Psalm 9:9
The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.

This is a powerful promise and one to meditate on and memorize to be written on the tablets of our hearts and minds. The beauty of this passage is in the word, “Refuge”. In the Webster dictionary and bible dictionaries the word refuge means; a shelter and protection from danger or distress. What’s more interesting is the Hebrew definition for refuge: ‎misgab (mis-gawb) which also means; “CLIFF” – High and Lofty inaccessible to reach or obtain.

Here is the cross-reference for this very passage:

Psalm 91:2-5 “I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.“ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, NKJV

In this passage especially in verses 3 and 4, we learn that our refuge is under the shadow of His wings. Eagles and most birds are known to protect their young by placing them underneath their wings hiding them from the eyes of the predators and protecting them from the snare of the fowler.

It is a well known fact that bald eagles build their nests on very high trees or mountain earth and rock cliffs. They build their nests very high to give themselves an aerial view overlooking a wide range of land to look out for predators that come near and also high enough to prevent animals and predators from climbing up to reach their nests. Do you remember how I mentioned earlier what the Hebrew word for refuge is? A cliff that is high and lofty inaccessible to reach or obtain?

I hope you will see the Lord in a new light here how precious and valuable you are to Him. He loves His children so much He protects us under the shadow of His wings and set’s us high upon a rock and keeps us safe from predators and the snares of the fowler.

May you be blessed and encouraged to know that you can trust God to be your refuge and strong tower in times of trouble and see God faithful as a loving and protective father to His children.

Psalms 57:1-3 “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! for my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; NKJV

Psalm 27:5-6 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
NKJV

Genesis 39:21-22
“But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” NKJV

Since Joseph was a young boy God had a special plan for his life. God confirmed these plans through dreams given to Joseph about his future. These dreams told him that people would bow down to him including his own family. This of course did not go well with his family and shortly there after the trials for Joseph began.

Joseph was rejected by his own brothers, thrown in a cistern, sold into slavery, falsely accused and falsely imprisoned. Now imagine for a moment yourself being put in Joseph’s position or perhaps you could relate to some of the trials he went through. Some might think God was not with him or maybe he did not have enough faith to endure such tribulations but that is not what the bible says. It says in a number of passages that the Lord was with Joseph and in this particular passage it says God showed him mercy and favor.
God in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty had a plan for Joseph and part of that plan was to allow Joseph to go through hardship. It is a hard concept for us to accept or even agree with but the scriptures are clear that God was with him in the cistern, He was with him when he was enslaved and God was also with him when He was in prison.

God could have released Joseph at anytime from his troubles but he allowed him to stay for a time for God’s own divine purpose and plan. There are a few instances mentioned in the bible where we see God allowing godly men to go through hardships. For example; when Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego were thrown into the fire when the soldiers looked in they saw four walking around the fire not three and they were not burned. Also, when Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den over night the bible says that God shut the mouths of the lions and when Daniel was released the next morning it also says in Daniel 6:23 that he suffered no injuries at all because Daniel believed in His God. God was with them all.

The Apostle Paul spoke of a thorn in his flesh and shares insight to why He believed God was allowing the thorn,
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-8-NKJV

In spite of the trials and hardship these men went through they believed in God and trusted in His sovereign will and God showed Himself faithful and was with them through it all.

I hope reading this you are encouraged to know that though trials may come and tribulation knocks on your door that just as God was with these men; God will be with you also and see you through it as you put your trust in Him. God is faithful and He will do it.

“And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 – NKJV

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 – NKJV

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 – NKJV

by Filoiann Wiedenhoff

Hebrews 4:11
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, NKJV

Some of my favorite childhood memories were taking road trips to visit family and friends. I still remember the long drives (so I thought) from Sacramento to San Francisco. Along the way, as young people do – my brothers and I would ask over and over the same exact question, “Are we there yet?”

If I would have known then what I know now which is…how annoying that question truly is, especially after hearing it twenty times, I probably would have kept my lips closed but of course we didn’t think that far…after all we were kids.

I wonder how often as Christian adults we come to God asking that same question and hoping to hear a different answer. We want to be in a certain place at a certain time and instead of being patient and trusting that God knows what’s best for us; we can become frustrated and impatient and the worse part is we think maybe we should help God along to speed things up; as though He needs our help. NOT! This attitude is more common than we want to admit and I have been guilty of this myself. I thank God that He is so patient with us with tender mercies and also that His love is long suffering and never runs short.

Isn’t it interesting to think that as God teaches us to wait upon Him that He is also waiting on us? What I mean is; He is patiently waiting for us to come to the same conclusions children eventually learn as they grow older which is; It’s not about how fast we get there but to enjoy the ride because we know the destination we are heading to is well worth the wait and also that the driver will make sure to get us there safely.

So what can we learn from this spiritually?

It’s not a matter of waiting just to wait but Who it is we are waiting for. When we come to the understanding that our trust is to be fully in God’s own character; one Who is faithful, sovereign and always has our best interests at heart and in mind, we can wait patiently upon the Lord with rest and peace that He has us in His capable hands and the blessing is; when we rest and wait patiently in Him, He is most glorified in us.

The truth is it’s actually more difficult for most of us to wait upon the Lord than it is to rush out and try to make things happen. I believe that is why the author of Hebrews says, “Be diligent to enter into that rest.” Also, in the King James Version it says to “Labor to enter into that rest”. In other words it takes some effort and work to rest! It sounds funny but if you think about it; it’s true.

I believe the main reason we struggle to wait and rest in Him is because of our flesh nature. In our flesh nature we not only want things now but we also have been cursed with the duty to toil and labor for our provisions. It’s all about earning and working to receive our due…BUT when Christ came to fulfill the law and became our ultimate sacrifice once and for all He took up the curse for us on the cross and no longer do we need to toil for our salvation. We now have been given grace by faith through Christ God’s son.

To recap…in our old flesh we want to work (make spiritual things happen but in our time and our way) but never truly resting or receiving it. However in Christ as a new creation through the Holy Spirit we can rest and wait upon the Lord to work in us and the bible says in due time we will reap a harvest. It’s not that we are to just sit back and wait for God to do something FOR us; it’s to rest in that God is working through us and when He calls us to wait on Him we need to trust Him that He knows what is best for us and will give us His peace to rest and to wait.

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” NKJV

So when your heart becomes frustrated in waiting on God, remind yourself that you can rest in Him and that you can trust God to provide in His perfect time. Ask God to take your burdens and in return He will give you His rest and peace for your soul.

Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” NKJV

Philippians 4:6-7 “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. NKJV

Dear Heavenly Father,
Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me – that cries, Abba Father. Help me to rest in your spirit patiently with confidence that you are faithful and will provide in your perfect time and in your perfect way. Amen

About the Author
Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife from San Diego, Ca. She is also a mother, women’s counselor, writer and columnist. For more info you can visit her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com.

For Unto Us a Child is Born

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; NKJV

In chapter 8, of Isaiah a prophetess gives birth to a son and God declares through him gloom, darkness and utter ruin to all who are given into familiar spirits, wickedness and also to those who set themselves up against God’s people and the throne of David.

Isaiah 8:3-4 “Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, “Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz; for before the child shall have knowledge to cry ‘My father’ and ‘My mother,’ the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be taken away before the king of Assyria.” NKJV

Isaiah continues in chapter nine how through their hunger, brokenness and dark despair they will see a great light.

Isaiah 9:2-4 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy; they rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian. “

In the midst of their darkness and ruin God still provides a ray of hope through a shining light, read Matthew Henry’s commentary:

“He will bring the gospel of grace and through this grace God will break the yoke of sin and satan to remove the burden of guilt and corruption and to set us free from the rod of the oppressor. “

What shining light is God referring to?

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. NKJV

Its interesting how one son is bore as a sign of gloom and darkness and in the prior chapter 7, and again in chapter 9, we read how God provides a sign of Hope through the promise of His Son, “Immanuel” who is also known as the Light of Life and the coming Messiah.

This came to pass as we read in the book of Matthew:

Matthew 1:20-23 “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,”* which is translated, “God with us.” NKJV

This is a beautiful picture of God’s faithfulness, love and grace. We cannot begin to comprehend this but we can receive it and believe it by faith because He has already done it.

Imagine how God was giving them a promise long before hand through the prophet Isaiah of Hope, Light and Life during a time of dark despair, condemnation and gloom. He was giving them a shining light and ray of Hope that all was not lost because of the child He would bear one day through a virgin named Mary, conceived by the Holy Spirit to bring forth His only begotten son, Immanuel, God with us.

If you are going through a trial, experiencing despair or discouragement be encouraged that through Jesus you can receive His life, His light and His Hope for your situation. He can be your Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace if you will allow Him to. I have to repeat this quote again because I personally was blessed by it:

“The Messiah will bring the gospel of grace and through this grace God will break the yoke of sin and satan to remove the burden of guilt and corruption and to set us free from the rod of the oppressor. “ (Quote by Matthew Henry Commentary)

If you have never asked Jesus into your heart I encourage you to give Him a try and see what God does in you and through you. Confess your sins; ask Him to come into your heart and believe by faith that He is who He says He is; The Son of God, He is the Light of Life and the Messiah. God is faithful and He will do it! (John 3:16, John 14:6, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-13)

May the Lord bless you this holiday season filled with His incredible love, mercy and grace and remember when He gave His only begotten Son He brought Him into this world with you in mind!

