COPING WITH STRESS

Stress and coping with stress is a universal problem. Stress can be brought on by a negative event in our lives or a happy occasion. For example, we can experience anticipation beyond our control, when we are preparing for a new job or marriage. The place where we live, a large city for example, can induce high stress levels. Congestion, high noise levels, competition, worry and lack of self-control can all bring on increased stress.

We can experience stress in families and other relationships when we take our focus off God. Worrying about our physical or social needs being met can also lead us into a stressful condition. Very important things in our lives cause us to worry about their outcome. At times like this it is important that we realize that we must learn to reach outside ourselves and seek advice from good friends and be in faithful prayer to God.

Emotional upsets can lead to communication breakdown and cause people to become violent, use notallowed or alcohol. Stress can also lead (when out of control) to child abuse or even taking our own lives. In addition to emotional problems, stress can also cause physical ailments. In the medical profession it is well documented how stress induces heart attacks and elevates blood pressure, causes digestive problems, headaches and more. When we experience life and take everything personal, (such as comments from others) we may be setting ourselves up for stressful conditions, which can affect both our body and mind.

Perhaps we need to focus on our “spiritual therapy”, Reading God’s word on a daily basis, being in prayer several times a day and meditating on what God has done for us. And praise Him, for his goodness. Listening to Christian hymns can fill our minds with positive thoughts and actions and eliminate our negative mental tapes we play over and over again in our heads. In order to survive in this life we need God’s help and guidance through His spirit. We need both physical and spiritual strength to accomplish His plan for our lives. An example from the Old Testament is Elijah when he was being pursued by Jezebel. God instructed Elijah through an angel of the Lord, to rest and eat before he continued on his journey. (I Kings 19:1-9).

Knowing we are not in control of our lives reduces anxious feelings as we give control of our life to God where it belongs. (See Psalms 51:1-12) Knowing that our sinful ways cause us problems and that stress from these sins brings heartache and strife, we need a place to turn. God is always there for us. Anxious moments should be given over to God for His love and resolution. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). God should be our source of strength to bring us through the valleys and also appreciate the mountaintops when He lifts up our spirits.

Alone, we cannot survive the stress this world introduces. Through His Holy Spirit, God provides us with His prescription for stress in our lives. (Read Galatians 5:22-26). When we live a Christian life, we experience a positive direction, which takes us through the storms of life reducing stressful moments. (See Psalms 46:1-3, Luke 8:22-25). With God in our lives we can face life and its troubles knowing God will see us through anything this world could present to us. Through all, we need to remain positive, not from our own doing, but remain focused on God to lead us. Our thinking should be more like the mind of God. Only then, can we truly be positive in thought and action. (See Philippians 4:4-9).

We can rejoice knowing God is the most important person in our lives. Placing our stress in the hands of the “Living God” can bring about the peace that truly “transcends all understanding.” As we praise Him, for what he has already accomplished in our lives, we are blessed! We now realize God is bigger than our problems. He is the author of life and He determines the course of history and events in our lives. God does not want us to worry. Worrying is a sin. When we worry we are showing God we do not trust Him and are displaying weak faith. (See Matthew 6:25-34).

The apostle Paul suffered much in the hands of nonbelievers but his faith did not waiver. Like Paul we need to remember if God is for us who can be against us? With God’s strength we can withstand the stress of this world, and accomplish great things. (See Philippians 4:13).

I am unaware of who to thank for many of these thoughts from "Focus on Truth." I do know that I have had these same thoughts quite often and find comfort from helpful scriptures during such times as mentioned above. I have also mentioned to you in the past how helpful good music can be for soothing my mood.

When we do all we can to replace the negative with the positive we are moving in the right direction.

May you each experience stress reduction today.

Mike

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Don’t Question My Faith ~By: Louise Gagnon


Don’t question my faith

When you do not know

When you’ve sunk to the bottom

And He is there to bring you back up



Don’t question my faith

When you are laying sick and alone

Feeling His arms around you

Telling Him I’m ready to go home



Don’t question my faith

When you see things happen

That others don’t understand

But Christians do understand



Don’t question my faith

When you see God’s hand

In everything you see around you

And He says don’t worry I am in charge



Don’t question my faith

When faith is all we need

To help us through the day

When the body dies and our spirit goes home


It seems to me that when question our own faith it shows a weakness that needs therapy such as exercise. What will exercise do for my faith? In this instance I'm referencing spiritual exercise. Mediate on God's truths. Spend time with really spiritual people. Don't leave out a very important exercise; pray! This is one exercise that can be done while driving (don't close your eyes). When you receive an email or phone call about someone that is experiencing very real difficulties, pause for a moment and pray. Take some time away from all the material things we do on the computer. Do a quick Google search for a key word that you want to meditate on. You'd be surprised at the enormous amount of choices that will appear.

The point is; change direction for a while. We are what we do and think about the most. We are prone to spend ten times more of our efforts on a product, MLM, our job or entertainment than we are on our faith. When we do that we have very little to complain about when our faith begins to waiver. Above all, don't blame God.

