Dear Friend:
Much of what is contained in this letter may not even apply to you, and it may speak more to the needs of someone you care about, possibly someone in your family or even a close friend; however, if anything in this letter speaks to your heart as it did my own, then I’m especially glad to share it with you.
I want to encourage you today. God has helped you in the past, I imagine, because He has real plans for you. You may not know what they are yet, but it only matters that He knows. In Jer. 29:11-13, He tells us: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
All of us will have trouble from time to time in this world, and on this we can all agree; however, Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world” (emphasis added). Notice that He did not say we might have trouble in this world, but instead, He specifically told us that we will have trouble; but the good news?
He is always right there with us to help us through these times. He will never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5), and makes constant intercession for you (Heb. 7:25 & Rom. 8:34). He’ll even pray for you when you don’t know how you ought to pray or what words to use (Rom. 8:26).
You may be going through a real valley right now, but it is not God’s will that you live in fear while you are there. Check out Psalm 23, as He describes how we should react when we are in the valleys of life. He “makes” us lie down in green pastures, because we will never slow down long enough on our own to visit with Him and seek His guidance during these times. Try not to be anxious in the meantime. In fact, He commands you NOT to be. “Be anxious for nothing…” (Phil. 4: 6, 7) He tells us again in 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
Other great verses that actually command us not to worry are: Matthew 6:25-33 (Christ Himself said within these verses: “Do not worry. Who by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”) Deuteronomy 31:6 is another command and also a very comforting set of promises: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. I am with you wherever you will go. I will never leave you or forsake you.” He repeats these same words or a slight variation in Joshua 1:5, 9.
Also check out Psalm 34:4, wherein He said, “I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.” Read that verse again. He said he “heard” me; and He said he “delivered” me … and not just from some of my fears, but from “all” of my fears. Pretty cool, huh?
Also check out Isaiah 41:10. “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; surely I will help you …” Another great, comforting promise: “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim. 1:7
Friend, you must use your “sound mind” at this time. It is my belief that God has allowed this to happen in your life for a reason that only He knows. You might want to check out Hebrews 12:6-11, wherein He tells us that He disciplines and corrects and chastises only His children, those He loves; and, therefore, it is some consolation to know and be reminded by these events that He loves you!
Check out these biblical truths, OK? You will not be sorry you invested the time. He hung on a cross for you and me, dying a torturous death for many hours longer than it will takes to read all these one-line scriptures. He overcame that death and resurrected, proving His power over sin in your life and mine. If you are inclined to deny Him, you may want to first read Matt. 10:32, 33 & Mark 8:38.
Read the 15th chapter of Luke (the parable of the prodigal son) for Jesus’ word-picture of our Heavenly Father. We turn our back on Him - He doesn’t turn His back on us. This parable shared by Jesus makes it clear that we can come back to our Heavenly Father anytime and He will come running to meet us with His outstretched arms of forgiveness. Trust me, you will have to read the parable of the prodigal son in the 15th chapter of Luke to fully appreciate what I am trying to share with you now. As an echo to this parable describing the Heavenly Father running out to greet us with outstretched arms, take a look at James 4:8: “Draw nearer to God and He will draw nearer to you.”
The following are some Bible verses and some scriptures that have been so helpful to me in my life that I needed to commit them to memory. These are my favorites:
Forgiveness Guaranteed; Confess: Repent; No Guilt; Clean Slate:
Psalm 103:8-13; 2; Isaiah 38:l7; Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:22; Jer. 31:33,34; Mic. 7:19, John 8:ll ; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:39; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:1; Rom. 8:1; Heb. 4:15,16; Luke 13:5; Eph. 1:7
Salvation Guaranteed:
Acts 2:21; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:31; 2 Cor. 5:5; John 1:12; John 3:16; John 3:l8; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:39, 40; John 6:47; John l0:9, John l0:27-30; John 11:25,26; John 14:2,3; Eph. 1:13, 14; Eph. 2:8,9; Phil 1:6; Rev. 3:20; 1 John 5:13; Rom. 5:1; Rom. 5:8-11; Rom. 10:9,10; Luke 23:42; Heb. 13:5; Matt. 28:20; Josh. 1:5; Josh. 1:9; Deut. 31:6; Gen. 28:15; Psalm 9:9,10; Gal. 4:5-7; 1 Thess. 5:9,10; Titus 3:5,6
Holy Spirit:
John 14:16-18; John 14:26; John 16:13-15; Eph. 5:18; Gal. 5:22; Rom. 8:16; Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:26; Rom. 8:34; Psalm 32:8
Thought Life - Mind of Christ:
