​If you know me, you are aware that I am passionate about restoration. The Lord has given me a compassionate, tender heart and a wise, discerning spirit. Watching God work in the lives of people who are experiencing a life crisis is priceless!
Miracles happen in the hearts of broken people as the Lord mends and binds up their heartache. (See Jeremiah 30:17, Psalm 147:3, Psalm 34:18, Psalm 23:1-3, Psalm 30:11, and Matthew 11:28-30).
Over many years of restoration counseling, I have observed that certain behaviors prevent good-intentioned people from being emotionally healthy and establishing long-lasting, fulfilling, mutually satisfying relationships. As I thought about this in my study today, the Lord put on my heart to share with you ten things you and I can do to have a healthier emotional life.
I must give you a heads up. This list is not for the faint of heart. You may well see yourself in one or some of these tips. Do not be offended. Refuse to become defensive. I am not your enemy. As your brother in Christ, I am in your corner with the Lord. Choose to open your heart and allow God to search you like David did.
“Search me O God and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:23-24
When we permit the Holy Spirit to point out hurtful ways in our life, healing and health is on its way!

• Let God search your heart. Lord, here I am. Warts and all. You know what is on my flops, fumbles and failure list. You know where I fall short. Where I am not healthy emotionally. I need your help to manage my emotional life better. I surrender and submit to You. Go ahead. Examine me. Search me with the light of the Holy Spirit. Heal and restore me with the sword of the Spirit.

You have my unconditional permission to check me out. I promise no more denial, excuses, justification or rationalization on my part.

• Get off the guilt trip train. Why walk around in shame and feeling guilty when God declares you Not Guilty in Christ? (Romans 8:1-2). The blood of Jesus covers your sin and shame. Stop condemning yourself. Lay down that beat stick. Build yourself up.

 

• Stop acting like a control freak. Controllers drive away the very people they want to have in their life. No one wakes up in the morning and declares “I hope someone controls me today.” Controllers are insecure. Surrender your insecurities and trade them in for security in who you are in Christ.

 

• Stop playing the victim card. Stop sucking your thumb and dragging your emotional blankie around! No one likes adult thumb suckers. Take your thumb out of your mouth. Stop pouting. Then burn your I-am-a-victim blankie. Do it right away.

 

• Quit throwing pity-poor-me-parties. Poor me. Woe is me. Nobody cares for me. Everybody hates me. I might as well jump off a cliff. No one would miss me. Oh hogwash! Clean up your self-pity-party pig pen! Get off the pity poor me potty! Stand tall as to who the Bible says you are in Christ!

 

• Stop blame-shifting. If you want your hurt to be healed, stop pointing your finger (Isaiah 58:8-9). Oh, how you and I like to point our finger at others. Somehow, we think finger pointing will make us feel better about ourselves. Blame-shifting shows us how small and emotionally insecure we really are. With the Holy Spirit’s help, take a hard, honest look at yourself. Then adjust your attitudes and behavior accordingly. It is not everybody else’s fault. Maybe it is your fault. Ever thought of that?

 

• Stop pushing the panic button. The sky is not falling every day. Life happens. Good days and not so good ones come and go. People in perpetual crisis drive others crazy! No one wants to come running when you panic and cry wolf over and over again. Prescription for not panicking: Grow up. Get over it. Get on with it.

 

• Relinquish your drama king or queen crown. Leave the drama for the beauty pageants, soap operas and reality shows. Stop exaggerating, over thinking, over generalizing and expecting people to jump and keep adjusting your drama crown.

 

• Give up your whining about entitlement. No one owes you anything. Period. You and I brought nothing into this world and will surely exit without even our birthday suit. Whiners are not winners. You cannot build healthy relationships with emotional losers. Quit whining…. and throw away the Kleenex!

 

• Step off the stupid train. Forrest Gump said “What stupid is, stupid does.” Good line in a movie, but not an effective way to live life. Why stay stupid, doing the same dumb

thing over and over and over again? Why keep stumbling into the same emotional pothole? For goodness sake, drive around the hole in the road. Find a better way to manage your emotions.
Maybe you can add another tip or two for yourself. Get alone with the Lord and run this list by Him. Be quiet. Patient. Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit. God loves you and will point out what you need to change in the coming days.
Please take care of yourself emotionally every day. You, your family and friends will be glad you did!
A Word For Your Week: Search my heart Lord, heal my hurts and make me emotionally healthy.

