lord. Anytime I or you turn our attention to what’s going on in the world, we become anxious because it’s really out of our control. We can do the best with what’s in our control—eat healthy, work hard, be kind—but even then, eating healthy becomes meaningless when a car accident takes our life, or a layoff in an economic downturn renders our efforts moot, and being kind can be misinterpreted or not appreciated by the recipient.
We know that this world and its evil and problems are temporary, a mere vapor of time (James 4:14). Each Christian is destined for heaven, an eternity of joy. Even Jesus kept His focus on the future, on the innumerable people who would benefit from His sacrificial death for our sins:
“Who for the joy set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).”
So, my dear friends, when you feel anxious, remember:
“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).”
Because only God does not change, for He alone is a firm foundation, a solid rock to stand upon (Psalm 62:5). Our future is secure only in His hands. Cry out to Jesus when you’re anxious and worry, and find your rest in Him.
God bless you.
Much love from Dawn and Buddy
***
“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28)” is an invitation that Jesus offers to everyone who is willing to accept Him as their Lord and God.
Jesus gives His rest from trying to prove you’re good enough to earn His love and freely GIVES His love to those willing to admit they can never be good enough to earn His love. Salvation is a gift earned for us by Jesus: He lived a perfect life so that He could suffer the punishment our sins deserved. If He had sinned, He could never have died for our sins, having to die for His own.
Thank goodness Jesus was the perfect God-Man (Matthew 1:23), so He met the standard FOR US to enter Heaven.
But God wants us to love Him freely, without force.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me (Revelation 3:20).”
Are you willing to open that door and permit Jesus to be your God, to advise what’s right and wrong, how your life should be lived?
His ways are the best ways!
If you’re willing, please pray:
Heavenly Father, I want the rest from worry and anxiety that You give, the peace Jesus gives that’s not dependent upon the circumstances of life. Please forgive my sin. I ask Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. And fill me with the Holy Spirit. I give my life to You. Please help me enter your rest. In the name of Your holy son, Jesus, amen.
If you prayed with sincerity, congratulations, you are born again. Please start reading the Bible. Just as your body needs daily food to be healthy, your soul needs the daily nourishment of soul food—the Bible. I suggest starting with the Book of Matthew as it’s easy to understand.
Also, please find a Bible-based church and get baptized. Ask the Lord to guide you to the right church for you. If that’s not possible right now, I suggest these three ministries, which are my favorites: http://www.InTouch.org, http://www.LTW.org and http://www.AndrewFarley.org. All three also have apps, if that’s your preference. There are other godly ministries, but it’s easy to be misled when you’re a new believer till you know the Bible well enough to know if someone is teaching you correctly.
Good bless you. May Buddy and I see you in heaven.
Meditations About God and Buddy 