Merry Christmas!
Filoiann Wiedenhoff

by Filoiann Wiedenhoff

Hebrews 4:11
Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, NKJV

Some of my favorite childhood memories were taking road trips to visit family and friends. I still remember the long drives (so I thought) from Sacramento to San Francisco. Along the way, as young people do – my brothers and I would ask over and over the same exact question, “Are we there yet?”

If I would have known then what I know now which is…how annoying that question truly is, especially after hearing it twenty times, I probably would have kept my lips closed but of course we didn’t think that far…after all we were kids.

I wonder how often as Christian adults we come to God asking that same question and hoping to hear a different answer. We want to be in a certain place at a certain time and instead of being patient and trusting that God knows what’s best for us; we can become frustrated and impatient and the worse part is we think maybe we should help God along to speed things up; as though He needs our help. NOT! This attitude is more common than we want to admit and I have been guilty of this myself. I thank God that He is so patient with us with tender mercies and also that His love is long suffering and never runs short.

Isn’t it interesting to think that as God teaches us to wait upon Him that He is also waiting on us? What I mean is; He is patiently waiting for us to come to the same conclusions children eventually learn as they grow older which is; It’s not about how fast we get there but to enjoy the ride because we know the destination we are heading to is well worth the wait.

So what can we learn from this spiritually?

It’s not a matter of waiting just to wait but Who it is we are waiting for. When we come to the understanding that our trust is to be fully in God’s own character; one Who is faithful, sovereign and always has our best interests at heart and in mind. We can wait patiently upon the Lord with rest and peace that He has us in His capable hands and the blessing is; when we rest and wait patiently in Him, He is most glorified in us.

The truth is it’s actually more difficult for most of us to wait upon the Lord than it is to rush out and try to make things happen. I believe that is why the author of Hebrews says, “Be diligent to enter into that rest.” Also, in the King James Version it says to “Labor to enter into that rest”. In other words it takes some effort and work to rest! It sounds funny but if you think about it; it’s true.

I believe the main reason we struggle to wait and rest in Him is because of our flesh nature. In our flesh nature we not only want things now but we also have been cursed with the duty to toil and labor for our provisions. It’s all about earning and working to receive our due…BUT when Christ came to fulfill the law and became our ultimate sacrifice once and for all He took up the curse for us on the cross and no longer do we need to toil for our salvation. We now have been given grace by faith through Christ God’s son.

To recap…in our old flesh we want to work (make spiritual things happen but in our time and our way) but never truly resting or receiving it. However in Christ as a new creation through the Holy Spirit we can rest and wait upon the Lord to work in us and the bible says in due time we will reap a harvest. It’s not that we are to just sit back and wait for God to do something FOR us; it’s to rest in that God is working through us and when He calls us to wait on Him we need to trust Him that He knows what is best for us and will give us His peace to rest and to wait.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. NKJV

So when your heart becomes frustrated in waiting on God, remind yourself that you can rest in Him and that you can trust God to provide in His perfect time. Ask God to take your burdens and in return He will give you His rest and peace for your soul.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! NKJV

Philippians 4:6-7 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. NKJV

Dear Heavenly Father,
Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me – that cries, Abba Father. Help me to rest in your spirit patiently with confidence that you are faithful and will provide in your perfect time and in your perfect way. Amen

About the Author
Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife from San Diego, Ca. She is also a mother, women’s counselor, writer and columnist. For more info you can visit her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com

Ps 91:14-16
“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”NIV

There’s an old story I heard when I was a little girl, about a woman who was in a car accident. The car rolled over twice and her child was stuck underneath. The mom saw that her child was about to be crushed under the car and without thinking she miraculously lifted up the car high enough to set her child free. Some people believe this is just another Urban Myth, but most people believe this story to be true.

It’s a well known fact that people can do amazing things when they are scared or in a life or death situation. Why is this? They are motivated….some may not even realize what they are doing but for the most part they are driven by a motivation whether it is fear, anger, bitterness or love. With this woman she was motivated by the pure love of a mother.

Let’s take a look back at Psalm 91;14-16 and see what motivates God and look at the list of promises that God will give to us:

1. I will Rescue him
2. I will protect him
3. I will answer him
4. I will be with him in trouble
5. I will deliver him
6. I will honor him
7. I will give him long life
8. I will satisfy him
9. I will show him my salvation

I don’t know about you but every time I read this passage I’m blessed to be reminded that He is our rescuer, our protector, our deliverer, our provider, the one who gives us life, and His salvation. He lists nine amazing promises that He will do for us. How comforting is this to read?

Now let’s look at what He asks of us in return:

1. We love Him
2. We acknowledge His name
3. We call upon Him

There’s no comparison. We cannot even come close to doing what God is willing to do for us. Let’s now look at His motivation, the first part of verse 14 says it is “because he loves me”. He gives us His answer right at the very beginning of this particular passage, that His motivation is love. It appears that His motivation is our love for Him but in reality it is His love for us. The bible says that He loves us as our Heavenly Father. The bible also says that He has drawn us with cords of loving kindness (Hosea 11:4) and also that we love because He loved us first (1 John 4;19). God’s sole motivation in everything He does is love.

My question for you is what is your motivation for all that you do? Are you motivated by love, God’s love? If it isn’t love, then what is it? Take a moment to ponder these questions and also ponder this list of promises that God proves His love over and over again by first dying for us, and now living for us.

The apostle Paul wrote that Christ love compels us (2 Cor. 5;14). What compels you? What moves you to do what you do? I encourage you today to be compelled by God’s love and allow his love for you to motivate you to love Him, acknowledge His name and call upon Him.

Call upon Him while He is near, today is the day of salvation for tomorrow is not promised. Let love motivate you to love Him today and move you to draw near to Him and seek Him with your whole heart. Last question: What obstacle or hindrance is so great that would keep you from a God and love like this?

Personal Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for loving me the way that you do and all the precious promises you provide for me. Please help me to receive and comprehend the depth and the width of your love for me that I may be compelled and motivated to love you more and live for you. I love you Lord. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

by Filoiann Wiedenhoff, pastor’s wife, mother, writer and women’s counselor.  You can visit her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com and sign-up for her monthly newsletter.

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

Do you want to hear something funny? I started writing this article, “Dealing with Discouragement”, several months ago  and every time I began working on it, I would get discouraged and want to quit. Oh the irony. Well, I thought it was funny but now I wonder if it was spiritual warfare.

Discouragement comes in many forms; through trials, tribulations, burn-out, loss, grief, depression, weariness, illness, stress, finances, spiritual warfare, negative thoughts…the list can go on and on. With that said it also means it is universal and being universal you are not alone in your discouragement and you are not abnormal.

I have said this many times and I will say it again, “Trials and tribulations are part of life and life does happen.” In fact Jesus himself said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NKJV

I love that God’s Word still applies to us today and because He has overcome the world we are more than conquerors through Him by faith. We can also find God’s comfort and His solutions through the scriptures, if we would take the time to look.  In this article we are going to take a deeper look at what discouragement is and find the biblical solution for this common but difficult situation.

The definition for discourage (dis + courage) means to deprive of courage or confidence. To be disheartened; which also means to lose spirit or morale. What’s interesting is the word “deprived”. Deprive means the lack of what is needed. So discouragement is the “lack of”, “in need of” or “loss of” courage, spirit, morale and/or confidence.

In light of these definitions it gives us a whole new perspective to the word discouragement from a description of how a person is feeling to an explanation of what a person is missing, has lost, or in need of. Yes, one does experience the feelings and emotions of being discouraged but when we can understand what a person is missing or in need of, then finding the biblical solution becomes more attainable. It may not change us over night but it can certainly change our point of view from feeling hopeless to hopeful and that is encouraging.

So how does one make the transition from feeling discouraged to having courage? Also, is courage the answer or solution to discouragement?

Let’s take a look at one biblical example in Deuteronomy chapter 31 to help answer these questions. In this chapter Moses is speaking to the people of Israel and tells them that He can not cross over the Jordan with them and then hands over His leadership authority to his assistant Joshua as the Lord had said for Joshua to cross over before them. Now Moses understood that the people would be disheartened by this announcement so he then shares these words of encouragement. “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

It is understandable that Joshua might have felt discouraged and perhaps fearful at the learning of this news but Moses was confident and wanted Joshua to be confident but not in himself nor in Moses but his confidence was to be in the Lord. Notice again in verse 6 of Deuteronomy 31, “for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.” Moses was re-assuring him that God, Who is greater than himself was with him.  The Lord God was going with them and if God was with them they had nothing to fear. It’s unfortunate that we as people naturally look to men for our strength or guidance rather than God. God was going with them and because He was with them who could be against them?

We also learn in the book of Joshua how God Himself spoke these same words of encouragement in order to build Joshua’s confidence in Him.  Moses had just died and God knew exactly what he needed to hear in order to lead the people by faith into the promise land as God had promised.

“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:5-9 NKJV

So how did God and Moses build up Joshua? Simply put, they encouraged him. The definition for encourage is “to inspire with courage, spirit or hope”.  The word, “inspire” means to influence, move or guide by the divine or supernatural.  Encouragement divinely inspires us to have courage and that courage comes from knowing God is with us and goes before us.

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10-NKJV

Often times we need to be reminded of these precious promises and when we look at God’s Word we are comforted to know that He is with us wherever we go. God now speaks to us through His Word that is living and active and speaks to the soul and the spirit and as it says in Joshua 1:8 that if we meditate on it day and night then we will be prosperous and successful.