​A spirit of demonic, ever-darkening fear stalks our world, nation and people everywhere.
Frightening scenarios…troubling circumstances…unanswered questions…beyond our control tempt us to be terrified, anxiously wondering if there is hope for the future.
Satan, the enemy of our souls, along with his hell-bent minions, who pledge blind allegiance to the Evil One, work relentlessly and tirelessly to deceive, divide and destroy humanity. Through lies, falsehood, hatred, division, violence and perversion of what is pure, our spiritual enemy’s end game goal is to eradicate all that is holy, righteous, just, good and true in humanity.
Sounds depressive huh?
My friend, do not be disheartened, discouraged or depressed.
Our word for this week from Psalm 46 is God’s remedy for times like these. Read the eleven verses as a unit. I will highlight the truths revealed for our encouragement.
THEME OF THIS PSALM: God is our refuge even though the world is falling apart.

• GOD IS NEAR.

 
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Verse 1). “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” (Verse 11)
“Very present help in trouble” means Johnny on the spot. Right with us. Near as near can     be. God is with us as our refuge, shelter. Our stronghold. Our fortress. Our strength. Our Heavenly Father has never taken a hike on us when life heats up. He cannot forsake His blood-bought sons and daughters, It is not in His holy character to abandon His children.

• Do you believe Almighty God is present, near you no matter what?

 

• DO NOT FEAR.

 
“Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.”  (Verses 2-3.)
 
Today’s fear producing issues. Economic collapse. Political upheaval. Anarchy. Terrorism. Riots. Wars and rumors of wars. Sexual perversion. Moral implosion. Eco-system disasters. Disrespect for authority. Racism and bigotry. Worldwide pandemics. Food shortages. Cataclysmic natural disasters. Christian persecution. The world without Jesus is rapidly hurtling in a handbasket toward a fiery, eternal hell.
 
The above sounds like mountains crashing into the sea to me!
 

• The word is clear: DO NOT FEAR “even though” everything falls apart around us.

 

• BE STILL AND KNOW GOD.

 
“Be still (cease striving, let go, relax) and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” Verse 10
 
My friends, cease striving. Stop trying to figure things out. Relax. Chill a little bit in God’s presence. Let Go… Let God. Hand off your anxiety, fear, and the uncertainty you feel to the Lord. As our helper and stronghold, God has got it.
 

• “Even though,” no matter what happens, God is on the spot, beside us and inside us, to take care of us! Believe it.

 

• “Even though” is no reason to fear because God is near! A very present help in trouble.

 “Even though” means life’s disasters do not rattle the Lord! Never have. Never will. Bottom line:  If God be for us, and He is, what can any human being on the earth do to us? Nothing folks!
Paul writes in Romans 8:31 “If God be for us, who can be against us.”  I heard a pastor say “If God is for us, everybody else might as well be” I say amen and amen to that!
Personal Application

• Does “Breaking News” trouble and terrify you? Leaving you discouraged, depressed, saddened and feeling hopeless?
• Do you push the proverbial panic button when unwelcome news knocks on your mind’s door?
• Are you listening to dysfunctional folks who are not managing life well currently?
• Are you dwelling on the lies of the Evil One who hates you and wants to destroy you?
• REJECT THE ABOVE! TOSS IT OUT! Resist the lies of the evil one. In Jesus’ mighty name command Satan to go back to hell where he belongs!

 

• My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, NEVER FEAR. THE GOD YOU SERVE IS NEAR.

No matter what is going on in life, be still. Know deep down in your spirit, without any doubt, that God is God. The Almighty One can and will manage any and everything life sends your way.
As long as you and I live on this fallen earth, “even though” will be part of our life. The question we must answer: will we overcome “even though” with resolute, immovable faith in the One who overcomes on our behalf?
I dare myself and you to live like that every day!
“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken, says the Lord who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” I Corinthians 15:58
A Word For Your Week: “Even though” is a call for Christians to stand firm with confident faith in the Lord Jesus Christ no matter what is happening.

