To Survive This Christmas Season: My End of Year Goal

To survive this Christmas season,

Ending the year with a good reason,

Has become my current goal.

Because I want to be made whole.

But December has proven to be a rough month. Get out your snow boots.

Because I feel a drift coming on.

Thanksgiving was nice,

A time to celebrate

Family, friendships, happy times.

Success is a different story though. The lack of books sales says it isn’t ending with a bang.

As for writing, I don’t feel motivated.

Trials have gotten me down.

Encouragement came, followed by false accusation.

It’s all I can do not to drown in it.

I can’t really tell you how or when or who, but when I feel the heaviness pressing down on me,

I know It’s more than winter blues. It’s what others choose,

Not just what I read in the news,

But other worldly views. Can’t lie in bed

Because it’s hard to get the words out of my head.

Then they come back to haunt me, to taunt me. If you’ve ever had an angry finger pointed at you

Then maybe you know how I feel.

But it’s the start of Hanukkah.

I need to light a candle,

Let it shine. Light divine,

It’s Advent Time. Looking forward to Christ’s return. No room to spurn

The memory of His coming.  Much to learn.

He’s coming soon.

Look up, your redemption

Draws near. Have no fear, because this is meant to be a time of good cheer.

To survive this Christmas season

I can’t allow the treason

Of sins past, present, or future

To cloud my way. It’s a good day.

Blessings new every morning, though there come a storm warning.

To survive this Christmas season

Takes more than human reason.

So, lift your eyes. Deny the shame.

It’s time to rejoice. Lift up the name.

Jesus came once. He’ll come again. It’s more than just a season. He’s the reason.

 

https://atomic-temporary-102676306.wpcomstaging.com/wisdom/success-stress-blessed/

 

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Emotion: Energy in Motion

Emotion: Raw Feelings

 

Emotion is like energy in motion

Revolving ‘round the hub of our devotion.

When such devotion lacks a worthy notion,

It brings forth sounds of dissonant commotion.

 

Raw feelings, such a vast variety,

Spawn drunken songs that mock sobriety,

With incoherent odes to notoriety

And wicked strums that lack all sense of piety.

 

But, oh the energy those sounds impart!

Each cymbal clash exudes a fiery dart,

An all-consuming noise that hits the heart,

The breeding ground where wild emotions start.

 

Misguided tunes and idle words resound

When idols of impure desire abound,

Their winds of doctrine carried on a flute

Which floods the atmosphere with evil fruit,

 

Resulting in a knowledge overload

That hits a guy before he hits the road.

The chaos in his head turns into rage.

Then comes the crunch, alas the sinner’s wage.

 

Emotion, Faith and Deliverance

 

But what his heart believes lies at the root

Of every single leaf and fruit and shoot

That travels through his bloodstream, reaching out

With movements born of faith or tinged with doubt.

 

Emotion is like energy in motion

Revolving ‘round the hub of our devotion.

When such devotion lacks a worthy notion,

It brings forth sounds of dissonant commotion.

 

It’s how we think deep down, what we suspect

To be the truth. Such thoughts we shall reflect.

The feelings we receive we’ll resurrect,

But what we disagree with we’ll deflect.

 

Foul moods lie at our fingertips each day,

Enticing us to put them into play,

To bang the piano keys and make them zing

With sounds so loud, they’ll make your eardrums ring.

 

God’s Word, however, teaches us to pray

“Your will be done, Lord.” That’s what we should say.

“I yield myself to you. Please light my way,

And keep my reckless energies at bay.”

 

Emotion is like energy in motion

Revolving ‘round the hub of our devotion.

When such devotion heeds a worthy notion,

It brings forth songs of joy and not commotion.

 

To Disarm Harm They Meant (“Dis-harm-a-meant”)

To disarm harm they meant: that was Joseph’s role,

To disarm the harm they meant when they threw him in the hole.

What his brothers meant for evil, God would use for good,

Though it clearly involved suffering, as God knew it would.

