Not so structured, more personal thinking

Random Thinking

Well, I seem to be running in circles in my emotions here lately. One minute I’ll be up and jumping all around the room and can’t sit still and then other times I’ll be depressed and just can’t seem to move. I don’t know what it is, I promise, I’m way too young for menopause. Paul the Apostle, who wrote most of the New Testament in the Bible, said that he learned how to be content in all situations. He said He knew what it was to have everything and also to have nothing. He was once a rich well known ruler who had killed people for proclaiming they were Christians. He then became a Christian and spent the last years of his life in prison.
I believe the reason for my discontentment and highs and lows in my mood is not because I didn’t take some ADD, ADHD or Bipolar disease medicine. I am not fully sure if those are all legit or not. Have I thought about getting on some sort of depression or mood controlling meds? Yes. I have However; I’ve never truly believed they were good for a person.
Any who, that’s a different topic for a different time. I could talk in circles about medications. My main concern for writing this is to appeal to those who have felt they had too many highs and lows. I want to click with the people who I know feel depressed at night and happy during the day, or visa versa. I just need some assurance there are others out there in the same boat I am.
Now, I mentioned Paul the apostle who talked of this contentment he had learned. He said he had to “learn” it. He was given peace in all life circumstances after he Learned it. (Philippians 4:10-18) This is what I need to learn. I will say I’ve went years living this way. I lived at peace with each circumstance that had come my way, only I fell out of it for a while and then I’d find it again. Before Paul talked about finding contentment in all situations he pointed out to the Philippians to REJOICE! In the Lord always. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. I believe this prior writing is the reason why Paul learned to be content in all situations. He also described the kinds of things we should be thinking of. He said whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. And the God of Peace will be with you.
When I had that understanding even when times were terrible, I knew I had found what Paul had found. I was teaching a bible study in Carbondale to people of all ages. I remember just studying scripture, and studying other books of religion to answer all kinds of questions to anyone who had any. I remember understanding that the reason for my peace in times of sorrow, and that total calm understanding I had was because I was reading God’s word. I had finally come to terms with the full Sovereignty of God.
He had me where He wanted me. He brought sufferings in my life to make me drop to my knees and call on His name. So that He could pull me up. I had peace in times of suffering because I knew where all this was headed. This life of mine I knew what it was for. I knew that death had no hold on me and my life had meaning. I had total faith in God. It was when I started to loose faith that my mood swings and thoughts of depression would begin to settle in. Faith is where the problem lied.
Paul had faith in God even when he was in prison. He knew God would feed and clothe and give him shelter as he did. Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount to “Seek First His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (These things being clothes, drink, or food) He also knew he would find himself eternally with his Maker. He knew what the afterlife had to bring and was sure of what he needed to be doing with his life. Paul knew he needed to make God’s commands, and God’s promises known. He wrote to churches he visited from prison. He knew God was still using him even if he was handicapped by the bars surrounding him. He wrote most of his greatest Letters in Prison. He wrote to the Romans, He wrote to the church of Ephesus, and he wrote to the Colossians. All the best letters I have ever read. They are directly God inspired, and this is probably why I love them so much. However, Paul was the tool God chose to use. Even while in prison.
People, we have purpose. We can have contentment in all situations. I have experienced it. I am not going to the Doc for my Ups and Downs. I know why I can’t keep a straight head and it’s because I was not thinking of things true, right, lovely, admirable, praiseworthy, pure or noble. I was consumed with self. Introspection is not the key to victory. I should be keeping my eyes on Christ. Keep Faith in God and His promises. Let Gods promise of wrath against those who do not call Him Lord encourage you to witness, and Let God’s Promise of eternity spent with him encourage you to serve Him faithfully on earth until death when you can part and live fully with Him. Know His promise that if we keep our eye on His kingdom He will take care of us and to be free from worries. Matthew 6.

