How do you spell relief? Part 2

Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 1 Peter 5:7 (AMP)

Casting:  to throw away, throw off

Anxiety: to be drawn in different directions, disquietude, encumbrance

Cares: to be of interest to

One thing I like about this verse, is that God knows that we will be anxious, we do have worries. God understands that. But going beyond that God wants us to know that He can handle all those worries and distractions. 

In my kitchen is a container we use for trash/garbage. The garbage container is emptied often and the bag is loaded into the larger container in the garage. On Thursday, it's placed out at the curb, and the truck comes and empties the container. I do not want the garbage in my home for various reasons. One—it's garbage. It's useless. The other, it smells bad if left too long.  I have NO problem THROWING AWAY the garbage. I don't go into the garage and dig through it to being it back inside. I don't run after the truck to get my garbage back. 

Anxiety is like garbage to the soul. It causes confusion. It disrupts peace. And if left too long, it creates a stench as it festers and robs us of joy. 

There is no need to store anxiety. There is no need to let it fester. There is no need. Yet, too often we have a storage room full of it. 

How do we really throw away the anxiety? How do we empty the storage room of worry? 

Look again at the definition of anxiety. "To be drawn in different directions." The first way to throw away anxiety is refocus your heart and mind on God. Don't allow Satan to distract you with the "What ifs", or the "Why me?" or "What will I do?" or any other distraction Satan tries. Refocus!

How do you really refocus? A good place to start is: 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 

One truth that fits all those categories is.... "He cares about you!"

You are of great interest to God! Think about that for a moment. The God who created the entire UNIVERSE—is interested in YOU! He knows all about you. He knows your past, your present, and your future. He knows what makes you tick — He should, He created you! 

Anxiety—the chaos of being pulled in all directions. A place of unrest. A place of confusion. A place of worry. A place of darkness and despair. 

Peace— a stillness that God provides. It wells up in the heart and mind, as you focus on God and the truth that HE loves YOU! It's a deep intense peace that calms and comforts, no matter the circumstances around you. 

How do you spell relief? 

Relief: a feeling of reassurance and relaxation following release from anxiety or distress.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

True relief—

Since God cares for you, let Him carry all your burdens and worries.
1 Peter 5:7 (VOICE)

Relief

R: Refocus

E: Empty the Garbage! 

L: Leave the garbage at the curb - don't allow it back in

I:  Individualize—God cares about ME! 

E: Embrace God's love 

F: Focus on and enjoy God's peace 

How do you spell relief? 

To read "How do you spell relief? part 1, click here.

Thanks Living: Companionship

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6, 7

Be anxious: to be troubled with cares, distracted, take thought

Nothing: not even one, absolutely not one

Everything: every condition or in every matter, anything whatsoever

Prayer: earnest prayer addressed to God

Supplication: feel pressing need because of lack; hence, to make urgent appeal; to have deep personal need causing one to beseech (make earnest, specific request)

With: association and companionship; the same relations of participation

Thanksgiving: gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship)

Requests: a thing asked

Make known: be brought to the knowledge of

To: respect, which is the destination of the relation

God: the Creator and owner of all things

And: moreover, even, indeed

Peace: quietness, rest

God: the Creator and owner of all things

Surpasses: superior, superiority, excellency, higher, supreme

All: part(s) of a totality

Understanding: the intellective faculty, the understanding

Will guard: to mount guard as a sentinel; to hem in, protect—keep (with a garrison)

Hearts: the center and seat of spiritual life, "the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors"

Mind: thoughts and purposes; the intellect

Through: as in the condition (state) in which something operates from the inside (within)

Christ Jesus: the Anointed One; His human name, as the incarnate, eternal Son of God

Association and Companionship.

With the same earnest compassion as when I make an urgent appeal to God—I am to give thanks to God. The earnest prayer expressing my need is to always be in the companionship of thanksgiving. 

Where the is a pressing need, anxiety becomes overwhelming, for we become consumed with the pressing need. However, when that need is shared with God along with thanksgiving to God, then God's peace becomes supreme diminishing the anxiety. 

Requests should always be in the companionship of thanksgiving. For when thoughts are directed from the urgent pressing need to thanking God for who He is, then things are put back into their proper perspective. And when one can see the situation from God's perspective, then peace overwhelms the anxiety. 

Companionship. 

God wants to hear our urgent pressing needs! But we must always make sure that we keep the companionship intact—request/thanksgiving. Thanks Living is truly understanding (and practicing) the companionship of crying out and thanksgiving. 

Refresher of Hearts

If you are looking for the posts about

God's Amazing Blessing Announcement—I'm moving!

here's the link to the first Part: 

http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2015/05/announcement-part-1-im-moving.html

Then follow the arrows at the bottom of each post to the next Part.

There are 10 parts in all.

I recommend that you read each part, there are amazing details—

and God took care of each and every one! 

______________________________________________

This post is the continuation of my study of Philemon.   

I, Paul, write it with my own hand, I promise to repay it [in full]—and that is to say nothing [of the fact] that you owe me your very self! Yes, brother, let me have some profit from you in the Lord. Cheer and refresh my heart in Christ. Philemon 1:19-20 (AMP)

“Refresh” - ἀνάπαυσόν anapauson- means “to give rest to, to give repose, to free from sorrow or care;” and the sense is, that by receiving Onesimus, Philemon would cause the deep and anxious feelings of Paul to cease, and he would be calm and happy. 

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Cheer and refresh my heart. Do my actions cheer and refresh the hearts of others? That would be an awesome daily goal—be a refresher of hearts! 

How does one be a "refresher of hearts"? 