John 2:5; John 14:15; John 15:14; John 8:31, 32; Phil. 2:3-5; Phil. 4:6; Phil. 4:8; Phil. 4:11, 12; Phil. 4:13; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:1; 2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 12:2; Rom l2:9-20; Psalm 37:4; James 4:7,8; Matt. 6:25-34; Matt. 6:33; Isaiah 26:3; Luke 10:27, 28; Heb. 11:24, 25; Heb. 12:1,2; Psalm 32:1,2; Psalm 46:10; Psalm 51:1-13; 1 Cor. 5:9, 11,13; James 1:5; James 1:21; 1Thess.5:16,17,18,22; Col. 2:6-8; Col. 3:5-l0
Temptation:
Prov. 3:5,6; James 1:5; James 1:21; Rom. 6:11-14; Rom. 12:1, 2; Rom. l2:9-20; Psalm 32:1,2; Psalm 46:10; Psalm 51:9-12; Job 31:1; Gen. 39:9; 1 Cor. 5:9,11,13; 1 Cor. 66:18, 19; 1 Cor. 10:13; Col. 2:6-8; Col 3:5-l0; James 1:13-15; James 4:7; Isaiah 26:3; Heb. 2:18; Heb. 4:15; Heb. 11:24, 25; Heb. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:5; Philip. 4:8,9; Mat. 28:20; Eph. 5:3; Eph. 5:18; 1 Thess. 5:16, 17,18, 22
Thanksgiving:
1 Thess. 5:16, 18; Col. 6-8; Eph. 5:20; Col. 3:l7
His Help:
1 Peter 5:7; John 14:16; John 14:26; John 14:17, 18; John 15:5; John 16:13-15; 1 Tim. 2:5; Matt. 11:28-30; Matt. 28:20; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:1; 1 Cor. 10:13; Rom. 8:26; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 2 Tim. 2:13; Phil. 2:13; Phil. 4:13; Prov. 3:5,6; Psalm 32:8; Heb. 13:5; Josh. 1:5; Josh. 1:9; Deut. 31:6; Gen. 28:15; Psalm 9:9,10; Psalm 31:1,2; Psalm 32:8; Psalm 51:1-13; James 1:5; James 1:21; Isaiah 40:29, 31; Isaiah 4l: l0
Faith:
Eph. 2:8,9 (Grace; Faith; Not of works.); Prov. 3:5,6; Rom. 8:28 (In all things.); Rom. 10:17; 2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:1
All of these scriptures are very helpful and relevant to every issue we face today, but a few of them are particularly relevant as I think about you and your situation:
1 Cor. 10:13
“There is no temptation which has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
The way He has provided may be as simple as following His word in James 4:7,8:
"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nearer to God, and he will draw nearer to you.”
Rom. 12:2 helps me from time to time:
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
And a couple of quotes in Philippians are also cited on that list of scriptures I gave you, and should reassure you that this can be “a walk in the park,” if you only realize that you cannot do it alone. You won't have to worry about it anymore. Remember what I referenced in part, above, in Phil. 4:6-7:
“BE ANXIOUS OF NOTHING; but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present you requests to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will come over you and guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Also, see Phil. 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
(Also, check out the latter half of Psalm 91.)
If you just read His word, then you will be set free from the fear of your situation. He actually said, in John 8:31, 32:
“If you hold to my teaching (Eph. 5:18: "Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery, instead be filled with the Holy Spirit.”; Rom. 5:2; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Cor. 6:19; James 4:7,8; John 15:5,6,7; Rom. 12:2, Phil. 4:6; Phil. 4:13; and John 8:31,42.) You are really my disciples. 32: Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
As you probably already know, you will fail miserably if you attempt to beat anything like this alone. You may not need the help of another person, but you need Him, and if you neglect to seek help from Him, and if you do not stay in His word, then you will always have trouble, whether or not you beat this immediate problem.
Also, check out Eph. 5:18:
“Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery, instead be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
If you’re experiencing addictive behavior, “Just say no” doesn't work. We have to replace the addiction and habit with something else; but, most of the experts say that that something else has to be SOMEONE else. I submit to you now that I know who that someone else is and His precious name is “Jesus”. To the extent that we seek His face and stay in His word and often speak with Him and pray continually for His help, we will be okay.
However, if we think we can do it alone, without anyone's help, even His, we’re sadly mistaken. Any prior attempts we have made to make it alone have been narcissistic and prideful, ending in pathetic results. Our creator manufactured us with that God-sized space in us, commonly referred to as a “void”, and it can only be filled up with Him, in the form of HIS HOLY SPIRIT. We have often tried to fill that space up with sex, alcohol or drugs, power or money or material things; but, it will never work. No attempt to fill up that space with anything else but Him and His word and His Holy Spirit will ever work. He specifically designed us that way! He so much as tells us this in John 15:5:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing...”
6: “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
7: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.”
You can often parrot all of these scriptures back to Him, as I do, claiming them as promises, while weaving them throughout a lengthy prayer, as you exercise, or drive your car, etc! I thought you might want to “check ‘em out” for yourself, if only to know your lawyer a little bit better for having done so.
Hang in there Friend, and keep the faith! I remain,
Yours in Him, your lawyer,
John Contini
© 2006 John Contini (OK to re-post with attribution and contact info)
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