If you want to know more about Paul the Apostle you can read many letters he wrote in the Bible Some include: Philemon, 1 and 2nd Timothy, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Galatians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, and Romans.
IF you just want an outline on Paul the Apostles life you can go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostle_Paul
Once again, thanks for reading and I will state again, I am not mocking people who are on ADD or ADHD Meds or any kind of hormone medication. I am only stating I understand this is not my problem. I am not chemically imbalanced. Or so I don’t think so. I have done some studies of those certain types of drugs and have considered the value of them. I am only stating that their may be other reasons for your mood swings than some crazy chemical imbalance.
Alright Like I said that’s a different Topic for a Different Time.

Have you Lost Hope?

Have you Lost Hope?

Hope
Hope is something we all have in many life circumstances. I’ve put hope in my wants and desires in this life and I’ve put hope in wanting my life to play out as I wanted it to.
However, most of my hopes have not worked out the way I would have wanted them to. Most in fact did not go one ounce of the way I had hoped they would.
After reading some scripture about Hope and the things we are actually suppose to put our hopes in, I realize the reason for my original selfish “wishes” did not play out. Before I had read what God had to say about Hope I was almost all out of hope for anything. I had fallen into despair and just couldn’t pull myself out of this “depression” I was experiencing. When I felt I had lost hope I became numb to this world and the people in it. Nothing seemed to astonish me anymore and I just couldn’t seem to pick myself up. That was exactly my problem. I tried to pick myself back up.


Hope
“Hope” is so important to a human Being that when it is lost, people just lay down and die.” William Frankl, the father of Logo therapy, saw this truth while in a Nazi concentration camp .Those that lost all hope of ever getting out died. Those who kept their hope and planned on what they would do when they got out lived. When hope dies in the human heart, the mind and the will to live cease functioning. God has so created us we must hope in order to live.

–(Practical Christianity by Dr. Robert Morey)
This has proven to be true in many people’s lives I know today. I’ve had friends who have tried to run their own businesses, start churches, start evangelism groups, start bible study groups, start new jobs, have several relationships, and change their major 5 or 6 times, etc and they seem to start out doing fine, and then all of a sudden they begin to loose hope and I begin to see a gradual slow downfall of their once exciting future plans. Then these future plans they had for themselves would cease to exist.

What holds for the individual also applies to a family and to a church. When people give up all hope that their family or church will succeed, that family or church will die. Bust as long as there is hope, there will be life. Thus, faith, hope, and love constitute the heartbeat of a person, a family and a church. Just as we would physically die without them, a church will spiritually die without them. The same applies to the spirit of a nation. If the “American Dream,” which is hope, ever dies, our nation will also die. – Robert Morey
This is why I believe Obama might be a decent leader for America in our present time right now. We have many differences in belief on many issues, but I will say that he is a great motivational speaker and I believe this gives American’s hope. I just hope he motivates us to have hope in the right things.




What Is the Meaning of Hope?

Even though hope is often connected with faith and love, can't confuse these three different things (1 Cor. 13)

Hope: concerns the Future (Rom. 8:23-24)
-Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Faith: Concerns the Past and Present (Rev. 1:5-6)
-and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Love: Concerns the Present (1Cor 13)
- If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong…Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, etc…and now these three remain: faith hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

While my Hopes were only “Wishes” in Greek the New Testament Hope was a word which implied absolute certainty. There was no vagueness or uncertainty connected with this word.

The New Testament word “hope” is:

The inner attitude of joyful and confident expectation and anticipation that everything God has promised in His Word will come to pass.

1.“Inner Attitude” : the way of mentally viewing and responding to life.
2.“Joyful and Confident” : Positive, victorious, assured, inspires joy, stability, etc.
3.“Expectation and Anticipation”: Plan on it and enjoy it.
4.“That everything God has promised in His Word will come to Pass”: What the Bible says about our future will happen!
Number 4. Brings me great hope. Good solid Hope. Everlasting Hope.