Faithfully yours,

Mike

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WANTS vs. NEEDS

Many years ago someone penned the following tribute to the Bible:


This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom

of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts binding,

its histories true, and its decisions immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be saved, and practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you, food to supply you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and

the Christian's charter.

Here paradise is restored, heaven is opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is the grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory,

and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and condemns all who

trifle with its holy contents.

What other book ever written can offer so much? Even with its wealth of knowledge and instruction it is of no benefit when left alone with only months, yea even years of dust to slowly gather on its cover.

I heard a story recently of a wealthy father who gave his son a new Bible for his birthday. The son had been used to receiving lavish gifts on birthdays and at Christmas. The father knew that his son had been coveting a certain luxury automobile for some time. On this, his thirtieth birthday the son received a genuine leather-bound Bible!

Some years later the father was on his death bed. His son had not had much to do with him during the years between that thirtieth birthday and this moment. At his father’s side, he asked, “you knew what I wanted back then, why did you give me a Bible?” The father replied with a question. “Did you ever open the Bible? The son said he hadn’t and disgustedly laid it on a shelf to be forgotten. At this the father said, “Son, if only you had begun reading through that Bible, you would not only have found what you really wanted, you would have also found the things that you needed”.

The key to the luxury automobile and a note had been carefully placed within the pages of that Bible. The son missed what he wanted by not using what he needed.

Wishing you much of what you need and some of what you want,

Mike

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Doing the Hard Things

Today is a bitter-sweet day. Today is the day that God has made. It is also His day, a day that believers in Him use to worship and praise Him. Sadly, on this first day of the week, it falls my lot to preside over a funeral this afternoon. I didn’t know this very fine woman. She was but 58 years of age when God called her home on March 8, 2007.

I do know one of her sisters and brother-in-law quite well. Humbly I accepted their invitation to officiate at her funeral service. Death is hard for us humans to deal with. There is a difference though between those who are followers of Christ and those who are not.

Those that have used their life in service to God have a hope that is unmistakable. They are able to leave this world looking forward to a much better place. So it will be with Janice. She started serving God faithfully at an early age and endured to the end. Her reward is sealed. She is in a much better place.

In John 6:40 Jesus is speaking:

“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (NIV)

It is during such times as this that I’m reminded of my own mortal condition. It is times such as this that all living human beings should be asking themselves tough questions. “Am I ready if the Lord calls me right now?”

The reality is that unless the Lord comes again before we die, we will all come face to face with death. No one knows when He will come again. Not even He knows, only the father.

Sobering thought isn’t it? None of us deserves Heaven. He offers it anyway. He paid the price. It is not His will that any should perish, but all should have eternal life. You’re not going to feel Him twisting your arm. It is about choices.
Is there anyone on the face of this earth that can save your soul? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Thank you Janice for being the proper example to your family and all that knew you.

Think about it.

Mike

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Lord, Take Control

Of the many articles, sermons, lectures and prayers, there would probably be no more common theme than the prayer, “Lord, take control.”

I personally have prayed in times of decision and indecision. The prayer has been prayed by me and many others during times of turmoil, frustration and confusion. The prayer has been prayed in hospital rooms, intensive care units, in business meetings, before, during and after surgery, in times of fear, and times of great confidence. The prayer has been prayed while standing next to a crib, while standing next to a hospital bed, and while standing next to a casket. Perhaps even by those standing side by side about to recite their wedding vows. I've even prayed it many times of late while sitting at this computer wondering if I will ever find gainful employment again.

Many times soon after praying the prayer, I have found a sense of peace and serenity that seemed to blanket me. I'd be amiss if I didn't also include those times that when the prayer was finished, I felt an uncomfortable fear. Some say you should never make a decision based on fear. Then there are those times when I just knew that God had taken control of whatever the situation was. What about the times when I reacted as human beings often do with the familiar question; "God, why didn't You take control?"

Oddly, there are also times when I seemed to feel nothing at all. Blank!

How can the same prayer bring so many different responses?

If I really look deeply enough I can see that the discrepancies have nothing at all to do with the prayer itself. Sooner or later I'll get around to asking myself the question; "what was my attitude while praying?" Did I pray believing God would hear me? Did I submit to Him rather than insist on my own way?

“Lord, take control!” That alone isn't quite enough is it? I must also pray, “I surrender my will to Yours, Father. I can't do this all by myself."

If I pray, “Lord, take control!” over and over as one begging, failing to submit to Him, I am only engaging in an exercise of futility. "Lord, take control!" can be uttered with all sincerity and still fail when surrender isn't a factor.
Submission to Him will bring His power into my life. Why is it that I sometimes want to tell God what to do instead of humbly, in submission, asking Him?

Once again, my questions are answered if I will only look for them in the right places. What better place than the way He as chosen to communicate with you and me? His Holy Word, the Bible reveals the solutions.
“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you” (Job 22:21, NIV).
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7, NIV).

This whole idea of surrender is foreign to society's messages. Media floods me with phrases like; "you can have it all", or "have it your way" and "you deserve all that the world has to offer."

Thanks to Tom Norvell for inspiring these thoughts through his "Norvell Notes", Vol. 10 No. 11, March 12, 2007

Lord, take control. I surrender.

Mike

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