Most people see me and even when they talk to me, don’t realise I am autistic, that I suffer severely from debilitating depression, anxiety, stress, low self esteem, which means I hide away from the world when things are bad, that I have x6 autoimmune diseases, that I question myself often and every decision I make. I have to think 5 or 10 steps ahead, because I’ve been taken advantage of, abused mentally, physically and emotionally, and even had an ex poisoning me. I have been accused of many things, which none are true and I have tried to help everyone I meet, because I don’t want them to struggle or go through what I’ve been through. we talk about accepting people for who they are, yet people judge and comment and slag people off for having a different view on life, for feeling an emotion or for opening themselves up to being vulnerable. I know 99% of my acquaintances on here won’t bother reading this, or give two hoots. I not saying this for attention, that isn’t me. But for those few who do read this, please remember, we all have struggles which we choose not to share with the world. Most things we keep private. So if you see someone, don’t judge them, you don’t know their daily battle/s. Instead, offer them a kind word and see if you can do anything for them. They may say no at first, but just knowing someone is there willing to help, can make a huge difference.
I want to leave this world a better place than when I came into it, if everyone had this attitude, what an amazing world we would live in.
When you pray, are you “always” asking God for things or are you giving God Honour and Praise?
Let me explain what I mean. When I only asked God for things, whether it was health issues, a favourable outcome on something, etc, I was focused on me, my wants and my desires. I didn’t find peace, not the Peace God gives freely. My prayers were inward focused.
However, when I changed my focus onto God, giving Him thanks and praise for what He has already blessed me with, my mindset changed. I was outward focused, I found that Peace God gives (It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic – https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-it-take-to-form-a-habit#takeaway)
This might sound strange, and yes the passage about “come as you are” and “you can ask God for anything and it will be given to you”, comes to mind, but think of it this way.
Imagine you are a parent, you have a child and you want what is best for them, you want them to respect themselves and others including you, their parent. So you teach them to say please and thank you, and be grateful for what they have been given or being given. When they do say please and thank you, it gives you joy because you see them as a polite and courteous individual who has learnt your ways. I think we have all seen or meet a child or children who has a tantrum when they can’t get their own way, or what they want. Imagine that child you saw in the supermarket, you know the one. The thought of “they need a time out” is usually one of the first things in our head, along with, what a horrible child.
Now see this from God’s perspective, are you a child which thanks Him for His many blessings in your daily life or are you a child who has a tantrum at the smallest thing which doesn’t go your way. One is nutric and one is toxic. One gives thanks and one takes.
“5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray so people will see them. I tell you the truth, they already have their full reward. 6 When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door and pray to your Father who cannot be seen. Your Father can see what is done in secret, and he will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.
9 So when you pray, you should pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name always be kept holy. 10 May your kingdom come and what you want be done, here on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us the food we need for each day. 12 Forgive us for our sins, just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us. 13 And do not cause us to be tempted, but save us from the Evil One.’ [The kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever. Amen.]
14 Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. 15 But if you don’t forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.”
Let’s break this down. Reread verse 9 and 10. “9… ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name always be kept holy. 10 May your kingdom come and what you want be done, here on earth as it is in heaven.”
Jesus starts with giving honour and praise to our Heavenly Father, and asking His will be done. Jesus teaches us this, so that we have the right mindset to start praying. That mindset is to be on God.
So how do we do this? Again Jesus shows us, reread verse 6: “6 When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door and pray to your Father who cannot be seen.”
We see Jesus saying to find a quiet place and shut the door so you have no distractions, so it is just you and your Father in heaven. A place you can focus on God alone.
I personally find, when I get up in the mornings, to play and sing along to Christian Worship, I do this while I get ready, have a shower, make breakfast and eat breakfast, I then pray The Holy Spirit come and teach me God’s Truths as I do my daily Bible plans (via YouVersion App), which I find as I speak to God, He responds and shows me Truths, things He wants me to know about my life, what He wants me to do, what He wants me not to do, and much more.
