July 1st, 2023

Questions, Answers & Prayer:

Christians don’t handle feelings & end up miserable. Why?

Satan steers us off the path of faith, & onto the path of fear.

How does fear lead to misery?

Fear starts with worry about things we want & desire in life. Seeking self & things, first, to make you happy brings misery.

How do you resist the fear path?

Faith that seeking God first leads to providing all needs.

So, fear leads to unbelief & detaches your heart from God?

Yes! 4 steps to misery (& the downward spiral that can follow)

1) Fear (worry tempts to sin)

2) Offense (give in to worry & you’ll be easily offended by God, self, others & life)

3) Impulsive words & acts (loss of peace, trying to feel better)

4) Deception (Distorted interpretation of what’s happening & increased fear)

4 steps to staying on faith path?

1) Delight yourself in the Lord

2) Seek First: Love & obey Jesus

3) Rejoice in the Lord always

4) Hunger & thirst to know Jesus & ask for His strength to commit to the process of meditating on & learning & growing in patient endurance

(Ps.37:4; Mt.6:33; 5:6; Phil. 4:4)

“Father, enable me to turn away from seeking happiness in myself, & to turn tenderly to finding joy by rejoicing in the Lord always!… & to worry about nothing but to pray & give thanks in everything & to have confidence that the peace of God is faithful to bring goodness & will guard my heart & mind through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:4-7) Amen.”