Tag: anxiety and fear

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Exercise Daily; Walk With God

I am very pleased with the amount of daily hits I have been getting here. I now get over 900 a day. Thank you for dropping by each day to read. I would also like you to sign-up for the RSS feed. It raises the ranking on the Google Search Rankings. Just click on the icon right after title and sign-up, if you haven’t already.

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Just a reminder about ordering my book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” You will need to order it by December 17th to make sure it gets to you in time for Christmas. This book reaches out to those who may suffer from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, or hopelessness.

There is s special sale going on for now until Christmas. Just click on the “Bookstore,” tab above to take a look at it.

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Below is another excerpt from the book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” It talks about how we can get spiritually out of shape if we don’t walk with God daily.

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Chapter 10

 

Exercise Daily; Walk with God

 

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:26

 

During a time when I had several surgeries, I had major setbacks in my exercise routine. I had been working out steadily for several months and was told that was what kept me from having side problems during the open heart surgery. My heart was very strong.

But then I had a couple of months of not being able to exercise much at all. I got out of shape very quickly. I put on some weight, even though I was trying to eat carefully. I needed the exercise to help me keep up with my daily routine.

Then I had gall bladder surgery. The same thing happened. I wasn’t able to exercise nearly as much as I would have liked. I again got out of shape and gained some weight.

I then had to recuperate from back surgery. By the time I got to the point where I could start taking walks, I had gained almost ten pounds. I hadn’t been able to do much of anything for two months before the surgery because of the pain and then for over two weeks after the surgery. I took quite awhile to get the weight of and feel good again.

That is the way it is with God. If we don’t read the Bible every day, we will get out of spiritual shape very quickly. It is very easy to forget to have time for God. When we spend time doing other things and not thinking about God, we get “out of shape.” We don’t feel as strong as we did before. We struggle with daily problems. Just making it through a normal day becomes a monumental task.

If we exercise daily with God, we develop a strong resistance to the evil side of the world and become healthier as we feed on the words from the Bible.

We start losing those weighty problems like fear, anxiety, frustration, shame and guilt. These problems weigh us down so much we can’t do our daily routine. Spiritual exercise can make us stronger each day and get us back into top shape as a Christian.

I know what it is like to get out of shape as a Christian. When I was out of commission from all those surgeries, I let my reading go because I felt sorry for myself. I didn’t want to do anything. I got out of spiritual shape and let depression slowly take over my thinking.

Then I realized I needed God to sustain me through the storm. I needed Him to carry me when I couldn’t walk on my own. He was there all the time, but I let Him slide out of my thinking. I got out of shape and let depression control me.

If you’re out of shape from not reading the Bible or praying to God daily, get with it! Start today to “work out” every day. You may have to even do daily doubles. (Read twice a day.)

God is always there for us, but if we stop seeking Him every day, we will begin to forget that He is there for us. We will get spiritually out of shape.

When we set up a time each day to praise Him and read His Word and also spend time praying for others, we will be amazed how our strength will come back. We will be spiritually healthy and able to withstand the attacks of Satan when we hide in God’s love.

 

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Psalm 32:7

 

Further Adventures

Since you’re training so hard on the Word, why not go down to your local Christian bookstore and find a good Christian book? I suggest any book by Max Lucado, Bruce Wilkinson or Joyce Meyer to make you stronger spiritually. You can also find all their books and many others at www.crossings.com, a Christian website.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how we think we can make it without God?

 

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Why Does God Let Tragedy Happen?

Today’s excerpt is chapter 8, which is called, “Why Does God Let Tragedy Happen?” This chapter has received lots of discussion. Today is “Black Friday.” People are out spending their money for Christmas. I was out shopping on a “Black Friday,” and I saw many blank faces on people as they shopped. It was almost a robot type walk some of them were doing. They felt they had to shop, but their heart wasn’t in it.

Tragedy strikes many of us. Why would God allow this to happen? Isn’t He a loving God? Read today’s post if you never read another.

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The book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” is on sale right now on this site. In the retail stores, it sells for $19.99, but on this site it is only $15.99. The shipping has been cut in half as well. A total savings of over $6.00. You need to order by December 16th to make sure the book gets to you in time for Christmas.

This book reaches out to those who may be suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, hopelessness, etc.

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Chapter 8

 

Why Does God Let Tragedy Happen?

 

Fear of man will prove to be a snare,

but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Proverbs 29:25

 

I am drifting away from bumper stickers for a moment to share some thoughts/questions people have asked me. I have even asked other questions myself. It is very hard to see why so many people must be sacrificed, for no apparent reason. Why would God allow this to happen?

It seems like God has forsaken us sometimes when a tragedy happens. The major tragedy that happened inNew York City, onSeptember 11, 2001makes us ask questions.

