Are you a saved sinner or are you still walking around like life is perfect in order to hide your sin? You can hide a lot from people; however, you can not hide anything from the God who sees all, Proverbs 5:21-23. Are you living a lie to attempt to prove your worth to mankind? If you struggle with this, remember that hypocritical style of living is detrimental to the Kingdom. Allowing people to think that life is easier for you because you have Jesus is harmful. Life is no easier in the sense that we lack troubles, it is better in the knowledge that going through combat for God is worth it. Accepting Christ is accepting the persecution that follows Him. Believers do not go along to get along. We are like salmon swimming upstream. It is a battle and there is constant drag in the opposite direction. The salmon pushes on with purpose; if they did not fight the currents they would cease to exist as a species.
To God Goes The Glory
I have been told I am strong, that my love is deep for others, and that I am a blessing. For the longest time I could not see these qualities in myself. That is because they are not my qualities. I am fearful, weak, and a sinner. Who isn’t? There is truth in that. If I were to take credit for any of these characteristics, I would be stealing glory. When I am struggling and yet still strong enough to help others, that is Christ in me. When I bring blessings into someone’s life, that is not me, that is Christ through me. My love for others is enhanced by Christ’s love. You see, God actively works in this world through His followers. He will use the willing to inspire and provoke His love unto others. I am giving credit where credit is due. That credit belongs to Jesus Christ my Lord, Saviour, Healer, and most of all my friend.
Above The Waves
God allows us to go through tribulations, either to grow in life or to refocus. If you are going through something and it does not seem to have an end, pray for the purpose to be revealed or that the suffering will be redeemed. I have been through a lot lately and though I have had very few answers, God has promised to heal me. The daily fatigue is stronger everyday and the lack of sleep is also not helping. I am losing focus on most things but God gets what I can give, for He is my strength when I am weak.
One night I prayed for provision, but God had already worked that out. I received an e-mail transfer with enough money to make it through the trying time I was experiencing. God told someone to bless me with money, and while I was praying the transfer came in. While others pray for my healing, I get the answer of “not yet” from God. He has promised to heal me again and I know He will. I will keep my eyes on Jesus and He will keep me above the waves in the storm.
Lifeboat
God has the whole world in His hands; His hands are your life boat. Hop in and grab everyone you can, save them, bring them with you. You can help anybody too weak to get in on their own. God is patient and is willing to wait. If you look up to Him and say “one more, Father…” He will wait. God is love and these verses hold true. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Perfect Little Christian?
Being Christian doesn’t mean you are perfect. What it means is that through the sacrifice of Jesus we have become clean in the eyes of God. The blood of Jesus shed on the cross does not make us unable to sin, it makes sin no longer a barrier between us and God.
As Christians, we are no better than any other person. We are all broken, we are all sinners. Nobody can go a day with out sinning, and even our thoughts can be sinful. When you come to realize God hears your thoughts, you realize there is no way to hide sin. You know what you’ve done, and so does He. He loves you in spite of your sin. God does not cause you pain. Sin and pain are part of living in a broken world.
The Hebrews believed that God sent down punishment and wrath upon them. I ask you is this, in the new covenant God offers us through His son Jesus, does He send wrath and punishment? God is love and offers himself to us. What is the point of love if you are alone? We are more than sinners; we are his children and are deeply loved despite our sin.
Earthly Suffering
You may feel crazy at times, and I agree there is craziness in what you are going through. You yourself are not crazy; that title belongs to the struggle.
My pain for His glory
Every struggle seen or unseen by man the Father sees and it is for Him to redeem.
The scared king is a sign that Jesus Himself suffered in his time on earth. Satan tempted Him with suicide telling Him that if he jumped off the cliff angels would catch Him. Jesus knows how the father works and even when hungry and weak, fought back with scripture. Jesus knew in that moment that while his earthly strength was low, the promise of the Father (through scripture) was stronger than Satan.
While Jesus was on the cross Judas committed suicide. Suicide, though a sin, is still covered by the blood of the Lamb. We all sin, that is why we need Jesus. We all suffer, that is why we strive to bring others to Jesus. Though we suffer God made a way in Jesus for us to be cleansed and have a way to heaven, but more importantly, a way to God Himself.
In your prayers after letting God know how bad things are, add…
Jesus is still strong, Jesus is still okay, He is the same today that He was yesterday and His promise still stands, I am going through brokenness because of the world I am in but Jesus is the way to God and to a restoration I can not fathom.
Lies Meant To Destroy
Satan has told me many lies throughout my life. I love how when I allow God to be God, He redeems these lies. Satan brought depression into my life in my teen year, I believed the lie I would be dead by the age of 25, but God redeemed me when I was baptized at 24. That day I died from my old self and was reborn.
Throughout my years of struggling with schizophrenia, the lies were abundant. Considering the fact that the voices were telling me lies all day and all night, a few of those lies took hold. But a lie only has power once we agree to it and accept it as truth in our lives. The best defence against lies is knowing the truth of who God says you are. To find this out read the Bible or simply ask and wait upon the Lord, He will answer. God knows who you are truly, and who He meant you to be.
