Why People are the way they are?

          Good Day Everyone!! I have a very important question to ask all of you.  Why People are the way they are today?  The answer is the times are changing.  I am beginning to realize that we live in a changing society.  For Example, people who comes from dysfunctional families go through changes more than others who come from non-dysfunctional families.  I understand that our personalities are formed while we are inside of the womb of our mothers. 

          Next, I want to say that my life has changed dramatically because I am thinking for myself.  Today, one of my family members got very unhappy with me because I did not call her on a daily basis.  Why people are the way they are is because of a shift in behavior, and authority.  I am saying all of this is because I have been taking 24 prescription medications, and I have been sleeping a whole lot.  I take a medication called Ativan, and this medication makes a person very tired and sluggish.

          Further, I want to say that our expectations have changed.  He who is without sin, cast the first stone.  This is a Bible verse that has a lot of meaning.  Why are people acting the way they are is because of a changing society.  For Instance, our problems tend to get the best of us.  Why people are behaving in a way that is different than the average person, has a lot to do with the violence that occurs inside of our society.  I know that for me, I ask God to follow me everywhere I go.  I ask the Lord to help those who are worse off than me.

          Moreover, why are people the way they are is simply because of our tremendous burdens that we carry for ourselves?  I know that our communities are changing.  People are changing.  Feelings are changing.  I will admit that I used to carry a lot of burdens on myself.  God has been responsible for changing behaviorally for the better.  The Lord loves all of us.  We just need to cast our burdens. 

          Finally, I am asking this question again.  Why people are the way they are?  I really do not know, but I can say that we are living in the very last days right now.  I was at Church yesterday, and the teenagers were being very disruptive during the service.  The teenagers were acting the fool while the Preacher was expressing the sermon.  On a personal note, I do not have any children.  In a way; I am glad that I do not have any children because of a football injury that I sustained during the time that I was a teenager.  I was speared and tackled after I caught the football during a game. 

          In Conclusion, I do not have anything right now to show for myself but a college education.  I am happy that I have earned my education right now because I am able to do anything through Christ that strengthens me.  Why are people acting the way they are right now.  It is simply because our children have too many expectations inside of their households.

          Proverbs 22:6 says train up a child in a way they should go, when they get old, they will not depart from it.  I am glad that I have been raised to attend church on a regular basis.  It is that God has not found a suitable female for me to get married.  I will admit that I have been rebellious in my teenage years.  I have changed immediately after I have asked the Lord to remove the desire to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana.  I prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ on Wednesday May 2, 1990 to change me for the better.  I am happy that my personality has changed because I do not have a desire to argue, and use vulgarity anymore.

          In Summary, why people are the way they are?  The answer is inside of our behavior and personality.  Do you know that God can change anyone as long as you are serious enough?  God has changed me because I wanted Him to change me.

Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Psalm 139:16 ◄ What Does Psalm 139:16 Mean? ► You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:16(NLT) Verse Thoughts We are fearfully and wonderfully made for we are the work of the Father’s hand. What a comfort and joy to know that although we do not see the Lord He not only sees us but knows us intimately and has each of one us in His thoughts constantly. He fashioned and formed us – He selected our parentage and scheduled every day of our lives. Each one of us can say with certainty: Your eyes saw me in my mother’s womb, before my body was even formed and You have scheduled every one of my days – everything about me is written in Your book and planned before I was even born. There is nothing for us to fear – nothing to concern our hearts, for whether we ‘feel’ it or not His word is true. We are the children of the omniscient, omnipotent God of the universe. He has searched our hearts and He knows us, He knows our every move and each fleeting thought that passes through our hearts, He knows whether we are waking or sleeping and understands our inner thoughts and the desires of our hearts. He is before us and He is behind us. He is within us and He dwells in the inner recesses of our heart. He is our guard and He is our guide and wherever we go and no matter whatever happens to us – He is there to lead and to guide to comfort and to succour. When we know what we believe and believe what we know we should have no fear for He is with us – His rod and His staff are our comfort for he knows and cares for You and for me with a blessed intimacy. My Prayer Thank You Father that You saw me before I was born. Thank You that every day of my life was recorded in Your book and every moment of my life is laid out before You– praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise His holy name. AMEN. ◄ Previous: Psalm 139:13 Next: Psalm 139:23 ► Choose a Verse from Psalm 139 123456789101112131415161718192021222324 James 3:4 1 Timothy 2:11 1 John 5:14 1 John 3:10 Follow us Psalm 139:16 Further Study Psalm 139:16 in the Parallel Bible Psalm 139:16 in the Thematic Bible Psalm 139:16 Cross References Psalm 139:16 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Psalm 139:16 Sermons Psalm 139:16 Prayers Psalm 139:16 Images Psalm 139:16 Devotionals Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals Resurrection is the Paramount Miracle Romans 6:18 Acts 2:21 Verdant Vineyard The Secret Of Spiritual Coherence Sins and SIN To Him Who Is Overcoming Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved ×