Finally, the definition for “courage” is a mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear or difficulty. Notice that courage is not only a moral strength but a mental strength which involves our thought life. The bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” – Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

Joshua was first encouraged by Moses and then God Himself to be strong and courageous. Is there a situation in your life right now where you may be feeling discouraged or inadequate?

Do not be afraid and be of good courage, just as Moses turned Joshua’s thoughts toward God by reminding him that God was with Him; those same thoughts ring true in our lives.  Understanding that God is with us and for us, enables us to persevere through and to withstand danger, fear or difficulty with great courage because we know that it is God who defends us and goes before us and no matter how difficult a situation may seem. nothing is too hard for Him. God is faithful; He loves us and cares for us deeply.

I hope you are greatly encouraged as I am to be strong and courageous not in our own strength but in the power of His might who dwells in our hearts by faith and is with us wherever we go.   May God bless you richly through His Son, Jesus Christ. Remember, If God is for us who can be against us?

About the Author:
Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, women’s biblical counselor, writer and columnist.  You can visit her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com.

Dealing with Unforgiveness

Release It and Let It Go…

I don’t think there is one adult that hasn’t had to deal with this all too common issue, “Unforgiveness.” I myself have had to deal with this very thing many times in my own life and each time it was not easy. So what is un-forgiveness? Well, in order to understand what un-forgiveness is, we have to understand what it isn’t.

The Webster’s Dictionary definition for forgive is: “To give up or cease to feel resentment, to grant relief from payment and/or to pardon” (which means to excuse an offense without exacting penalty).

When you forgive someone, you are willing to let go of the offense and any and all resentment, and then to pardon or show mercy. When you choose not to forgive you are doing the exact opposite.

I’m going to share with you the harmful effects un-forgiveness can have on your life, along with reasons why you need to forgive and how to do it:

It’s Alive: When you store un-forgiveness or resentment in your heart it is like a seed that grows whether you are conscious of it or not. It begins as anger, grows into resentment, and matures in bitterness. It begins to affect your mind and thoughts and how you view and treat others.

It Spreads: As bitterness grows it hardens your heart and begins to spread into other areas of your life to where it eventually spills out of your mouth and can no longer be hidden from others.

It Changes You: If filled with bitterness for a long period of time, you become a different person; you no longer enjoy the blessings in your life and you are filled with anger and cynicism towards life and people. You are a different person, one that is hard-hearted and hard to love.

So how we do we deal with this issue? How can we forgive when we don’t want to or don’t feel like it? If you are feeling this way you are not alone. When dealing with un-forgiveness regardless of how we feel, we need to see ourselves and our situation soberly in light of God’s Word.

Here are four reasons why we are to forgive:

Freedom: By forgiving the person or the situation, you are set free from the hurt and the pain of the past. You free yourself from its bondage and are able to move forward into your future.

Restoration: By forgiving, you are able to be restored back to where you were before the incident happened, but with more strength and wisdom from the experience. You are no longer hindered or held back by the past but can walk restored and redeemed.

Healing: By forgiving, the Bible says your own healing comes speedily and you will be able to experience joy again. You are no longer bound by your suffering or pain, but delivered and healed.

Peace: The Bible says if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15). In choosing not to forgive we are choosing to be disobedient to God and His Word and remain in sin. When you forgive, you not only have peace within your own heart but you have peace with God.

Take a moment and evaluate your life situation and ask yourself truthfully if you are struggling with un-forgiveness or bitterness and also look at how it has already affected you, your heart, your attitude, your point of view, and your treatment of others or yourself. If you see you are suffering from bitterness, then for your own good, I encourage you to seek forgiveness today and ask God to help you.

Here are five ways to help you forgive today:

Confess It to God: By confessing it to God you are acknowledging that you were indeed hurt by this situation or person, but you realize you need to forgive in spite of how you feel in order to be set-free, restored, healed, and no longer in sin.

Allow Him to Comfort You: By allowing God to comfort you, you are re-establishing your relationship with Him. If you have been estranged from Him and need to repent, confess that also and return to Him. God is a loving Father who waits for His children’s return. The Bible says that apart from God we can do nothing. We need Jesus in order for us to be restored and so that we may forgive others.

Forgive: This is where you take the step of faith and forgive.
Remember what forgiveness means: To give up or cease to feel resentment, to grant relief from payment and/or to pardon, which means to excuse an offense without exacting penalty. Forgiving is also a willingness to put the matter in the past in order to move forward.

Let It Go: Once you have confessed it to God, and you have forgiven the person or situation in your heart, you can also ask God to help you let it go, and give it to God, allowing Him to take it from you. The Bible says to cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you. Letting it go is now a matter of faith.

Leave It There: Once you have forgiven by faith, let it go and release it to God. You must now also leave it in His capable hands by faith. Trust God to take care of it and no longer worry or hold on to it, but release it over to Him once and for all.

The Bible says that once God forgives us for our sins He casts them as far as the east is from the west, remembering them no more. Yes, for us it is easier said than done to forgive and forget; in fact, let’s be realistic – we usually don’t forget. Although God can forget our sins and remember them no more, we have a memory that most of the time won’t let us forget.

But what this is referring to is that our heart is no longer remembering the hurt as though it happened yesterday but healed from it to a place that when we think of what happened or the painful situation, our heart no longer hurts. When your heart has moved beyond the hurt and is in a place of restoration you may remember but no longer be in bondage to it; you are now set free.

This part of the process will take some time but if you truly are forgiving and letting go you will experience relief from the pain and hope to move forward in your life and situation with joy again to live the abundant life that God has planned for you.

Another word of advice is to seek out fellowship and accountability for your healing process. Talk to your spouse, a good friend, or church mentor to help you in your restoration process and continue to talk about it and allow God to comfort you during this process. It doesn’t happen overnight, but as you seek God through it, you will begin to receive the love He has for you and be restored.

If you are struggling with un-forgiveness or bitterness, seek Christ today and ask Him to help you release it to Him and follow the steps to let it go.

The next step should be reconciliation. Pray for wisdom and for God to give you the opportunity to be reconciled with the person(s) involved, if at all possible.

Remember that God is faithful and He will do it!
Matthew 6:14-15
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” NKJV

1 John 1:8-10
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Filoiann is a Pastor’s Wife, Work at Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor and Bible Teacher. Her work can be found on a number of home business and Christian websites and blogs. www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com

Upon entering a new year I ponder on the prior year and remember the good and the bad but most importantly I try to examine whether or not I have grown spiritually over the last twelve months or have I stayed stagnant in my walk with God or worse digressed. I do this every year to remind myself that no matter how long I have been a born again Christian, I still have much to learn and new growth waiting to spring up in me if I would just allow God to continue to water and nurture my life with His living water.

The word “Change” has been coming up a lot lately and I believe that word is from God for me. Do you think that word may also be for you too? One day I was in the midst of prayer and I was praying my usual, “God help me in this particular area” prayer when I felt the Holy Spirit remind me of this scripture;

“And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” NKJV – Matthew 9:28-29.

When I remembered this passage, I immediately responded as the blind men did and said, “Of course I do God!” After some thought I realized God was asking me a rhetorical question and already knew the answer. He wanted me to see myself as I really am which is that I have abundant faith in certain areas but in the areas I struggle with, it is as if I have no faith at all. Yes faith that God can certainly heal or change others but for me, Nah…I will just have to struggle with this the rest of my life.

God impressed on my heart that He wanted me to change the way I viewed His power in my life. At our last women’s retreat I shared a devotional from Reverend Charles Spurgeon who wrote with beautiful transparency. He wrote how easy it was for Him to believe God could move mountains for others but for himself in certain areas he did not always think it possible. He was confessing how easy it is to have faith for others to be healed but for ourselves we think it impossible. I was encouraged to know that I was not alone and confessed that was how I viewed my struggles. Yes, for everyone else it is not impossible for God but for me, not so possible.

Can you relate? Do you have certain areas in your life you want God to give you victory in but you just don’t think it’s going to happen? I believe God wants to change our hearts and point of view to a faith that believes and receives that He can and that He is Able… especially for us.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” NKJV- Hebrews 11:6

That same night I asked God to help me in my unbelief and made a conscience decision that I was going to believe God in this area and the very next morning my heart was definitely changed. I had a fresh new outlook and went from a heart that felt defeated to a heart that believed God could do this in my life. I just needed to believe and as I took active steps by faith I began to see a transformation take place and I am still seeing it as I keep moving forward in His direction.

I understand now that in order to experience victory in my life in these areas I first needed to change the way I viewed God in light of His power in my life and also I needed a change of heart from unbelief to believing by faith He was able.

Did you know the Hebrew definition for “repentance” is having a change of mind, a fundamental and thorough change in the hearts of men and women from sin towards God? As we take a deeper look at the word “change” in regards to repentance we will also find that change is only the beginning or shall I say the starting point of a new direction. Real and true change comes when we confess our sin, stop walking in that sin, turn and go towards God and walk in His direction.

The interesting thing about change is once you walk along the path in a new direction it now becomes a new destination and for us who walk in Christ are walking in new life. “Therefore If anyone is in Christ, is a new creation; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.” NKJV – 2 Corinthians 5:17. There is no condemnation, God in turns forgives us of the past and then gives us new life in Him.

