Lonely Hearts – 10/13

Lonely Hearts

"Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

 

Clearing out the cobwebs:

Do you like to spend a lot of time by yourself, or would you rather be surrounded by people?

 

1. In 2 Corinthians 11:27 Paul lets us know of the loneliness that he experienced. Does it seem strange that an apostle, a pillar of the faith, could feel this way? Paul is not exempt just because he was an apostle. All Christians can experience loneliness. It is a natural emotion.
   
2. In Psalm 69:20 David is wishing he had someone to talk to in order to share his troubles and sorrows with.
   
3. Genesis 2:18 talks about a man and a woman not being alone. But in general, God made us to need one another. Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 tells us that friends help each other up and keep them warm.
   
4. 1 Timothy 5:5 tells a story about a widow. She puts her hope in God and continues to night and day to pray and ask God for help.
   
5. Psalm 62:8 tells us what to do when we need an understanding ear to listen. The answer "TRUST in him at all times."
   
6. 2 Corinthians 13:11 and Philippians 4:9 tells us that we are not alone. The God of love and peace will be with you.
   
7. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 and 2 Timothy 4:22 tell us the Lord with be with you.
   
8. John 14:16,17 tells us the Holy Spirit is with us as well.
   
9. Three encouraging verses…what do they say is also with us? Grace, Mercy & Love. Read for yourselves.
   
   1. 2 Corinthians 13:14
      
   2. Colossians 2:5
      
   3. 2 John 1:3
      

 

 

TRINKETS to TREASURE

Your trinket for the week is a braided cord. A single strand of fiber might be fragile on its own, but it is strengthened when it is wound together with others. When our hearts are lonely, we realize how much the bonds of friendship mean. And when we have no other friends, how much more tightly we must weave our lives together with Jesus'!

As you ponder and pray over the week ahead, ask the Lord to help you to grasp Whose you are. Look for ways to reach out to others this week. Be that listening ear, be the one with the encouraging word, be the one to hear and know and understand.

Prayer Requests:

 

Linda's mom is in the hospital, they think that she had a mild heart attack. She is supposed to be released today. Pray for healing for her Mom and for Linda for strength as she is caring for her parents in her home.

 

Brenda - prayer for Christine. She has had multiple surgeries on her foot. Pray for God's hand to be with the surgeon and for a complete recovery.

 

Kathleen's daughter, Melissa, continued prayer for her health.

 

Monica's sister, Marcella, for God's guidance as she and her husband begin the process of reconciliation.

 

Joy – Prayer for job. Teaching music with no resources from the school. Continued prayer for the concert on 12/1 and 12/2. Prayer to remain in good health.

 

Prayers for those that are traveling this week.

The Green Eyed Monster – 10/6

The Green-Eyed Monster

"Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent, but who is able to stand before jealousy?" Proverbs 27:4

 

Jealousy is an emotion that doesn't fade as we grow into adulthood. We still have a tendency to declare "IT'S NOT FAIR!" when we don't get what we feel we deserve from life. Christians are not the exception. We are jealousy that God has blessed someone else with something that we would like. As women we've all said it at some time or another. I'm so jealous I wish I had curly/straight hair. It's not fair. A simple example but that is jealousy none the less.

 

In Proverbs 14:30 Solomon says that envy rots the bones but a heart at peace give life to the body. Jealousy can bring with it other emotions in subtle and not so subtle ways. Luke 11:39 says that greed is difficult to discover because it is on the inside and we cover it up on the outside. Psalm 101:5 says that we have slander come from our mouths from jealousy. Proverbs 25:23 talks about a sly-tongue, slander and 2
Peter 2:14 says that a sinner has a heart trained in covetous practices.

 

Jealousy, materialism as referred to in the bible, brings trouble to the family (Proverbs 15:27) and in addition to greed and envy lead to sin (Habakkuk 2:9). The alternative to jealousy is to turn your heart to Jesus (Psalm 119:36). In Proverbs 21:26 Solomon says ," the righteous gives and does not spare." By giving we look to others and meeting other needs therefore we are not looking at the interests of ourselves. (1 Corinthians 10:24,Philippians 2:4)

 

Mary and Martha are a great example of Jealousy. Martha was in the kitchen and Mary was out with Jesus and his disciples. Martha says, "What about me? Don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me." (Luke 10:40). Jesus responds in the next verse, "Martha, Martha you are upset and worried about many things but only one is needed". That one this thing is focusing on where Jesus is and where he wants YOU to be in your life.