Verse of the Day ▼ Devotions ▼ Search Home Verse Of The Day Psalm 139:13 ◄ What Does Psalm 139:13 Mean? ► For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13(NASB) Verse Thoughts The wonder, glory, and sovereignty of the Lord, weaves its way like a golden thread of wonderment, through so many of David’s psalms, but none so beautifully than Psalm 139. The shepherd king of Israel is deeply affected by the overarching supremacy of God, over the conception and formation of a new little human being. He is awe-stuck by the intricate form of each tiny baby, as it is knitted together in secret – within the womb of its mother. The psalmist considers the miraculous development of the unborn child, from conception and birth, right on into manhood and old age, and David recognises that God deserves both praise and worship, for the miracle of his own conception and development. He considers the wonderful way he was knitted together, within the hidden recess of his mother’s body… and so he writes, “for You formed my inward parts. You wove me together in my mother’s womb.” The exquisite description of the development of a tiny human form from conception to birth, is a message that speaks of the omniscience and omnipresence of the Lord, during the development of every child in the womb of their mother. The growth of the unborn baby, is one beautiful example of the manifestation of the Lord’s magnificent wisdom in His unfolding plan of redemption. Indeed, the language and content of this special song of praise, dictates that every unborn child should be treated with great respect – and that God should be glorified in the formation of each little embryo, and every unborn baby. For the first 12 verses of this well-loved Psalm, the writer lays out the doctrine of God’s omniscience and omnipresence. He outlines the master-plan of our Creator, Who determined at the beginning, that man should be fruitful and multiply, and that he should fill the earth with his seed. God determined from the beginning that a man would leave his father and mother and be united with his wife… and together, they would become one flesh – not only spiritually but physically. God is the Creator of the human embryo, and speaking of the moment of conception, the psalmist writes, “For thou hast possessed my reins. You formed my innermost parts. You have covered me in my mother’s womb.” This beautifully explains that the Lord is the Originator and Owner of the little life within the womb. God’s supreme sovereignty over every newly formed life, is the meaning behind this verse, “for the Lord formed my inward parts. The Lord wove me together in my mother’s womb.” God has the ownership rights over every human life, which should be treated with reverence and respect, but too often the Lord is held in contempt by those He knitted together at their conception – and too frequently the value of the unborn is considered inconsequential, or a matter of unfortunate inconvenience. The womb of the mother should be a place of safety, where the unborn is nurtured. The secret place in the bowels of the mother should be a place of peace and protection, but too often the rights of the unborn are not valued, nor are they treated with awe-struck wonderment. God in His grace, takes an interest in the life of every conception, for each one is specially created. The Lord forms and fashions every single one, and the psalmist rejoices that God lays out the life-plan of each – and schedules every day of our lives. Psalm 139 is a most beautiful sacred song, which brings our rapt attention to the hallowed essence of the child in utero, and of God’s sovereign role in each little life. While this Psalm can excite our wonder and praise, it can also stir up much regret and deep-seated grief, in those that may have wittingly or unwittingly participated in an abortion, or been instrumental in the termination of an unborn child. Though abortion is a sin, and the loss of life through terminating a pregnancy is a travesty, Jesus died to pay the price for the sin of every man and woman, including this one. The Lord offers cleansing and forgiveness for the unsaved sinner, who in recognising their need of salvation, trusts that Christ is the acceptable sacrifice for their sin – including the sin of abortion. There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus, for He even gives forgiveness and healing to those who commit this sin, both in their pre-salvation and post-salvation life – for if we, who have been justified by faith, confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness – including this one. Let us read through this beautiful Psalm of David, and recognise that the life of the unborn is given as a sacred trust, and that God is sovereign over all living things – and let us give Him all the praise and glory for the wonder of life. My Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for this beautiful Psalm on the sanctity of human life. Thank You that You gave me life, formed my inward parts, and have scheduled every day of my life. How I praise and thank You that I have been born-again into Your family, and have received a new life in Christ. Forgive me individually, and forgive us as a nation for the careless value that we too often place on life, and especially on the value of the unborn child. Bless and protect those that are pregnant and may those that are guilty of wittingly or unwittingly being involved in terminating a pregnancy, experience Your grace and forgiveness in their lives. This I ask in Jesus’ name, AMEN. ◄ Previous: Psalm 139:4 Next: Psalm 139:16 ► Choose a Verse from Psalm 139 123456789101112131415161718192021222324 Hebrews 13:4 2 Timothy 1:4 Genesis 3:16 John 15:7 Follow us Psalm 139:13 Further Study Psalm 139:13 in the Parallel Bible Psalm 139:13 in the Thematic Bible Psalm 139:13 Cross References Psalm 139:13 Treasury of Scripture Knowing Psalm 139:13 Sermons Psalm 139:13 Prayers Psalm 139:13 Images Psalm 139:13 Devotionals Choose Chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the day Today’s Devotionals Resurrection is the Paramount Miracle Romans 6:18 Acts 2:21 Verdant Vineyard The Secret Of Spiritual Coherence Sins and SIN To Him Who Is Overcoming Doctrinal Statement / Privacy Policy / Use of Pictures / Donate / Contact Us © Copyright [2011 – 2020] Knowing-Jesus.com – All Rights Reserved

