Word for Today, Tue, 10 Aug 2004: The Stress Disease

#1 · August 10, 2004, 8:19 am

Quote from Forum Archives on August 10, 2004, 8:19 am
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Tue, 10 Aug 2004: The Stress Disease
Dear friends,

Larry Davies covers another relevant topic in today's weekly
edition of Sowing Seeds of Faith. The vast majority of us have
many activities that go on at the same time in our lives. For
some of us, it is busy activities at work. For others of us, it
is busy activities in our home. For others, it is church
activities, community activities, taking our kids to various
practices, or perhaps a combination of all of these things.
Perhaps we want to share our faith with someone else, but we find
ourselves with a bunch of conflicting priorities.

How do we cope and deal with all of these things? Larry touches
on one important area in today's message. It is important to
recognize that no matter what activities we may be going through,
it is God who is in control of everything. I was thinking of a
couple of other verses that always come to mind for me when
stress, conflict, and struggles arise. I think of Psalm 37,
which goes through the entire cycle of stepping out in faith,
then trusting in God and leaning on Him without fretting. That
makes me think of the well known Proverbs 3:5-6 passage that
reminds us to trust in the Lord with all of our heart instead of
leaning on our own understanding. In all of our ways, the
passage tells us, we are to acknowledge Him and He will direct
our path. At the same time I think about what the disciple and
apostle Peter had to say, that in whatever we do, we can cast our
cares upon Him because He cares for us.

That barely covers a whole host of verses that I can think of on
this topic. Clearly, God has something to say to us in His Word
about trusting Him in everything, eagerly and earnestly seeking
Him first in every situation, and trusting God to direct every
aspect of our lives. Operating in that manner is a sure way to
manage stress. Look at Jesus. He was constantly barraged with
people wanting Him to heal them, preach to them, teach them,
touch them. He did it well, better than anyone. Scripture
records, time and time again how He did it. He was in continual
conversation with His Father, God. He humbled Himself before
God, always looked to Him for everything, and did exactly as His
Father commanded. Obedience. Trust. Communication. We talk
about these things constantly in the Christian faith. Do you see
the connection between them?

Yours in Christ,
Brian

____________________________________________________________

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

From: Nancy Webb [mailto:nancywebb@cfl.rr.com]
Subject: CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH
Hi Pastor Larry: You and your church family, prayer group and
readers of your web site have made a difference in my life. God
has worked miracles and opened the windows of heaven and
showered me with blessings, more then I could dream of. Just to
labor in His field is such a blessing. I have been touched
physically and spiritually and I am busy ministering for HIS
GLORY. THANKS FOR ALL PRAYERS AND E- MAIL. Amen.

From: Ketchum, Deborah T. [mailto:ketchumdt@ccps.k12.va.us]
I've been teaching high school Sunday school now for 11 years
and I have fought the literature. My high school group hates
just about every lesson series I have tried because the
literature treats them as if they were middle school students or
it is "boring" and does not address their lives. On a whim, I
started using "Sowing Seeds of Faith." We read it, discuss it,
and look more closely at the scriptures in the text. They
absolutely love it and have asked that we continue to use this
book and then move on to your other devotions. It is still too
early to tell, but it looks as though attendance is picking up
as well. Thanks for writing. I thought you'd appreciate knowing
that your seeds are sprouting in the lives of 22 teenagers.
Deborah T. Ketchum

Learn more about our unique email prayer ministry by clicking
here: www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

"The Stress Disease" Larry Davies

I don't mean to complain but the last few weeks have been pretty
stressful.

* My daughter is having minor surgery and my wife is
experiencing numbness...

* There have been many changes at church as a result of
growth and I can't keep up...

* Too many people are visiting our church. I can't get
around to meeting all of them...

* Several members have experienced tragedies and I must be
there for them...

* Our church has a bigger budget than ever and I am
responsible to help us pay everything...

* Our family has a new puppy with lots of energy and she's
driving me crazy...

* My computer has been in the shop which keeps me from
doing my work...

Moan and groan! Have you noticed all the emphasis on me?
Everything is about me! Whenever stress gets bad, it is often
because of a dreaded disease known as: ME, MYSELF AND I. You're
afflicted when you make statements such as: "I must do
everything myself if it's to be done right! You just can't find
good help now! No one ever volunteers but me!" Are you catching
on to the problem?