There are certain Attributes of Hope

Text The Attributes of Hope

Heb 7:19 A Better Hope (so that we can draw nearer to God)
1st Peter 1:3 A living Hope (Christ gave us New Hope)
Titus 2:13 A Blessed Hope (for his glorious appearance)
1 John3:2-3 A Purifying Hope (We will be as He is)
2 Thes. 2:16 A Good Hope (given to us by His grace)
1 Tim. 1:1 A Christ-centered Hope
(One in which made my hopes mere wishes)
Rom. 5:5 A hope which does not Disappoint
(because he poured love into our hearts.)
Heb. 6:18 A hope set Before Us (In the Gospel) (Col 1:23)
1 Cor. 13:13 An Abiding Hope

What’s some fruit that comes from Hope? How does this Help us live a Christian life? How does this Help us in practical Living circumstances? What does Hope Bring?
A Christian Hope produces Perseverance and steadfastness in the face of trials, tiredness, and temptation. Hope is the thing we cling tight to when we run out of money, when trials become overwhelming, when work has us bogged down, when nothing seems worth living for, etc. When we are against all hope, we can hope and believe. We can be fully persuaded that God has power to do what He has Promised to do. As did Abraham in Rom 4:18. We also can have endurance in these times because of our hope in our Creator! Like in 1 Thess. 1:3
( Rom. 4:18; 1 Thess. 1:3; 2 Thess. 2:16-17; Heb. 3:6; 6:7-12; 18-20; 10:23)


Why do people stop growing and going in the Christian Life?
Answers:
Trials: Personal, Family, Church, Financial, etc.
Tiredness: Physical, emotional, spiritual (in which I feel school and work make me)
Temptation: To pursue personal pleasure, wealth, fame, acceptance of the world, etc.

Why should Trials, tiredness or temptations affect us?
Answer:
When we become “self-centered” and begin to dwell on present problems instead of dwelling on future blessings, and build our security and joy around temporal objects or people, the grace of hope withers within us.
Since perseverance and steadfastness depend on a strong living hope in which our view of the future affects the way we respond to the present, a weakened hope will weaken our dedication to persevere in the Christian life.

What is the goal of life itself? For what should I live for?

Answer: The Glory of God (1 Cor 10:31)
A. The development of Christ-like character qualities in my life (Rom. 8:29; Rom. 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 2 Pet. 1:3-9: Matt. 5:3-16, etc.)
B. Hope is essential to the development of our character (Rom 5:205).
C. He fruit of the Spirit comes from hope (joy, peace, faith: Rom. 15:13 Col. 1:4-5)
D. The ability to rejoice in the Midst of trials comes from hope (Rom. 5;2-3; 12:12; James 1:2)
E. Boldness in our witness comes from hope (2 Cor. 3:12; 1 Pet. 3:15)
F. We should derive strong encouragement from our hope (Heb. 6:18)
G. Hope is our helmet in the armor of God (1 Thess. 5:8) No wonder I felt depressed I had a piece of my own armor missing. The arrows of the enemy were getting intense.

Hope Gives us the Power to live the Christian Life!!

The Focus of Hope
To what does hope look? Just as faith can focus on the past and love will focus on the present Hope should focus on the Future.

The future meaning things unseen and experienced.

Some of our Future Blessings

1. Revelation (Rom. 8:19)
2. Liberation (Rom. 8:19-21)
3. Vindication (Rom. 8:23)
4. to look forward to the future (Rom8:23)
a. Our resurrection (Acts23:6; 24:15; 26:6-7)
b. Eternal Life (Titus 1:2; 3:7)
5. Justification (Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:9)
6. Glorification (Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:30)

The Glorious return of Christ

This is the basis of Our hopes
What do we base our hope on? What are the grounds of our hope? Where is the warrant for our hope?