Spiritual Growth and Christian Living Resources   Toggle navigation 8 Unhealthy Beliefs Christians Lean on to Hide Their Needs Jolene Underwood Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer 2020 18 Nov God has so much for his creation to know, receive, and experience with him. We miss out on who God is (and all he provides) when we operate in the lie that Adam and Eve bought into in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-7). The lie that we don’t need God to lead us, we can lead ourselves. Since eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we regularly choose paths of self-identified rightness over spirit-led guidance. Our ways are not God’s ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). When we trust ourselves to get it all right, we deny God a connection to our hearts, where we need him most. It’s exhausting and isolating to live this way. God has more for us. He looks into the hearts of man and wants to shape us into who he’s created us to be. But, when we rely on ourselves over resting in him, we develop patterns of denial that keep us from experiencing God and his goodness. Some of us deny needs (like love, grace, comfort, and healing) fearing we won’t seem spiritual enough if we admit lack. Perhaps, we hide our needs due to pain from past events where sharing them wasn’t safe. We fear exposure and hide much like Adam and Eve. The following examples are beliefs that keep Christians from exposing our needs to God and others, thereby missing out on how God wants to meet those needs. Some unhealthy beliefs seem good because they are rooted in truths, but our way of understanding them makes them unhealthy. God provides for our needs. Consider how these eight beliefs keep us from receiving. Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Bulat Silvia 1. God is in Control; Therefore… Knowing God is in control relieves weary minds. We find rest when we accept that it’s not up to us to figure everything out. We can release our attempts to control all-the-things. However, this message sometimes leads to quitting active participation in life…and faith with God. We may say God is in control and relinquish what God asks us to do, expecting him to take over like a puppet master. Consider the following implications. God is in control; therefore, I do not need to do anything but wait on him. I trust God to magically make good things happen that make me feel happy and behave right. If God is in control, then I don’t need to put myself in risky situations or take challenging steps where I don’t know the outcome. I don’t need to admit need. Yet, the very faith growth we need requires steps of uncertainty. We must move towards what we believe God asks of us…while trusting that his love and care remain, if and when an outcome isn’t what we desire. For example, we need to receive comfort from others. We need friends to experience life with. If we refuse to reach out and invite others to be with us (because our belief that God is in control leads us to think he will drop people into our lives without us taking risks or letting our needs be known), we miss out on how God works in and through his people. 2. God Is All I Need; Therefore… Knowing that God is all we need provides reassurance. It helps us remember we don’t have to have the thing we want or the perfect circumstance we desire. Trusting that God has what we need soothes weary hearts that are tired of striving. At least for a time. God is the source of provision for all our needs. We experience this through reading the Bible, listening to worship, and praying. We also experience provision of our needs through other people. Through community. Through work. He uses many means to meet needs of love, connection, safety, care, and companionship that were never meant to be fulfilled without the actions of God’s people. Sometimes, saying, “God is all I need” becomes a stumbling block to vulnerability and honest recognition of what our needs are. By saying God is all we need, we might expect ourselves to be fully satisfied in aloneness, self-sufficiency, and never asking for a need to be met. In doing so, we deny God from meeting our needs his way. Photo Credit: ©GettyImages 3. I Am Victorious, Therefore… We are victorious in Christ. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have hope for a future home with him. Satan cannot take what God promises and delivers. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 We have not, however, faced all the battles we will face while here on this earth. Sometimes we say we are victorious as a defense against revealing how much we need help and change within us. By doing so, we stop concerning ourselves with how we live, how our lives impact others, or how we are impacted by them. Relationships aren’t mended and character doesn’t grow without going through the battles. God’s redemptive work in us continues until we pass on to our future home­. We must allow God access to the places in our hearts where the enemy seeks destruction, and where we rely on ourselves to get it all right. God wants us to experience victory now, while holding hope because of the victory we have with him. 4. I Must Have Enough Faith How many of us live out the belief that we need to muster up enough faith to be acceptable to God and others? In doing so, we hide our true needs for connection, love, safety, growth, and healing. We choose to seem highly spiritual instead of experiencing God’s spirit at work in our lowest places. The faith we need comes by hearing and responding to God (Romans 10:17: Galatians 3:2), not making sure we have enough faith to no longer need God or others. Striving to have enough faith puts us at odds with how faith grows, because we are operating out of what we think we know instead of what God wants to reveal. Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Miguel Bruna 5. I Must Sacrifice Myself at All Costs Matthew 16 speaks of surrender and forsaking our version of rightness for the sake of God at work in and through us. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’ – Matthe 16:24-25 Most of my life I carried an unhealthy weight of responsibility because I misunderstood this verse. I thought it meant that in every situation and every circumstance I must deny what I need. I believed it meant that if someone wanted what I had it was selfish to not give it. That if someone acted in harmful ways it was up to me to ignore it and accept it. By doing so, I dishonored God’s call to steward the life he’d given me. I no longer valued what he valued in me, or how he wanted to work through other people’s pain to bring them closer to him. I played savior, not steward. Sacrificing myself at all costs led to depression, anxiety, and even signs of PTSD mixed with spiritual, emotional, and physical exhaustion. As I healed, I realized God wanted me to give beyond my comfort levels, but as he led and as I was empowered by him. This cannot be done from an empty well, or when we live as shell of who we’re designed to be. 6. Anger Is a Sin By believing anger is sin, I pushed real feelings aside. Inevitably, this led to self-harm, depression, anxiety, reactionary explosions, and dysfunctional ways of relating to others. Instead of finding healthy ways to express anger, I denied my needs. By attempting to not sin, I caused harm to myself and others because I hid what was truly needed. When we believe anger is a sin, we miss the redemptive qualities of anger. Anger is an emotion that follows injustice from real or perceived wrongs. Like other emotions, anger is meant to drive us to action and the action that follows is meant to be redemptive. Because we are used to destructive forms of anger, it is easy to believe anger is the problem. What’s underneath unprocessed anger is hurt that needs care, distorted beliefs that need love and truth, and wrongs that require attention. Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/eggeeggjiew 7. I Must Never Fear Fear is a response to real or perceived threat. When our brain perceives danger, it reacts with fear. Fear itself is a natural occurrence, designed to keep us safe. Scripture talks a lot about fear. God frequently commands we do not fear (Isaiah 41:10, 13, Joshua 1:9, Matthew 10:28). We are not to live under fear as a way of life (2 Timothy 1:7), because it keeps us from experiencing God and living free as his creation. However, God’s command to not live in fear includes not fearing fear. Sometimes we treat fear as something to avoid at all costs, but this denies the reality of why fear occurs and what it means. Believing we must never fear leads to self-sufficiency and appearing strong when we feel weak. We might fear feeling fear because it seems like a sign of low faith. However, the reason for fear may be unhealed experiences where fear overwhelmed our minds and bodies. What we need is compassion, care, and healing experiences in the middle of our fear. Those cannot happen if we deny the truth of feeling afraid. 8. Emotions Should Be Controlled There are times when it’s not safe, wise, or helpful, to let strong emotions rise to the surface. Intense feelings can drive us to act out against others, which ends up also hurting ourselves. And yet, not expressing intense emotions at all destroys us from the inside out. Attempts to control all emotions lead us to hide hurt that needs comfort, injustice that needs attention, grief that needs to be processed, and the list goes on. Believing that emotions must be controlled leads us to hide what our hearts, minds, and bodies need when it comes to healthy emotional awareness and expression. The emotions don’t disappear, they infiltrate in ways we can’t see which lead to the very thing we don’t want, emotional explosiveness. God wants to reveal so much goodness and provision. Let’s not miss it by hiding our needs. My hope and prayer for all of us is that we would recognize the enemy’s attempts to keep us hiding in shame and self-reliance so we can let our guards down and let God in. Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Benjamin Davies Jolene Underwood is an emotional health coach and soul care mentor. She provides practical and spiritual support for cultivating life within the Christian soul by drawing upon her personal journey towards emotional health, her psychology background, and a passion for Christian counseling. Jolene writes regularly at JoleneUnderwood.com. Her tool, Unleash : Heart and Soul Care Sheets, has helped hundreds experience greater freedom. Connect with her online via YouTube/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest at @theJoleneU or via the Cultivated Life Newsletter.   Share   Comments NEXT: Can I Actually ‘Hate the Sin but Love the Sinner?’ Editor’s Picks 7 Prayers That Changed My Heart for My Husband 5 Wonderful Ways to Budget for Christmas Gifts in a Pandemic Follow Crosswalk.com       About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Crosswalk App California – Do Not Sell My Personal Information California – CCPA Notice