 

To disarm harm they meant, he must submit to slavery,

A process which most certainly required bravery.

He had to learn new customs and a different language too.

But God blessed him with favor and showed Joseph what to do.

 

To disarm harm they meant, he endured false accusation

By the one who really loves to hit the saints with condemnation.

While Potiphar’s wife held the robe that sent Joseph to jail,

His father thought that he was dead. The loss he did bewail.

 

To disarm harm his brothers meant, the innocent man must suffer,

Because God gave him wisdom so that he could be a buffer

Between them and the future famine that was sure to hit.

But to help his brothers he must first be proven fit.

 

In prison he would hunger. He would thirst. He would have stress.

Perhaps in that dark place grew a desire for righteousness.

For though his dreams lay dormant, forgotten they were not,

Because God had a plan for him and knew the entire plot.

 

To disarm harm they meant: That was clearly Joseph’s role,

Similar to Christ who suffered harm to make us whole.

Then threw him in a prison pit. He felt the condemnation

That comes when people’s lying tongues dispense false accusation.

 

To disarm harm the devil meant, he felt the slavery

That comes when one is doomed to death and cannot be set free.

To disarm fiendish harm, this innocent man came to suffer.

He died to save us thoroughly, not just to be a buffer

 

Between us and a righteous God who cannot look on sin

Without pronouncing judgment on it. (There’s no sin in Him).

To disarm harm, He sacrificed Himself upon a cross,

So that those who trust in Him will no more suffer loss.

 

Our life is in His blood. His broken body gives us healing.

And from His heavenly throne, His purposes He is revealing.

All harm has been disarmed now, and there’s no reason to dread,

For Jesus Christ our gracious Lord has risen from the dead.

 

https://miracle-times.com/wisdom/ditch-unkind-advice/

 

 

 

 

 

Healing Tunes and Downloads

I. You Need Healing Tunes

 

You need healing tunes and downloads in your head

Instead of songs that fill your mind with dread.

For some tunes clog your ears with so much junk,

They can get you in an uptight funk.

It’s because those passageways are all connected

In more ways than you may have suspected!

 

If suddenly you start to cough and sneeze,

Could it be because you heard the sick man wheeze

While belting out a song you dared to hear,

Even though it’s poison in your ear?

You need healing tunes and downloads in your head

Instead of songs that fill your mind with dread.

 

II. There’s Power in Praise

 

Healing tunes and violent tunes don’t mix.

But what do you do when you need a “fix”?

Perhaps you’re like a rabbit

Caught in a bad habit,

Jumping here and there,

Never getting anywhere.

 

If so, I’ve got to ask:

 

Have you been downloading “I” tunes

Given to you by the big goons?

If you say your ear’s been itch-in’,

And your senses, they’ve been twitch-in’

 

For a little bit of good news

That won’t make you blow some new fuse,

Then why not take your “old man” headset

And throw it where it’s sure to get wet?

 

Electrocute the devil’s bad scheme

By drowning it inside the cool stream

Of God’s pure and living Word,

The greatest healing tunes you’ve ever heard.

 

They’re based upon the One true rock

Whose truth has power to unlock

The greatest dreams within your soul.

He has the power to make you whole.

 

So, instead of twiddling your two thumbs,

Do something good for your eardrums.

If you don’t like the bitter speak,

Then learn to turn the other cheek

 

So you can hear God’s holy music.

Take the time now to infuse it.

Scorch your hell-on-wheels CD

Of digitized conformity

 

That’s always set on “me, me, me”

(they said it was a “great deal” freebee,

But it can cost you an eternity)

Why not instead, choose news that’s free?

 

Before your ears start spewing smoke

(Which may at first seem like a joke),

Pour heaven’s gold dust in your ear.

It clears the wax so you can hear.

 

Try listening to the angels cheer

And pretty soon your head will clear.

If you desire to be made well,

Then sing with heaven, stomp on hell.

 

It’s your decision. Don’t think twice,

But listen to your God’s advice.