How Big Is The Flame You Shine
God gave us the holy spirit and ignited in us a non-consuming fire, like the burning bush in the story of Moses. So often people fear the fire having been hurt by others for their beliefs. These people who have been hurt still hold on to the fire but control its flames like a candle or small lantern. If you believe the fire is non consuming then let it flow forth out of you and shine its light uncontrolled.
Jesus Roommate
Part of asking Christ into your heart, is keeping a clean place for him. Christ is like the perfect roommate; he will never put you down or complain. He will not make a mess or destroy the place. In fact, if you let Him, He will make the place more beautiful then you will have ever known it could be. But most Christian’s think it is easy as asking Him in and there He will be when you need Him no more work needed. They never clean up the place in fact these Christian’s just fill the place with junk. They demolish the place where He resides. But still, He stays in knowing one day we will clean up after our selves. And do the necessary repairs. My question to you is are you being a bad roommate of your soul. Are you filling it up with junk like fear, hate, lust, envy, un-forgiveness? Or are you being a good roommate and forgiving, keeping thoughts pure, and just being happy with who you are and what you are. Be a good roommate and keep a clean place. Do the necessary repairs for the place where Jesus resides in all who ask Him in.
My Journey With God
My Life has been quite the journey. In my youth, I turned my back on God. I felt weak even though my body was strong, and I started looking for strength in all the wrong places. I dated a girl who was into witchcraft. That is a false, evil power, one you don’t want to be a part of. I involved myself with the dark side and paid the price.
In my 20’s I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. It was very alarming. I was at work when I went full on psychotic. I saw humanoid, shadowy creatures crawling on the ceiling of the store I worked at. They were watching me.
As far back as junior high I heard voices. I believed that they were good and bad like the angels and demons on the shoulders of many cartoon characters. Life was scary and confusing, and I was constantly bombarded with voices. My hallucinations made it so I lived in my own personal horror movie.
I talked to a friend I worked with about maybe seeing a psychiatrist. His girlfriend was going to school to become one. He talked to her, and I was referred to one of her friends. While at one of the appointments, the main voice took over. It was like I was in the back seat of my own mind helplessly watching as this… thing took control.
The psychologist stayed calm, and once I regained control of myself, she asked if I would be willing to go to the hospital to get some pills, and in my desperation, I replied “yes, I can do that.” I headed to the hospital. She called ahead and when I gave the nurse in Admitting my name, a guard came and brought me to a small room in the back with padded walls. The guard stood outside while I was interviewed by a psychiatrist in the hospital. I was admitted that very night and stayed a few months.
While I was in the psychiatric ward, I began to realize there was a spiritual aspect to all I was going through. The hospital had a chapel, and every time I walked near it, the voices would scream. That’s when I realized I needed the God I once had known as a child. I cried out to God for relief, for some sort of silence. I did not know God the way I wanted to, so I started taking Christian courses such as Alpha, so I could learn more about Him. In one of these courses, I had my first powerful experience with God. The voices in my head were ramping up louder, making it very difficult to pay attention. I closed my eyes, and asked God to send His peace. At that moment, I heard the most powerful SSSHHHH I have ever heard, before or since. Peace came to me for the first time in 8 years. The voices had been silenced! I could pay attention to the lesson, and proceeded to learn about God’s grace.
My mom helped me through all this as much as she was able. It really began to help when she let the Holy Spirit lead her. Things had gotten bad again, and the voices in my head for all those years began talking through me. Most people were afraid and would not continue to be around me. Not my mom. She was brave and continued to fight the battle.
Once I became well enough, I moved out on my own. I forced myself to go to church as often as possible. The voices did not like church. I kept attending, regardless of what was going on inside my head. I knew in my heart who God was.
One day at church I was having an especially bad day with psychosis. I could not even hear what the pastor was talking about, but still felt led to be there. As I sat in my pew, the voices told me to set fire to the hair of the lady in front of me, all because her hair was messy, like usual I did not act on what they were saying. Then, the pastor asked if any one needed to be prayed over, and I raised my hand.
People surrounded me and laid their hands on me. They began to pray not one of them knowing what I was fighting within. As they prayed, I felt the darkness get pulled out of me. It was as if a kind of deep-rooted weed being was torn out through my forehead. I could feel the roots of my deepest being exercised. As soon as they were finished praying, I felt that the peace and quiet I had longed for so long had arrived. I was free and fully aware of my God. He healed me in an instant from an illness the doctors said I would have to live with for the rest of my life! I continue to live in that freedom, and I am grateful every day for God’s grace.
God is greater than schizophrenia and any condition or label. I focus on Him, and I am able to find His voice and peace. I wanted to share this to let all of you going through a battle others can’t see; that God sees it, and He can redeem it for his Glory. Put as much focus as you can on God, even if it is just being in His presence or with His people, for God just wants to love us and be loved.
From Pain To Purpose 