The "me, myself and I" disease infects most of us occasionally
but if you don't seek treatment you will suffer immeasurable
pain, not to mention losing a few friends. Fortunately, God has
a prescription for what ails us: quiet reflection, a measure of
prayer and a solid dose of Bible study. For example:

"Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts but it is the
same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are
different kinds of service in the church but it is the same Lord
we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives
but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A
spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the
entire church. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

The common interpretation of this passage is, "All of us are
different with various talents and abilities." But recently I
noticed another lesson. Look at the second part of each
sentence:

...different kinds of spiritual gifts
but the same Holy Spirit...
...different kinds of service
but the same Lord...
...different ways God works
but it is the same God...

The emphasis was never meant to be on our gifts, however good.
Three times the author makes the point... "the same Holy Spirit,
the same Lord and the same God." In other words, we all have
different gifts but we are all coordinated and encouraged by the
same Lord. It is God who is ultimately in control, not me. When
I put the emphasis on me, myself and I the result is always the
same: chaos and stress. But with God in control there is always
another way. Look at my complaints again:

* My daughter is having minor surgery and my wife is
experiencing numbness...
Yet, hundreds of people are offering comfort and praying for
our family.

* There have been many changes at church as a result of
growth and I can't keep up...
Every change has resulted in good things for our church and
for me.

* So many people are visiting our church. I can't get
around to meeting them...
And this is supposed to be a problem? Come on Larry, get
real!

* Several members have experienced tragedies and I must be
there for them...
Yet in the midst of those tragedies, I found God giving
comfort in so many ways.

* Our church has a bigger budget than ever and I have to
help them pay it...
Each time the budget grows we are touching another life for
God.

* The family puppy has too much energy and she's driving me
crazy...
But thanks to my constant walking of her, I've lost weight
and I feel better.

* My computer has been in the shop which has kept me from
doing my work...
Maybe this is God's way of giving me extra time for family
and in prayer.

As, Paul promised, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a
means of helping the entire church." Our church functions
smoothly and my stress level goes down considerably when I learn
to stop thinking everything revolves around me and trust God to
provide the people and resources we need. "Lord, please replace
my stress with faith... in You!" Now, if God would only help our
puppy calm down.

Read Sowing Seeds of Faith... everyday! Click here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/Devotions.htm

Are you receiving prayer concerns from around the world? Join
our prayer team today. Check it out by clicking here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

How can I regularly support your ministry? Become a Sowing Seeds
Ministry partner. Click here:
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the worldu2014like a city on
a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

"Breaking the Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a
Better Life" now on sale only through our website.
www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

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Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Word for Today, Tue, 10 Aug 2004: The Stress Disease
Dear friends,

Larry Davies covers another relevant topic in today's weekly
edition of Sowing Seeds of Faith. The vast majority of us have
many activities that go on at the same time in our lives. For
some of us, it is busy activities at work. For others of us, it
is busy activities in our home. For others, it is church
activities, community activities, taking our kids to various
practices, or perhaps a combination of all of these things.
Perhaps we want to share our faith with someone else, but we find
ourselves with a bunch of conflicting priorities.

How do we cope and deal with all of these things? Larry touches
on one important area in today's message. It is important to
recognize that no matter what activities we may be going through,
it is God who is in control of everything. I was thinking of a
couple of other verses that always come to mind for me when
stress, conflict, and struggles arise. I think of Psalm 37,
which goes through the entire cycle of stepping out in faith,
then trusting in God and leaning on Him without fretting. That
makes me think of the well known Proverbs 3:5-6 passage that
reminds us to trust in the Lord with all of our heart instead of
leaning on our own understanding. In all of our ways, the
passage tells us, we are to acknowledge Him and He will direct
our path. At the same time I think about what the disciple and
apostle Peter had to say, that in whatever we do, we can cast our
cares upon Him because He cares for us.

That barely covers a whole host of verses that I can think of on
this topic. Clearly, God has something to say to us in His Word
about trusting Him in everything, eagerly and earnestly seeking
Him first in every situation, and trusting God to direct every
aspect of our lives. Operating in that manner is a sure way to
manage stress. Look at Jesus. He was constantly barraged with
people wanting Him to heal them, preach to them, teach them,
touch them. He did it well, better than anyone. Scripture
records, time and time again how He did it. He was in continual
conversation with His Father, God. He humbled Himself before
God, always looked to Him for everything, and did exactly as His
Father commanded. Obedience. Trust. Communication. We talk
about these things constantly in the Christian faith. Do you see
the connection between them?

Yours in Christ,
Brian

____________________________________________________________

Sowing Seeds of Faith...

From: Nancy Webb [mailto:nancywebb@cfl.rr.com]
Subject: CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH
Hi Pastor Larry: You and your church family, prayer group and
readers of your web site have made a difference in my life. God
has worked miracles and opened the windows of heaven and
showered me with blessings, more then I could dream of. Just to
labor in His field is such a blessing. I have been touched
physically and spiritually and I am busy ministering for HIS
GLORY. THANKS FOR ALL PRAYERS AND E- MAIL. Amen.

