GOD sent man the Bible to live by and he knew we couldn’t live up to the truth alone. GOD then gave us grace by coming to the earth and said that he accepted and loved us unconditional by dying on the cross and paying for our sins so that we shall not parish but have everlasting life. By truly realizing what this meant I have been freed and this has been the biggest and greatest key in the PATHWAY2PEACE for me. GOD put on my heart that if I don’t accept and unconditionally love myself then I am putting myself above GOD who by his actions said I was worth accepting and unconditional loving. Who am I to contradict GOD?
I used to love and give acceptance but I didn’t love and accept myself. How can we give what we do not have? I gave but had nothing to give. I feel that I was giving this love and acceptance and it was like having a credit card but not being able to afford what I was purchasing and the interest just kept pilling up till one day I ended up emotionally bankrupt.
Before I was boastful to hide the fragile scared boy inside that didn’t love or accept himself and knew that no one else would either. People probably thought I was full of self love and acceptance, but that was just false Pride, a mask, a flaccid so that people wouldn’t see the real me and see the weakness. Now I freely receive GOD’s acceptance and unconditional love and am able to then accept and Love my self unconditionally. This is true freedom and now I don’t have to fear abandonment because the one who bought and paid for me will never abandon me. Now my esteem comes from his righteousness and his actions that scream I ACCEPT AND LOVE ALL MY CHILDREN UNCONDITIONALLY. Please pray this prayer GOD please let me accept and love myself unconditionally with humility and the way you love and accept me so that I may be able to freely give acceptance and love to your other children, my brothers and sisters in Jesus Name I pray AMEN.
Philippians 4:4(New International Version, ©2011) 4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
I believe a great key to peace is trusting and giving thanks to GOD.
To me a major component to trusting GOD is to first pray for the will of GOD on my life and trusting that he can either change my situation or change the way I think about that situation. Not long ago I prayed turning the trust and control of my life over to GOD. I then got truthful with GOD and said out loud. GOD I am afraid of giving you control. This was so freeing to say out loud and he put on my heart why being honest to him is so important. It was important because it let me hear what I was feeling. GOD knows the truth we are never hidding anything from him. Stating it just gives me a better view of my feelings. As soon as I said that I started laughing. I am afraid of giving control of my life to the ALMIGHTY GOD that created all things and was able to concur the grave. WOW! I then repented and said ok GOD I do trust you with control of my life. I have done such a poor job to this point thinking I was in control. Under my control everything has been messed up. Now I have FAITH that GOD will do I perfect work in everything I turn over to him. That is easy to say. I now try to pray about everything.
I have noticed the more I dwell on my problems life seems miserable. The more I dwell on the blessing I have the more life is a blessing. I quick story of a week I had not long ago. This story is not a look at me and see how wonderful I am or a poor me story. Many people in this same week delt with trials that I could not dream of going through. And many people that same week stood strong in their faith and turned their lives over to Jesus care and trusted him. It is just a testimony to the freedom of taking accountability and rejoicing in the Lord always and how much peace is obtained for me in this method. I am only a man, a sinner, someone that is now choosing to learn from my mistakes, and sharing with others my blessing from GOD on the pathway 2 peace. My second divorce, which I disparately did not want, went through on a Thursday. Instead of being angery, which I would have normally ran to to keep from being sad, I just cried briefly for the lose of something I had cherished. I then thought back on my faults in the marriage and thanked GOD for the transformation he had brought me through to this point . I also rejoiced in the 2 grandchildren that I gained in that marriage that I am blessed to be able to still carry on a relationship with. Then I prayed for my ex wife to receive peace and happiness. That Saturday the mountain bike that I had used to escape my circumstance and just get into nature and focus on GOD was stolen in a hotel parking lot. The old me would have been whining and crying poor me for months and been almost ill with anger. The new GOD centered me after the brief shock and momentary feelings of anger, again I am human and a sinner Feelings happen it is how you process and deal with those feelings that is the key to happiness and a GOD centered life. I then prayed asking GOD to forgive me for leaving the bike in the parking lot and tempting the person that fell to that temptation. Then I prayed that if the person that stole the bike really needed the money that the bike would be a blessing for them. I also prayed that if the person did not need the money that GOD would use that bike to prick their spirit into turning to him and to use it for his glory. After that things were great. I feel such FREEDOM. The old me would have really blew a gasket over these two events blaming others and running to anger.