Well, first and foremost, it all begins with a relationship with Christ. Then that relationship with Christ must impact one's daily life and relationships with others  (Colossians 3; Put On). And as that relationship with Christ impacts relationships with others, then one can be a "refresher of hearts". 

Refresher of hearts. 

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed andrestored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. James 5:16

To be a "refresher of hearts", my own heart must be permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). 

Instant Empty Gratification

 If you are looking for the posts about

God's Amazing Blessing

Announcement—I'm moving!

here's the link to the first Part: 

http://createapositiveday.blogspot.com/2015/05/announcement-part-1-im-moving.html

Then follow the arrows at the bottom of each post to the next Part.

There are 10 parts in all. 

I recommend that you read each part, there are amazing details—

and God took care of each and every one! 

_______________________________________________

 This post is the continuation of my Study of Colossians. 

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. Colossians 3:2 (AMP) 

Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here. Colossians 3:2 TLB)

For unless the affections are set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner. The word signifies to mind them, and think on them, to favour and approve of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for them.  

Not mind earth and earthly things, temporal enjoyments, riches, and honours; and though food and raiment, and the necessaries of life, are to be sought after, and cared and provided for, yet not with anxiety and perplexity of mind, in an over thoughtful and distressing manner; nor should the heart be set on those outward things, or happiness placed in the possession of them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Set your mind. Keep on thinking about. As I live my life daily, I am to evaluate my thoughts, actions, attitude, words, desires and make sure that they are in agreement with God's. And although I'm to be responsible and take care of the daily needs of living on earth, I am not to seek my happiness in the things around me. 

Desire godly attributes and do not be anxious or look for happiness in things. 

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of all the things this world has to offer. The commercials continually tell us that we need the newest and best—NOW. However, all those gadgets and whatchamacallits won't provide the long-lasting happiness that God provides. For all that stuff is just instant empty gratification. 

If my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31; MSG), then I'll keep on thinking about God—Who He is and what He is doing—and I won't caught up in the instant empty gratification offered by this world. 

Ultimately in Control!

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 61. Here is what I learned.

May You prolong the [true] King’s life [adding days upon days], and may His years be to the last generation [of this world and the generations of the world to come]. Psalm 61:6 (AMP)

Add days upon days to the life of the king. May his years endure throughout every generation. Psalm 61:6 (GW)

As I read Psalm 61:6, I realized the truth that I really have no control over prolonging my life. That ultimate is up to God and His plan. However, I still need to continue to make the best choices in caring for my body and not act foolishly. 

How much time is wasted on being anxious about things out of our control? I think back a few years, my sister and I had things all planned out. My parents moved to her town, so she’d be able to care for them in their old age. And sometime in the future, I’d move close to her, so we could help care for each other as we aged. But God had a totally DIFFERENT plan. My sister died in April 2011 due to cancer. My parents then moved back to FL, to be near my brothers. And.... I guess in time I might move down there too.... maybe. 

Plans... how do I add days to my life? That I can’t do! 

And which of you by being overly anxious and troubled with cares can add a cubit to his stature or a moment [unit] of time to his age [the length of his life]? Luke 12:25 (AMP)

What I can do is make sure that each and every day I am living a life that is pleasing to God and accomplishing His will for my life. 

To create a positive day, I need to remember that when I create plans, to make sure I consult God, realizing that He is ultimately in control! 

Magnificent morning. Positive day. Peaceful night.

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 92. Here is what I learned.

It is good to ·tell of [proclaim] your ·love [loyalty] in the morning and of your ·loyalty [faithfulness] at night. Psalm 92:2 (EXB)

It is good to announce your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness in the evening. Psalm 92:2 (GW)

To speak of Your unfailing love in the morning and rehearse Your faithfulness as night begins to fall. Psalm 92:2 (VOICE)

Morning: dawn, the beginning of the day

Night: end of the day, darkness

Mornings can be mayhem, mishmash, monstrosity or magnificent, marvelous--depending on how I choose to START my day.

On March 23, 2013, my Ponder Morsel from Psalm 57:8, was Waking up with Great Anticipation! “Psalm 57:8 expresses the same thrill of anticipation concerning praising God. The very thought of praising and giving thanks to God, wakes me up rejoicing! Literally, waking singing a song! ” Waking up with Great Anticipation!

If I want to have a magnificent, marvelous morning, it HAS to start with praising and honoring God! That’s the ONLY way to start my day on a positive note! I’ve learned that when I START my day praising God, I have a “better” day. No, praising God doesn’t guarantee that everything will go smoothly. But, rather I have a “better” day because I have God’s perspective on the day. 

Uneasy, unpeaceful, unquiet, unrestful—.uncertainty, uneasiness producing a restless and nightmarish night OR unafraid, unnervous, unworried—unbend, unlax, unwind and drift off into a peaceful sleep. Which night sounds magnificent and marvelous? I’ll pick the unafraid, unnervous, unworried—unbend, unlax, unwind and drift off into a peaceful sleep.

I’ve endured those unrestful, nightmarish nights mostly due to my pain medications. However, I have learned that even in the midst of those unrestful nights, if my focus changes from the pain and uneasiness, to praising God and His faithfulness, I am overcome with peace. 

If I want a magnificent, marvelous morning make my day awesome, the moment I awake, I need to praise God for His lovingkindness. And if I want to enjoy a night, unafraid, unnervous, unworried—and drift off into a peaceful sleep, I need to end my day praising God for His faithfulness! Praising God changes a magnificent morning into a positive day and creates a peaceful night. 

A magnificent, marvelous morning, a positive day, and an unafraid, unnervous, unworried—peaceful night is possible, if I only take the time to praise and honor my amazing and wonderful God.