From: Ketchum, Deborah T. [mailto:ketchumdt@ccps.k12.va.us]
I've been teaching high school Sunday school now for 11 years
and I have fought the literature. My high school group hates
just about every lesson series I have tried because the
literature treats them as if they were middle school students or
it is "boring" and does not address their lives. On a whim, I
started using "Sowing Seeds of Faith." We read it, discuss it,
and look more closely at the scriptures in the text. They
absolutely love it and have asked that we continue to use this
book and then move on to your other devotions. It is still too
early to tell, but it looks as though attendance is picking up
as well. Thanks for writing. I thought you'd appreciate knowing
that your seeds are sprouting in the lives of 22 teenagers.
Deborah T. Ketchum

Learn more about our unique email prayer ministry by clicking
here: http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

"The Stress Disease" Larry Davies

I don't mean to complain but the last few weeks have been pretty
stressful.

* My daughter is having minor surgery and my wife is
experiencing numbness...

* There have been many changes at church as a result of
growth and I can't keep up...

* Too many people are visiting our church. I can't get
around to meeting all of them...

* Several members have experienced tragedies and I must be
there for them...

* Our church has a bigger budget than ever and I am
responsible to help us pay everything...

* Our family has a new puppy with lots of energy and she's
driving me crazy...

* My computer has been in the shop which keeps me from
doing my work...

Moan and groan! Have you noticed all the emphasis on me?
Everything is about me! Whenever stress gets bad, it is often
because of a dreaded disease known as: ME, MYSELF AND I. You're
afflicted when you make statements such as: "I must do
everything myself if it's to be done right! You just can't find
good help now! No one ever volunteers but me!" Are you catching
on to the problem?

The "me, myself and I" disease infects most of us occasionally
but if you don't seek treatment you will suffer immeasurable
pain, not to mention losing a few friends. Fortunately, God has
a prescription for what ails us: quiet reflection, a measure of
prayer and a solid dose of Bible study. For example:

"Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts but it is the
same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are
different kinds of service in the church but it is the same Lord
we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives
but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A
spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the
entire church. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

The common interpretation of this passage is, "All of us are
different with various talents and abilities." But recently I
noticed another lesson. Look at the second part of each
sentence:

...different kinds of spiritual gifts
but the same Holy Spirit...
...different kinds of service
but the same Lord...
...different ways God works
but it is the same God...

The emphasis was never meant to be on our gifts, however good.
Three times the author makes the point... "the same Holy Spirit,
the same Lord and the same God." In other words, we all have
different gifts but we are all coordinated and encouraged by the
same Lord. It is God who is ultimately in control, not me. When
I put the emphasis on me, myself and I the result is always the
same: chaos and stress. But with God in control there is always
another way. Look at my complaints again:

* My daughter is having minor surgery and my wife is
experiencing numbness...
Yet, hundreds of people are offering comfort and praying for
our family.

* There have been many changes at church as a result of
growth and I can't keep up...
Every change has resulted in good things for our church and
for me.

* So many people are visiting our church. I can't get
around to meeting them...
And this is supposed to be a problem? Come on Larry, get
real!

* Several members have experienced tragedies and I must be
there for them...
Yet in the midst of those tragedies, I found God giving
comfort in so many ways.

* Our church has a bigger budget than ever and I have to
help them pay it...
Each time the budget grows we are touching another life for
God.

* The family puppy has too much energy and she's driving me
crazy...
But thanks to my constant walking of her, I've lost weight
and I feel better.

* My computer has been in the shop which has kept me from
doing my work...
Maybe this is God's way of giving me extra time for family
and in prayer.

As, Paul promised, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a
means of helping the entire church." Our church functions
smoothly and my stress level goes down considerably when I learn
to stop thinking everything revolves around me and trust God to
provide the people and resources we need. "Lord, please replace
my stress with faith... in You!" Now, if God would only help our
puppy calm down.

Read Sowing Seeds of Faith... everyday! Click here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/Devotions.htm

Are you receiving prayer concerns from around the world? Join
our prayer team today. Check it out by clicking here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm

How can I regularly support your ministry? Become a Sowing Seeds
Ministry partner. Click here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm

Jesus said: "You are the light of the worldu2014like a city on
a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your
light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it
shine for all." (Matthew 5:14-15)

"Breaking the Peanut Butter Habit: Following God's Recipe for a
Better Life" now on sale only through our website.
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This mailing proudly powered by Subscribe Me(TM) Professional -
Enterprise Edition http://www.subscribemepro.com

=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage!
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