Spiritual Growth – She Believes 3

Fruit of the Spirit April 17, 2023

Knowing When And How To Be Content

Knowing When And How To Be Content
Philippians 4:11-13
¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

Today’s lesson is about contentment. I would like to first ask you a few questions that will help you to determine your level of contentment.

1. Do you struggle to have peace in your life?

2. Are you always reaching for bigger and better, or are you satisfied with what God has provided for you?

3. Do you often think when this happens or when I get this I will be happy?

4. Do you find yourself complaining a lot?

5. Are you jealous of what others have?

If you are answering yes to any or all of these questions, you are not living in a place of contentment.

In the society that we live in today, there is always the pressure to have more and to be more. Please hear my heart on this. It is a good thing for us to strive to be the best that we can be. There is nothing wrong with having goals that will take you to the next level in your life. However, when this quest for more causes us to sin, by worrying or being jealous of others, or grumbling and complaining, it means that we are starting to be ungrateful for what God has already blessed us with. Ingratitude causes discontentment.

May I be transparent for a minute? Years ago I had a career as an Interior Designer. I was blessed to go in some of the most beautiful homes imaginable. I remember starting to crave the lifestyles that I was constantly seeing. I became discontent with what I had already been blessed with. I wanted the big house and the luxury cars and the designer bags and the clothes too, that went with it all. As I have matured in my walk with God, I now realize that I wanted success for all of the wrong reasons. It wasn’t about anyone but me. I even remember being a bit jealous of those who were living the life that I dreamed of. How sad it must have made God, to see me so ungrateful when He had already blessed me with so much.

So you may be asking, what did I do to go from discontentment to contentment and live a life of total peace? To answer your question, for many years now I have been keeping a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, I write down the things that I am most grateful, for that day. This habit has literally changed my life.

My focus has shifted from the frustration of what I don’t have to be grateful for what I do have. It has helped me to even be more appreciative of the very small things. I now look to see the blessing as well as the lesson in everything, and that even includes the things that most would consider difficult or unfair. It has been amazing to see that when I stopped worrying about many of these things, God blessed me with them anyway. Through spending time with God, reading His word, and journaling, I can honestly say I am no longer the same person that I was years ago, and I praise God for that! So today if you are not in a place of contentment, stop looking at the person in the mirror, and start looking up. When you start to focus on God, peace will flood in like a river, and all of a sudden your perspective will start to shift and your dreams will start to align with God’s will for your life. Don’t forget, look up!

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Luke 12:15
¹⁵Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
2 Corinthians 12:10
¹⁰That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Proverbs 30:8-9
⁸Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
⁹Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Psalm 23:1
¹The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Fruit of the Spirit November 3, 2021

Oh, To Be Content

Have you ever gone through a season when life seemed absolutely unbearable? Have you ever become impatient with God, because He was moving way too slow. Could it be that you are just simply disenchanted with the way your life is going right now? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, today I would like to visit with you briefly about what it means to be content.

When you go to your dictionary and look up the word content, you may see the following as a definition; in a state of peaceful happiness, satisfied with a certain level of achievement, and not wishing for more, a state of satisfaction.

In Philippians 4:11 Paul says I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances, a little bit later in 4:13 He says that; I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. After thinking about this, I have personally come to the conclusion, that Paul’s contentment was based not only on his trust in God but in his trust in God’s character. He had experienced God’s faithfulness through numerous circumstances, and he had seen the heart of God throughout His journey.

Being content is not always easy. But if we just think back, and reflect on all of the times that God has been faithful to us in the past through the hard times, it helps us to remain hopeful for our future. Contentment, in my opinion, can be simple, trusting while you are waiting. Trusting that when the time is right, God will change your set of circumstances, and if He chooses not to, you are still trusting that He will only do what is best for you. Either way, trusting God is the real source of contentment and inner peace. As you spend more and more time with God, you will grow to trust Him more and more.

Today, I want to encourage you to seek His face daily. Choose peace and contentment over stress and worry. Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, and that means even going through the hard stuff.

¹¹I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong

Hebrews 13:5
⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”[a]
1 Timothy 6:6-10
⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Romans 15:13
¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 62:5-8
⁵Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
⁶Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
⁷My salvation and my honor depend on God[a]; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
⁸Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Spiritual Growth February 11, 2016

When Marriage Becomes Difficult – Part II

Eight Nuggets To Help Heal Your Marriage

1. To love one another deeply for a lifetime will require that you recognize God as the head of your union. The reason this is vital is because, when times are difficult, (notice I said when and not if) you will be reminded that, you not only made a vow and commitment to your spouse but also to God. As a Christian woman your first desire should be to please and honor God even above your husband.