Spiritual Growth and Christian Living Resources   Toggle navigation 8 Unhealthy Beliefs Christians Lean on to Hide Their Needs Jolene Underwood Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer 2020 18 Nov God has so much for his creation to know, receive, and experience with him. We miss out on who God is (and all he provides) when we operate in the lie that Adam and Eve bought into in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-7). The lie that we don’t need God to lead us, we can lead ourselves. Since eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, we regularly choose paths of self-identified rightness over spirit-led guidance. Our ways are not God’s ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). When we trust ourselves to get it all right, we deny God a connection to our hearts, where we need him most. It’s exhausting and isolating to live this way. God has more for us. He looks into the hearts of man and wants to shape us into who he’s created us to be. But, when we rely on ourselves over resting in him, we develop patterns of denial that keep us from experiencing God and his goodness. Some of us deny needs (like love, grace, comfort, and healing) fearing we won’t seem spiritual enough if we admit lack. Perhaps, we hide our needs due to pain from past events where sharing them wasn’t safe. We fear exposure and hide much like Adam and Eve. The following examples are beliefs that keep Christians from exposing our needs to God and others, thereby missing out on how God wants to meet those needs. Some unhealthy beliefs seem good because they are rooted in truths, but our way of understanding them makes them unhealthy. God provides for our needs. Consider how these eight beliefs keep us from receiving. Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Bulat Silvia 1. God is in Control; Therefore… Knowing God is in control relieves weary minds. We find rest when we accept that it’s not up to us to figure everything out. We can release our attempts to control all-the-things. However, this message sometimes leads to quitting active participation in life…and faith with God. We may say God is in control and relinquish what God asks us to do, expecting him to take over like a puppet master. Consider the following implications. God is in control; therefore, I do not need to do anything but wait on him. I trust God to magically make good things happen that make me feel happy and behave right. If God is in control, then I don’t need to put myself in risky situations or take challenging steps where I don’t know the outcome. I don’t need to admit need. Yet, the very faith growth we need requires steps of uncertainty. We must move towards what we believe God asks of us…while trusting that his love and care remain, if and when an outcome isn’t what we desire. For example, we need to receive comfort from others. We need friends to experience life with. If we refuse to reach out and invite others to be with us (because our belief that God is in control leads us to think he will drop people into our lives without us taking risks or letting our needs be known), we miss out on how God works in and through his people. 2. God Is All I Need; Therefore… Knowing that God is all we need provides reassurance. It helps us remember we don’t have to have the thing we want or the perfect circumstance we desire. Trusting that God has what we need soothes weary hearts that are tired of striving. At least for a time. God is the source of provision for all our needs. We experience this through reading the Bible, listening to worship, and praying. We also experience provision of our needs through other people. Through community. Through work. He uses many means to meet needs of love, connection, safety, care, and companionship that were never meant to be fulfilled without the actions of God’s people. Sometimes, saying, “God is all I need” becomes a stumbling block to vulnerability and honest recognition of what our needs are. By saying God is all we need, we might expect ourselves to be fully satisfied in aloneness, self-sufficiency, and never asking for a need to be met. In doing so, we deny God from meeting our needs his way. Photo Credit: ©GettyImages 3. I Am Victorious, Therefore… We are victorious in Christ. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we have hope for a future home with him. Satan cannot take what God promises and delivers. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 We have not, however, faced all the battles we will face while here on this earth. Sometimes we say we are victorious as a defense against revealing how much we need help and change within us. By doing so, we stop concerning ourselves with how we live, how our lives impact others, or how we are impacted by them. Relationships aren’t mended and character doesn’t grow without going through the battles. God’s redemptive work in us continues until we pass on to our future home­. We must allow God access to the places in our hearts where the enemy seeks destruction, and where we rely on ourselves to get it all right. God wants us to experience victory now, while holding hope because of the victory we have with him. 4. I Must Have Enough Faith How many of us live out the belief that we need to muster up enough faith to be acceptable to God and others? In doing so, we hide our true needs for connection, love, safety, growth, and healing. We choose to seem highly spiritual instead of experiencing God’s spirit at work in our lowest places. The faith we need comes by hearing and responding to God (Romans 10:17: Galatians 3:2), not making sure we have enough faith to no longer need God or others. Striving to have enough faith puts us at odds with how faith grows, because we are operating out of what we think we know instead of what God wants to reveal. Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Miguel Bruna 5. I Must Sacrifice Myself at All Costs Matthew 16 speaks of surrender and forsaking our version of rightness for the sake of God at work in and through us. Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’ – Matthe 16:24-25 Most of my life I carried an unhealthy weight of responsibility because I misunderstood this verse. I thought it meant that in every situation and every circumstance I must deny what I need. I believed it meant that if someone wanted what I had it was selfish to not give it. That if someone acted in harmful ways it was up to me to ignore it and accept it. By doing so, I dishonored God’s call to steward the life he’d given me. I no longer valued what he valued in me, or how he wanted to work through other people’s pain to bring them closer to him. I played savior, not steward. Sacrificing myself at all costs led to depression, anxiety, and even signs of PTSD mixed with spiritual, emotional, and physical exhaustion. As I healed, I realized God wanted me to give beyond my comfort levels, but as he led and as I was empowered by him. This cannot be done from an empty well, or when we live as shell of who we’re designed to be. 6. Anger Is a Sin By believing anger is sin, I pushed real feelings aside. Inevitably, this led to self-harm, depression, anxiety, reactionary explosions, and dysfunctional ways of relating to others. Instead of finding healthy ways to express anger, I denied my needs. By attempting to not sin, I caused harm to myself and others because I hid what was truly needed. When we believe anger is a sin, we miss the redemptive qualities of anger. Anger is an emotion that follows injustice from real or perceived wrongs. Like other emotions, anger is meant to drive us to action and the action that follows is meant to be redemptive. Because we are used to destructive forms of anger, it is easy to believe anger is the problem. What’s underneath unprocessed anger is hurt that needs care, distorted beliefs that need love and truth, and wrongs that require attention. Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/eggeeggjiew 7. I Must Never Fear Fear is a response to real or perceived threat. When our brain perceives danger, it reacts with fear. Fear itself is a natural occurrence, designed to keep us safe. Scripture talks a lot about fear. God frequently commands we do not fear (Isaiah 41:10, 13, Joshua 1:9, Matthew 10:28). We are not to live under fear as a way of life (2 Timothy 1:7), because it keeps us from experiencing God and living free as his creation. However, God’s command to not live in fear includes not fearing fear. Sometimes we treat fear as something to avoid at all costs, but this denies the reality of why fear occurs and what it means. Believing we must never fear leads to self-sufficiency and appearing strong when we feel weak. We might fear feeling fear because it seems like a sign of low faith. However, the reason for fear may be unhealed experiences where fear overwhelmed our minds and bodies. What we need is compassion, care, and healing experiences in the middle of our fear. Those cannot happen if we deny the truth of feeling afraid. 8. Emotions Should Be Controlled There are times when it’s not safe, wise, or helpful, to let strong emotions rise to the surface. Intense feelings can drive us to act out against others, which ends up also hurting ourselves. And yet, not expressing intense emotions at all destroys us from the inside out. Attempts to control all emotions lead us to hide hurt that needs comfort, injustice that needs attention, grief that needs to be processed, and the list goes on. Believing that emotions must be controlled leads us to hide what our hearts, minds, and bodies need when it comes to healthy emotional awareness and expression. The emotions don’t disappear, they infiltrate in ways we can’t see which lead to the very thing we don’t want, emotional explosiveness. God wants to reveal so much goodness and provision. Let’s not miss it by hiding our needs. My hope and prayer for all of us is that we would recognize the enemy’s attempts to keep us hiding in shame and self-reliance so we can let our guards down and let God in. Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Benjamin Davies Jolene Underwood is an emotional health coach and soul care mentor. She provides practical and spiritual support for cultivating life within the Christian soul by drawing upon her personal journey towards emotional health, her psychology background, and a passion for Christian counseling. Jolene writes regularly at JoleneUnderwood.com. Her tool, Unleash : Heart and Soul Care Sheets, has helped hundreds experience greater freedom. Connect with her online via YouTube/Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest at @theJoleneU or via the Cultivated Life Newsletter.   Share   Comments NEXT: Can I Actually ‘Hate the Sin but Love the Sinner?’ Editor’s Picks 7 Prayers That Changed My Heart for My Husband 5 Wonderful Ways to Budget for Christmas Gifts in a Pandemic Follow Crosswalk.com       About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Use Crosswalk App California – Do Not Sell My Personal Information California – CCPA Notice