I would like to challenge you by asking you to take a moment to examine your heart and your life soberly and see if there is anything you believe God would like to change in you, grow you or give you victory in. Also, if you need to repent by all means repent; perhaps repent from unbelief and ask God to help you believe. God is a forgiving God and is able to do above and beyond what you can imagine or think and is faithful to do it!

God loves you and has a plan for your life and would like nothing more than to see you fulfill His plan for you according to His will through Him. It reminds me of the worship song, “Change my heart O God”,

Change my heart O God

Make it ever new

Change my heart O God

May I be like You

You are the Potter

I am the clay

Mold me and make me

This is what I pray

May the Lord bless you with a change of heart that glorifies Him and makes you anew and afresh in Him.

Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, woman’s biblical counselor, bible teacher, writer and columnist. You can visit her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com.

James 1:16-18
“Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” NKJV

How would you love to be known as the perfect gift giver? Not just at Christmas, but birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and showers? The title alone would give you notoriety for sure…not to mention the reputation of a genius. Why do I say “Genius”?

It’s pure and simple: It’s not easy finding the perfect gift for someone. You have to know what they like, need or want; their particular tastes, styles and whether or not it fits into their own personal lifestyle.

It takes real time and effort to give the perfect gift and the reality is, it never comes without a cost.
The perfect gift giver usually spends time and effort into every detail from the personal gift that is unique for that particular person or one that is needful. This thoughtfulness goes beyond the normal thought of giving, to a genuine care or concern on whether or not this person will utilize, benefit and enjoy this gift long after they received it.

I know personally I fall short as a “Gift-Giver” but when I stopped to think about who I knew was the perfect gift giver; only one person came to mind. God!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. NKJV – John 3:16-17

Let’s think about this for a moment shall we? The three main qualities of a perfect gift giver are; thoughtfulness, personal time and effort. You see God gave above and beyond what we can imagine or think. He gave us a gift that was more than thoughtful; it was personal, sacrificial, beneficial, eternal, and full of unconditional love.

As we take a closer look at these heavenly qualities, I pray that you would remember that He did this for you personally and when Jesus took up the cup of suffering and hung on that cross He had you on His mind. This understanding alone I hope touches your heart as it does mine.

Sacrificial: God willingly sacrificed His only begotten son and Christ consented, that the requirements of the law would be fulfilled and the punishment of death that was due was paid in full through Jesus, who bore our sins and iniquities and took up our offenses. (Acts 13:33-34, Romans 8:1-4, Isaiah 53:5)

Beneficial: In receiving Jesus Christ into our hearts by faith through His grace we now have new life that is eternal, born from above through the Holy Spirit, no longer born of this world but heirs with Christ in the kingdom of Heaven. (2 Corinthians 5;17, Ephesians 2; 8-10, Romans 10; 9)

Personal: Also, in receiving Jesus Christ as our savior and Lord we also have a personal relationship with Him. One that is closer than a brother and more than a friend. We can now come boldly to the throne of grace in our hour and time of need and know that He hears us because we are now His children and can cry out, “Abba” Father! (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6, Hebrews 4:16, John 15; 13-15, Proverbs 18: 24)

Un-Conditional: God’s unconditional love is proved in this, that when we were dead in our trespasses and sins He still died for us. God did this that none would perish but all would come to repentance because He loves us and cares for us deeply. (Ephesians 2; 4-7, 2 Peter 3; 9, Isaiah 43:4-5, Jeremiah 31; 3, John 15; 9, John 15; 12)

I encourage you to look up these scripture references; they will bless your heart and soul. I don’t know about you but after reading this list I am sold that God is the ultimate and perfect gift giver in this world and the question is, “Have you received this free gift of grace for yourself”?

If you receive His free gift of grace, confess your sins and believe by faith that Jesus died on the cross for you as your Lord and savior; you have everything to gain and nothing to lose but if you choose to reject this gift of salvation, you have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Without a savior the bible says that we are condemned to hell where there is a weeping and gnashing of teeth. Eternal damnation is destined for those who do not receive the gift of God’s grace. God’s whole purpose to send His son was to save you from hell, punishment and death.

There is a great deception that all roads lead to heaven but the scriptures are clear that there is only “One” road and that one road is one person, Jesus Christ. Don’t be deceived!

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” NKJV – John 14:6

The bible also says, to choose this day whom you will follow. Remember that Jesus is the reason for this season, He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. (John 14:6) Please choose life! God’s Gift is free but know it did not come without a cost and only Jesus could pay that price and willingly already has for me and you that we might have life and life more abundantly!

I hope after reading this, you have received the “Perfect Gift” from the “Perfect Gift Giver” and if you have… please be sure to share this gift with others. It will be the best gift they will ever receive!

About the Author:
Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, woman’s counselor, writer and columnist. Visit her website, www.filoiannwiedenhoff for more inspirational articles and devotionals and sign-up for her monthly newsletter.

Dealing with Depression Spiritually Part I

Christ in You, the Hope of Glory

I don’t think that I could continue to write “How to Deal” articles without dealing with depression. I understand that no one wants to talk about this issue much less read about it but I felt I needed to address this for the simple fact that it is one of the most common issues world wide. I personally have experienced it and know plenty of people who also experience it on a daily basis so it is comforting to know that if you are experiencing depression you are definitely not alone.

There are different causes of depression such as; chemical, hormonal, trauma and sin. Since I am not a doctor I will address depression biblically with some practical ways to help people deal with depression regardless of what the cause may be.

In this article I hope to address this issue biblically first laying a solid foundation on Christ as our rock and our strength and in “How to Deal with Depression Part II” I will address the practical side to help you work through the depression.

The hard part about depression is that it affects your feelings and emotions and if you are one that is driven by your feelings and emotions or have a hard time in controlling them, it is that much harder to deal with. So what can we do about it?

First I want to share with you a couple important people in the bible who also experienced depression at one time or another, such as: King David when he wrote some of the psalms and Elijah when he ran from Jezebel, collapsed by a tree and wanted to die. I encourage you to read the story of Elijah and how the Angel of the Lord would come to him and feed him while he was exhausted without any food or hope.

In both instances God was with them and never left them. Yes they experienced grief and times of sorrow but they also experienced victory and times of celebration and God loved them and took care of them.

Let’s take a look at a passage from the bible that deals with this particular situation.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. “NIV

As we look at these passages it may describe symptoms of depression such as;

Hard pressed on every side: To feel overwhelmed or under a lot of pressure by your situation. Every where you turn it seems as though things are not working out or going wrong and you feel like the world is caving in on you.

Perplexed: To be filled with uncertainty, difficulty, puzzled. It usually occurs when a traumatic situation happens and your initial response is to feel numb, confused, you feel weak at the knees as though you have no strength and at the same time frozen as if you can’t move.

Persecuted: To receive punishment, grief, affliction and suffering for a cause or belief.

Struck Down: To feel attacked, humiliated, put down, demeaned, brought down low. Feelings of unworthiness, hopelessness or condemned.

Can you relate to any of these feelings or symptoms? Let’s look at what Paul says to address each one.

We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed.
We are perplexed but not in despair.
Persecuted but not abandoned.
Struck down but not destroyed.

To recap what the Apostle Paul is saying here is that although we are going through these situations we are not crushed, in despair, abandoned or destroyed. Why does he say this? The key is in the prior verse 7 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us”

Paul is explaining that this treasure that is in jars of clay which is all surpassing power from God and not from us is what keeps us from being utterly destroyed. The treasure he is talking about is Christ through the Holy Spirit and the jars of clay are our bodies. He is referring to Christ who lives in our hearts by faith empowers us with all surpassing power that comes from Him and not from us.

So how does this happen? If you are a born again believer the bible says you are new creation in Christ, that He lives in your heart by faith and that through the Holy Spirit Christ lives in you. If Christ lives in you then He also lives through you and lives for you.

Gal 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. “NIV

So what is Paul saying in plain English here? He is saying, that you will go through trials BUT you have a treasure within your heart which is Christ living in you by faith through the Holy Spirit that empowers you and preserves you to endure being hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. That it is not of yourself so no one can boast but of God and comes from God.

A great example in the bible is when Daniel, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fire; as the soldiers looked in there were four walking around in the fire not three. Although God allowed them to be thrown into the fire, God was right there in the fire with them and they survived the fire with no burns at all. It’s important to note that God does not promise that we will not suffer on the contrary, he may allow us to be thrown into the fire but He promises to be there with us and that we will not be burned or destroyed.

Isaiah 43:2-3 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.”NIV

This is one of my favorite passages in the bible because it reminds us of God’s faithfulness, that He cares for us and is with us. It is because of God’s great love for us. God is faithful and He will do it.

Now let’s turn back to our original passage and look at the last scripture from 2 Corinthians 4:10 “Always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. “NIV

So how does this knowledge help us in depression? It helps us in everything not just depression but trials, tribulations, trauma, persecutions, in everything we go through.

“Always carrying about” in this passage is referring to perseverance by faith. To not give up, to continue moving forward, continue carrying on in spite of how you may feel; understanding that you have Christ living in you and interceding on your behalf, empowering you from the inside out to carry on in the midst of your trials.

If you are a born again Christian and never have thought about Christ living in your heart literally in this way please take some time to meditate on this truth and on His Word and ask God to help you receive this in your heart by faith. It lays a foundation in our hearts that it is God working in us and through us and it is not from us but God that no man can boast.

Col 1:27-29 “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. “NIV

I hope these biblical truths have given you much hope that you are not alone and that Christ is right there with you, living in you and through you. I will share in Part II next on how we can practically apply this knowledge and understanding to our personal life living through depression.

