Tag: Freedom in Jesus

Fear of missing out

Keep yourself from the trap of social media. The fear of missing out it is an obstacle to our peace! Jesus wants us to have peace and it happens when we trust Him with our entire lives, especially our thought lives.

The eyes are the window to the soul, we’re told that our ears and eyes are a gateway to the deepest part of who we are, this is the place the enemy pokes us repeatedly and it brings a sense of discontentment.

When our eye balls are focused on a tiny little rectangular box called a cell phone, and a FOMO mindset, it blocks our vision from the most important things.

Gratitude of the goodness of God is blotted out by a shiny screen. And if we’re not careful, we’ll leave the most important Light of the world behind, Jesus.

Marketing banks on the fact that we will be distracted by world culture, and the fear of missing out. However, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the wisdom of God found in the word of God can break through the distractions of the world.

It’s interesting because thousands of years ago, wisdom was placed in the word of God about this condition, the fear of missing out.

Meditate and read slowly Matthew 6, I am sharing the message version because I think it really encompasses the wisdom of God over the consumerism of the world.

Matthew 6:19-26 MSG
“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. [22-23] “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have! [24] “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both. [25-26] “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

The beauty of scripture is how it articulates and gives us a vision for how God loves us and how He loves creation. Wouldn’t you so much rather be as free as an eagle instead of bound by what cultural norms say should be acquired, materialism at its’ core brings more chains than the freedom of a bird that trusts God will give us what we need.

Pause for a moment here and reread aloud Matthew 6: 19-26. Is there a message you feel in the stillness with God? You can use the notes app in your phone as a journal. I have heard this message! “Do you hear trust in Me, my child, I am your God and there is no one else?”

Now read Matthew 6: 30-34 it shares even deeper nuggets of gold wisdom. Meditate and read slowly aloud and take notes.

Matthew 6:30-34 MSG
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. [34] “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Perhaps today reset your mind, and bring your thoughts captive to the Lord, as it says in Romans 12.

Romans 12:1-2 MSG
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Let God be your provision, give all your concerns to him. He wants to help you deal with whatever hard things come up he wants you to worship him over all things in this world.

1 Peter 5:4-7 MSG
When God, who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open with his rule, he’ll see that you’ve done it right and commend you lavishly. And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for—God has had it with the proud, But takes delight in just plain people. [6-7] So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.

God bless you and keep you in His care.

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Claim it

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Iveth Luna sings a powerful song, “In You”, about throwing away fear and meditating hope and strength in Him alone. I feel so strongly about this transforming action. I blog about the importance of Faith in Jesus, trusting in Him, believing He is who He says He is, repenting of our stupidity and sin, and claiming a new life with Jesus.

As I heard this song for the first time, my mind gathered its message and I felt for just a little while the peace that only the Lord can give. Peace and Awe at the free gift of Jesus!

Regardless of the world or personal chaos, the enemy has no unsettled claims against us after we give our life to Jesus. However, we must make time for daily reading of scripture, being still with God, turning from our fleshy mindsets and actions. We must actively seek to change the sinful patterns of our life. It is a daily submission to His authority not in restriction but in a relationship with Jesus. We must take every thought captive for Jesus and the Lord will be our fortress.

2 Corinthians 10: 3- 5      We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 [a]We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
Iveth Luna – In You

Submitting to the authority of Jesus may seem an impossible step. But when we accept and believe He died for our sins and agree to let His Holy Spirit guide our lives we are HIM powered ( not human empowered) by His strength, to break patterns of the past and live in freedom.

John 14:   14 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. 2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.[a] If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 “No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Even Jesus’ disciples ( his closest friends) did not fully understand the concept of the Holy Spirit. I am so grateful that scripture tells us about their questions. Further along in John 14, Jesus explains that they will not be left as orphans. The Holy Spirit will guide their lives.

John 14 : 10 - 21      10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, obey[d] my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[e] who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.[f] 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

We can have this same amazing source of wisdom, the Holy Spirit. I am a sinner saved by the free gift of grace from Jesus, I have never regretted the day I bent my knee and have been in awe as He instructs through His Word, His people ever since. He awaits your voice and bended knee. May today be your day of transformation as His Child.

If you have made the decision to follow Jesus, send me a message, I will rejoice with you.