Instead of fearing so much jeering,

Read the Word to help your hearing.

 

If you thank God for everything,

Then your sound bites will lose their sting.

It might not happen right away,

But comes through patience as you obey.

 

Although your flesh may want to riot,

You can teach it to be quiet

Through worship destined to impart

Tunes designed to heal your heart.

https://miracle-times.com/faith/how-will-god-do-it/

 

Chemical Imbalance or Fiery Dart?

 Was It a Chemical Imbalance Or a Fiery Dart?

 

What Got To Peter’s Mind and Tried to Influence His Heart?

 

When he stepped on the water, taking Jesus’ words to heart,

I imagine Peter singing, “Sovereign God, how great Thou art!”

Then he began to sink. His feelings went from high to low

While angry winds roared, “How you blew it! How much lower can you go?”

He seemed to have a chemical imbalance, don’t you know?

Or had Satan hit the bold disciple with a fiery dart

As he stepped upon the water, taking Jesus’ words to heart?

Because the devil asked permission to make Peter’s mind a mess,

Bring chaos to his heart and overwhelm him with distress.

No wheat-sifting machine would compare to what he’d do,

As, one by one, he threw his fiery darts into the stew

And with harsh thoughts attempted to stir up a bitter brew

Of hard emotions so that Peter knew not what to do.

But Jesus pulled him up before the waves pulled Simon down,

And when they reached the boat, there was rejoicing all around.

 

    Did The Man With the Legion Have a Chemical Imbalance?

 

And what about the man Jesus delivered from the Legion,

The demon force that begged Him not to make them leave the region?

They must have caused a chemical imbalance in his head,

For he trembled as he ran to Jesus, tormented with dread.

The molecules inside his head were raging like a storm,

Tossed to and fro by Satan’s lies, which could not keep him warm.

But in one moment, Jesus calmed the hurricane in him

By driving out the darkness that had made his life so dim.

                                   Through Jesus’ mighty presence he enjoyed a peace divine

Because the demon army went into a herd of swine.

                                    The pigs, they squealed like crazy and did cartwheels off a cliff,

Thus frightening their owners, who became a little miffed.

Such strange emotional outbursts from swine they’d never seen.

Then they saw the man in his right mind and started acting mean.

“Please, Jesus, go away,” they begged. “We do not want you here.”

They’d rather have the man possessed than let God linger near.

Were they chemically imbalanced? Well, it seems they feared the path

That could free them from their sin and save them from God’s wrath.

What fiery darts flew at their heads to keep them from the Lord

Who made and keeps all things? To run from Him we can’t afford.

 

 His Blood Has Power to Balance our Chemicals

 

 We have all become imbalanced and we all have lost our way,

      Receiving fiery darts instead of keeping them at bay.

The tainted blood with which we’re born can’t keep our bodies whole.

Nor can it heal our bodies or bring wellness to the soul.

But in Jesus’ blood there’s power, for He shed it on the cross.

His blood restores our souls and grants new life for every loss,

Because it’s pure and holy, and it covers all our sin

If we are willing to prepare a place for it within.

     For though strong feelings may speak out and hard emotions flood,

This truth remains forever: There is power in Christ’s blood.

 

 

 

 

 

Do We Walk By Faith Or By Feelings?

“Please fix my feelings, Doctor, so I can walk by faith.”

Can you picture Peter saying this to Jesus as he stepped out of the boat? Better yet, can you picture Jesus saying this to Peter?

“I’m afraid you’ve got a little problem with manic-depression, Peter, jumping out the boat one moment, confident that you can walk on water. The next moment, you’re in a panic, crying out for me to save you as you sink beneath the waves. You need some meds to even out your mood swings!”

Many times, in Christian circles I have heard it said that believers are to walk by faith and not by feelings. But I have noticed that when Christians feel bad or are experiencing depression, they often do follow their feelings – straight to the doctor’s office. They want medication to balance their nerves and bring peace to their souls.

