Feelings Lie....
July Reading: Psalm 1-31 {Read a Psalm a day}
July Memory Chunk: Psalm 1:1-3
Prayer Requests go here.
New to SHINE? Go here.
I'm in love with the book of Psalms. The end.
Maybe it's because my boyfriend, David, ahem, wrote most of them. Either way, I'm full blown smitten.
I can relate to this book. In a big way.
Have you noticed how dramatic these psalms are? I mean, I can relate to some dramatic! "Dramatic" is my favorite language.
The psalmists pour their hearts out in this book. They lament, they cry, they grovel, they weep. They are living out real life right before our very eyes.
If God could pen our thoughts, wouldn't they sound similar to these words in Psalms?
Don't we all have these same thoughts from time to time?
For example, read this Psalm from 28:1-5:
O Lord, to You I call. O my Rock, listen to me. If You will not hear me, I will be like those who have gone down to the grave. Hear my cry for loving-kindness as I call to You for help, and when I lift up my hands to Your holy place. Do not drag me away with the sinful and with those who do bad things. They speak peace with their neighbors, while sin is in their hearts. Pay them for their work and for the sins they do. Pay them for the works of their hands. Give them what they have earned. They do not think about the works of the Lord and what His hands have done. So He will pull them down and not build them up again.
So, let's put it in 2014 real woman life:
Oh, Lord, listen to me! Hear my cry! Are you listening? If you don't hear my cry for help, I will die in despair! I need your love and kindness in this situation. I need you to do something and quick! Please don't turn away from my request, I need an answer from you! Please bring justice to this situation! I need you NOW! Show Yourself Mighty, I need You!
Ever had one of those talks? Or something similar?
You're not alone.
Now, let's move on to the very next verse following this desperate plea for God's help.
Psalm 28:6-9:
6 May honor and thanks be given to the Lord, because He has heard my prayer. 7 The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song. 8 The Lord is the strength of His people. He is a safe place for His chosen one. 9 Save Your people and bring good to what is Yours. Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
You see what I mean?
Uh, the psalmist was crying in his soup the first part of the Psalm, yet immediately remembers the God He serves.
The God Who hears his prayer.
The God Who Is his Strength.
The God Who is his safe place.
The God Who is his shepherd.
These dudes are struggling with their feelings. They are struggling with their flesh. BIG time.
However, as soon as they confess how they feel, they immediately begin to recite TRUTH.
What is Truth?
The Truth is the opposite of how we feel. It's the exact opposite of what our feelings try to convince us of.
God's Truth overrides our feelings. God's Truth exposes our feelings and the lies within.
Fear has been the biggest feeling and stronghold that I have ever had to overcome.
I had to learn to change my feelings into fact, into Truth. When my mind would go haywire, producing feelings of fear, I had to fight them with Truth, with scriptural Truth.
I'm not kidding when I tell you that I have many 3x5 notecard flip books FILLED with scripture to combat fear. I would recite each one of them, hands shaking, mouth quivering, tears flooding my face.
For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His holy tent. In the secret place of His tent He will hide me. He will set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me. Psalm 23:4
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:7-8
These are just a sampling of the pieces of Truth that I have in these little books. God's Truth has healed me from fear. My feelings no longer get the best of me when fear strikes it's ugly little head. I now rest in Truth.
God's Word proves true in countless feelings that we face each day.
When we feel injustice is being done to us, or someone we love...
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:6
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7
When we feel unsure, shaky, and anxious...
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. Psalm 28:7
When we feel rejected or forgotten...
"The needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish" Psalm 9:18
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6
"...weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
Oh, do y'all see it?
God has a Truth remedy for every feeling that we face!
What are you feeling today?
Fight those feelings with Truth. Shine the Light of God's Healing Word over your feelings, and walk in victory today.
When we stand on the Rock of God's Word instead of falling prey to our feelings, we stand on Truth. His Word never returns void. Ever.