Touching Lives with James Merritt DAILY DEVOTIONAL EMAIL Subscribe to receive the daily devotional from Dr. James Merritt right into your inbox SUBSCRIBE Spirit of Truth November 23, 2020 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27 Jesus often called the Holy Spirit “The Spirit of Truth,” when He spoke of Him. And in John 15:26-27 we learn that the Holy Spirit has come to bear witness of Jesus. What is the job of a witness? A witness has one purpose – to tell the truth. The Holy Spirit only wants to talk about one thing – that is Jesus. He only wants to teach about one thing – that is Jesus. The Holy Spirit only wants to think about one thing – that is Jesus. The Holy Spirit’s purpose in our lives is to make known the truths of Christ. He teaches, guides, and reminds us of what is true about Jesus. I have learned that the easiest way to get anyone to talk to you is simply to find out what his/her favorite subject is and then talk about it. Whether it’s a certain sport, hobby, or person, if you can find out what someone is passionate about, they will talk to you. If you want the Holy Spirit to talk to you, ask Him about Jesus. That is not just His favorite subject – it is His only subject. How do you talk to the Holy Spirit about Jesus? The best way is through the Word of God and prayer. Ask Him to speak to you about Jesus through His Word. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with truths about Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is the key to unlocking these truths. Remember, His purpose is to bear witness about Jesus. He wants to show us the treasures of Christ; but we must be listening. The more we listen, the more we are able to bear witness to others the truth that has been revealed to us. Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit living within me. Help me to be diligent to not only talk to the Holy Spirit, but to also listen for Him to speak to me as well. In Jesus’ name, amen. Topics: Truth Bible Reference John 15:26-27 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. About Contact Us Jobs Pastor Resources Prayer Request Privacy Policy Copyright © 2019 Touching Lives, Inc. | 1800 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30097 | United States | 770-982-0168 Touching Lives is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

