fear – My God, My Music, My Life

No, not from my wife. I am divorcing all the things in my life that take away from God’s purpose for my life. The list is long and I may fail on some but with the help of Jesus, I can end the relationships.

I am divorcing pride. He was been there too long. Not that I thought I was better than anyone else because I am not but the pride that I thought I didn’t need anyone else. The pride that told me I can do this by myself. The pride that kept me from reaching out to others for help. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

I am divorcing negative thoughts. The ones that tell me I can’t do this. The ones that keep me from doing that. The ones that tell me people will think I am not good enough. The ones that tell me no one will read this anyway. Proverbs 15:26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.

I am divorcing negative words. I will no longer bring others down by the words I speak. I will speak words of encouragement, words of healing, words of truth, words of love. Job 4:4 Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees

I am divorcing fear. Fear that has kept me from talking. Fear that has kept me from doing. Fear that has kept me from living. Fear that has kept me in my box far too long.

I am divorcing not forgiving others. It is said that not forgiving someone is like drinking poison then waiting for the other person to die. I am tired of holding on to the pain, the anger, the hurt. It is not up to me to punish them. I have to forgive in order for me to live again. God is in control. How many times has he forgiven me? Luke 11:4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

I am divorcing going through the motions. I will no longer say I am okay or fine when you ask if I am not okay or fine. I will no longer say I will help and not. I will no longer say we should volunteer and not sign up. I will no longer live my life like a robot.

I am divorcing shame. Shame that has kept my secrets hidden. Shame that I am not wanted. I am divorcing the shame of my family not wanting me, the shame of my family controlling me and doing things they want so they will like me, the shame of my family giving me no boundaries, the shame of the family that abused me. (note: this isn’t my family. I have a wonderful family but this is for those that don’t). I did not deserve to be shamed by you and now I am divorcing you. Job 11:15 then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.

I am divorcing my past and my worries and anxiety about the future. My past does not define me and will not shape my future. My worries about the future only take away the joy of my today. I will live in the present. I will love each moment I have of today. I will live each day like it is a gift from God. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I am divorcing my selfish ways. I am going to give more of my time to my wife and children. I am going to give more of my time to my community. I am going to give more of time to my church. I will not be overwhelmed by the things I have to do. If I need 25 hours in day to get things done, God will show me how to do it. Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

I am divorcing my low self-esteem. I am not who you say I am. I am wanted, accepted, and loved by my God, Jesus.

I am divorcing guilt. Guilt for the things I have done to others. Guilt for the things I have done to myself. I am not a bad person even though I have done bad things. Psalm 38:4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

I am divorcing lies. Lies I have told and lies I have believed. I am divorcing the lies of this world. There is only one truth and that is the Word Of Jesus. Leviticus 19:11 ‘Do not steal. ” ‘Do not lie. ” ‘Do not deceive one another

I am divorcing anger and hate. I have been so mad at people that it has made me hate them. I have hated people I don’t even know for the things they have done to people I don’t even know. I have hated and been angered at those that hurt children. I have hated and been angered at those that have taken advantage of the elderly and the sick. It is not my job to put punishment on these people. God will have the final say. Deuteronomy 30:7 The LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies who hate and persecute you

I am divorcing judgement. I have judged people on the way they look and the clothes they wear. I have judged people by the job they have and the places they live. One day that could be me. Mark 14:7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me

I am divorcing temptation. I am tempted way too often by way too many things. The devil will tempt me again but by the name of Jesus I will not fall for his deceptions and his lies. I will follow the truth. Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. and Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.

Some of these I will be able to divorce easily and quickly. Some of these will be hard and take years. Will these ex’s try to sneak back into my life? Yes. Will I cheat on my new life by falling back to my old life? I pray not but only with the help of Jesus will I succeed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Lay Down My Pride by Jeremy Camp –

Speak Life by TobyMac –

Motions by Matthew West –

Dear X, You Don’t Own Me by Disciple –

We Fall Apart by We As Human –

Disconnected by Veridia –

Negative Positive by 3 Winans Brothers –

Shame by Keith Urban –

Why Worry by NewSong –

This is a tough one for me. There have been so many times when I heard or felt God telling me to do something and I let fear get in the way and did not do it. Why do I do this? It wasn’t like He was asking me to sacrifice my child or to go preach to a city full of sin. He wasn’t asking me to turn water into wine or leave my family or my job to follow Him.