"so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11
back to some Psalm reading,
jill
July Memory Chunk: Psalm 1:1-3
Prayer Requests go here.
New to SHINE? Go here.
I'm in love with the book of Psalms. The end.
Maybe it's because my boyfriend, David, ahem, wrote most of them. Either way, I'm full blown smitten.
I can relate to this book. In a big way.
Have you noticed how dramatic these psalms are? I mean, I can relate to some dramatic! "Dramatic" is my favorite language.
The psalmists pour their hearts out in this book. They lament, they cry, they grovel, they weep. They are living out real life right before our very eyes.
If God could pen our thoughts, wouldn't they sound similar to these words in Psalms?
Don't we all have these same thoughts from time to time?
For example, read this Psalm from 28:1-5:
O Lord, to You I call. O my Rock, listen to me. If You will not hear me, I will be like those who have gone down to the grave. Hear my cry for loving-kindness as I call to You for help, and when I lift up my hands to Your holy place. Do not drag me away with the sinful and with those who do bad things. They speak peace with their neighbors, while sin is in their hearts. Pay them for their work and for the sins they do. Pay them for the works of their hands. Give them what they have earned. They do not think about the works of the Lord and what His hands have done. So He will pull them down and not build them up again.
So, let's put it in 2014 real woman life:
Oh, Lord, listen to me! Hear my cry! Are you listening? If you don't hear my cry for help, I will die in despair! I need your love and kindness in this situation. I need you to do something and quick! Please don't turn away from my request, I need an answer from you! Please bring justice to this situation! I need you NOW! Show Yourself Mighty, I need You!
Ever had one of those talks? Or something similar?
You're not alone.
Now, let's move on to the very next verse following this desperate plea for God's help.
Psalm 28:6-9:
6 May honor and thanks be given to the Lord, because He has heard my prayer. 7 The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song. 8 The Lord is the strength of His people. He is a safe place for His chosen one. 9 Save Your people and bring good to what is Yours. Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
You see what I mean?
Uh, the psalmist was crying in his soup the first part of the Psalm, yet immediately remembers the God He serves.
The God Who hears his prayer.
The God Who Is his Strength.
The God Who is his safe place.
The God Who is his shepherd.
These dudes are struggling with their feelings. They are struggling with their flesh. BIG time.
However, as soon as they confess how they feel, they immediately begin to recite TRUTH.
What is Truth?
The Truth is the opposite of how we feel. It's the exact opposite of what our feelings try to convince us of.
God's Truth overrides our feelings. God's Truth exposes our feelings and the lies within.
Fear has been the biggest feeling and stronghold that I have ever had to overcome.
I had to learn to change my feelings into fact, into Truth. When my mind would go haywire, producing feelings of fear, I had to fight them with Truth, with scriptural Truth.
I'm not kidding when I tell you that I have many 3x5 notecard flip books FILLED with scripture to combat fear. I would recite each one of them, hands shaking, mouth quivering, tears flooding my face.
For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His holy tent. In the secret place of His tent He will hide me. He will set me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5
The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? Psalm 27:1
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me. Psalm 23:4
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:7-8
These are just a sampling of the pieces of Truth that I have in these little books. God's Truth has healed me from fear. My feelings no longer get the best of me when fear strikes it's ugly little head. I now rest in Truth.
God's Word proves true in countless feelings that we face each day.
When we feel injustice is being done to us, or someone we love...
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:6
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7
When we feel unsure, shaky, and anxious...
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. Psalm 28:7
When we feel rejected or forgotten...
"The needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish" Psalm 9:18
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6
"...weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
Oh, do y'all see it?
God has a Truth remedy for every feeling that we face!
What are you feeling today?
Fight those feelings with Truth. Shine the Light of God's Healing Word over your feelings, and walk in victory today.
When we stand on the Rock of God's Word instead of falling prey to our feelings, we stand on Truth. His Word never returns void. Ever.
"so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11
back to some Psalm reading,
jill