“I know I’m supposed to walk by faith, Doctor, not by feelings. So please, you have to fix my feelings so I can walk by faith.”

Isn’t that basically what they are saying? Well, that’s what it sounds like to me. The question is, what does Jesus think of this idea? Can you imagine Him sending his disciples to a doctor to cure the post-traumatic stress they undoubtedly experienced on the Sea of Galilee? How about when the demon-possessed man came at them from the tombs? That had to shake them up.

After all, the guy was like a man with multiple personalities – and they were driving him crazy. But Jesus drove the demons out and brought calm to his mind.

That’s what He can do for our emotions if we’ll let Him. After all, feelings change. They’re like waves of the sea – up one moment, down the next. That’s why Christians shouldn’t live by their feelings. But does that mean we shouldn’t have them?

Many of us have felt God’s presence. We have experienced His touch. Our emotions have been stirred through worship. When we read His Word, it stirs our hearts to action. If you know you should step out in faith but your heart’s not in it, should you look to natural means to fix your feelings so you can walk by faith?

Or should you seek the LORD with all your heart and believe the promise in Jeremiah 29:13?

Nurturing Sickness Through Self Pity?

Oh, this in insidious. But it happens more often than I think most of us like to admit. Yes, we are told to weep with those who weep, and those who suffer from debilitating infirmities and handicaps deserve our compassion. But when does pity cross the line into self-pity, a weakened state of feeling sorry for one’s self? At what point do well-meaning acts of sympathy become an excuse for unbelief?

Proverbs 17:22 tells us that a merry heart does good like a medicine. If that is so, then bitterness is like a poison to the soul. It keeps us from experiencing God’s best for us. A case in point is the raising of Jairus’s daughter as told in Luke 8:41-56. When Jesus came to Jairus’s house, the professional mourners were there. If Jesus had allowed them to continue weeping and wailing, the miracle would not have taken place. It was a case of crying gone overboard, refusing comfort, unwilling to believe God for better things. An attitude of despair had taken over, which was why Jesus could not allow the mourners to stay. He had to put them out, and that’s what you and I need to do if we want to be healed.

Hope and despair cannot occupy the same space. That’s why it’s so important, in all our “wishing to be well” or “wishing others to be well” that we give thanks to God in all circumstances. We need to praise Him for who He is, remembering all the good things he has done for us. We need to read His Word and be willing to believe it. That’s what brings joy. That’s what brings freedom. That’s what brings healing.

“He sent forth His Word and healed them and delivered them from destruction.” (Psalm 107:20)

Faith Versus Feelings

Many times, in Christian circles I have heard it said that believers are to walk by faith and not by feelings. But I have noticed that when Christians feel bad or are experiencing depression, they often do follow their feelings – straight to the doctor’s office. They want meds to make them feel better so that they can enjoy life and resist the constant urge to kill themselves. Others, who were born with a dose of overconfidence and optimism may also end up running to the doctor – not to make them feel better but to help them get some rest. They desire drugs to balance their overexcited nerves and bring peace to their souls.

“I know I’m supposed to walk by faith, Doctor, not by feelings. So please, you have to fix my feelings so I can walk by faith.”

The question is, what does Jesus think of this idea? Can you imagine Him sending his disciples to a doctor when they were upset?

“I’m afraid you’ve got a little problem with manic-depression, Peter, jumping out the boat one moment, confident that you can walk on water. The next moment, you’re in a panic, crying out for me to save you as you sink beneath the waves. You need some meds to even out your mood swings!”

Feelings change. They’re like waves of the sea – up one moment, down the next. That’s why Christians shouldn’t live by their feelings. But does that mean we shouldn’t have them?

Many of us have felt God’s presence. We have experienced His touch. Our emotions have been stirred through worship. When we read His Word, it stirs our hearts to action. If you know you should step out in faith but your heart’s not in it, should you look to natural means to fix your feelings?

Or should you seek the LORD with all your heart and believe the promise in Jeremiah 29:13?