About the Author:
Filoiann is a Pastor’s Wife, Work at Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor and Bible Teacher. Her work can be found on a number of home business and Christian websites and blogs.
www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com

Knowing and Understanding Christ’s Sufficiency by Filoiann Wiedenhoff

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

As a Christian do you feel inadequate? Do you struggle to view yourself as God views you? You are not alone. Unless you are Superman, I can assume everyone at one time or another feels inadequate in something. It has to be true because we are all gifted and talented in different areas but not everyone is perfect in all areas, except God.

God made us unique and different and gave us unique talents, gifts, abilities and also He gave us unique families, backgrounds and experiences that make us who we are today.

God in His infinite and divine mind, created us to be unique for a reason. I believe one reason is so we would learn to work together, needing each other and helping one another as one unit and one body with Christ as the Head.

If our body only had feet, we could walk but we couldn’t grab or pick up things. The same is true if we were all hands – we could hold things and grab things but we couldn’t go anywhere. I’m sure you are getting my drift here.

So what does this have to do with feeling inadequate? I’m giving you a visual demonstration that what you might perceive as adequate in someone else may be true, but what you don’t see is that everyone has inadequacies in some areas because we are not perfect, no one is. One man’s strength can be another man’s weakness.

The Bible says we “all” fall short of the glory of God. Do you know what “all” in the Greek and Hebrew means? It means “all.” I’m not being sarcastic, it really does. It means no one is righteous, no not one. We are all born sinful from the day Adam and Eve fell in the Garden of Eden. We, as their offspring, inherited their sin and their sinful nature.

It’s important for us to understand this reality because without understanding we are indeed sinful by nature, and born inadequate, we will never see the need for Christ’s sufficiency. God’s whole purpose to send His Son, Jesus, was to be born of a virgin, sinless, to die as a pure and perfect sacrifice. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 NKJV

Christ’s life, death, and resurrection fulfilled God’s requirement of holiness and gave us the bridge back to God. I will repeat this scripture passage because this is the key: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV. It is only “in Him” that we become the righteousness of God.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV.

I have now laid the foundation that our inadequacy cannot be fulfilled on our own and that true sufficiency comes from Christ and Christ alone, Who makes us not only adequate but justified before God. We, as His dearly loved children, can now view ourselves as new creations in Christ, saints, a holy priesthood and a holy temple. Do you believe this? If you are a born again Christian, this is who we are in Christ, and as His children we need to believe it and receive it by faith.

Our greatest difficulty as a new creation in Christ is continuing to view ourselves in light of our old life and our old identity, rather than our new life in Christ, which is what the Bible says we are to do. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” NKJV – 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Did you notice the word “all” again? All things have passed away and all things have become new. We may not see this physically right away but we can believe it spiritually and immediately because this is now a matter of faith. As we allow God to change us from the inside, our outside is being transformed into the image of God’s Son day by day.

Here are some practical tips on how to receive this in your hearts and believe it by faith.

• Accept that you can’t: Our sinful nature does not allow us to be righteous before God on our own strengths, talents, or abilities. Our righteousness is no righteousness at all, but rather filthy rags before the Lord. If we were righteous on our own, Christ’s life, death and resurrection would not have been necessary and would have been in vain. There is nothing we can “do” to make us adequate or justified before God. We need a Savior and Christ’s Sufficiency. One of my favorite passages reminds me of this. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” NKJV – Galatians 2:20-21.

• Acknowledge that He can: Acknowledging also means proclaiming and believing something to be true, as in testifying that God through Christ has made us sufficient through His death and resurrection. We no longer stand in our own righteousness but stand in Christ’s righteousness, which is enough. The Bible says that apart from Him we can do nothing; but we can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us. Christ is our sufficiency. “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. “ – 2 Peter 1:3-4 NKJV.

• Believe by Faith that He is Able: It is important we understand we are sufficient in Christ by faith. That we can’t but God can and is working in us and through us according to His will through the Holy Spirit. How we think and feel about ourselves should be according to God’s Word and not governed by our emotions or feelings. We are to see and view ourselves through God’s eyes rather than our own because now our identity is in Christ Jesus. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.” NKJV-Hebrews 11:1.

• Rest in Him: The Bible also says we are to come to Him, all who are weary and burdened, and He will give us rest (Matthew 11:28-30). As we remember we no longer have to strive under the old Mosaic law to justify ourselves we can now rest in Him and His righteousness. “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” NKJV – Romans 6:10-11.

We now can be confident in not only His power but His love and His sufficiency that Jesus really is enough! When I myself look at my own inadequacies, I have to take my eyes off of myself and put them back on Christ. I have to remember I’m not perfect but Christ’s perfection and grace is sufficient for me and I also have to remind myself that when I am weak, then I am strong because Christ’s power rests upon me. Having this understanding empowers me to walk in Him, walk in His Spirit and walk in His holiness because it’s not me but Christ living in me!

I hope these words have encouraged you as it did me to rest in Christ’s sufficiency and His righteousness. When you are experiencing those feelings of inadequacy, accept that you can’t but God can and has in you and through you and that His grace is sufficient for you. Accept that you can rest confidently in Him and come boldly to His throne of Grace in your hour and time of need. (Hebrews 4:16).

“But 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. That 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.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV.

If you are reading this and you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, know that Jesus knows you and desires to have a personal relationship with you and give you His salvation and His sufficiency. Confess your sins and ask Him to come into your heart today. You can read my testimony on my website and also instructions on how to receive salvation. It will be the most important decision you have ever made.

Or, if you are one who has received Christ but cannot see yourself as a new creation, pray and ask God to help you with your unbelief. The Bible also says, “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Go boldly to His throne of Grace and receive His mercies that are new every morning; for we are no longer under the law but under grace through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Filoann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, woman’s biblical counselor, Bible teacher, writer and columnist. You can view her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com and sign-up for her monthly newsletter.

About the Author:
Filoann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, woman’s biblical counselor, bible teacher, writer and columnist. You can view her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com and sign-up for her monthly newsletter.

Renewing Your Mind

Do you struggle with Anxiety? I want to encourage you that you are not alone. It is more common than people realize. First we want to look at what anxiety is before we can address how to deal with anxiety. A summarized definition of anxiety is: Having a uneasy, overwhelmed, apprehensive, fearful, concerned, and worrisome state of mind with the feeling of inadequacy to cope.

Anxiety also affects us internally to where we can become physically ill if untreated. There are different levels of anxiety but we will be dealing with anxiety in general. If you feel you are dealing with severe anxiety I encourage you to see a doctor who can give you a full diagnosis.

Now that we have established what anxiety is, we now have to look at the core of the problem which is what causes anxiety. The key of understanding the cause for anxiety is in the above summarized definition which is that it is a “state of mind”. The root of having any particular state of mind begins with our thoughts. Our thoughts whether good or bad lead our mind into a direction, and how much thought that goes into that particular direction affects not only our minds, but our point of view, our feelings and our emotions and that can then turn into our actions or reactions.

For example; A professional NFL football player injures his knee and was told that he had to sit out for a few football games to heal. His mind went from sitting out a few games to the coach putting him on second string to he’s going to be fired from the NFL to he’s going to lose his car and his house because he can’t pay the bills to his wife will probably leave him and take his children to he’ll be alone and homeless with no one around.

This poor guy went from hearing that he needed to sit out a few games and let his mind roam to him being homeless and lonely living off the streets. all over a matter of a few minutes. He allowed negative self talk scenarios lead him down a path that caused him to be anxiety filled and panic stricken. Although this is an extreme example this situation is more common than we want to admit.

So how can we deal with anxiety and negative self talk scenarios that lead us to anxiety? We can start off by accepting the fact that we need to re-program our minds on how we respond to the negative thoughts that enter in and practice using tools through the Word of God to combat those thoughts.

To begin, always begin with prayer and ask God to help you through what ever trial you are going through so remember to pray before during and after. (Phillipians.4:6-7)

I’m going to share helpful tools on how you can prevent those thoughts from turning into anxiety. Here are five preventative measures you can use:

1. Restrain your Thoughts: When the wrong thoughts come into our minds that are negative and untrue, we are to remove them and take them captive by not allowing them to run free but restrain and remove them by not entertaining or dwelling on them. Simply put “Don’t Go There!” (2 Cor 10:5-6)

2. Redirect Your Thinking: Redirecting your thoughts means to change your thoughts that are not true and negative to thoughts that are true and biblical as it is said in (Phillipians 4:8) This passage says to think thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely etc…. Memorize this scripture and ask yourself if your thoughts are true, nobel and right or are they being carried away in the negative self talk scenarios. Re-direct your thoughts to the Word of God and your mindset will begin to change. (Phil 4:8)

3. Renew Your Mind: With any habit we want to change we not only need to stop the cycle but replace the bad habit with a good habit. This is where we practice renewing our minds by memorizing scripture and replacing negative thoughts with thoughts that are edifying, pure, holy etc….We need to replace those thoughts with thoughts that are true through scripture memorization as mentioned in #1 by reciting a scripture or by spending time in the Word. It’s amazing how our thoughts can change when we read scripture. Renewing our minds takes constant practice but as we create a new habit we will find the old one is left far behind and far away from us. (Romans 12:2)

4. Redefine your Priorities: One other issue that causes anxiety is feeling overwhelmed by too many tasks or thoughts at once. To help alleviate this problem; you can sit down and write it out 1. What’s a real problem and what’s not. 2. Sort out your concerns and prioritize them. 3. Weed out what’s not important by either delegating it or putting it on a separate list to do. 4. Narrow down your list and focus on one task at a time and do the most important ones first.