I emplor you please don’t let Satan rob GOD of his praise. If something is going wrong and you feel it is getting in the way of your “Pursuit of Happiness” try to get as quickly as possible into praising GOD for the blessing all around you. In many of the books and audio books I have been blessed to read or listen to there has been a central theme. TRUST GOD, PRAISE GOD, PEACE. Try to think of something that makes you miserable. Then think of something that you feel blessed by. Then try to think of both at the same time. This is impossible to do. You can’t think of both at the same time. GOD has designed our brains to only be able to have one of those emotions at a time. Satan knows this and I believe that when I act like a spoiled child and think poor me he laughs in GOD’s face and says look GOD the one you have given all these things is feeling sorry for himself and meditating on his “problems”. I think GOD smiles when in our pain we over come and after processing our feelings we then choose to stop and REJOICE in all things PRAISE worthly in our life to the GOD of all creation.
Philippians 4:8 (New International Version, ©2011)
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Proverbs 15:15 (Amplified Bible) 15All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].
Philippians 4:13 (King James Version) 13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Paul's claim above can be claimed by us. This claim is ours because of the following two scriptures. Because the devil has nothing in common with Christ and nothing that is in Christ belongs to satan. The one in us (Christ)is greater than the one in the world and now that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us we can overcome. My Goal as a Christian is to go through anything and remain the same. The mark of a woman/man is how she/he faces ADVERSITY. Anyone can rejoice during a season of JOY. It is the true self as seen when we face ADVERSITY. We should endure everything with good temper. Easier said than done but this should be our goal and we should strive to get better with ever trial no matter how big or small. We should use these trials to GROW. As we all remember growing pains hurt but they don’t last forever. This is a lofty goal, but when I rejoice and let go and let GOD I can overcome. When we learn to recognize and work through our weakness faster and faster we burn off the old and keep growing in CHRIST. I am not nor will I ever be perfect but I am better today than I was yesterday and pray I will be better tomorrow than today. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS AND I, WITH GOD'S HELP, AM GOING TO COME OUT VICTORIOUS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
1 John 4:4 (Today’s New International Version, ©2005) 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
John 14:30 (Amplified Bible) 30I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me; there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]
I used to love and give acceptance but I didn’t love and accept myself. How can we give what we do not have? I gave but had nothing to give. I feel that I was giving this love and acceptance and it was like having a credit card but not being able to afford what I was purchasing and the interest just kept pilling up till one day I ended up emotionally bankrupt.
Before I was boastful to hide the fragile scared boy inside that didn’t love or accept himself and knew that no one else would either. People probably thought I was full of self love and acceptance, but that was just false Pride, a mask, a flaccid so that people wouldn’t see the real me and see the weakness. Now I freely receive GOD’s acceptance and unconditional love and am able to then accept and Love my self unconditionally. This is true freedom and now I don’t have to fear abandonment because the one who bought and paid for me will never abandon me. Now my esteem comes from his righteousness and his actions that scream I ACCEPT AND LOVE ALL MY CHILDREN UNCONDITIONALLY. Please pray this prayer GOD please let me accept and love myself unconditionally with humility and the way you love and accept me so that I may be able to freely give acceptance and love to your other children, my brothers and sisters in Jesus Name I pray AMEN.
Philippians 4:4(New International Version, ©2011) 4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
I believe a great key to peace is trusting and giving thanks to GOD.
To me a major component to trusting GOD is to first pray for the will of GOD on my life and trusting that he can either change my situation or change the way I think about that situation. Not long ago I prayed turning the trust and control of my life over to GOD. I then got truthful with GOD and said out loud. GOD I am afraid of giving you control. This was so freeing to say out loud and he put on my heart why being honest to him is so important. It was important because it let me hear what I was feeling. GOD knows the truth we are never hidding anything from him. Stating it just gives me a better view of my feelings. As soon as I said that I started laughing. I am afraid of giving control of my life to the ALMIGHTY GOD that created all things and was able to concur the grave. WOW! I then repented and said ok GOD I do trust you with control of my life. I have done such a poor job to this point thinking I was in control. Under my control everything has been messed up. Now I have FAITH that GOD will do I perfect work in everything I turn over to him. That is easy to say. I now try to pray about everything.