Terrorists hijacked four airplanes and attempted to crash them into important buildings. Three of the planes succeeded in crashing into theWorldTradeCentertwin towers and the Pentagon building, killing over 3,000 people. The fourth one, because of the heroics of the passengers aboard, crashed nearShanksville,Pennsylvania, killing all 38 aboard.

Why did God allow this kind of horrible event? Why would He let His children die? Why didn’t He stop the terrorists from carrying out such a horrific deed?

The answer isn’t simple, but we learn in the Bible that God gives us choices. He gives us the freedom to choose what we will be in life. He lets us rise up and be leaders that are admired by millions, but He also allows people the choice of evil. Satan is alive and well, trying to get mankind to choose evil. That is why there was Hitler, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, and Stalin. God, in His love for us, gives us the choice of our path, and then we become accountable for our choices. Man had to be given a free will, because love is a choice and can only be possible where man is free to choose.

So, if sin can separate me from God, why doesn’t He separate me from sin? Because God chose. He chose to create the heavens and the earth. He chose to create oceans and the mountains, and He chose to create Adam and Eve. He created them in His own image and also gave them the right to choose, just like He does.

He is like a father or mother would be like on earth. Parents tell their children what is wrong and what is right. Then they watch over their offspring, hoping they make the right choices and never disobey. If children make a mistake, they have to face the consequences at a later time from their parents.

God didn’t make us to be robots. We each have our own decision-making process. We can accept God, or reject Him. We can obey God, or obey Satan. We can give up the things of the world, or we can become part of the world. God loves us so much He allows us freedom of choice. He loves us as we are, but He just doesn’t want us to stay that way.

It seems hard to accept death, even though it may be the death of a loved one. God loves us all, and He will comfort us through the hard times of losing someone, even though it hurts so badly.

Try to comprehend why God allows people like terrorist to be on this earth, and then make the right choices in your own life.

 

For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief,

he will also show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

Lamentations 3:31–33

 

Further Adventures

Be a help to those who are confused about why God allows things to happen in the world. Try to let them know of His love and how He allows us to make our own choices. This may help many people if you just do this one thing.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how we forget God when everything is going well, but cry out to Him when we are hurting?

 

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Be a Friend to Someone

We have another excerpt from, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” today. It is chapter seven. It is called, “Be a Friend to Someone.” It talks about being there for someone who is suffering.

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A reminder……we have this book on sale on this site. In the retail stores it costs $19.99, but on this site it is only $15.99. The shipping has been cut in half as well. A total savings of over $6.00.

This book reaches out to those who may be suffering with anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, hopelessness, etc. In this day and age there are many who are there because of the current economy.

There are on about 30 days left until Christmas, and to make sure you get the book in time, you need to order by December 16th.

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Chapter 7

 

Be a Friend to Someone

 

Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights.

No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

Job2:13(emphasis mine)

 

Job went through every kind of hardship you can imagine, but his worst hardship was the loss of his own children. Just think how devastated you would be if all of your children perished in one day.

The friends of Job knew that saying things like, “We are so sorry this happened to you,” would not help at all. So they just stayed near him to help him feel comfortable, and waited.

Many of us have friends who are heroes to us. This is because they never look down on you. They are always there for you when you need them. They still like you when you’ve made a mistake. The following talks about how you can be a hero to someone at a critical time of their life.

What do you say when you are with a person who has just lost a loved one? Do you try to explain why God took them? Do you say how sorry you are that it happened?

I lost my father onMay 4, 2001, and it was very hard for me, because we had grown so close in the final two weeks of his life. At the service, people kept coming up to me and saying how sorry they were, and that my father was at peace now. “If there anything I can do,” many of them said. None of this helped me at all. I knew they meant well, but I wanted them to go away and leave me alone.

The one person that really helped me through the whole service was my wife, Charlotte. She never said anything to me about how I was going to be OK. She just held my hand the whole time, and silently gave me reassurance. That was what I really needed! I wanted her to stay close to me, because she—not all the well-wishers who kept coming past me in the receiving line—was the one who was really helping me.

Job lost his children and most of his possessions. Some of his friends came to him and mourned with him. They just sat with him and didn’t say a word. He had a tremendous close encounter with God, and his friends were there to share it with him.

When you are with a friend or loved one who has a loss, just be there and be close to them. You don’t have to saying anything. Your presence will be their comfort. Reminds me of the little boy who walked in the door and announced that he had just visited the newly widowed neighbor.

“What did you say?” his surprised mother asked.

“Nothing. I just sat on her lap and cried with her.”

 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and

God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort

those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives,

so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

2 Corinthians 1:3–5

Further Adventures

Have you been to a funeral where you didn’t know what to say to the mourning family? Try saying nothing. They are glad you came to honor their loved one who has passed away. A hug and a smile will do wonders.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how friends are like the walls of a house? Sometimes they hold you up. Sometimes you lean on them. But sometimes it’s enough to know they’re just standing by.