Standing Firm

 

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As I read this verse of the day -I Cor. 15:58 I wondered how well I was standing. It does get difficult to "Stand firm" at times when it seems everything is coming at us. However that is the time when you cannot let our faith waver regardless of how things seem crazy. You cannot run away and hide.  When things at the job get to you- "Stand firm".  When your children think you are the worse parent because you do not allow them to do what every other child is doing "stand firm" when your friends and relatives start to act funny for no reason "stand firm"
My encouragement to you today as you go about your daily activities is to stay focused. Keep your eyes riveted on the One who is able to keep you from falling. So don't get disturbed when that driver cuts you off- just thank God you were not involved in an accident.  When you go to work and say good morning and no one  responds- Just thank God you have a job and a voice to speak. When the school nurse calls for you to come and pick up your child who left home this morning and was well- thank God you have a child and a nurse who cares.  Believe it or not that is "standing firm", because you did not allow Satan to control how your day turned out. Be blessed.

In His Service,

Vilma

Many Are called -Few are chosen

April 16, 2013

About 1 month ago I received a notice from superior court summoning me to appear yesterday for Juror duty. The security at the courthouse was unusually tight, which I expected given the shooting incident that took place there about 2-3 months ago.  After I checked in I was asked to sit in what could be termed an “assembly room” with about 120 other potential jurors. After the orientation, we were asked to wait until they received directive from “upstairs” to say how many cases and how many people they would need. After about 30 minutes the list of names arrived and it so happened that I was in that group. There were about 50 names.  We were told to report to the 8^th floor and wait for further directives.  The clerk of courts read the case that was on trial, the names of the lawyers, defendant and plaintiff.  The Clerk then read a list of questions and we were asked to make a mental note of any yes answers.  At the end people were asked to raise their hands if they answered yes to any of the questions.  All the persons who raised their hands were excused from the room- which was about 25 people.  After these people left, the clerk read the names of 14 people and asked them to sit in the jury box.  I was not one of them.  As I thought about it we started out with many- who were called to report for juror duty, but only a few- 14-were eventually chosen. 

  Although a different circumstance this scripture came to my mind that can be found in Mathew 22:14- For many are called, but few [are] chosen.  This passage is found in the parable Jesus told about a certain king who made a marriage for his son and the invited guests did not attend the wedding and eventually as the story goes on we see the king sending his servants to go out to the highways and edges and compel men to come.  After they came in the King examined them all and found that one person was without his wedding attire.  He was bound and cast out.  This is where this verse came in “Many are called but few are chosen” When God calls us to him He wants to clothe us in his cloak of righteousness; however some of us prefer to wear our cloak of righteousness, we want to come by our efforts and by our own works.  This will not work as our righteousness is like filthy rags.  As we see the man who rejected the King’s covering met a horrible fate- cast out in total darkness, so will those who reject God’ covering of righteousness.

In His service,

Vilma

Don't be controlled by Your Feelings/Emotions

I was once given a magnet postcard with a number of facial expressions and emotions. The aim was each morning to choose the facial expression and emotion that corresponded with how I was feeling. After about 2 weeks I gave up because I kept moving back and forth, between all the different emotions and facial expressions: happy, sad, glad, mad, angry etc.

I come to realize that I could not rely on my feelings, because they were not stable, they changed daily and sometimes for no apparent reason. Did you know that one of the greatest challenges we face has to do with our emotions?

Most days we tend to operate based solely on how we feel. However this can sometimes ruin your day as well as everyone else’s who you interact with. Say you wake one morning feeling grouchy, you growl at everybody at home, you curse as all the drivers who drive too slow before you or cut in front of you; then you get to work and fuss about every think you are asked to do. You refuse to be civil to your co-workers, and you bite of anyone's head who tries to engage you in a conversation.  All because we allow this feeling of grouchiness to determine the kind of day we will have. Instead of allowing our emotions to dictate our behavior, we should instead operate our lives based on the truth of God’s word. Our feelings and thoughts do not always communicate the truth to us. So often our perception can be so way off from reality we must be careful.

When feelings of loneliness, anxiety, depression, sadness, emptiness, anger come upon us, we should search the word of God for scriptures that will counteract these feelings. We should also pray and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to control these emotions. None of the above emotions or feelings is ordained by God. Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to be our comforter, counselor, helper, and intercessor. Jesus also gave us Peace, Joy and Power and free access to His throne room. So grab a hold of them and let go of those feeling and emotions.

 Practice this with your children by speaking into their lives the promises of God, by calling them as how God sees them not what you are seeing in the moment or how you may be feeling when they have plucked your last nerve. Instead let us purpose in our hearts to show love, compassion, and kindness to our children even when you may not feel like it. The Holy Spirit has already given you victory over your emotions, take it!

Phil 4:13- I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me

 

In His Service,

Vilma