There is so much “noise” and “clutter” today in our culture, clamoring for our faith. Think about it. Political personalities, celebrities, pollsters, media darlings, elitists professors, religious superstars, military power, slick salespeople, master marketers, economic forecasts, “trending” products and services ad nauseum, in your face infomercials and more seek your and my trust.
 
 I cannot speak for you, but trust is a big, huge deal to me.
 
LIFE IS ABOUT TRUST.
 
 According to Webster trust means “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something, dependence on something future or contingent, hope, one in which confidence is placed.” 
 
My friends, trust and faith are foundational to success and satisfaction in life. Relationships with God and people must be built upon trust if they are to be healthy, productive and satisfying.
 
At seventy plus years I am convinced that as humans we must trust someone or something to make sense of life on earth.
 
When people, things, or systems break my trust, it is extremely disappointing. Generally, I am a trusting person. I want to put my faith in others and be able to rely and depend on them. But not everyone nor everything is worthy of trust. I have had trust broken by people more than once. Each time was very disheartening and disillusioning.
 
Looking around today, only the God of the Bible fits Webster’s definition to a tee.
 
Reliability based on character, strength, and truth describes God. We can put our hope and faith in our Creator because He alone can be counted on to be who He says He is and do what He says he will do.
 
Our Creator put the ability to trust within our souls. Trust originates and ends with Him. Being a God of goodness and grace, He entrusts us to decide where to put our trust.
 
Trust is up to us. Who we trust is our choice.
People, even well-meaning ones, often fall short of this standard of trust. Anyone or anything less than God is not to be our primary place of trust. That is why the Word warns us not to trust in men, or money, or military might, or anything but God Himself.
 
The psalmist knew where to put his trust. According to Psalm 143:8, Davide knew who to rely on.
 
“Let me hear Thy loving-kindness in the morning, FOR I TRUST IN THEE.” Teach me the way in which I should walk; FOR TO THEE I LIFT UP MY SOUL.” Psalm 143:8                                                                   
David believed that God alone was worthy of trust.
 
He looked and listened for God’s loving-kindness every single morning. David began the day depending on God because God was dependable. David put His faith in God because God was faithful. David trusted God to take care of every need because God was trustworthy.
 
Note that David lifted his soul up to God. Why? BECAUSE HE TRUSTED IN HIM. David put his personal faith and confidence in the Lord. It is a sad commentary on our day that so many people in our secularized society lift up and sell their souls to almost anyone or anything except the Living God who can save their soul.
 

• Have you had your heart broken because you misplaced your trust? Are you reeling from a life blow because you sold your soul to an untrustworthy person? Have you broken trust with yourself in some area of your life? Do you feel like checking out on humanity because it is hard to find someone you can truly trust?

 
Before you throw in the towel on trust, I have good news for you. Turn your eyes toward God and trust in Him.
 
With David, we can confess with confidence, “I TRUST IN THEE” because:
 

• God will never revoke His everlasting covenant with His people. (Psalm 105:8-10)
• God will never break His promises found in His Word. (I Kings 8:56)
• God will never change His mind concerning His love for us. (Micah 7:18-20)
• God will never take a hike when we are hurting. (Psalm 34:18)
• God will never abandon or forsake His faithful followers. (Hebrews 13:5-6)
• God can be trusted to meet our every need, every time. (Philippians 4:19-20)
• God can be trusted to send Jesus back to take us home to heaven! (John 14:1-6)

 
The question of the hour and every hour is: Who are you trusting in today?
 
Paul writes in Romans 10:13“Whoever believes in Him (puts their trust in Jesus Christ) will never be disappointed.” Throughout my life, people, institutions, services, products material stuff, and myself have disappointed me.
 
Because of His divine nature and holy character, God cannot and will not ever disappoint those who trust in him. If you do not want to be disappointed, trust in God.
 
I have decided to trust in the Lord who can be trusted. Trust will always be tested. With God’s help, I desire to pass the trust test.
 
I ask you once again “Who do you trust?”
 