Focusing on one task at a time will help you to not feel so overwhelmed and at the same time will organize your thoughts as well as your tasks into a doable plan and help you regain your ability to cope.

5. Carry it Out: Now that you know that these thoughts are not good and do harm you need to follow through with what you know is true and take them captive, remove them, don’t entertain them and replace them with good and pure thoughts. Changing our behavior takes practice and as you work on this faithfully you will have a new habit and renewed mind before you know it. (James 1:25)

If you do these things with prayer and by faith God will provide His strength in the midst of your weakness and give you the power to overcome for our victory comes from Him.

Scripture References:

(2 Cor 10:5-6) “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thobught to make it obedient to Christ.”

(Phil 4:8) “Finally, brothers, 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.”

(Romans 12:2) “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will”

(James 1:25) “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.”

Filoiann is a Pastor’s Wife, Work at Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor, Bible Teacher, Writer and Columnist. Her work can be found on a number of home business and Christian websites and blogs. Visit her website and sign-up for her monthly newsletter. www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com

Luke 10:38-42
“Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’* feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus* answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” NKJV

I was driving around this afternoon, running errands for this and that, picking up the kids then taking the kids here and dropping them off there. Now that I have teenagers I think I spend more time in my car now than ever.

As I was coming home I thought about the story of Martha and Mary and how the topic of sitting at the Lords feet rather than works has been coming up a lot lately. Hmmm….gee I wonder if God is trying to send me a message?

Well, one thought did come to mind. When I was thinking about Martha, I realized that faith without deeds is dead but Jesus said that one thing was needed and Mary chose the good part and it will not be taken away from her. So I asked myself, “Where is the balance between being a Mary and a Martha?”

What I love about God’s Word is when you look at the heart of what the scriptures are really saying, you will find that it makes so much sense and it also brings clarity. For example, If you look at the passage again, Martha was doing a noble thing. She was preparing a meal for Jesus and His disciples. Remember in those days they did not have microwave ovens, electric stoves and a supermarket to buy fresh bread. Everything had to be handmade from scratch and most likely took hours to prepare.

So in looking back in time, asking Mary for a little help would have been reasonable. The wonderful thing about Jesus was that He knew how hard Martha was working in the kitchen and also knew that she probably did need help but saw Mary’s heart as an opportunity to display His will rather than Martha’s will. He wanted them both to know and understand that sitting at His feet was more important to Him than serving Him food. As you read on you will see that the food Jesus desires doesn’t come from human hands.

Do you remember the story of the woman at the well? After Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman he told His disciples that His food was to do the will of His Father. His ministering to the woman at the well was His sustenance; it nourished Him and made Him full. We don’t realize how important to God we are. Yes, we do know that He loves us and died for us but for some reason it seems as though that concept doesn’t register in our minds what the height, depth and width of His love for us really is.

We forget that this world is passing away and we get so caught up in this life with so many things and neglect what really matters most which is our personal relationship with Jesus. We read the bible for 15 minutes and call it a day instead of meditating on His Word or His Love all day long. We’ll choose to watch a two hour movie but spending a half hour in prayer is too long for us. We go here and we go there but never stop to give God our thanks and praise.

All the while, He is there just waiting patiently for us to remember Him in the midst of our busy lives. But Mary’s heart is what blessed Him. He saw that she just wanted to inhale anything that came out of His mouth. She was so grateful and thankful to Have Him there in her house that she didn’t care about anything else but being right there at His feet.

So what was the question again? It was how do we find the balance between being a Martha and a Mary?

Jesus set the tone with His response to Martha by saying that she was distracted by much serving. The key word here is “distracted”. What’s interesting is the word used in the Hebrew is “Perispao” in our English language it is, “cumber” which means hindered by being in the way. In other words Martha’s busyness and serving was actually hindering her and getting in the way of her relationship with Jesus.

My question to you is, “Is your service or busyness keeping you or getting in the way of you having a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus?”

Jesus also said that Mary chose that good part and it will not be taken away from her. The word part also means portion. He was making a distinction between Martha’s serving and Mary’s sitting. In our relationship with Jesus we are created to serve Him and Glorify God and we are also called to sit at His Feet and receive from Him. But Jesus makes it very clear which part comes first.

Martha’s desire to feed and serve Jesus was indeed a blessing, but Mary’s sitting and receiving from Jesus was the one thing that was needed and it will never be taken away from her because she chose that good part. So the message here is that before we go out to serve the Lord, we must first sit and receive from Him because it is He that enables us and empowers us to do His good and perfect work here on earth.

Rom 9:16
“So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ”
NKJV

Remember that Jesus’s food was to do the will of His father by making Himself real to the people that God brought to Him by feeding them with His Word. Do you see how when we come to Jesus and allow Jesus to feed us His Word that He is fed also and so are we?

Rev 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
NKJV
So the next time you find yourself being a Martha, don’t forget to ask yourself if you are first being a Mary. Invite Him in and allow Him to feed you with His Word and in the midst of your busyness you will find peace and joy because you dine with your Lord and King who sustains you and makes you full. For the bible says that He will satisfy us.

Last question: Are you dining with Him? If not, He stands at the door knocking and waiting for you to open the door of your heart. Allow Him to come in and dine with you and you with Him.

Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, woman’s biblical counselor, bible teacher, writer and columnist. You can view her website at www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com

Dedicated to My Father, My Husband, and My God

My father was a First Sergeant in the Marine Corps, serving in the Vietnam War. He came home with wounds and purple hearts to show for it.

I was born during that time in November of 1967. He was there a few days after I was born but had to return to Vietnam shortly after. He may have come home another time when I was very little, but I don’t remember. I remember seeing him for the first time when I was about five years old.

I still remember the day he came home from the war. My mother, brothers and I were standing right outside on the blacktop where the planes landed, waiting anxiously for him to walk out.

Suddenly, a handsome young man dressed in a beige Marine uniform with medals swarming the side of his chest and wearing a sharp hat to match started walking toward us. I remember my mother bending down beside me, whispering in my ear saying, “That’s your father.” Without any hesitation I remember running up to him as fast as I could, opening up my arms and jumping right into his chest. He caught me in the air, hugging me tight, swinging me around laughing with the biggest smile I ever saw.

At that moment in time it didn’t matter that I didn’t know him; all I knew was he was my father and I loved him and he obviously loved me back. It was the beginning of a new relationship and I couldn’t wait to get started.

Our relationship never changed from that day. I was daddy’s little girl (and only girl) so I can honestly say I was indeed spoiled and my three brothers, Jaffa, John, and James can all testify to that fact, but they were okay with it being that I was a “girl” and all.

There’s something special about a father’s love that makes us feel secure, protected and grounded in who we are. Perhaps it’s because of their strong stature, their demeanor, or the fact that we know they go to work day in and day out to support the family, whether they feel like it or not. It’s not a conscious thought on our part, it’s just a sense of comfort and security knowing they are there.

There’s a quote by Billy Graham, a well-known Christian Evangelist who said, “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”

I agree with Billy Graham; fathers do so much, they mean so much and are valuable in our society, but are not given the praise and appreciation they deserve. I pray that this Father’s Day you would honor your fathers, husbands, brothers and any men you know in this important role and bless them with your words of affirmation, your actions and your love for all they do. While you are doing this, don’t forget you also have a Heavenly Father who loves you and is right there with you.

I would like to make a special dedication to my father, David Jaffa Solomon, my husband, Daniel Wiedenhoff, and my Heavenly Father.

My father is now in heaven but I know I will see him again. I just want to say, “Dad, I salute you with all my heart and I’m so proud of you. Thank you for loving me, my family and my country. I love you and I will see you again!”

To my husband, Dan, “Thank you for being a wonderful father; for all that you do, your hard work, labor of love and commitment to taking care of your family, even when you are tired or don’t feel like it. No matter what, you still get up and go to work every day to provide for us. We love you, appreciate you, and thank you for all you do!”

To my God and Heavenly Father, “Thank You for sacrificing Your only Son to give us eternal life. Thank you for Your unconditional love that never fails, Your consistent caring for us, and for never leaving nor forsaking us. There is nothing in this world I could give You to express my gratitude for all You have done for us and are still doing, except to say my prayer is that we could show You our appreciation by living a life which honors You and glorifies Your name. Thank You so much and we love You!”

To all you fathers, “Happy Father’s Day!” May you be blessed this day with peace, love and many blessings. We honor you and we appreciate you for all you do!

Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a pastor’s wife, woman’s biblical counselor, bible teacher, writer and columnist. You can view her website on www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com and sign up for her monthly newsletter.

You are Valuable!

Deuteronomy 7:6-7

“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you.” NKJV

For the last 15 years I have had the blessing and privilege of being a mother. It has been the single most amazing gift from God I could ever receive and also the most challenging. The blessing of being a mom is truly a labor of love, and as the bible says in Hebrews; our sacrifices and labor God does not forget.

Although it is a wonderful privilege and a blessing we also know it is hard work and the last person on our priority list is usually us. My question to you is, “Mom, are you making “you” a priority? Are you taking care of yourself in the way that you should?

