TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED

We in the San Diego area can barely call this winter - the roses are blooming, orchid blossoms are opening, the hills and the grass are so spring green. I am sitting at my desk and looking at the sun shining on snow covered mountains that are two hours away. We were in the mountains recently. We met our daughter and son-in-law at his family's home in Lake Arrowhead. It was a beautiful sunny week end, lots of snow on the ground, the lake and sky so blue. The first night we were there we couldn't get the heat turned on and it was so cold! There were four dogs running around, ours didn't behave very well. In fact, they were such a problem, we came home early. We had an easy drive home and didn't get caught in the 3-day holiday traffic mess. Tiny Tim and Abby felt really bad and we forgave them.

Sometimes our plans don't transpire exactly as we'd planned. Does that mean 'everything went wrong'? I never think in those terms, I know that God's plan will always prevail. No reason to get stressed because we can trust that 'Father knows best'.

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will". Ephesians 1:11.

I do believe that the key is to be able to TRUST. We humanly strive to be self-sufficient, to figure everything out and then become frustrated and fearful when our plans don't unfold as we expected. It's so important to grasp this truth if we are planning on becoming a new person in the new year.

I'm on a diet. I hate it! I know if I don't pay attention and let those pounds build up there will be consequences I don't want. I'll be at greater risk for every kind of disease, my old tennis knees will start to ache, my clothes will get tight....ugh! Time to repent and make changes, but I don't want to have to work at it. I want it to be easy. I would like to go into a coma for a month and wake up having lost the weight I need to lose. It doesn't work that way, and neither does learning to trust God, you will be required to put forth some effort in order to reap the reward. How do you do that? Where do you start?

If you are not a Bible reader, start now, it's the best new year resolution you can make. You will discover who God is, how much He loves you and how intimately He's involved with your daily life. For those new to studying the Bible I think the Psalms are a good place to start. Just read one a day. Then think about what you read. The more involved you become with the Living Word, the more you are able to trust your Creator.

There is a pastor on TV whose weekly message you can watch under the listing of 'Lakewood Church' which is in Houston, TX. This pastor, Joel Olsteen, begins each message by asking those present to hold up their Bible and together they repeat.....

"This is my Bible

I am who it says I am
I have what it says I have
I can do what it says I can do".

Amen to that! Spiritual truth is not like other 'truth'. I can learn 4 x 8 = 32, the U.S. Constitution formed our nation, 'ciao' means good-by in Italian, etc. and I will remember those facts until, or if, my memory dims someday, but spiritual truth is here today and gone tomorrow. Why is that I wonder? God doesn't want us to be self-sufficient, He wants us to 'draw near to Him', Hebrews 10:22 -23, 'for he who promised is faithful'. Today, at this moment, I know that 'God works all things together for good', Romans 8:28, but tomorrow morning I could get up and not know that. The day won't go well, and then the Lord Himself will again remind me 'all things'. I will be confident then that nothing happens to me, but for me!

The 'new you' needs less stress in life and the way to achieve that is to come to understand who God is.

* Omnipotent - all powerful

* Omnipresent - present every where at all times

* Omniscient - knows all things

And this is the same God who loves you and died for you so you can live eternally with Him!

On another note - I've been asked why sometimes I capitalize the word 'Him', and sometimes not. I use the 'New International Version' of the Bible. The original writings did not capitalize 'HIM,' so they don't. When I quote scripture I quote as it is written. However, when I am writing my own words, I will always capitalize Him since this refers to God, seems right to me.

Thank you Lord that we can count on YOU to bring about less stress in our life as we communicate with you daily through YOUR Living Word. Thank you for replacing the stress with trust and knowing that YOU care about every detail of our lives. Our desire is to bring YOU glory. We are called to be a reflection of YOU.

What? Me Worry!

Worry and stress......so much a part of our life. Our joy in life is stolen until, or unless, we learn to deal with it in a positive, constructive way. Doctors will tell you that worry and stress in your life can cause you to be physically ill. And for sure, as soon as you fix one problem, another one will pop up. How can we prevent it? We all learn along the way that we can't, it's part of life.

This does not mean however that we need to go through life waiting for the next calamity to hit, or feel that we're a victim of circumstance, helpless and hopeless. We who have a relationship with the living Lord have a better way to live available to us. We just need to ask! Jesus Himself said,

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

God never expected us to handle the problems of this world on our own. When we think of 'trouble' the character of JOB comes to mind. In this book, the earliest of writings in the Bible, we see Job saying "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble", Job 14:1. I find it a comfort that there are no surprises, we may be caught 'off guard' at some of the earthly trials and tribulations that come our way, but the Lord never is unprepared. It is His plan after all! Ephesians 1:11 - He works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will!

In Matthew 6, Jesus prayed to His Father and asked that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus had His prayers answered! These words are familiar to us, they are a part of the 'Lord's Prayer', and we've probably heard them often. In this same chapter, Matthew 6, the Lord has a lot to say about worry.

Jesus is actually giving us a formula for a worry/stress free life!

• Don't worry about your life, what you eat or drink or what you wear.....look at the birds, they don't store away food, our heavenly Father simply feeds them.
• Look at the flowers, see how God has dressed them....not even King Solomon was dressed in this kind of splendor.
• Pagans (unbelievers) worry about all this, but we don't have to because our Father knows what we need, just seek Him.
• "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Yes, I think we've noticed this!

Easier said then done....we all know from experience. It's only when we step out in faith and trust God that we can 'let it go'. We can't do much about the stock market, the economy, our children's problems, the oil spill......it's all out of our hands. But we do have the promise that our heavenly Father knows what we need. We just think we know what we need! When you lack faith in any area of your life, ask Jesus to supply the faith you need. It comes from Him alone.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". Hebrew 11:1.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...." Hebrews 12:2.

We lay our concerns and requests before Him, then wait in expectation....King David wrote about this in Psalm 5. He asked God to 'consider my sighing and listen to my cry for help'. Isn't this what we want? Lord, please, listen to me! In Ps. 34:17 - 18 David talks about the Lord hearing us and delivering us from our troubles. We may not be 'delivered' as soon, or in the precise way we expect.....but a solution will come, that's a promise.

This can be a sad world, but God can see what we can't. There are times that we feel 'crushed in spirit' and are brokenhearted. It's such a helpless feeling, and NOT from God. He wants us to feel His presence, sing in the shadow of his wings (Ps. 63:7), and never be 'shaken' by the events of this world, Ps. 62: 1 - 2.

In order not to worry, we ask for faith, which then leads to peace. 'For He Himself is our peace.....' Ephesians 2:14. Spiritual truth is not like other truth. I know 2 + 2 = 4. That isn't going to change. And today, at this moment, I know 'God works all things together for good...', but I can forget that in a heartbeat as I get caught up in this world. All I have to do is turn on the news! And Satan loves it! He wants me to struggle, worry, feel stressed......anything but trust God! The truth is....I cannot hang on to spiritual truth without God's help. When we call out to Him, He is always faithful to respond.

If we're worried and not content, we're shouting to God, 'YOU ARE NOT ENOUGH'! Contentment is NOT something that comes naturally for most of us....it is learned. As we begin to trust the Lord for everything, we can say like the apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4, "...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances". Whatever the circumstances!!

Praise be to God, the Father of contentment! Thank you Lord that YOU are able to provide all we need. I love being tucked under your wing! I love being the child of the Almighty God, my heavenly Father.