Thursday, June 20, 2019

WHAT ARE WE TO DO ABOUT OUR DOUBT

Let’s examine what doubt, lack of belief, and unbelief are.
Lack of belief – Lack means deficiency or absence. Belief means acceptance and conviction that something is true. So, a lack of belief means there’s no belief that something is true. This doesn’t mean, however, that the person doesn’t want to believe, but that they just don’t know yet how to believe. They need some help, or convincing, in order to believe.
Unbelief – This is someone who willfully sets themselves against believing biblical truth. The Bible mentions two kinds of unbelief.
One kind of unbelief is doubt accompanied by a desire to believe:
“Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Another kind of unbelief is an obstinate, hard-hearted refusal to believe: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). This kind of unbelief not only hinders the supernatural work of God, but also brings about God’s righteous anger and swift judgment. “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 13:58)
Since doubt is common to all of us, we need to know what to do with it so we can move on to greater faith that withstands hardships, but also pleases God.
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE THINGS WE CAN’T UNDERSTAND?
There are some things in the Bible that we can’t explain. One day in heaven we’ll understand, but for now, they’ll remain a mystery. And that’s O.K. (Personally, I believe that we have enough concerns on earth, that we don’t need to muddy the waters with concerns about the things God has chosen not to reveal to us.)
UNDERSTANDING WHAT’S BEHIND DOUBT AND HOW SATAN USES IT AGAINST US
A common problem for younger Christians is they haven’t grown enough in their faith to fully understand how Satan works to shake them from their confidence in Scriptures as a revelation from God. They ask, “How will I know the right way? And if the Bible is indeed the word of God, how can I be freed from my constant doubts and uncertainties?”
GOD UNDERSTANDS THAT AT TIMES WE MAY WAIVER IN OUR FAITH
God never asks us to believe without giving us ample evidence to base our faith upon. His existence, character, and the truthfulness of His Word, are all verified by biblical testimony that appeals to our sense of reason.
It’s not just a few examples of evidence, for the Bible contains numerous and abundant testimony of God intervening on behalf on His children. Because God understands that we’ll occasionally doubt, He seeks to answer those doubts sufficiently. That’s why He left us His Word. In it are numerous instances of how Jesus revealed Himself to people and how He answered their doubts and lack of faith.
2 Timothy 3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Taken from a book I’m writing (not yet published) about …what to do with your doubt. See all 89 of my books at Amazon.com:

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

SCRIPTURES ON LIVING THE SPIRITUAL LIFE


I'm going to be writing a book soon on how to live the spiritual life successfully. Until then, read what the Bible has to say about this life-transforming topic.  Jesus is the open door to living with joy, purpose, and fulfillment, and the Holy Spirit is the power source to overcome temptation and sin so that we can indeed live the blessed spiritual life.  
May all your days be joyful knowing that with Jesus... you can conquer anything!
Blessings, Lilliet

SCRIPTURES ON LIVING THE SPIRITUAL LIFE


ESV (English Standard Version)





Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.


2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.


John 3:3

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”


John 3:1-36

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.


Matthew 6:24

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.


1 John 4:4

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.


1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


1 Peter 2:1-25

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...


Hebrews 13:5

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”


1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.


Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.


Romans 6:4

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.


John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.


Matthew 7:21-23

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’


Matthew 4:4

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”


Psalm 23:1-6

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...


Genesis 2:7

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.


Revelation 21:4

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”


1 John 5:20

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.


1 John 2:1-29

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ...


1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.


James 4:11-12

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?


James 4:7-8

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.


James 4:1

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?


James 3:13

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.


James 2:14-24
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ...


James 2:12-13  

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.


James 2:8

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.


James 2:1

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.


James 1:26

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.


James 1:2-4

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.


Hebrews 13:15-16

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.


2 Timothy 3:12

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,


1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.


1 Timothy 2:1-15

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ...


Genesis 1:1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Friday, December 14, 2018

5 NEW BOOKS PUBLISHED ON AMAZON.COM

I'VE BEEN BUSY WRITING AGAIN. OUR REMODELING PROJECTS HAVE SLOWED DOWN FOR THE TIME BEING, SO I WAS ABLE TO USE MY FREE TIME WISELY.  MORE BOOKS TO COME IN THE COMING MONTHS.

5 NEW BOOKS:

SAYING GOODBYE TO DISCOURAGEMENT


19 WAYS WE GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT


HOW TO KNOW IF YOU BELONG TO GOD


BINDING THE STRONGMAN


HOW TO TEST THE SPIRITS TO SEE IF THEY ARE FROM GOD


YOU CAN FIND THEM ON AMAZON.COM. 
LINK BELOW:





May you find  truth, wisdom, and the grace of God for your life in my books. God bless you as you grow in your faith and trust in Jesus.

