I have a confession to make to you.
Sarah and I have gone to bed quite a few times with issues between us.
But, Ephesians 4:26-27 (CSB) says,
26 Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity.
I used to hear this taught that you need to settle things with people right away. You don’t want to go to sleep having an unsettled disagreement because the devil will cause a divide. I remember how overwhelming that felt. I thought it was just because I wasn’t good with conflict but it was exhausting just thinking about the idea.
There is talk of fear all over in these days of COVID-19. I am reminded of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego in the story from Daniel 3 in the Bible and the trial they endured. These three Jewish boys refused to bow down to the King of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzer. As a result, the king ordered them thrown into a fiery furnace, which was heated seven times hotter than normal. Now, most people would expect God to pour down rain, or vaporize the furnace, or turn the fire into water, but He doesn’t. Instead, He MEETS them IN THE FIRE. This story is one of my favorites because it demonstrates that more often than not, God meets us in the fires of life before He extinguishes them. It is in the isolation of these fires that our fears can overwhelm us. During times like these it is important to try not to isolate, but find creative ways to connect because we need each other. I recommend that you find silence and stillness to be with Father God and allow Him to comfort you and show you what you need to know (When sitting in silence with God, don’t fight thoughts, let them come and go, but keep in stillness). Natural fear can lead to caution which keeps us safe. Fear is unhealthy when we become obsessed with worrying about what might happen and what is happening, and we see ourselves as victims and not victors. Here are three healthy ways to deal with fear: (You could turn these into “DO” statements - would read more positive) Don’t deny your fear (Acknowledge your fear) Don’t ignore your fear (Pay attention to your fear) Don’t avoid your fear (Address your fear) It is understandable that many folks would be in fear and distress right now. Allow God’s peace in. You may want to ask yourself some of these questions and ask God to help you discover the answers: What am I really afraid of right now? Is it my business folding or something deeper? Maybe being a disappointment to my family? Maybe that the story I have always told myself, the one that says I will never be good enough will be proven true? Where is this stress really coming from? Maybe it’s more than a house full of kids fighting? Maybe it’s the lack of control I feel? Where do I feel this fear in my body? How does it manifest in my body? What does God want to tell me about all this? Be inquisitive! Act like a three-year-old. Ask “Why? Why? Why?” Then ask Father God to help you release this fear and pain once you have acknowledged it so you can begin to replace your fear with trust. (See Proverbs 3:5-6) I heard an interview with John M. Barry, author of The Great Influenza . He said the best way to deal with these pandemic situations is to tell the whole truth because the virus or disease is like the monster in a horror film. The monster brings the most anxiety before you ever get to see it. Once you see it you know what to expect the next time it shows up. Right now, fear itself is the monster. Once we see it for what it is, it loses some of its power over us. Remember, no matter where you are in your journey, YOU ARE NOT ALONE and we all have the choice to face our fears and let God do what He does best; love us through our fears, pain, and shame to experience His healing and His peace. Doug PS: Thank you April Jones who wrote the original version of this message. Don't forget the 202020 sale going on right now for all downloadable material! Use the code 202020 at checkout and receive 20% off .
After reviewing and studying students’ testimonies for the past couple of years in an effort to more precisely define what Shiloh Place does, we realized we don’t just bring healing to hearts; we strengthen families and teams through healing hearts.
The orphan is unable to feel accepted in a family or group. Family is the source of pain and rejection for so many people, so when we target allowing God to heal these areas, we strengthen the fabric of families and teams.
What do we do when leaders wreak havoc amongst the people they should be leading and shepherding? It’s a sensitive subject and has become a hot topic that seems to be happening more often.
To be clear, we are not talking about someone who has ended up in an affair because they have unaddressed pain. That is tragic. We are talking about abusive behavior that seems almost crazy to be occurring anywhere, much less the church.
People wonder, “Why do I still have trouble getting healing when I know so much? I have read this book and gone to that seminar. I can tell you how my issues started.”
How much you know might be the problem. We see it all the time. People come to our events and they nod their heads in agreement because, well, they “know” that...
*Disclaimer: This is not a woe is me post. Enjoy! A Word “You have been called to full-time ministry and I believe you know that. He (God) wants to confirm that because the enemy is going to challenge you at some point about it. When that time comes, remember that God has spoken it and [...]
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Matthew 4:1-3 1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of [...]
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With having finished up our winter/spring events we thought it would be a good time to share what people who attended those events have experienced. We have begun taking our Encounters on the road and the results have been incredible. These Encounters are shorter than the ones we hold here in Myrtle Beach by a [...]
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