I want you to know this, the few things I have learnt over forty plus years is this.
1. God’s timing is perfect (it may not be your timing and you may want whatever it is now and not wait, but God has a plan, so trust Him). This will teach you patience and as the saying goes “patience is a virtue”.
2. God will only give you good gifts. If God says He’ll give you something, He will, however have patience and remember number 1 👆
3. Remember to give God Praise, Thank Him for what He has done in your life. Even the small things (I have ill health and a lot of pain most days, but I am still able to do certain things like write, make a cuppa, play with my cats, so give Him thanks).
4. Spend time in God’s presence, just you and Him. It’s a relationship, and like all relationships, you have to spend time with that other person, so make time to talk to Him and “LISTEN”. He has things to talk to you about to.
5. Spend time in Worship. I will guarantee you will feel God’s Peace upon your life, no matter what you are going through.
“Lord, Thank you for your Love towards us, this you showed us by giving your only son to die in our place. I ask as people read this blog, they will feel Your pull to You and ask you into their lives. Show them who you truly are and let the Holy Spirit speak into their lives. Bless them Father so their cup overflows and let them have a thankful heart, even in difficult times. In Jesus’ name I ask this, Amen”
I had an interesting conversation with a couple of friends of mine and we discussed behaviour as a Christian, and posts on social media. After praying about this and reading Matthew chapter 6: verse 19-24, I came to the conclusion of this.
If you post on social media, things like photos, conversations and/or depicting certain things, but wouldn’t wear, say or do that/those thing/s in your church (let alone see Jesus do or say them), then maybe you shouldn’t be posting/or doing those things as a Christian.
“Lord, Thank you for dying for our sins, for sending Your Spirit to us to guide us. I ask as people read this, You will speak into their lives and if there is anything which is not of You, you will place this on their heart and mind, and that they will come to you in earnest prayer, ask for forgiveness and recommit themselves to you once more, in Jesus’ name I ask this, Amen”
“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion — how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:17-18 NLT
We ask God as Christians to bless us and we ask God to heal us. Yet we usually forget to ask God to allow us to be a blessing to others.
If we look at Jesus’ life and ministry, we see not just a man, but God who loved us so much that he served others (John Ch13: v1-17 NCV, Matthew Ch14: v13-21 NCV) As Christmas approaches, we remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour, and how He wasn’t born in a palace with riches but in a lowly stable where animals were kept. Then through His life and Ministry we see Him serving others and teaching others right from wrong, who God really is and how to be made right with our Heavenly Father.
That same heart, which God has for us, is also in us, if we stay in Christ (Ephesians Ch3: v17-19 NCV, Ephesians Ch4: v15-17 NCV). If we spend time with the Father, then we learn from Him. Jesus is the embodiment of that Father, and when Jesus ascended to Heaven, He sent The Holy Spirt to guide us and be with us always.
As we see Peter and John in Acts Ch3: v1-11 NCV entering the temple and a lame man who was begging at the temple entrance asked them for a gift, and Paul said, I have no Gold or Silver but I give you freely what is given to me, in Jesus’ name be healed, and the man was healed.
So even though we may not financially be able to help, we can still be a blessing. Let The Holy Spirit guide you and see where you can be a blessing to others around you, in your community and in your church.
So “through The Holy Spirt, and the name or our Lord and Saviour Jesus, I ask God to lay His hands upon you and bless you in every way, physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, that you will have a heart filled with The Holy Spirit and love for others, that you will be a blessing to those in need and that your hearts will be in turn with our Heavenly Father’s and help those in need. I also ask that through those blessings, The Holy Spirit will give you the words, the wisdom, the knowledge and understanding of Christ, to speak into their lives and help bring them to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. In Jesus, name I ask this, Amen”
I want to talk to you about depression and what it entailed for me.