Saturday, September 8, 2018

WISDOM BRINGS FREEDOM MINISTRIES BY LILLIET GARRISON



FIND MY BLOG:  


WISDOM BRINGS FREEDOM MINISTRIES BY LILLIET GARRISON

LINK: https://wisdombringsfreedomministries.wordpress.com



  
https://wisdombringsfreedomministries.wordpress.com



FIND MY BOOKS AT AMAZON.COM

http://www.amazon.com/Lilliet-Garrison/e/B004H28MCU


Monday, July 23, 2018

NEW BOOK RELEASE: "HOW TO RESIST THE DEVIL"

 

Every Believer in Christ Jesus will eventually be tried by Satan, for he despises seeing people love their Creator–God. He will meddle with you life and steal you joy, potential, and spiritual inheritance if he has his way.

Learn how you can resist Satan and his demon spirits at every turn. Don’t let him take your life or those you love. Refuse to give him any territory. Arm yourself with knowledge. It’s easier than many believe. Stand firm and run your race to win the crown.
Included in this book: 100 Bible Verses on Resisting the Devil.



You can find it on Amazon.com.   http://www.amazon.com/Lilliet-Garrison/e/B004H28MCU

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

FREE BOOK: "GETTING UNSTUCK ... Moving Beyond What's Holding You Back"

This book is permanently free on Amazon.com 


LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Lilliet-Garrison/e/B004H28MCU


Tell all your friends to get a copy and please consider leaving a short review on Amazon for me if you found the book helpful. Thanks much.



See my popular book: “DON’T BE A WORRY WART – Accept God’s peace and change your life”




 Lilliet is the author of 91 non-fiction Christian books. All priced $0.99 on Amazon.com.



(Please note that many of my books covers have changed since this blog page was created.)


SEE MY OTHER BLOG: 
"WISDOM BRINGS FREEDOM MINISTRIES by Lilliet Garrison" 
in the menu link above .

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

"BREAKING FREE FROM GUILT AND SHAME" by Lilliet Garrison. Chapter 1:


 

Chapter 1

The causes of guilt and shame

 

People often use the terms shame and guilt interchangeably, but there’s a difference between the two.

Unlike shame, guilt can be a healthy emotion as it helps us acknowledge our mistakes—mistakes that we’re in need of correcting.  Guilt helps us think of ways to resolve our wrong-doing, and to rebuild our relationships with others and with God.

Shame, by contrast, is a distorted belief that we are inherently unworthy of love. Consequently, when we feel shame, we feel the need to be punished or penalized. A shame-based person doesn't know how to feel healthy guilt.

Both shame and guilt are falling short of a standard. Guilt results from violating a rule, law, or commandment. We feel guilt for failing a moral standard. Shame is related to dishonor, and it leaves us feeling unacceptable and bad.

We can feel both guilt and shame for the same act. When we tell a lie, we may feel guilty because we know that lying is wrong. We may feel shame for not being strong enough to overcome this weakness by telling the truth.

Guilt is relatively easy to deal with, but shame is more difficult, because is deals with the painful feelings we experience when we don’t live up to the expectations of others. Feelings like remorse and embarrassment come from a belief that we have let others down.

Societies have guiding values or principles. A person may feel the shame put upon them for going outside the community values and the expectations of others. We can feel shame when we violate our cultural and religious values.

Guilt and shame can function independently of each other too. This occurs when we do wrong, but we aren’t ashamed over it.

At times we may feel shame for things that are morally irrelevant. We may feel shame for coming from the wrong background, for being poor, for not having finished school, or for making poor moral and social choices. One of the greatest areas of shame is over our own body. We may feel shame when we’ve not controlled our physical or sexual appetite. This shame lets us know that in some way we don’t measure up to a standard.

Guilt and shame can also be opposite of each other. The Bible warns us against being ashamed of Christ. We usually don’t understand the mental and emotional consequences of this. Believing and being identified with Christ is a morally right thing to do as a Christian—yet, until we’ve matured in our faith, we may be reluctant to profess our faith, or feel guilt for not standing up for Christ when given an opportunity to do so.
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Stay with me, as I add more of my book on my blog for FREE.  You can find my book on Amazon.com. click on link: http://www.amazon.com/Lilliet-Garrison/e/B004H28MCU.


 

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

FREE Christian, non-fiction book: 'HOW TO GAIN A CLEAR CONSCIENCE" by Lilliet Garrison

I'm offering my newest book...
"HOW TO GAIN A CLEAR CONSCIENCE"
 
FREE

on Amazon.com/Kindle Jan 21 - 23. 

 
 
 
Download it while it's free and tell your friends about it too.  Thanks for sharing and get set to have a clear conscience.
 

Saturday, April 5, 2014

JESUS GIVES US THREE REASONS WHY WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY OR BE FEARFUL.


