Introduction

It was pressed upon my heart today to take a break from my emotions.  Honestly, there is a good reason behind it!  Lately I have been going through a very tough battle and I do believe that I’ve lost many fights along the way!  I say that because I have allowed my emotions to get the best of me.  Although I am consciously aware that the Holy Spirit has nudged me a few times to remain quiet instead of speaking, I personally decided many times to allow my tongue to roam astray.  This only caused me to lose my fruit!

Difficult Task?

This is going to be a very difficult task for me.  I have a tendency to try and explain my side of the situation.  Besides, with the battles that I have encountered at home lately, I cannot imagine how this will ever be! 

My marriage has been under the weather lately.  My husband and I have not been on good ground and it has been very difficult to tolerate each other.  As a result, we have had battles where words have been exchanged and feelings  have been hurt.  Many a nights I have gone to bed crying with a broken heart.  Unfortunately, instead of leaving everything alone and giving it to God, I have tried to fight my own battles only to get lost in the fire.

Is it better to fight my own battles?  No.  I have learned from day to day that God has excellent plans for me and if I would only give him the steering wheel of my life and every situation in it, He can turn many things and have them work out for my best interest.  Even this horrible marriage!  But this can only be accomplish by dying to flesh.  I have to die to my flesh and to my emotions.  This is the only way I can personally become effective in Kingdom’s work.

Conclusion

Seeing that I want to tell my husband how I feel I now see that this isn’t the route to take.  It is best to leave all of that alone.  If he wants to talk then let him.  Allow him the opportunity to entertain his mouth with words.  Leave him be.  I cannot allow myself to take part in any of that.  I cannot allow the devil to get the best of me.  Besides, I am not fighting with my husband.  I cannot fight with flesh.  It’s a different kind of battle and I am going to win.  I am going to wear the Armor of God and pray that He will guard my mouth.  Only good things will be spoken from this moment on.  Praise God!

Introduction

I am having the most difficult time trying to find a sitter for my daughters.  I had not realized how difficult and trying this process would be!  I have searched high and low!  I have even searched as far as the east is to the west to no avail.  Gracious!

I am grateful to say that I did have one sitter locked in place for one quick second.  Everything was ready to go a month in advance.  We spoke on the phone, agreed to the dollar amount and everything else you could think of.  Two days before our scheduled time I phoned the sitter and there wasn’t an answer which was unusual.  I left a message informing her of the time I would be by to drop off the girls and that I would call her before leaving the house.  The entire weekend went by and there wasn’t a call back.  I brushed it and waited until the set date.

Monday arrived and I called the sitter ready to let her know of my drop off time.  There wasn’t an answer.  Okay.  It looked like this person was going to bail on me, but I did not want to jump to conclusions!  I waited ten minutes and called again.  No answer.  Okay.  This is definitely one of them!

That was then.  This is now.  I called someone else to arrange a sitter plan.  I am in need of someone to watch the girls for one hour on Sunday so I can volunteer on the prayer lines.  This would occur only two Sundays a month with a very good payment for that one hour! 

So far, one person has declined because they are caring for an infant and that would be a little too much for them to chew.  I graciously respected that and moved on to the next.  Thus far no response.

Reaction?

Well, I could react in several different ways with the most popular one being anger.  For example, don’t people know that I am trying to make it here?  Couldn’t they at least help me a little bit with my kids?  They’re not bad!  Dang!  Naw.  I have decided to take the high road.  Why?  Because obviously that isn’t something that God wants for my daughters at the moment.

I am not going to deny that I would love for someone to step in and offer to babysit for me for one hour on two Sundays out of the month.  That would be heavenly!  This would enable me to go to go to church and work the prayer lines which is a beautiful treat for me.  Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case.   Normally I would have a fit of rage and sulk for a minute or two.  I would have gone around saying, “Poor me, poor me.  I have no help!  I watched everyone else’s kids when I was younger.  Why won’t they do that for me?  They will get theirs one day!“  Sorry to say it, but I would have done that then!

Now What?

I really want to grow up in Christ.  I want to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and imitate God.  I cannot do that by having a temper tantrum because no one will help me when I want it.  I can’t grow up in Christ and cry when I don’t get my way.  I can’t let go of the fruit that God, not me, is producing in my life.  All I can do is continue to pray fo r God to bless me with a reliable sitter when He is ready.  As Pastor Paul Sheppard once said during his guest speaking engagements at my church, “When time and purpose intersect.”  This is when I will receive my miracle.

I passed my test!

Background

Yield not to temptation is something that we should strive to do daily. Temptation can be eating something that we have no business eating, behaving in an ungodly manner, sexual immorality, and other issues children of God may struggle with every day.

Scriptures

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. — Psalm 46:1 (NKJV)

In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul. — Psalm 138:3 (NKJV)

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. — Psalm 143:10 (NKJV)

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down to the Pit; we shall find all kinds of precious possessions, we shall fill our houses with spoil; cast in your lot among us, let us all have one purse” — My son, do not walk in the way with them; keep your foot from their path… — Proverbs 1:10-15 (NKJV)

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away away from it and pass on. — Proverbs 4:14-15 (NKJV)

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. — James 1:12 (NKJV)

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. — James 4:7 (NKJV)

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but ghe flesh is weak. — Mark 14:38 (NKJV)

When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” — Luke 22:40 (NKJV)

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. — Romans 12:21 (NKJV)

Confession

1. I do not fear because God is with me.

2. The devil is under my feet.

3. I am not of this world, so sin cannot overtake me.

4. I am created in the image of my Father.

5. My strength comes from the Lord.

6. The Holy Spirit is my guide and my comforter.

7. God’s angels encamp around me night and day.

8. God has won all of my battles for me.

9. I wear the whole armor of God whenever I go out into the world.

10. Because I desire to become more like God everyday, I will not allow temptation to overtake me.

11. My emotions do not have control over me.