Questions & Answers
You have asked us so many great questions that we want to share them with you! If you desire an answer to a spritual question, please feel free to send us an email. If you desire to remain anonymous, we will keep your name private. We know that by sharing, we will help others for God through Good News Ministries!
August 2008 - Dear Judy, Your Emotions Got You Confused
Dear Judy,
How can I know the right thing to do? Take this week, my sister-in-law had surgery and is having complications so she's laid up. I know it'd be really nice if I drove the two hours to help her in her home this weekend, but I have so much to do at my own place. And our church is having special meetings that would be good to attend, but it'd make it very late by the time I got to bed, and I still work. I have little strength each evening, no matter what time I get home. How can I know what’s right for me to do?
-Needing Direction
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Dear Needing Direction,
Pray and obey! It is nice if God wants you to go and help your sister-in-law. But Nice and God are two different things.
It's in the area of emotion and compassion that the believer can get in trouble. Jesus was not moved by need but only by what the Father wanted. This is clearly seen when Jesus' dear friend Lazarus was very sick. "Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick" (John 11:3).
Surely this plea touched Jesus' emotions, but He knew that emotions and obedience are two different things. Emotions say it would be NICE if I go because they need help, but obedience says it would be GOD if I go because He is sending me to help.
Believers have the person of the Holy Spirit in them to lead and guide them. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Many believers listen to their emotions rather than to the Spirit of God. As followers of Jesus we are to be led by the Spirit of God and GO where He sends us with kindness and compassion. The compassion comes AFTER God instructs us to GO. When we are following the direction of God, then it will be perfect for you and for the person in need!
Now about the meetings at your church, if God wants you to go to the meetings He will give you the energy to go, and then the energy the next morning to do what you must get done. Once again you must pray, and then obey whatever you sense the Holy Spirit directing you. There’s no blueprint for listening to and following the Lord's leading; sometimes you just need to do what seems best at the time.
I hear people say all the time that "I am so burned out." Being burned out is not God's plan; it's Self's doing! The Bible says that when we are in the presence of the Lord, we WILL be refreshed. So if I am tired all the time, my house is not in order, I have chores stacked up, etc., I have done this to myself by myself. I must go back and adjust my priorities and put boundaries around myself. The boundaries of the Holy Spirit will keep us from things that would BURN US OUT! I cannot be all things to all people and I can't be in all places at all times. I can, however, "do all things [all things the Lord says to do!] through Him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).
You can't be moved by what people might think of you if you do or don't do something, but you MUST be moved by what God will think about you if you do something or not! Remember the key to everything is to PRAY and OBEY!
I hope this helps!
July 2008 - Dear Judy, Power Over Intentions
Dear Judy,
Last week I saw a program on TV about the "power of intention" and was intrigued with this concept. I didn't hear any mention of God, so maybe it's dangerous ground. I've heard people say, "We are what we think." "Our words have power." "Believe it, Speak it, Receive it!" and so on. I have lots of good intentions every day, but I can't find the oomph to actually do them. There's a disconnect and I'm left feeling like I'm living just a mediocre life. This doesn't even resemble the "abundant life" Jesus came to give believers.
--Disconnected
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Dear Disconnected,
First stop thinking you are disconnected and start knowing Who you are connected to and why. Webster defines power to be position of authority, and intention to be what one purposes to accomplish or do. Combine these two definitions and you get a powerful biblical concept that we as Christians can and need to apply to our lives. Because we are connected to Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as our Savior and Lord, we have that position of authority over those purposes we are to accomplish.
Jesus says in John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." It sounds like the thief is stealing from you and taking your authority over the oomph as you say. What is this abundant life that Jesus is talking about? It means overflowing or having more than enough. This is a promise from Jesus Himself to all who follow Him.
It is your job to recognize which part of John 10:10 you are living in. Are you experiencing the kill, steal, and destroy part or are you living in the overflowing life of Jesus Christ? It is a must to get out of the "good intentions" and into the "God intentions." When you know your intentions are what God wants, then you need to claim the power to accomplish that purpose. What you quoted from the Bible about speaking, believing, and receiving is true, but God’s purposes are accomplished through your DOING them.
If you have received Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are connected whether you FEEL like it or not. To get above those negative feelings, you must live in Romans 12:2: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
God's good, acceptable, and perfect or complete will is found in the Bible. It is our mind that causes us to feel a certain way or not to feel a certain way so when you read the Word of God, it will bring your thinking into line with what God says. Then you can speak and do what He says and not allow the thief to have any place in your life.
When things get overwhelming for you and you have things you need to accomplish, take your authority over it and speak out what Paul says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."