I confess that in my early years of motherhood, I was guilty of not making me a priority. I always put myself last and over time that took a toll on my health and well being. The Lord convicted me of this very thing through the Holy Spirit and reminded me that I was valuable not only to Him but to my family and I needed to change the way that I viewed my value, role and responsibility as a stay at home mom.

So as a special tribute to all, “Moms Everywhere this Mother’s Day,” we want to honor you with this reminder according to Deuteronomy 6:7; that says you are God’s chosen people, a special treasure He created for Himself and that makes you valuable and important!

You might be thinking after reading this last part that you don’t need to hear this, or that you already know that you are valuable to God. This maybe true but I beg to differ that you don’t need to hear it. I believe we can always be reminded of God’s love for us and that we love because He loved us first. What does the bible say in Ephesians?

Ephesians 3:17-19 “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. NKJV

What does the Apostle Paul say here? That as Christ dwells in our hearts through faith we are rooted and grounded in love. God is love and when we can comprehend the length, depth and height of His love toward us, we are filled with all the fullness of God.

In having and receiving this knowledge; it empowers us to love God and live for Him daily and as God’s precious vessels; when the outpouring of His love toward us fills us to overflowing, it will naturally spill out into the lives of others, especially those nearest to us. It’s just a natural progression of God’s abundant love.

It also helps us to know by faith that our true value comes from Him and not the world and so these precious reminders help keep us grounded in viewing ourselves through His eyes rather than our own.

I want to share with you some valuable lessons I have learned along the way to encourage you to remember that you are precious, valuable and worth more than gold. With that said, it’s important that you do make your self a priority and the investment you make in “you” will benefit everyone involved in more ways than one.

Here they are as follows…

* Spend daily time with God in His Word and in prayer; even if it is 15 minutes. We need that spiritual fuel to get us through the day and personal relationship with Jesus as our rock and foundation. Fall in love with God and allow Him to be your motivation for all that you do.

* Understand your value comes from God and take action steps toward making you a priority and say NO to guilt! Remember…you are not just doing this for you but for your entire family. A happy healthier you creates a happy environment at home.

* Invest in a babysitter at least twice a month just for, “me time” to relax or spend a few hours out by yourself and get your hair or nails done, or have lunch with your husband or friends.

* Have an outlet by doing something you love and set aside time to work on your passions and hobbies, and express your personal creativity.

* Eat healthy foods and get out for a stroll with your family. The fresh air and exercise always get’s our bodies going and feeling better.

* Ask your husband if he would help you out by giving you a little break on the weekends. Just a few hours to either catch up on sleep, get out for a breather or work on your hobbies or passions will help make a big difference.

* Get plenty of rest! You need as much rest as you can get. One suggestion is to take naps when they take naps. I know it’s hard to get any sleep when the children are small but the body needs rest and refreshment to make it through another day.

* Make sure you and your husband also make time for dates. Hire a babysitter and devote those few crucial hours loving one another and building each other up in the Lord. It’s important for your children to see that your marriage is also a priority.

I’m going to say this one more time; a happy woman, wife and mom creates a happy environment at home. I guarantee that if you invest more time and energy in developing you as a person as well as caring for your kids and husband; you will have a healthier outlook on life and be a stronger more vital woman, wife and mother for you, your family and for the Lord.

I hope you are encouraged and blessed to be reminded how valuable and important you are and that His love for us empowers us to love God with all our heart, mind and soul and to love our neighbor as ourselves. May the Lord bless you abundantly with rest, refreshment and joy this Mother’s Day!

Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a Pastor’s Wife, Woman’s Biblical Counselor, Bible Teacher, Writer and Columnist. You can view her website on www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com and sign up for her monthly newsletter.

There is a great confusion about what is considered grief and loss these days. Unfortunately the miss-understanding of grief and loss leaves people feeling depressed, anxiety filled and alone and they don’t understand what’s happening to them.
I remember when I lost my father six years ago, a month later I thought something was wrong with me because I couldn’t think straight, my thoughts were all jumbled and didn’t know what was going on. A friend of mine who also counsels explained to me that it was part of the grieving process and I was comforted to know I wasn’t losing my mind, at least not yet<

Hopefully this article will help give you more insight to this very common issue. Experiencing grief and loss can cover a gamut of situations such as; loss of a loved one, loss of a family pet, loss of a job, loss of a friendship, loss of a marriage through divorce, loss of a limb or health problems or illnesses, loss of trust in your spouse through infidelity or feelings of betrayal.

As a society I don’t believe we realize how common experiencing grief and loss is and that it happens more often than people understand. I put together some basics on how to deal with grief and loss practically.

Here they are as follows:

1. Sit at the Lords feet: As a Christian, we need to keep in mind that apart from Him we can do nothing. God is our physician, our healer, our comforter, our provider and He is faithful. Stay near to God and allow Him to minister to you and comfort you through his Word, His love, His Spirit and His people.
2. Talk to someone: As I said earlier, talking it out sometimes is the best medicine. It helps you to get out what you are feeling inside. It helps your mind to process what happened or what you are feeling and it is also a form of release for your feelings and emotions. Talking about your situation or your feelings will help you to heal healthier and in most cases quicker.
3. Allow yourself to grieve: Don’t try to shut out the grief, but allow yourself permission to grieve and remember that it is not only okay but necessary for healing to take place. Shutting it off or out only hinders the process and can cause internal problems physically and spiritually if left not dealt with.
4. Don’t fight the process: Look online for the list of the grieving process and allow yourself to go through each process. Educate yourself. Fighting it or trying to “make” yourself okay doesn’t help you but hurts you in the end and can also prolong the healing. Your body goes through this process for a reason and you need to work through it.
5. Don’t rush it: Trying to rush the grieving process doesn’t work so don’t rush yourself or give yourself a day and time for it to be over. It takes time to heal so allow yourself that time. Also the other extreme is not healthy, when you take too long and can’t let go. If you think you are taking too long or trying to rush it, seek pastoral or professional counsel about where you are mentally, physically and spiritually and be accountable with them on your progress.
6. Join a grief support group: There are now many grief classes and support groups county wide. I know people who have gone through the support groups and classes personally and they said they loved the support and the encouragement. You can meet others who are going through similar situations as you and you also have the opportunity to encourage someone else. I highly recommend it! .
7. Get time out: Get out of the house when you can and visit a friend or family member, take a night out and walk, go for a drive and don’t isolate yourself. Getting out with people can also take your mind off of your situation for a time and give you a break; it also can help prevent isolation and deep depression.
8. Be accountable: Ask a friend or family member to be accountable with you to check on you as you are going through the grief process. Have them call you every so often just to see how you are doing and call them whenever you really need someone to talk to or are going through a rough day or evening.
9. Take one day at a time: Take each day as it comes, every day is a new day and each day has its own adventure. Try not to think too far ahead, it can easily lead into anxiety or like me have jumbled thoughts. Focus on the task at hand and don’t worry about tomorrow.
10. Expect the un-expected: Keep in mind that you will have good days and bad days and feelings and emotions can change from one day to the next so don’t be surprised if one day you feel great and the next day you feel as though it happened yesterday. It’s just one of those things that happen and I can’t explain why but it does.
11. Keep moving forward: It is important that you take time out to grieve, it is also important to keep moving forward in your life. There is a tendency to shut down or want to quit everything but the reality is, it will only hurt you in the end if all you do is isolate yourself even more. Remember that you still have loved ones in your life that need you and that your life is still worth living not just for yourself and your family but also for God. Jeremiah 29:11 Says, I know the plans that I have for you.”

One more thing, as you go through the grieving process remember that you are not alone, and that God is right there with you comforting you and interceding for you on your behalf. The bible says that as you draw near to God He will draw near to you.

You also have family and friends that care about you and want to be there for you so allow them to minister, comfort and encourage you during this time.

I hope these tips will help give you some insight into the process of grief and loss and encourage you to know that it’s okay to grieve and that true strength comes when we are at our weakest. The bible says when we are weak than we are strong because the power of God rests upon us during those times. Allow God to be your strength. May God bless you!

Scripture References:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “But 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.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

Heb 4:15-16 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Ps 119:76-77 “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.” NIV

Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a Pastors Wife; Work at Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor, Bible Teacher and Christian Writer. You can view her website at: http://filoiannwiedenhoff.com/ Sign up for her monthly newsletter and receive her free eBook!

Spending quiet time means to set aside time alone with God.  It is time well spent that is dedicated to drawing closer and more intimate in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His Word and Prayer by faith.

It is the same concept when spending time with a friend.  The more you spend time with that person the better you get to know them and the more intimate you become. 

It is no different with God.  God knows His children but it is important for His Children to get to know Him more intimately.  Also, the more we as His children know Him through His Word the more we know who we are in Him as our identity because our identity is now in Christ.   

Whether it is 10 minutes or 30 minutes doesn’t matter, what matters is that you make the time and be consistent in doing it everyday.  Making the time is important because it sets a foundation for your walk and relationship with God. 

I put together some tips that I personally use and hope that you will be blessed.  You can change it; adapt it to your own quiet time or whatever you wish to do.  This is simply a guide to give you some direction if you are new to Christianity or just needing some added tips to your own quiet time. 

Here they are as follows:

Prepare:  Spending quiet time will take some preparation on your part.  You will need to answer some important questions; What time is best for you to have your quiet time?  What place is best for you to read and pray that is private?  What resources will you need for your quiet time?  Take some time to think and plan out making time with God and you will most likely be more consistent doing it. 

