First Quarter Newsletter 1/01/2011

Got anxiety? by Bill Borieo

I know, what a stupid question right? Someone may be thinking, “Is this guy for real? Is he living in a cave somewhere? This maniac must not realize the day he is living in or, as they say in the south, He just ain’t right”
I assure you, I am not living in a dream world. I realize what’s going on in the world but, this conjecture is not original with me. I am not the first to bring it up. In fact, it was Jesus Himself who gave inference that the church could and should live, free from anxiety. Allow me to show you in the word of God this wondrous possibility! Are you ready?
First, let us examine Jesus statement leading us to believe, we can and should live without apprehension.
John 14: 1 “Let not your heart be troubled….”
Jesus was speaking to His disciples. A disciple is one who chooses to follow a particular teaching or way of life by adhering to, and acting out the tenants of that particular ideology. We, by reason of that definition, would be considered disciples of Jesus just as much as those present the day Jesus first gave this teaching. So, in light of the definition of a disciple that I have offered

We could say  Jesus is talking to us, or to make it more personal, Jesus is talking to me!
Notice the phrase; “Let not your heart be troubled; …“
This phrase “Let not,” simply means to not allow. Allow what? Allow your heart to be troubled! Whose heart? Your heart, your spirit, the only one you have authority over. The suggestion is that, we have the ability to prevent our hearts from being troubled!
Trouble, according to strong's concordance comes from the Greek word tarasso, meaning; “Agitate, disturb, or to unsettle. It denotes mental agitation from fear or perplexity.”
Notice the phrase; to unsettle. The enemy is doing his best to keep our life in turmoil. As long as we live outside of the realm of peace, we experience many faith failures.  We must realize that fear and anxiety act as barrier’s preventing the blessing of God getting to us. Fear and anxiety are the opposites of faith and trust.
Jesus is telling us, we do not have to allow our hearts or spirits, to fall apart under pressure. We can enjoy peace right in the middle of the storms of life! So then, we must protect our hearts.
Prov. 3:23 says; “Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it spring the issues (seeds) of life.”
It is imperative for us to keep or guard our heart, because the life we are experiencing, originated in, has been seeded by, and will continue to, issue (bring forth seeds) from our hearts. Think about it!
What kind of issues are you faced with, Marriage problems, financial difficulties, depression, anxiety? Whatever it is you are facing in life, it all began in your heart. The enemy has been allowed to plant seeds, either by words or by images into our hearts.
Pictures of failure, doom and gloom fill our airways, and like lambs being led to the slaughter, we allow our hearts to be filled with mounds of pessimistic journalism shoveled to us nightly at 11:00. No wonder we can’t sleep at night.
Then, because of the nightmarish reports we have endured, having become the disciples of CNN, NBC or any other news medium, we believe and repeat all we have seen and heard. “…for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matt. 12:34 Couple that truth with Prov. 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue. And those who love it will eat its fruit.”, and it leaves little speculation as to how that fear and anxiety have the entire nation, as well as most of the church, by the throat! We cannot afford to, ALLOW OUR HEART’S TO BE TROUBLED!
 Become a student of God’s word!
John 14:1 “…you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
Our faith, or confidence, must be in the Lord Jesus Christ! Faith, as I understand it, is putting trust in and relying on the word of an individual. In this case, we are to put our trust and reliance on Jesus. In order for us to confidently do this, we must have an absolute conviction, based on our understanding of, who Jesus is as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. When our belief system becomes absolutely convinced in the infallibility of God’s word, then it becomes easy to have confidence in Jesus. After faith becomes conviction, we will know that, whatever God says, He will do!
This level of confidence comes by two avenues; by knowing what the scriptures teach concerning Christ’s integrity, and by faith experiences we have enjoyed in the past, as we overcome difficulties while standing on God’s word.
Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Because we know how faith comes, then we pretty much will have it made, if, we take the time and develop the discipline to read it every day!
Fear, however, also comes by hearing. Hearing every negative voice there is in this world and also by meditating, on every negative thought planted in our minds.
Jesus said; Matt. 6:25 KJV “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than raiment?”
Other translations say; “…do not worry about your life”.
 So we understand that fear and worry come to us in words and thoughts. These kinds of thoughts (negative worry filled and fearful thoughts), produce fear and anxiety and if allowed to take root, produce after their own kind. Hunger, sickness, lack, discouragement, ect.
Jesus continued to tell His disciples, that, no one can improve their stature or their well being by accepting negative thoughts. Taking or receiving the right kinds of thoughts however, will produce blessing, health and increase!
How do we allow the right kinds of seeds or thoughts to take root in our hearts?
Matt. 6:31 “Therefore take no thought saying,”
Thoughts reach our heart by saying! To embrace the right way of thinking and believing, we must be saying what God says! We must refuse to repeat everything we see and hear. When we do speak words, they, will give life to whatever we have been saying consistently, either our fears or our blessings! YOU MUST CHOOSE the words that will produce your desires.
Practice saying these kinds of words and your heart will be filled with faith and fear will flee!
Phil. 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Phil.4:19 “And my God shall supply all your (my) need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Psalms 91:2 “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and fortress; My God in Him I will trust.”
Psalms 91:7 “A thousand may fall at your (my) side, and ten thousand at your (my) right hand; but it shall not come near you (me).”
Psalms 91:10 “No evil shall befall you (me), neither shall any plague come near you (my) dwelling;”
Psalms 91:11 “For He shall give His angels charge over you (me). To keep you (me, in all your (my,) ways.”
Psalms 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old: yet I have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
Emphasis added!
I want to so desperately, to see you do well and walking in all of the blessing that God has given the church. I know that there are those who will tell you that none of this works or is legitimate doctrine, but Gods word encourages us to follow after those who have not only taught faith, but those in whom we see their faith successes.
Heb. 13:7 “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: Whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation (manner of life).”
Be sure that you are listening to the right people. “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matt. 7:20
Blessings!