What about her/him??? Peter asks that question of Jesus regarding John. In John 21:22 Jesus replies, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is it to you? You must follow me."

It must be our focus and purpose to not allow the green-eyed monster of jealousy to cause our eyes to wander from the purpose that God has for our lives. Paul says "The one who plants and the one who waters have one purposes, and each will be rewarded for their labor. (1 Corinthians 3:8). He goes on to say that "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself without comparing himself to someone else, for each one should carry his own load." (Galatians 6:4,5)

 

These are powerful words concerning Greed. We must remember that it is God who put us on this earth. He knit us together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13) (Proverbs 3.5-6 KJV) "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." If we will lean on him, he will direct our lives as he has put us on this earth to do. We were created for his purpose with certain traits, characteristics and abilities that we use to grow his Kingdom. Granted we all might not like the talents that we have and wish that we had someone else's but in the end we are all working for one purpose and that is to bring people to know that God loves them, forgives them and wants to be their provider and protector.

 

TRINKETS TO TREASURE

Our trinket to treasure is Grass Seed. We need to keep our eyes from wondering and keep them focused on our own lawns. Grass seed is easy to grow, even in a small pot on the corner of your desk. Just remember to keep it mowed. While your "mowing" it remember that pruning and shaping take place in every life between that individual and Jesus.

 

And for laughs….Chuck Swindoll says " The grass may be greener in your neighbor's yard: Their water bill is probably higher!"

 

• Text taken from Managing Your Moods, Women of Faith
  

 

 

Managing Your Moods – Temper, Temper – Wk 3

Temper, Temper

Verse: "Better to Dwell in the Wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman." Proverbs 21:19

Clearing the Cobwebs:

What causes you to lose your temper? The big things? Or the little things?

For me…it is the little things that add up and become a BIG thing that causes me to lose my temper. I can saw that over the past 12 years I have made great progress in not losing my temper as easily. The greatest strides have been in the past 3 years as I'm learning more about Jesus and his desire for me and my life.

 

In the Bible there are many people that said words that they would regret in the heat of anger. Moses threw the tablets out of his hands after learning of the people worshiping the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:19). The man in Numbers 22:27 that beat his donkey with a stick while she was trying to avoid the angel in the street. David's brother called him conceited and said that he had a wicked heart in 1Samuel 17:28. David was called a son of a perverse and rebellious woman (1Samuel 20:30). David said that he deserved to die (2 Samuel 12:5). King Xerxes threw a temper tantrum when he didn't get his way (Esther 1:12). Jonah is angry enough to die (Jonah 4:9).

 

An angry man or woman stirs up dissension, a hot-tempered one commits many sins (Proverbs 29:22). A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays foolishness (Proverbs 14:29). These two passages tell us that people who can not control their tempers (angry people) are foolish and commit many sins in their anger. Solomon calls a person who is easily angered a fool (Ecclesiastes 7:9). "Your life is in the hands of any fool who can make you lose your temper."

 

Psalm 37:8, Ephesians 4:31, Colossians 3:8 all say that we should refrain or rid ourselves from anger. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't ever be angry. It is only a sin if you express your anger inappropriately. Psalm 4:4 "In your anger do not sin. When you are on your beds search your hearts and be silent. Selah"

 

Nehemiah 9:17 says that one of God's character traits is being "slow to anger". Proverbs 16:32 says "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city."

PATIENCE is the key.

Anger is not difficult to spot but it can be very difficult to let go of. Pray for God's mercy and help as you deal with the anger harbored in your heart. Ask the Lord to make you more like HIM – slow to anger and full of mercy.

 

TRINKET to TREASURE

Your little gift this week is a firecracker. Too often we'll use any excuse to light the flame on a short fuse. Even the littlest things set us off, and we explode before we even give a thought to what we're doing. Let this little firecracker remind you to watch your temper, because it can be a dangerous, little thing. When we do and say things in the heat of the moment, we can inflect a lot of damage.

 

Women of Faith, Managing Your Moods, Temper Temper