I never slept well, I would wake up throughout the night several times, time would seem to pass so fast, I would loose track of days. I would close my eyes and it would feel like 5 minutes as passed however it would be anything from an hour to four hours. I wouldn’t sleep well, I would struggle to get up in the mornings, and most days it would be after 12 noon and sometimes later. I struggled to do anything, most days, just getting out of bed, brushing my teeth, combing my hair, doing my ablutions, going downstairs, making breakfast was sometimes just to much to cope. I struggled every day for the last 30 plus years.
As a Christian, I trust and believe in Jesus as the Son of God… The Word of God which became flash, who came to earth and died for my sin (my wrongful acts and thoughts, which displeased and went against God’s will). Because of this, and because of Jesus’ teachings that He came to give life and life abundantly (John Ch 10: verses 9-11 ESV) I believe as many Christians believe, Jesus will heal me of the many health conditions I have.
At times this has been a real struggle, and at times I have believed the lies satan (including his demons) has told me, that I am worthless, I won’t be healed, why would God heal me? God doesn’t love me or He would heal me, God isn’t real. satan is a master manipulator and anyone who has been in a relationship with anyone who manipulates them, will know how those people will twist the truth and lie to get what they want. I learnt that the hard way.
Yesterday, I had a bad day, I broke down and I figuratively speaking, fell on my knees in tears and said to God.
“Lord, I’m loosing my faith. I have prayed for so many years, asking for healing and every time I do, my health gets worse or something else happens and I get another condition or health issue. I can’t take anymore, why won’t you heal me, you say you love me, and I’ve seen you work in my life, yet the healing I need, I don’t receive. Even if it’s just the depression you heal me from, I could do more and get some things sorted in my life and home. Please heal me”
After my meltdown and it was a meltdown, I won’t sugar coat it, I started to think about how Jesus teaches about praying for the sick, how Jesus and then the disciples healed the sick, the lame and the blind etc. I will add here, I’ve been using the YouVerson Bible app and reading Bible Plans by Nicky Gumbel and Joyce Meyer on healing, healthy mind, understanding Jesus and The Bible In One Year since lockdown. After all of these things, I reached out to the Church which Nicky Gumbel worships at, plus a Prayer network and I even contacted my minister as I felt I was loosing my faith due to these health issues.
I don’t know if the church or prayer network has had anyone pray for me yet, but I know my minister has. He responded with some Bible passages which I want to add below because they have helped me and if you are suffering with health issues, I pray they will help and support you in your faith.
Quote “There is much we don’t understand about God and his ways, But we can still trust him – where else can we turn? I have some verses of scripture to encourage you…Firstly remember this… 1 Peter ch 1: v6-9 NCV; 1 Peter ch 4: v1 NCV. Also when your faith is feeling week be encouraged to dig into the word and fellowship. Romans ch 10: v17 NCV and Romans ch 1: v12 NCV” End Quote
The one thing I want you to remember and like my minister said. Dig into the Word of God. Even if you do not know where to start reading, just start reading. Try starting with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), and trust and believe God has your best interests at heart.
This brings me to what I want to share with you today. A VICTORY OVER DEPRESSION.
Last night I kept waking up, and as I said previously, I normally I would close my eyes and several hours (like 4 hours would pass and I’d feel like it had been 5 minutes and felt I had no sleep), last night I kept waking up and I found only 30 minutes to an hourish would pass but I didn’t feel tired as much and it didn’t feel like 5 minutes had passed. This happened several times and I thought it’s not like a normal night. I was reminded this morning (I believe by The Holy Spirit) of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, where time can either feel fast or slow depending upon the circumstances. Normally I sleep a lot, even if it’s intermittently due to being overwhelmingly tired. I can loose hours at a time and feel like I’ve not done anything all day (most of the time) and says can blur into another making me lose weeks at a time. This morning I felt a change, I felt time was moving differently and that something chemically had changed. Overnight, I believe God has changed my chemical makeup in the brain and healed me of depression. I say this as I don’t feel the same as I did yesterday or previously. I have that nagging in the back of my mind that it will come back. “It’s only a temporary thing” but I believe that is satan trying to lie and make me disbelieve the Miracle God has Blessed me with.