Touching Lives with James Merritt DAILY DEVOTIONAL EMAIL Subscribe to receive the daily devotional from Dr. James Merritt right into your inbox SUBSCRIBE Spirit of Truth November 23, 2020 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27 Jesus often called the Holy Spirit “The Spirit of Truth,” when He spoke of Him. And in John 15:26-27 we learn that the Holy Spirit has come to bear witness of Jesus. What is the job of a witness? A witness has one purpose – to tell the truth. The Holy Spirit only wants to talk about one thing – that is Jesus. He only wants to teach about one thing – that is Jesus. The Holy Spirit only wants to think about one thing – that is Jesus. The Holy Spirit’s purpose in our lives is to make known the truths of Christ. He teaches, guides, and reminds us of what is true about Jesus. I have learned that the easiest way to get anyone to talk to you is simply to find out what his/her favorite subject is and then talk about it. Whether it’s a certain sport, hobby, or person, if you can find out what someone is passionate about, they will talk to you. If you want the Holy Spirit to talk to you, ask Him about Jesus. That is not just His favorite subject – it is His only subject. How do you talk to the Holy Spirit about Jesus? The best way is through the Word of God and prayer. Ask Him to speak to you about Jesus through His Word. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with truths about Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is the key to unlocking these truths. Remember, His purpose is to bear witness about Jesus. He wants to show us the treasures of Christ; but we must be listening. The more we listen, the more we are able to bear witness to others the truth that has been revealed to us. Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit living within me. Help me to be diligent to not only talk to the Holy Spirit, but to also listen for Him to speak to me as well. In Jesus’ name, amen. Topics: Truth Bible Reference John 15:26-27 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. About Contact Us Jobs Pastor Resources Prayer Request Privacy Policy Copyright © 2019 Touching Lives, Inc. | 1800 Satellite Blvd, Duluth, GA 30097 | United States | 770-982-0168 Touching Lives is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization

Romans 14:12 And What It Means To All People?