“The steadfast of mind Thou will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee.” 
                                                                                                                        Isaiah 26:3
 
 “The fear of a man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”                                                                                                                               Proverbs 29:25
 
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”       Proverbs 3:5-6
 
A Word For Your Week: Trust in the One who can be trusted.
 

​“From now on” is one of those attention grabbing, jump all over you phrases.
SCENARIO. John 8:1-11. Before you read on, take your Bible. Review this passage. Read it as if you were there in real time observing what happened.
OBSERVATIONS

• Jesus is teaching in the Temple. The religious police (Scribes and Pharisees) cast an adulterous woman before Him. John 8:1-2
• Who caught the woman? How did they catch her? John 8:1-4
• Where was the male offender? It takes two to tango (commit adultery).
• Could it have been one of her accusers? Just asking?
• The accusers wanted her put to death according to the Law of Moses. John 8:5-6a
• The gathered crowd is watching intently, wondering what Jesus will do with the woman. John 8:2
• The accusers tested Jesus. What a dumb thing to do you religious hypocrites. The Son of God always passes the test! John 8:6-7.
• Jesus tested the accusers. He wrote on the ground twice. Probably about sin. Maybe He wrote down each accuser’s specific sins. Hey guys, if you are sinless, cast the first stone. John 8:7-8
• Confronted and convicted, the self-righteous accusers filed out, one by one, the eldest first. John 8:9
• The woman was left alone with Jesus. John 8:9

Personally, I get a kick out of how Jesus blew the religious hypocrites away. The Lord told the bigots to stick it and go away. Pardon my French!
Now. To the significance of this biblical story.
The gathered crowd watching from the gallery, the accused woman and Jesus were alone. (Verse 9). The publicly disgraced, embarrassed, humiliated woman is one-on-one with Jesus. What was she thinking? What is Jesus going to say to me? What will happen to me?
“And straightening up, Jesus said to her “Woman, where they? Did no one condemn you? And she said “No one Lord.” And Jesus said “Neither do I condemn you.” Go your way; from now on sin no more. “ John 11:10-11
Oh my! Takes my spiritual breath away every time I think about this scenario. Do we understand what just happened to this adulterous woman? She could have been stoned to death. Life over.
Enter Jesus. The Son of God, full of love and compassion, peered into her eyes and her heart.
Woman, where are those religious bigots, accusers who dragged you in here? “No one Lord” is here. This dear woman’s accusers could not in good conscience condemn her because they are sinners too! “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.
Jesus “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way; FROM NOW ON sin no more.”
What do you think that precious woman thought? What did the assembled audience think?
Probably most of them thought who is this guy? Who forgives sin. Who gives a sinner a second chance.
 What is this lady going to do?
Here are my observations.

• I think it was eerily quiet in the Temple. I believe you could hear a pin drop. What just happened? A miracle of grace? Who is this Jesus? What is this woman going to do about her life from now on?
• The woman was emotionally blown away by Jesus’ merciful words. No condemnation. Can it be I am not condemned? The Son of God said so. My sin is forgiven. I just received a new lease on life. A second chance.
• When this redeemed, restored lady exited the Temple, new lease on life in hand, she joyfully and thankfully danced in her heart (possibly in the streets!), singing and shouting the praises of God! I think I would have.
• Personally, though we do not have any more information about this woman, I believe she went out and lived a better life! How could she not? Down the road she would learn that this Jesus shed His blood on a Cross for her and all our sins.

My friend, what do you think about Jesus’ words “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. FROM NOW ON sin no more.” The Lord’s words are for you and me.
I know what I think. Steve Roll has sinned in his life. More than once. Thankfully, I am a sinner saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). How? On October 6, 1972. I repented of my sins, asked Jesus to forgive me, received Him into my heart and chose from that day forward to trust Him, walking by faith, eternally grateful for a new life free from the condemnation of sin.

• My friend and fellow forgiven sinner, how are you and I going to live our lives from now on?

FROM NOW ON. Daily decisions. Choices. Behavior. Live life free from sin. Walk triumphantly and joyfully by faith in Jesus Christ.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. “ I John 1:9
A Word For Your Week:  From now on sin no more.