I have noticed the more I dwell on my problems life seems miserable. The more I dwell on the blessing I have the more life is a blessing. I quick story of a week I had not long ago. This story is not a look at me and see how wonderful I am or a poor me story. Many people in this same week delt with trials that I could not dream of going through. And many people that same week stood strong in their faith and turned their lives over to Jesus care and trusted him. It is just a testimony to the freedom of taking accountability and rejoicing in the Lord always and how much peace is obtained for me in this method. I am only a man, a sinner, someone that is now choosing to learn from my mistakes, and sharing with others my blessing from GOD on the pathway 2 peace. My second divorce, which I disparately did not want, went through on a Thursday. Instead of being angery, which I would have normally ran to to keep from being sad, I just cried briefly for the lose of something I had cherished. I then thought back on my faults in the marriage and thanked GOD for the transformation he had brought me through to this point . I also rejoiced in the 2 grandchildren that I gained in that marriage that I am blessed to be able to still carry on a relationship with. Then I prayed for my ex wife to receive peace and happiness. That Saturday the mountain bike that I had used to escape my circumstance and just get into nature and focus on GOD was stolen in a hotel parking lot. The old me would have been whining and crying poor me for months and been almost ill with anger. The new GOD centered me after the brief shock and momentary feelings of anger, again I am human and a sinner Feelings happen it is how you process and deal with those feelings that is the key to happiness and a GOD centered life. I then prayed asking GOD to forgive me for leaving the bike in the parking lot and tempting the person that fell to that temptation. Then I prayed that if the person that stole the bike really needed the money that the bike would be a blessing for them. I also prayed that if the person did not need the money that GOD would use that bike to prick their spirit into turning to him and to use it for his glory. After that things were great. I feel such FREEDOM. The old me would have really blew a gasket over these two events blaming others and running to anger.
I emplor you please don’t let Satan rob GOD of his praise. If something is going wrong and you feel it is getting in the way of your “Pursuit of Happiness” try to get as quickly as possible into praising GOD for the blessing all around you. In many of the books and audio books I have been blessed to read or listen to there has been a central theme. TRUST GOD, PRAISE GOD, PEACE. Try to think of something that makes you miserable. Then think of something that you feel blessed by. Then try to think of both at the same time. This is impossible to do. You can’t think of both at the same time. GOD has designed our brains to only be able to have one of those emotions at a time. Satan knows this and I believe that when I act like a spoiled child and think poor me he laughs in GOD’s face and says look GOD the one you have given all these things is feeling sorry for himself and meditating on his “problems”. I think GOD smiles when in our pain we over come and after processing our feelings we then choose to stop and REJOICE in all things PRAISE worthly in our life to the GOD of all creation.
Philippians 4:8 (New International Version, ©2011)
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Proverbs 15:15 (Amplified Bible) 15All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].
Philippians 4:13 (King James Version) 13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Paul's claim above can be claimed by us. This claim is ours because of the following two scriptures. Because the devil has nothing in common with Christ and nothing that is in Christ belongs to satan. The one in us (Christ)is greater than the one in the world and now that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us we can overcome. My Goal as a Christian is to go through anything and remain the same. The mark of a woman/man is how she/he faces ADVERSITY. Anyone can rejoice during a season of JOY. It is the true self as seen when we face ADVERSITY. We should endure everything with good temper. Easier said than done but this should be our goal and we should strive to get better with ever trial no matter how big or small. We should use these trials to GROW. As we all remember growing pains hurt but they don’t last forever. This is a lofty goal, but when I rejoice and let go and let GOD I can overcome. When we learn to recognize and work through our weakness faster and faster we burn off the old and keep growing in CHRIST. I am not nor will I ever be perfect but I am better today than I was yesterday and pray I will be better tomorrow than today. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS AND I, WITH GOD'S HELP, AM GOING TO COME OUT VICTORIOUS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
1 John 4:4 (Today’s New International Version, ©2005) 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
John 14:30 (Amplified Bible) 30I will not talk with you much more, for the prince (evil genius, ruler) of the world is coming. And he has no claim on Me. [He has nothing in common with Me; there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me.]