My spirit and my heart believes I am healed, even if my mind is lagging a little behind waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak, however I am choosing to trust in Christ, My Saviour. As Joyce Meyer’s says, get your head in the right mindset.
I have prayed the following prayer for myself and I pray it for all who read this to. God has your back, even if you don’t feel Him with you, He never leaves you or forsakes you Hebrews ch 13: v5, Deuteronomy ch 31: v6
“Lord Jesus, Thank you so much for healing me. I know I have several conditions and even though they may not be dealt with yet, you have healed me of depression and I am truly grateful for that. Thank you for Loving me and Blessing me with this gift and a healthy mind. I ask for your Blessings to speak into every part of my life and make me whole like Jesus, in your name Lord Jesus I ask this, Amen”
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I wanted to share this, not to boast or anything like that at all. I wanted to share this because I wanted to show how important it is to connect with God daily. To draw close to Him so He can draw close to you.
Most of the plans I read are by people who truest know God like Nicky Gumbel and Joyce Meyer. It’s not just about reading God’s Word and getting to know Him, it’s who you are listening to and learning from. As the scriptures state, there are “Wolves in sheep’s clothing” and these sort of people can lead Christians who are not fully mature in Christ ashtray (usually because they don’t know they are not mature in Christ), or offered that if they believe in God, God will make them rich. To that I want to say this, look at what Jesus told the rich man, “Go and sell what you have and give to the poor, then come and follow me”
“Lord Jesus, I thank you for dying on the cross for my sins, I thank you for being with me in all I do and I seek your council on what I am to do in every situation. I ask you do the same for those reading this and not reading this. The world needs you and you always bring goodness out of bad situations, and you allow certain situations, so that we will grow in faith, hope and love. Continue to build us up in your name Lord Jesus, Amen”
Joyce Meyer touches on the Correct Mindset in “The Mind Connection” and is an amazing 14 day Bible Plan on how to get your mind in the right place, not only to be on the same page as God, but also how to ignore the lies told to us each and every day.
In day 9 we can read about how you can change and the change in other (ie; partners, husbands, wives, etc). Read it in the link below👇
How many relations have I been in where either I’ve tried to change someone or they’ve tried to change me? More than I can count. And this has been a learning curve. Sometimes easy lessons and some painful. However, this passage from Joyce Meyer reminds us of a couple of things,
The first is: we can’t change others, it’s as simple as that.
Second: we can help change ourselves if one, we are willing to change for the better, and two, if we allow God to work in us.
Third: to reconfirm what was just said. God changes us for the better, He has plans for us, to prosper us and not harm us. Jeremiah Chapter 29: Verse 11 NIV
“Lord Jesus, thank you for your direction, for loving us unconditionally and caring so much that you sent The Holy Spirit to guide us. Continue to chastise us, continue to build us up and continue to make us men and woman after your own heart, in your name Lord Jesus we ask this, Amen”
How many Christians have we met and even ourselves, I know I have, where we read God’s Word and think that’s it, I’ve done my part. Pat myself on the back what a good boy/girl I am and what a good and faithful servant I am. Yet we forget to then spend time with God, sitting with Him, thinking about what we have just read in the Bible, and chatting to Him about it and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts to what God wants to reveal to us this day.
I would love for you to read day 10 of Joyce Meyer’s Daily Devotional “Battlefield of the mind”. You may like to read the full 14 day devotional over the two week period and help receive amazing insight by The Holy Spirit via Joyce Meyer.
“Lord Jesus, Thank you for your unconditional love and support, you know our failings and you still accept us and take us in as part of your Royal Household. You’ve forgiven and forgotten our sins. Thank you. Please forgive our sins and make us whole in You. Help us to have open hearts, open minds to what your Holy Spirit is wanting to teach us this day. Build us up, strengthen us and heal us, in your name I ask this Lord Jesus, Amen”
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BobOnLife 
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