By: Anthony Joseph Hopkins

          Good Day Everyone!! How are all of you doing today?  Fine, I hope.  I have a very important question.  What does Romans 14:12 and what it means to all people?  The answer is; everything in God’s creation will be judged honestly and righteously.  I want to say that every human being and animal must give an account to God. 

I know for me that it has not been very easy growing up in my own hometown of Dayton, Ohio.  I grew up very poor.  This is simply because my mother had given birth to six boys and three girls.  One thing that I can say about my mother is that she took care of all of us.  My mother worked just to take care of her household.  However, as the Bible verse states is that every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Next, I want to also say that I had been a very mischievous child growing up.  I used to smoke marijuana and cigarettes at an early age.  I was a follower rather than a leader.  I did what everyone else was doing.  My mother told me the meaning of my name.  She stated to me that I am a leader instead of a follower.  She told me that I was named after Joseph in the Old Testament.  She also indicated that I am a leader.  I did not know at the time, but she was absolutely right. 

          Moreover, I want to mention that my mother, grandmothers, and aunt told me the truth inside of my face.  Each time they talk, I would get intimidated.  This is simply because I either done something wrong, or they were correcting me for an injustice.  This is the same thing that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to do.  He is watching us all of the time.  I realize that the Righteous Judge is Jesus Christ.  Colossians 3:25 states that: But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.  This means that every human being living and dead will be accountable for what they have done while inside of their body. 

          Further, I want to inform all of you that God and Jesus Christ are one.  John 10:30 says I and my father are one.  This means that I do not want to hurt the heart of God.  I am doing my very best to conduct myself like a person who has good common sense.  Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all of these things shall be added unto you.  I really need to know what my assignment from God.  I am doing my part to make the Kingdom grow.  I am a person who loves the Lord Jesus Christ.  I am living to do the glory of God. 

          In Addition, I am called according to His purpose.  I would rather live in God’s Will.  I am a person who strives to make God smile every day of the week.  Prior to that, I was engaging in bad activities simply just to appease my friends.  I tend to be all by myself right now.  I am chasing God right now.  I am running to God.  Doing the Will of God is not always easy.  For me personally, I have to still make amends to my siblings.  One of my baby sisters is not talking to me anymore.  I know that I have wronged her in the past, but I tried to make amends to her; during my mother’s funeral, and she refused to acknowledge me as a person.

          Grace is not an excuse to live a sloppy life.  I have tried to make amends to all of my family members that I have wronged in my life.  My siblings and I really have not spoken face to face since my mother’s funeral.  I am in need of spiritual strength.  I am in need of all of my siblings to make amends with me.  I have forgiven each, and every person that have wronged me personally.  I will not live with a heart full of hatred.  Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from all evil.  I am working with God to fix all of my problems.  Help me God to know who my friend is or not. 

          Finally, I want to let everyone know that my whole behavior and outlook on life has changed.  I do not sin whenever I get angry.  I will admit that I do not use vulgarity anymore.  I will admit that I still have character defects to deal with each day.  You cannot help how you feel, but you do not have to act on the behavior of our emotions.  I used to be a person who would use vulgarity as a defensive mechanism just to cover up my fears.  We cannot let our fleshly emotions dictate us behaviorally.  I have grown in Christ.  Jesus Christ has changed me behaviorally.  You do have a free will, and you have a choice.

Psalms 96:13 And What It Means To All People?

          Good Evening and God Bless All of You!!  I would like to say that this Bible verse is one of my favorite verses.  This is pertaining to Jesus Christ, who will come to the earth a second time, and He will judge the earth.  Jesus Christ will judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth.  I really believe it!!  It is time for all of us to get our lives in order right now. 

For me personally, I have to repent of all of my sins, and get serious!! This is very serious for everyone to repent and be baptized in the name of the father, son, and the Holy Spirit.  I want to say that this is a time for me to completely change for the better.  I have changed a whole lot.  For Instance, I want you to be my God!!  God, I want you into my life.  I want you Lord Jesus to dwell inside of me.  I want you to care for me in the same way my mother cared for me as a child.  I am only a Child of The Most High God!! 

          Further, I want to say that when it comes to this Bible verse, I also have to include Acts 2:38.  I have to say that it is time for me to do some spiritual house cleaning right now.  This means that I will have to stop watching the news at night.  I have to really stop voting for men and women in politics.  God is all that I need.  I am very sorry for voting for president of the United States, Mayor of my hometown of Dayton, Ohio, and selecting other people to govern the nations. 