WORRY DENIES THE FATHER’S CARE

 Jesus understood our natural tendency to become worried so He taught us the proper way to respond to it. In Matthew 6:25-34, He reveals to us why we don’t need to worry. He assures us that if He cares for the least of His creation—the birds of the air and the flowers of the field—He will surely care for us as we are more important to Him than these.

Jesus gives us three key reasons why we don’t have to worry or be fearful.


“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:25-26)

The King James Version uses “thought” to translate the Greek, but the context makes it clear that Jesus was discussing anxious thought or worry.

In New Testament times, the word “worry” meant having a fretful devotion to something. More than a mild concern, worry refers to a compelling anxiety, a concern that overwhelms us and disrupts our lives.

When we learn to trust Jesus to meet our daily needs, we conquer the pattern of worrying. When we learn to stop worrying about the basics of life, such as food, clothing, and shelter, we’ll conquer the other fears that we face.

Where did the tendency to worry originate?


Humans come into this world with basic needs. If those needs are met appropriately, people will grow and thrive as their Creator intended. Man’s Creator is God, and God had a plan from the beginning to meet people’s needs.

God made humanity for His own good pleasure—to enjoy relationship with him. God also made men and women “in need.” This need was intentional, for God wanted people to have a need, or desire for Him, as He did for them.

People need each other—that’s what relationship is. God couldn’t have a personal relationship with the people He created, if they had no need of relationship with Him in return.

God is infinitely creative and diverse, and in that diversity He sought the give and take that relationship with people requires. What does that mean for God? He created us with the capacity to think, reason, create, contemplate, and work as He does. We have the ability to express emotion and to love Him in return for loving us first. This is the heart of relationship.

People need God the way a newborn needs its mother. If a newborn’s needs are not met, it will fail to thrive and may even die.

Although adults have the capability to care for themselves within limits, they don’t have the ability to produce without God first providing the raw materials. We can grow our own food, but we can’t create the seed.  God made the first seed and it’s through His creative hand that we are able to produce food from these seeds.

We weren’t around when God made the sun, water, and soil that provides for the plant’s nourishment. So even in the smallest of details, God did His part first, by supplying what we would need to sustain life. This is the most fundamental way in which God meets people’s need.

God provided the elements needed to make our clothing, the seedlings for trees to grow that provide us with shelter and fire for warmth. We don’t have the ability to make the raw materials needed for our very survival, although we have the ability to take what God has supplied and use it for our good.

Many people are ungrateful to God because they don’t consider how He meets our most basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. Human life is short and our life is more than getting our basic needs met. We must ask ourselves how we came into existence and for what reason. God reveals Himself in our everyday lives as we contemplate our being.

When our minds and hearts are closed to God, we don’t grasp the concept of a personal God who delights in having an intimate relationship with us. We worry because we subconsciously know that we don’t have the ability to create everything we need to sustain life, and this makes us feel vulnerable and helpless. Our neediness causes us to worry and be anxious.

When we believe we won’t get our physical and emotional needs met, we worry. If worry continues long enough, it turns into anxiety and panic attacks. Eventually emotional disturbances such as depression, addictions, strongholds, and ultimately psychosis may emerge.

This is why Jesus taught so frequently on the topic of worry and why He continually stressed “fear not.” God has gifted us with our very own internal awareness of Him–(through our conscience and through His creation). He tells us not to worry about our basic human needs because for Him—they’re the “givens.” It should be a “given” that fathers take care of their children. (I know that not all earthly fathers properly take care for their offspring, but that was not God’s original intent for people. This disorder came as a result of being separated from the Father and because people choose to go against His “perfect” will for their lives.)

Our needs make up what we call our “human givens.” God meets our needs, or our givens, when we acknowledge Him and the place He desires to have in our life. He becomes our Heavenly Father and meets our most basic needs when we ask His Son, Jesus, to come into our heart and change us.

God’s Word tells us that our basic need of food, clothing, and shelter are so fundamental, in fact, that if we would get to know our Heavenly Father we wouldn’t spend any time worrying about these things. In other words, this concept is so elementary to the Christian faith, that there’s no need to worry about them.
When people understand, and then choose to believe that their Heavenly Father will take good care of them, they won’t become insecure, anxious, depressed, or inclined towards escapism through addiction. God is a good God who loves His children unconditionally and He delights in caring for them. Beyond basic needs though, God wants us to know that He created us for so much more. He created us for spiritual intimacy, companionship, and for significance.

Except taken from my newest book "DON'T BE A WORRY WART - Accept God's Peace and Change Your Life."  Find it at Amazon/Kindle.   Follow my link: http://www.amazon.com/Lilliet-Garrison/e/B004H28MCU.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

FREE KINDLE BOOK: "A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE"

FREE KINDLE BOOK: A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE, Growing Spiritually Mature in an Immature World.
Today through 3-26-2014, my book "A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE, Growing Spiritually Mature in an Immature World" is free on Amazon/Kindle.
 
Take advantage of this offer while it lasts.