Plan Ahead:  A suggestion would be to plan ahead of time what you will need for your quiet time.  To get either a basket or box that will fit your bible, pen or pencil, note pad or journal, daily devotional, bible dictionary, Webster’s dictionary or bible commentary.  These are all suggestions but bible pen and paper are a definite must. 

Pray:  I encourage you to pray through out the day but for your quiet time it is good to pray specific.  Pray for God to speak to you in your time with Him and your time in His Word and believe by faith He will answer you. 

Passage & Scripture Reading:  Whether it is a daily devotional, reading a chapter in the bible or a scripture reference book.  Whatever the Lord is putting on your heart to read, is good as long as you have a scripture or passage in God’s word.   
a) Read the particular passage.
b) Read the particular passage in context.  Which means, to read the entire chapter to fully understand why the passage is there and what it means
c) See if there are any specific words that speak to you in that passage, like love, faith, or doubt, etc… make note of that as possibly your theme for the day and passage
d) Feel free to look up definitions of those words to add some depth. &nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />e) Look up cross-references and possible summary of passage if possible.

Journal:  Write down the passage or scripture that speaks to you, what it means and what it is speaking to you personally and your own personal thoughts. 

Ponder the Lesson:  Take a moment to ponder the passage you are reading and what God is speaking to you about in that particular lesson and then ask God to help you receive it in your heart and mind and give you full understanding of it’s meaning.   

Personal Application:  Find out what this particular lesson is speaking to you personally and how you can apply it to your life today. Journal that also. 

Personal Prayer:  Pray and ask God to help you not only receive the personal message God has given you but also the power to apply it to your life today by faith.  

Praise Him:  Praise God for His faithfulness and thank God for all that He is and all He does and has done in your life and the life of others.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Prayer Time:  If time permits or you are led to pray and intercede, take a moment and ask God to put people or situations on your heart to pray for and He is faithful to answer that prayer.  Don’t forget to close in prayer. 

When the Lord gives me a message or lesson for the day, I ponder and meditate on that lesson, message or particular scripture throughout the day so that it will be written on my heart and mind and hopefully memorized by the end of the day and am able to apply it. 

I hope these tips will help give you a jump start to do your own quiet time and deepen your relationship with Christ even more.  Blessings!  

Filoiann Wiedenhoff is a Pastor’s Wife, Work at Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor, Bible Teacher and Writer.  You can visit her website and sign up for her monthly newsletter on http://www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com/

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Ah Easter, one of my favorite holidays of the year. We love Easter because it is not only one of the most spiritual holidays but a time for reflection and family to come together. It is a remembrance of Jesus rising from the dead, known as His Resurrection.

Most of us who have grown up in church have been taught the resurrection and the significance of why he rose from the dead, but what most people may fail to recognize in this very important event was His main purpose for doing it.

In our modern day vernacular we understand the main significance of Easter as Christ the Messiah resurrecting from the dead to not only prove that He was the Son of God who is not dead but alive, but also to give to us who believe new life in His name.

Although we learn this and hear this every year at Easter Service, we forget or are unaware to take it further into our own personal lives that as He was given new life we also have been given new life through Him.

Romans 6:3-5: "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection." NKJV

The main purpose that I was mentioning earlier is how we as His believers are to appropriate His resurrection into our own daily lives by receiving His new life into our hearts as new creations by faith, and as it says here in Romans 6:5, "we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection." In other words, our transformation comes through living out His new life in us.

2 Corinthians 5:17: "If any man be in Christ He is a new creation, the old has passed away behold all things become new." NKJV

Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ. I no longer live but Christ lives in me, the life that I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." NKJV

If you have received Jesus Christ into your heart, my question to you is: Do you believe that you are a new creation in Christ, that you have a new life in Christ through the Holy Spirit? That your old nature has passed away or been put to death with Christ on the cross? That you yourself have been resurrected from the dead and now live in this new life?

These concepts may be hard to swallow, and I understand that you may have never thought of Christ’s resurrection in this light before; but this is exactly what God’s Word says and also why Christ rose from the dead, to give His new life to you through the Holy Spirit.

This understanding can only be received by grace through faith. It is not a concept you can rationalize into your life or earn it into your life by works; it has to be received by faith because it is a supernatural gift that can only come from God.

Romans 8:10-11: "But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." NKJV

My prayer for you this Easter is that you would receive from Jesus His new life in you by faith. That you are a new creation in Christ, the old has passed away and the new has come and therefore live as new creations and dearly loved children of God that will walk according to His Spirit and glorify His name.

Romans 8:15: "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, and by him we cry, "Abba, Father." NKJV

Happy Easter from my family to yours!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Filoiann M. Wiedenhoff is a Pastor’s Wife; Work from Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor, Bible Teacher and Christian Author. Shc writes Christian literature to help ignite, inspire and empower believers into living godly lives that glorify God. You can also visit her website www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com.

Having a New Perspective

I can share a personal experience with you to help you understand what disappointment can mean and also how it can affect you personally deeper than you know.

A couple years ago when we were starting our new church plant in San Diego we promoted it, invited all of our family and friends and on that day we had over 100 people in attendance for our opening day church service. It was wonderful and turned out better than we could have expected.

My husband and I were definitely on a spiritual high feeling victory that our church plant was going to go smooth with no problems. NOT!!! The following Sunday our church attendance was nine people and all of them were part of our team that came with us.

Needless to say, my husband seemed fine but I was disappointed. I felt defeated and it was only the second Sunday of our church plant. At that moment you don’t know how to feel and you are left with two choices, give up or move on. We chose to move forward by faith because we believe that God has called us there and regardless if there is one person or 1000, if God has called us we need to be obedient to Him.

Our Faith kept us going and I am happy to report that our church is growing and thriving. Praise the Lord. Had we of quit we would not be seeing the blessings we are now and we have learned some valuable lesson through it.

You see my problem was I had expectations’ that weren’t realistic. I thought it would be a peace of cake to start a church plant and that it would just grow magically. I learned a valuable lesson, which was that my expectations were not based on fact or reality but my own thoughts and opinions and it was a hard lesson but it opened my eyes.

I put together some tips on how to deal with disappointment and hope it helps you as it did me. The definition of disappointment is, "The state of having a feeling or emotion of being defeated in an expectation or a hope." In looking at this definition helps us to learn how to deal with disappointment.

1. Re-Evaluate your Expectations: Are your expectations realistic? Or do they set you up for disappointment? Having un-realistic expectations will disappoint you every time.

2. Be willing to Drop Some Expectations: There are some expectations that are not worth having at all. As you look again at your situation be honest and ask yourself if you are having an expectation that is selfish, petty or unrealistic. If so, you are only hurting yourself by keeping them and should let them go.

3. Be Flexible: Learn from your mistakes and be willing to change your point of view about your situation that is realistic and considers the good as well as the bad and keep in mind what matters most.

One of the first exercises my husband and I give to couples in pre-marital counseling is to write down all of their expectations about the other person and then we have them read their list out loud and then tear it up and throw the list away. People don’t like this exercise very much because we are forcing them to get rid of their expectations of the other person, but it is an important one to learn and could save them a lot of grief after they get married.

We do this because it is normal for every person to have an ideal spouse in their mind of what they will be like and how they will act. It can come from their up bringing or what they have learned along the way, television or by what they have read of what a spouse is supposed to be like and act like. They then naturally bring those expectations into their marriage and right away they become immediately disappointed that their expectations are not being met.

Unfortunately it happens a lot in marriages and is more common than people realize and people wonder why they are having arguments and problems the first year of their marriage.

Sometimes when I counsel women who go through similar issues, I tell them to not be so hard on themselves and they won’t be hard on others. It’s a trickle down affect that occurs when people place hard or un-realistic expectations on themselves and then will naturally place those same expectations on others.

The worst part of this scenario is that when the person is working extra hard to fulfill these un-realistic expectations for themselves they expect others to do it too and they are constantly disappointed that others are not fulfilling their part. So in this scenario re-evaluate your own expectations of your self and see if you need to let go of them so that you can be freed from your own disappointment and not place that same expectations on others.

We encourage couples to not go into their marriage with expectations on their spouse but to get to know and accept their spouse for who they are and work together in accomplishing their goals and dreams together using their gifts and talents they both have.

Don’t get me wrong we also go over the roles of the husband and the roles of the wife with these couples but roles are responsibilities that are given to fulfill their role as the husband or the wife and not "personal" expectations. It’s important to know the difference.

My husband always says, "If you don’t have expectations you won’t be disappointed." It’s true. We deal with our ministry the same way. It is what it is and we have to be willing to work with what we have to make it better and not focus on what it isn’t or what we don’t have but enjoy and be blessed with what God is doing.

The only expectation we have now is that God is faithful and He will do it. It may not be how we expect Him to or when we expect Him to but He does it in His perfect way and in His perfect time. His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways!

So if you are dealing with disappointment, take a moment to evaluate your expectations and be willing to make the necessary changes that will lift anything that may be keeping you down or others down. Sometimes our worst enemy is our own self. I hope these helps will give you something to work with when dealing with disappointment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Filoiann M. Wiedenhoff is a Pastor’s Wife; Work from Home Mom, Woman’s Biblical Counselor, Bible Teacher and Christian Author. Shc writes Christian literature to help ignite, inspire and empower believers into living godly lives that glorify God. You can also visit her website www.filoiannwiedenhoff.com.