          Moreover, I want to mention that I have to include Romans 10:9-10 as well.  I am literally ready to do my house cleaning, and I mean it this time around.  I know that I still have a long way to go in my Spiritual Walk.  I have to make sure that I am worthy in the eyes of Jesus Christ.  My life has been filled with ups and downs during the past 10 years.  I have to prepare in advance to humble myself, and change for the better.  The Lord has been good to me for a very long time.  I still have some growing up to do.  I am ready for the Lord to give me a strategy to change forever. 

          In Addition, I want to inform all of you that I am including these Bible verses because I am ready for the Lord to use me as an instrument for truth!!  I want the Lord Jesus Christ to please pay for my book to get published.  I am praying really hard for the Lord to publish my book called My Grace is Sufficient for Me.

 Dorrance Publishing Company out of Pittsburgh, PA has mailed me a contract that consists of 50 pages of information regarding my book. I have not signed the contract because I have to pay $5,600 dollars for them to publish my book.  I do not have the money to pay for my own book to get published.  Please pray for me because I am trying to publish my very first book.  Lord Jesus, please pay for my book to get published.  It is a Christian Book that talks about my life, and God’s Forgiveness. 

Finally, I want to say that I am very sorry for going on a tangent.  It is that, I have a book that everyone would love to read.  It is that I do not have the finances to pay for additional copyrights as well.  I need a whole lot of prayer for me, and for my book to get published with Dorrance Publishing Company.  The Book of Psalms consists of many Bible verses coming from David, Moses, and other Writers that the Bible hardly talk about.  Every verse inside of the Bible is very serious.  Jesus Christ is going to come back and judge the earth, and everything inside of it.  I am taking this seriously because I am praising the Lord all the time.  Thank You Jesus for saving me.  Thank You Lord Jesus for allowing me to write this essay.  Thank You Lord Jesus for talking to me right now.

In Conclusion, I want to say to everyone who is reading this essay that I really need all of your prayers, love, and support. 
I love all of you very much!! Take care of yourselves!!

Sincerely,

Anthony Joseph Hopkins

Psalms 94:11 And What It Means To All People?

By: Anthony Joseph Hopkins

        Good Day Everyone!! How are you doing today?  Fine, I hope.  I want to ask everyone a very important question.  Does the Lord knows the thoughts of man?  The answer is yes!! God knows all things in advance.  Psalms 94:11 says The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.  This is inside of the King James Version of the Bible.  Frankly, I want to say that God knows the things that we are going to do long before it takes place.  What I would like to do is have the Word of God to impact my mind, and my thinking.

        Next, I want to say that I need the Lord to allow me to feed on the Word of God.  In the middle of trouble, I need to feed on the Word of God at all times.  I really feel at this time that I am inside of the Lord’s Hands.  How you think determines how you feel.  This means that you have to deal with how you think rather than how they feel.  This is very hard for some people because in my case, I am a person who reacts to things more than I am thinking.

Further, I am trying my very best not to conform to these external supervisions.  This reminds me of Romans 12:2 it says; do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Proverbs 23:7 For as He thinketh in his heart, so is he.  I want to say that I suffer from a mental illness called Schizoid Affective Disorder.  This means that I hear voices or things that other people do not hear.

        Moreover, I want to say that I would like for the Lord to continue to bless me eternally.  The things that I need on earth, the Lord will provide.  I know that my mind craves for the things that I wish that I need.  For Example, I am the type of person, who has changed for the better.  For Instance, I want to say that I used to be very reclusive.

  I tend to withdraw at certain times.  I find myself withdrawing from certain realities of life.  I will admit that I am very intelligent and kind.  I also will admit that I have a passive mind.  Even though I am not apathetic.  I have been through a whole lot in my life.  I used to make excuses for my emotions.  Currently, I am doing a whole lot better emotionally and mentally.  I have a sound mind right now.  I feel excited about life more than I have ever before.

I remember when my parents used to tell me that I talk out loud.  I guess the reason why I talk loud is because I would like for everyone to hear what I have to say.  I want to saturate myself with God’s Word.  My way of thinking has changed because I have the Holy Spirit inside of me right now.  I am literally excited because I am attending Church on a regular basis.  I am reading my Bible every single day of the week.  You are accountable for how I feel.  I am accountable for my emotions. 

Finally, I want to say that self-control is a gift from God that has a purpose for our lives.  My life during the past 30 years have been filled with ups and downs.  I want to be inside of a place that I can govern my emotions.  I want to say that I do not argue with anyone anymore.  Godly emotions go towards God.  I noticed that I do not dwell on negative emotions anymore.  I used to carry thoughts that used to wear me down completely.  What I am doing at the moment is that I am managing my problems. 

In Conclusion, I want to say that my life has changed for the better.  I have to expose myself to the Word of God.  I have become saturated my thinking with the Word of God on a daily basis.  I read the Bible out loud because I want God to talk to me.  I know that I have been saved for the past 4 years now.  What are you spending most of your time thinking about?  For me personally, I would like to become a father someday.

 I would like to attend Seminary School.  I would like for the Lord to pay for my book publishing fees and my student loans.  I do not want life mastering me!! I want to master life!! Please continue to keep me in your prayers because I have a lot of special needs at the moment.  I really need to govern my life instead of allowing my emotions to govern my life.  Please keep do things in a positive manner.