Spiritual Growth January 11, 2016

When Marriage Becomes Difficult – Part I

Genesis 2:18-25

18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

23 And Adam said:
“This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Spiritual Growth January 12, 2015

Authentically You

Psalms 139:14-18

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you

When I was made in the secret place,

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;

All the days ordained for me were written in your book

Before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!

How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,

They would outnumber the grains of sand—

When I awake, I am still with you.

Spiritual Growth August 14, 2014

More than Just a Box of Chicken

Matthew 25:35-40 (NLT)

³⁵For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

³⁶I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

³⁷“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?

Spiritual Growth July 30, 2014

Where is your Courage?

13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Spiritual Growth May 1, 2014

Letters to God Part II

Many years ago I was taught a method in which to pray, that many of you may already be aware of called ACTS.

ACTS is an acronym for:

Adoration,

Confession,

Thanksgiving, and

Supplication.

This method of praying helps me to cover all of my basis when writing my prayers.

Below I have listed the 13 Steps to a Powerful Quiet Time.

1. Adoration starts by praising our Great and Mighty God who loves praise. When we praise God we are acknowledging His place of authority in our lives.

2. Next, we need to Confess our sins to get back in right standing with God. Don’t just confess, commit to repent of those sins. Repenting is to turn away so that you do not make this offense against God and others again. And yes I write the confessions of my sins down as well.

Be totally honest, after all, God already knows the truth. Confession of my sins has also been a great aid in helping me to learn to forgive myself as well. This is because writing helps me to release my inner feelings

3. Express Thanksgiving; when I write the things that I am thankful for, I am pleasing God because I am expressing my gratitude for the many blessings that he has bestowed upon me.

4. Supplication is simply making our request to God for the things that we are in need of. Although God already knows our needs, He finds delight in us asking Him. Because when we ask, we are admitting that He is our only source for all that we need.

5. If you are a person that gets distracted easily during your quiet time, write down all of the things that you need to do for the day, the night before. I suggest that you come to your quiet place with two spiral notebooks. As thoughts pop into your head jot them down and immediately go back to your journaling. One book is to journal in and the other is to write your reminders or to-do list on. This has been a huge help for me. It will help you to get settled into your writing quicker. You will be able to get distractive thoughts out of you and on paper and then you can fully concentrate on your writing.

6. I suggest that you journal early in the morning while the house is quiet and there are no phones ringing or TV’s on, and no one coming in and out to distract you. Some of you may prefer to do this after you have put your children to bed. I personally prefer the morning because I am rested and I am fully present with my thoughts and not fighting fatigue.

Psalm 5:3 – Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.  Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

7. Be sure to have your Bible to read scriptures before and after you write.

8. Make an appointment with God. Try to write at the same time each day and in the same location. It feels more purposeful and structured this way, making it a commitment.

9. Be still several minutes before your writing starts. I usually sing some praise songs to God before I start. Invite Him to be a part of your day. Seek His guidance and instructions for your day.

10. Have your morning beverage of choice whether coffee juice etc. at your place of writing.

11. Have an extra pen handy in case yours stops writing. You don’t want your flow of writing to be distracted by having to get up and search for a pen.

12. Keep an emergency notebook in your car for a time when you are out and about and you just need to vent or release unexpectedly or you may even want to write down praise for something that you don’t want to forget to give gratitude for.

13. If the fear of someone finding your written thoughts concerns you, shred them when you are done.

Adoration:

Psalm 63:1-4 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!
I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
Deuteronomy 10:21 He alone is your God, the only one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done these mighty miracles that you have seen with your own eyes.
Revelations 19:5-6 And from the throne came a voice that said, “Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest. ”Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

Confession:

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Proverbs 28:13 People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
1st John 1:9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Psalm 51:3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

Thanksgiving:

1st Thessalonians 5:18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 5:20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 95:1-3 Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.

Supplication:

Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Psalm 55:17 Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.

1st Peter 4:7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

Spiritual Growth April 19, 2014

Because He Lives!

April 16, 2017

Mark 16:1-6
1 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.
5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!…

Spiritual Growth July 10, 2013

Hello My Dear Sisters

Hello My Dear Sisters,

It has been quite some time since we visited last.

I have done some business and recreational traveling with my family in the past few weeks. First, we traveled to the college where my daughter will be attending this fall, for her Orientation. Afterwards we traveled on to visit family and friends for some much-needed R & R.

Upon returning home, we embarked upon the HUGE task of moving from one home to another, two Big transitions going on all at the same time. (Crazy Timing but it just worked out that way).