obey

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.

What I have Learned

/ Karen Moxley / Leave a comment

I have learned that Jesus is the only One who can satisfy every longing of my soul. No person can do this. No experience of this world can fulfill except being in the presence of God—the filling of His Holy Spirit. This is a peace that will never end. No thing in this world can ever satisfy. It always leads me to craving more.. BUT GOD can and will my portion be. He is my peace.

The ‘goodie’

/ Karen Moxley / Leave a comment

This hit home! My daughter found an envelope last Sunday. She handed it to me. I rolled my eyes and put it in my Bible. This morning as I was cleaning, I found that the envelope had fallen out of my Bible and under the couch. It hit me yet again but harder today. AM I GIVING GOD MY BEST or what is left over after I get “the goody” out like a stick of chewing gum? He deserves my first fruits because anything (this is not just money and things but time, talents, etc-anything) HE ALLOWS me to have is HIS ANYWAYS!!! God bless!

Dreaming and Obeying

/ Karen Moxley / Leave a comment

On the night of October 22, 1983 my pastor had a dream. I praise God for giving Carl Campbell that dream and for the fact that he was obedient to our Lord and Savior. I was ten years old and had already made a private confession of faith by repenting of my sins and asking Jesus to live inside of my heart. I had been convicted for quite a while to make a public profession of faith. However, week after week, I would not step out from the security of my pew and take the walk down the aisle, but October 23, 1983 was a different day.

I have no idea what Elder Carl Campbell preached about that Sunday morning. I just remember when the pianist and song leader were about to stop the invitational hymn that my preacher would not let them. He said that he had a dream on the night before that someone really needed to walk down that aisle on this particular day, and that we were not leaving until he had peace over the situation. I was only ten, and I don’t recall the song or how many verses we sang, but I know that we sang for a while.

If I remember correctly, a young lady finally went down front during that altar call and made her public profession of faith. We all thought, “Well good, we can go home now.” Not so quick! Brother Carl said that he knew in his heart that there was another person who had to come down that day before we left church, so we sang and sang. Finally, I surrendered. I looked up at Mama and said, “I want to go.” I asked her to walk with me, and she did.

I was a very timid child, and I often wonder if my life would have taken a different turn had a man named Carl Campbell not obeyed God that day. What if Mama had not taken me to church that Sunday? I have been thinking a lot about this lately, and I truly believe that when God says, “Move,” we better move. When, He says, “Speak,” we best speak. I am thankful for the faithful saints who led the way before me. They obeyed God, and it has made all the difference.