It is sadly possible to have ill founded hopes (Matt 7:21-23)
“A mere profession of faith is sufficient.”
“MY religious works will get me to Heaven.”
“There is no need for a personal relationship with Christ”
It is possible to have a firm and secure hope (Heb. 6:19)
We must have our hopes on the following:
reliable document: The word of God, Scripture, The gospel, the word of truth (Col. 1:5, 23; Titus 1:2-3)
A Historical Guarantee: Christ’s resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3, 21; Acts 17:30-31)
How can we increase Our Hope?
Realize that God wants you to “overflow” with hope. There are degrees of hopefulness. We should strive to increase hope within us. (Rom 15:13) The more we know of God’s Promises the more our Hope will increase, the more we see God come to answer past promises, the more hope we can have in Him. We need the Holy Spirit for this to happen within us.
Recognize that all well-grounded hope comes from God. Thus you must look to the God from whom hope comes. (Rom 15:13) “The God of Hope”
“O, God of Hope, make me to abound in hope. Increase the amount of hope within me.”
In faith, ask God for the filling of the Spirit (Rom 15:13)
As “endurance” or Perseverance” in the Christian life arises of hope, your endurance of trials, tiredness and temptations will, in turn, give rise to more hope. (Rom15:4)
We must also find encouragement from the scriptures.
Encouragement meaning to take someone aside to give them comfort or consolation.
How can scripture encourage us?
. By knowing that even though we are unfaithful to God His faithfulness does not depend on us.

I always find it relieving when reminded of man’s fickleness—the best saints had besetting sins which they never conquered. I call them (Dog Sins) the ones that keep returning and I just never seem to be able to KICK!!! Some scriptures examples include:
Abraham’s problem: Lying
David’s Problem: Lust
Peter’s Problem: Cowardice
Paul’s Problem: anger
No one in the Bible was considered Perfect except Jesus Christ Himself. Paul, David, Peter and Abraham never reached perfection. They never reached a sinless life as Christ was. They strived for this life however they still had their struggles.
CONCLUSION
Only Biblical Christianity can give us a well-grounded and secure hope concerning the future. Western culture has reaped untold benefits from the scriptural hope that good will triumph over evil in the end; the wicked will be punish and the righteous vindicated and rewarded; and that justice will triumph in the end. The only alternative is the ugliness of existentialism, which has the evil triumphing over the good, the wicked set free and the righteous destroyed. Hopelessness and despair are the only things which humanism offers us.
As Christians, we know that we shall live “happily ever after” We look forward to a new earth wherein no evil shall dwell.
But the non-Christian does not have any well-grounded hopes for the future. He can look forward only to what Heb. 10:27; 29, 31, 12:29, describes.
We need a mighty hope which enables us to face anything in this life because we know what life to come will bring. – Robert Morey; Practical Christianity

So this may also conclude that non-believers have no real hope in anything if they do not know God. SO therefore we must give them reason for the hope we have in Christ. Know the Word of God, and live like Christ. Give them hope. If you do not hope in God’s promises and proclaim God to them who will?
People Do not give up Hope. If you are having any type of problem with this I would like to talk to you about it. I have been there. I have experience many nights where I had lost all hope in life, in myself, and in people. It was the most depressing consecutive ways of thinking I have ever experienced. I realized that I wasn’t putting my hope in God I was putting hope in EVERYTHING else, and all was failing me. I didn’t know who to trust or who to turn to. Please read the scriptures I have referenced all in which will replenish the lost hope you may have.
Thanks for reading. I hope this lesson really opened your eyes as it did mine.
- Brittany

This lesson was mostly taken from Practical Christianity By Dr. Robert Morey. If you like the flow of things you should check this book out for it is a great resource in things pertaining to Christianity. He is a preacher from California from a church called Faith Defenders. He is a great author and really just makes information understandable. He makes it easy to learn new things and He really studies and knows a lot.
http://www.faithdefenders.com/
you can purchase any of his books on this website.

HELLO Everyone. Long time no read...

Whats UP? wow. I haven't been on here in probably a year or more. I just thought i'd start posting again... now that i might have a break coming up in school. I have lots on new interesting ideas that i'd like to share and I have been studying a lot of different things. So ... If your not sure how this blogger stuff works I'll let ya know.
If you would like to see what I mostly write about just click one of the article titles on the right of this page. They are all links to different blogs I have written. Mostly a couple of years ago. It has been way too long. I haven't had time for the interent really. Anywho, I'd like to start making time again.
Any ideas on what I should read up, study, and write about next? .... Leave me a comment.
thanks a lot
Brittany