Turning your life over to Christ (John 3:16)

Give Your Heart to Christ  (Read: Ephesians 2:8 & 9)

Spiritual redemption is the first key toward developing a positive self-image. People who don’t know Christ may claim they think the world of themselves, but they won’t draw that conclusion if they’re honest. Most unbelievers who state they’re self-sufficient and don’t need Christ are miserable people in crises. They’re like beautiful flowering weeds with no strong root system. They only have themselves to rely on for strength, energy, enthusiasm, and creativity. Eventually, they get to the end of themselves. They don’t have the Holy Spirit in them to build them up in Christ in a way that’s comforting and based on truth, even in times of chastisement.

Having a relationship with Jesus Christ resolves many issues that undermine emotional wholeness:

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 Feeling guilty. Guilt is created when you have unforgiven sin. When you ask for God’s forgiveness, you’re forgiven. Guilt is washed away (Rom. 8:1).

Feeling unloved. When you turn to Christ, you must accept God loves you and desires to have an eternal relationship with you (Rom. 8:38-39).

· Having a spirit of revenge against others. Once you’ve accepted God’s free gift of salvation, you should recognize that God also wants to forgive others. What God has done for you, He desires to do for all people, regardless of their past (Col. 3:13).

· Striving to earn favor with God. God’s gift of salvation to you is free. You can’t earn it, buy it, or achieve it through good works. You don’t deserve it. When you’re born anew spiritually, you must accept that any favor you have with God is based on what Christ has done (Eph. 2:8-9).

If you want to be emotionally whole today, give your life to Christ. Once you’ve accepted Christ Jesus as your personal Savior, you must follow Him as your Lord. This daily following of Christ includes confessing sins, a daily cleansing of your spirit that’s just as vital to your spiritual health as a daily bath is to your physical health. You seek God’s forgiveness first for your sin nature and then for the sins you commit as you follow Christ.

Remember, no one’s capable of following Christ perfectly. Everyone is prone to both willful and innocent errors—what some call sins of commission and sins of omission. It’s for these sins that you seek ongoing forgiveness. And when you do, your loving heavenly Father promises to extend His grace and mercy to you (Eph. 1:7).

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The family of God (The Cathedral Quarter)

I remember my salvation experience just like it was yesterday even though its been over 20 years since it happened. I woke up on a Tuesday morning and I had an empty feeling in my heart . . . not like I was sick, just like something was missing. I went on about my day, but I couldn't shake that feeling. After lunch, I called my niece, Amy, and told her about what I was experiencing and ask if she could come over to the house later that evening. She must have known in her spirit what was going on because, when I met her at the front door, she had her Bible with her. We started talking and she asked me if I knew Jesus as my Savior. I told her "no" but I thought that was the source of the emptiness had all that day. She opened her Bible to John 3:16 and let me read it, then she asked me if I wanted to pray. For the first time in my life, I couldn't get the words to come out, so she prayed with me and, that night, I turned my life around.

 

Overcoming the "perfect storm" (part 1)

The Peace of God Will Guard Your Heart

When mariners describe a tempest that no sailor can escape, they call it a “perfect storm.” Not perfect in the sense of ideal, but perfect in the sense of combining factors. All the elements, such as hurricane-force winds plus a cold front plus a downpour of rain, work together to create an insurmountable disaster. The winds alone would be a challenge—but the winds plus the cold plus the rain? The perfect recipe for disaster.

You don’t need to be a mariner to experience a perfect storm. In fact, you’ve undoubtedly already faced a few in your lifetime. A layoff plus recession. An illness plus a job change. A relationship breakup plus a college rejection. A sudden loss plus an unforeseen event that threatens your future. Individually, these elements might be manageable. But collectively, they are absolutely formidable. It’s enough to make you wonder, Will I even survive?

Paul’s answer to that question is as profound as it is concise. When you present your requests to God with thanksgiving, “the peace of God . . . will guard your heart” (Philippians 4:7 NIV). In other words, as you do your part and release the worry to God, he does his part by bestowing on you his perfect peace. You should be worried . . . but you’re not. You should be upset . . . but you are calm. The peace of God transcends all logic, scheming, and efforts to explain it.

When Paul was faced with a “perfect storm” at sea, he told the sailors, “Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. . . . God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you'" (Acts 27:23–24 NIV). On the deck of a sinking ship, God sent angels to minister to Paul. He will do the same for you. Unlike the world, his resources are limitless and his peace is permanent.

Perhaps you’ve prayed and prayed and heard nothing. Don’t give up! Rest in the truth that just as God sent angels to protect those you read about in the Bible, he will send his angels to protect you—even as your storm continues to rage. When you gave your life to him, he took you into his family as a cherished child. He has purpose for your days, and he invites you to join in accomplishing his will in the world. He will use the storms to grow your faith and trust in him.

When you seek the Lord, you will find him. So seek him first. Lead with worship and thanksgiving. Go first to your Father in prayer and praise. Confess to him your fears. Gather with his people. Set your face toward God. Cry out for help. Admit your weakness. Then, once God moves, take a step and move with him.

Expect to see the God of ages fight for you. He is near, as near as your next breath. You may be facing the perfect storm, but Jesus offers the perfect peace.

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I am a firm believer that nothing in our life "just happens" or is mere happenstance . . . God doesn't work that way. My devotional this morning (copied above) is a prime example because I have just weathered one of those perfect storms. It started one year ago next month (May, 2017) when my beloved wife MaryLou began showing early indications of dementia. For my readers who might not be familiar with it, dementia (Alzheimer's Association, 2018) is a general term used to describe a condition that results in the decline of a person's mental abilities to the point it interferes with their day-to-day activities. Despite the fact her diagnosis was intermediate dementia, I was determined to care for her at home as long as I possibly could. From late May until early August, I did just that despite the fact that it was taking a toll on my health.

Toward the end of August, I had to call EMS after her blood glucose skyrocketed and she blacked out. They kept her overnight in the ER. Early the next morning, her doctor came in and said: 1) He was going to admit her so that I could get some rest; and 2) He was going to start the process to get her in a skilled nursing facility. It was then I realized the toll it had taken on me . . .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alzheimer's Association (2018). What is dementia. Retrieved on April 22, 2018 from https://m.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp