Heart and Soul Medication

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When ill, our bodies are reporting help is needed. Sometimes we require rest, exercise, or perhaps to eat better (put down the gallon of ice cream and walk away), and other times professional help is needed. Our world is a difficult place taking toll on our hearts, minds, and bodies. In other words, it’s crazy out there!

So, what can we do? How can we stay sane in an insane world, hopeful in the midst of hopelessness, joyful in the midst of trials and difficulties, and encouraged when life can be so very discouraging?

In the middle of the night, if a Bible verse or an idea comes to mind, I’ll type a message to myself on my phone. Since it’s dark, and I don’t have on my glasses, at times the information gets a little interesting. One morning I found I had written Psalm 19:14. However instead of “may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You.” My sleepy, incorrect typing had been altered to, “Let the words of my mouth and the medication of my heart be pleasing to you.” At first, I chuckled at my mistype, but then I started thinking about how desperately I need heart and soul medication. Perhaps you do too.

I need ways to guard my heart and mind, to help through the heart aches and headaches of life. I need soul-wound healing, and ways to break free from anxiety and find joy, encouragement, and hope.

I don’t have all the answers, but I know who does — God is the Great Physician; He is trustworthy, His credentials are perfect, He specializes in all things, nothing is impossible for Him, and He’s open 24/7 to all who will come.

Meditating on God, contemplating the verses we read in the Bible, and all the wonderful things God has done, is like good medicine uplifting us as to gain healing, restoration, and strength.

For heart and soul medication, meditate and medicate, with the many blessings of God and His beautiful, joyful, delightful truth.

Heavenly Father, I will meditate on all Your work, and on Your deeds with thanksgiving. Your words are a joy to me and the delight of my heart. Help me to spend time in Your word, reading and meditating so I may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then You will make my soul prosperous and help me achieve success.

Father, thank You for Your promise, that whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God’s word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied. Please abundantly medicate my heart and soul with Your word and Your presence. (Psalm 77:12, Jeremiah 15:16, Joshua 1:8, Matthew 13:12).

My latest release, Heart and Soul Medication, is now available on Amazon  https://amzn.to/3a8cssd

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I don’t want to let go!

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He stood rigid, little fists clenched tight, face scrunched in disgust and shock – how dare his mommy want the bug. It was his! He had found it all by himself as he crawled on the patio, and that slimy critter just begged to be in his mouth. Fortunately, after a strong-willed battle, little Johnny’s mom was able to wrestle the creepy-crawly from the toddler’s hands.

Have you ever tried to get something from a small child they shouldn’t have? Perhaps they pick up something harmful, or maybe they have something you want them to release so you can give them something better. Goodness, little hands can be very, very strong when the will is strong.

I am often just like that little boy, I clench something tight thinking it’s what I need or must have, and I don’t want to let go. I’ve battled with God for years over some things I honestly thought were good things. However, I’m finding even if the things are “good” in our eyes, it doesn’t mean it’s the best.

God doesn’t want only the good, He wants the best. God knows us, completely knows us. He knows the past, present, and future. When God beckons us to let go, He is offering freedom. If what we are holding in our hands, or hearts, is blocking His best, we need to let go to receive His best.

Amazing freedom comes when we release everything to God. When our hands (and hearts) are fully open to God, we are blessed with the bountiful blessings of God.

I want to let go of anything that isn’t God’s best.

Heavenly Father, pry open my fingers and pry open my heart to be fully and completely open to You. Help me to let go to receive Your perfect will and Your perfect best.

“Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done.” ~ Psalm 37:5 (MSG)

From One Lit Step: Devotions for your journey by Lisa Buffaloe https://amzn.to/3CWKuvx

What can we remember?

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In Russia, in the early 1950’s, a group of three youth pastors even in the midst of communist opposition were helping organize house churches. God was moving, and the pastors felt led to have a conference for young people so they wouldn’t become discouraged and would know they weren’t alone.

The conference met in Moscow and almost seven hundred gathered together. None of these young people owned a Bible, their knowledge had come from family members or close friends who had passed down what they had learned. The pastors asked them to get in groups, and like a game, write down what they knew of the New Testament Gospels– Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – and also make note of any hymns or songs they knew.

At the end of the conference, the notes of each small group were combined and compared. The results? “The young people had recreated all of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, with only a half-dozen mistakes, and also had been able to reconstruct the lyrics of more than twelve hundred songs, choruses, and hymns of the faith from memory.”[i]

Wow! Their testimony is amazing and very convicting. How many scripture verses, hymns, and songs do we know and how much can we remember?

Oh, heavenly Father how convicting the story is of these young people. Time is short, and the environment continues to grow in hostility toward Christianity, help me to be diligent to study the Bible, memorize scripture, and fill my mind and heart with Your word along with songs and hymns that honor our Lord. Help me remember Your truth so that I may share the wonderful truth of Your grace, mercy, and love.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 11:18-20, NIV).

“All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, AMP).

From Heart and Soul Medication by Lisa Buffaloe

 

 

 

[i] Nik Ripken, The Insanity of God, B & H Books

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