Joy

Being and Feeling are not the same

/ Karen Moxley / Leave a comment

We may feel lonely, depressed, or even anxious, at times, but there is a difference in being and feeling. And we have a helper within us at all times if we have accepted His free gift of salvation.

Webster’s definition of the verb be/am is “equal to.” It gives the example, “God is love.” I could use the example, I am a woman. However, the definition of feel is “to undergo a passive experience of” and “to have one’s sensibilities affected by,” as in to have one or all of our five senses affected by things/situations in our earthly environment or surroundings.

Would you agree that being equal to and feeling are absolutely NOT the same thing? I am not discrediting the way we feel because emotions are certainly real. However, God has overcome all forces of evil for us. He tells us in John 16:33 that He has overcome the world. He also tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart is deceitful above all things. Since our feelings change, they can be very deceiving. We have to be really careful and not let our heart be dictated by the physical world but only by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Let us never forget that we have the presence of almighty God living within us who never changes and who has already defeated the darkness of this world. We are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ.

According to Priscilla Shirer in Discerning the Voice of God, “Every human being has a spirit,” which is “designed for relationship with God.” When we become Christ followers, The Holy Spirit, which is the third PERSON of the trinity, “takes up residence in [our] human spirit.” So, see, we have the power that raised Christ from the dead living within us. This power never changes and has overcome every evil force.

We are not anxiety even if we feel anxious. We are not depression. We are never alone. He is always with us, strengthening us, and loving us so very much. Remember God never changes and God lives inside of us as the Holy Spirit, our Helper, so we “take every thought captive to be obedient to Christ.” We have already won because of what He did for us on the cross over 2,000 years ago.

Peace

/ Karen Moxley / Leave a comment

We celebrated Independence Day at the lake with family, and it was glorious, relaxing, and oh so peaceful. We had no Internet service, and I allowed my mind to “forget” the troubles of this world. I am back home, and my husband has on the news. Back to reality? Yes and No. I do not think that I was ever out of touch with reality. I just refuse to let my heart be troubled. In my lifetime, I have never seen a more troubled time in this country. We have sinned, and we must repent and turn to the Lord.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27 ESV

Since I was taken from “my” classroom in mid March, I have experienced a gradual increase in the peace in my soul. I know this is God because when I take my eyes off Him I feel the blow of the storms all around me. I am so thankful that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world. He quiets my soul and stills my spirit. Thank you, Jesus for making righteousness for me.

“…for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4 ESV

I can only have complete peace because I know full well with every fiber of my being that He is in control, and he has promised me a plethora of everlasting peace. We find this peace in His word. I like to call it His love letter to me. I pray this type of peace never leaves my body.

Fighting is the opposite of peace in most of our minds, but actually we are called to “Christian Warfare.” In Ephesians 6, He tells us to “put on the whole armor of God so that [we] can stand against the schemes of the devil” (v. 11). Of course, we associate armor with fighting, but when we arm ourselves with the truth found in His Word, we will be victorious. He has already paid for this victory on the cross over 2,000 years ago. He knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb. Therefore, the applied blood of Christ that has brought us righteousness will protect all who are His, and this good news of extraordinary peace from Jesus Christ is too good not to share. He gave us salvation through faith. While we stand in these promises, we must “pray at all times in the Spirit …. and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18)

“And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:3–31

It won’t always be easy, but he equips us with everything we need to stand ready to fight the evil one who He has already conquered. God bless you. I pray His peace will rule in your hearts today. I promise that to know Him is to love Him. He sure does love us! He died so that we could live in Heaven forever with Him.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”
Psalm 19:1