Fear, the great inhibitor.

As you already know I am not a big talker. I am also comfortable in my comfort zone. God says go talk to that stranger. I am like are you sure? Then the stranger walks away and the chance is gone. God says go left and I go right and find myself somewhere I shouldn’t be. Should’ve listened to God. God says get off the computer and spend time with your family. I say they are fine. They are busy doing what they do.

Status quo. Don’t rock the boat. If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.

But it is broken isn’t it.

Technology is great but it has also taken so much away from why we are here. Yes, I can reach millions of people I will never see through these writings and hopefully bring a few of those people to know Jesus. Am I sacrificing my time with my family by doing this? Maybe. God is telling me to do this so I am doing it. How do I do it without sacrificing family time? I have to sacrifice my time. Instead of aimlessly looking at the internet I have to concentrate on writing. Instead of sleeping seven hours maybe I sleep six. Would you sacrifice an hour sleep if God was using you to change the world? Would you spend the thirty minutes you take each morning drinking coffee and reading (or watching) the morning news and change it to taking thirty minutes to tell the world about Jesus? We all have extra time in the day, it comes down to a matter of how do you want to use that extra time? If God asks you to give him ten minutes a day, would you, could you do it?

Watch tv or read the bible? Read about the latest news on this or that celebrity or talk to your children and spouses?

Matthew 6:22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light,

Spend twenty minutes reading all the jokes, gossip, news etc in your inbox or spend twenty minutes exercising? If God asked you to run for Him, would you do it?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

I remember a time when a young couple came to our church. They sat right in front of us and they looked distraught. She was pregnant and you could tell they didn’t have much money. At the end of service, God was telling me to talk to them, but I didn’t. I said maybe next time. Later, my wife told me God was telling her the same thing, but she did nothing also. She thought maybe next time. That couple has not been back to our church, or if they have we have not seen them. I would talk to them now.

I remember a young lady sat beside us one service and she cried most of the service. I felt God telling me to talk to her. This time I did, a simple are you okay, anything I can do? She said thanks but no, she will be okay. I see her every service and she is an active member of our church. What if that day I didn’t say anything?

I remember at my work, a long time ago, everyone was cursing all the time. It was a hostile environment. Yelling across the room f this or f that. I heard God say stop cursing and people will follow. I quit and within two-three weeks, almost everyone quit cursing and the mood in the room changed for the better. What if I didn’t listen and kept cursing?

I remember my wife saying she can’t lead a Run For God class. She heard God telling her to do it but fear of speaking in front of people kept her from doing it. She lead her first Run For God class June 28th. Sixteen adults and ten children were there and more people have shown interest in being there for the second class. So far, that’s twenty-six people, that through God, she is leading to bring them closer to God, to meet new people in their walk with God, and to use their bodies and minds to glorify God. All because she listened to God.

How do you know if it’s God, your own mind, or Satan speaking to you? Satan deceives and lies, will try to lead you away from what is right. Your mind is selfish and will try to promote your own self interests. God will lead you to do what is right, He will never ask you to do something you shouldn’t, and will always put others before yourselves.

Once you get over your fears, it gets easier. That’s why people try to conquer their fears by facing them head on. Afraid of heights? Go someplace high. Afraid of spiders, snakes? Hold one. Okay maybe not. How about be in a room with them at the zoo or something. Have you watched Biggest Loser or Extreme Weight Loss? The issues are usually the fears they have or a trauma that had happened in their life that is holding them back. Once they tackle those issues, the I can’ts or the trauma they faced earlier in life, they move forward. Afraid to tell the truth because of shame, hurt? Do it anyway, the truth will always set you free.

John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

What is God asking you to do today? Is your answer yes Lord?

Never Gone by Colton Dixon –