The Sustaining Spirit

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22 

  

  We are all prone to weakness. Whether you are too weak to leave your sickbed, or have the muscles of Hercules, we are all weak in one way or another regardless of our physical condition. 

  Samson was one of the mightiest men who ever lived. A hero for the Hebrews, he killed his enemies and stacked their dead bodies like cordwood. Yet Samson had a moral weakness, and fell to the wiles of a deceitful woman. No man could conquer him, but a woman easily brought him to weakness and shame. 

  Those of us with chronic illnesses understand what it is to be physically weak, and if that were the end of the story, we would be objects of pity. Yet no one who believes in God and trusts to the strength of God is truly a weak man or woman. Indeed, the most physically weak believer who places their trust in God’s almighty power, the person who has faith and a strong foundation in the Lord, such a one can never truly be considered weak. 

  Through prayer, praise, and stirring up the spirit that is within us we are made strong. When we recall the great stories of faith in the Bible, and hold fast to those precious promises in scripture, and stir up our spirit in songs of praise and worship--we become a mighty army of believers. There are none weak among the spiritual soldiers of God. 

  The deaf, the blind, paraplegics, quadriplegics, the diseased, and even the dying Christian believer whose heart is filled with praise toward God can never be considered weak. 

  Our enemy has no fear of a muscle-bound unbeliever. Yet find the most ill, most afflicted, bed-ridden believer. Find one who has put their trust in God, and sends prayers continually before God. Those are the ones our enemy is grieved over and hates and resents. These afflicted believers are the warriors who spiritually destroy strongholds and bring down the walls our enemy places between humanity and God Almighty. 

  Never doubt your strength. Never doubt your ability. Read the Bible, pray, and simply believe. These are the weapons that make us strong above and beyond our physical abilities or limitations. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, the world and our enemy say we are weak, beaten, and overcome. Yet you say we are strong, mighty, and well able to overcome all things through You. We believe in and trust You Lord Jesus! Amen. 

Because Of Jesus, I will Not Fear

So we say with confidence, 

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. 

  What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:6 

  

  Years ago, the psychologist who had been evaluating me took his notes, turned them in my direction, and lay them before me, and I read the word: Agoraphobia. 

  I can’t say it was a surprise to me. When my physical health broke, my mental health was not far behind. I have learned that when your body is under serious duress it affects your mental health in various ways. Agoraphobia is a “fear of the marketplace”, at least that is one of its descriptions.  

  There are times that I enjoy shopping and actually like being part of a crowd. Yet when my physical afflictions are at their worst, I feel my ability to cope with shopping centers, and crowds in general, ebbs significantly. At such times I just want to be in a quiet, familiar place to calm my anxieties. Ironically, Agoraphobia also involves a fear of being left alone. When I’m feeling especially unwell, I like to have someone around. I can get anxious when I’m sick and alone. All of these feelings rise and fall depending upon my state of health. 

  We cannot always help how we feel. At times irrational fears may try to swamp our emotions. One thing that always helps to keep me grounded is the word of God. For instance, the verse above. Because of Jesus we need not fear, whether alone or in company, the Presence of the Lord is with us always. His Holy Spirit lives inside of us. Not only that, His Holy Angels stand guard over us, strengthen us, heal and help us (Hebrews 1:14). 

  Fear assails us in many ways and for a variety of reasons. Yet no matter the source of our fear it is quenched by prayer, faith, and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, fears often attack us, especially when we are at our weakest. Strengthen our feeble knees, lift up our weak arms in praise to You, and help us to never forget You are with us in all circumstances and in every place. Amen. 

How You Can Be Happy Even When Sick

“The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.” 1 Kings 4:20 

  

  I admire those who always seem happy.  

  Sometimes I feel happy looking at a beautiful blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds, or the night sky glowing with bright stars. At other times it is birds singing, or wind rustling the leaves of a tree that make me smile. Adding up all these little daily happy blessings, I find my happiness increasingly rises. 

  It is not easy to be ill and maintain happiness. It defies common sense to be sick and happy, suffer and still be able to laugh or simply smile. Yet there are those individuals that despite suffering, poverty, who having what any sane person would consider a miserable life, can still smile, laugh, and be happy. We look on in wonder at such people. We are amazed that anyone could be happy in terrible circumstances. 

  Some of us have very good reasons to be miserable. Perhaps we are in continual pain, maybe our illness deforms us, or cripples us, or causes us to have mental and emotional problems. Perhaps we suffer not because of personal woes, but because a family member or friend is in pain, or ill, or disabled. It is difficult for some of us to be happy. 

  Very often I am tempted to feel sorry for myself. To allow anger have its way in my life and shake my fist at God. Some griefs and issues in life seem too great to bear, too much to withstand, yet we do not face such challenges alone. 

  Within each believer is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Joy. We can call upon our Lord for help in the worst of circumstances, and can learn to rely upon Him and to trust Him in our travails. The Joy of the Lord can become not only our strength, but the source of our happiness despite our circumstances. 

  For no matter how tough your life may be, you have a loving God in your corner. He stands with you, and will give you joy and peace. He will help you find happiness despite your challenges in life. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, when we are tempted to add up all our woes, all our challenges and problems, remind us of our blessings, and help us to find happiness in the land of our affliction. Amen. 

For Freedom Christ Set Us Free!

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 

  

  Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. ---John Adams 

  

  Secularism is trying very hard to destroy the moral and religious foundations of my country of the United States of America. Our founders were religious, many were Christians. They did not want to the church to have power over our government, but neither did they want our government to tread upon the religious freedom of its people. 

  It is a blessing to live in America. It is doubly a blessing to also be a Christian in America. While there are secularists and others who want to remove religion and every trace of it from my country, they are yet in the minority. Christianity leads the way in keeping our country free. From Christians serving in the military, to churches spread across our land, to believers in political offices, Christianity is key to the recipe of our freedom. 

  

  Yet one need not live in a free country to be free in their soul and spirit. Christ both freed us of the rigid demand of religious laws, and the spiritual sin and death common to mankind. Once freed by Jesus, your soul and spirit are forever free, no matter your location on this planet, or the oppression of society or government. The one who is free in Christ is never a slave again no matter geographic location or the whims of society or the culture around you. 

  Freedom in Christ means we are free to become our better selves, no longer a slave to the whims of our human nature and what the Bible calls the flesh. We can now be useful to our Lord and present Jesus to a world hungry for the spiritual freedom we enjoy. 

  Let Christ shine through you, enjoy the freedom He has given to you, and share that freedom with those around you. 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for setting us free. Help us to use that freedom to share You with the world around us, always remembering that You are the source of our freedom. Amen.