1 Peter 3:4
Joy’s Notes:
“You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet SPIRIT, which is so precious to God.”
———————-
This is not a
PERSONALITY issue —
But a SOUL POSTURE
“When they saw Peter & Johns BOLDNESS & courage, even though othey were unschooled, ordinary Men, they were amazed/astonished. THEY ALSO RECOGNIZED THEM AS MEN WHO’D BEEN W/ JESUS!” -Acts 4:13
Gentle & quiet spirit=
“power under control”
BUSY & LOUD world— God is calling me into a quiet space where I LEARN TO TRUST HIM!!
👇
Saul’s “Tormenting Spirit” — wouldn’t let him find quiet rest !
“The arrogant never find rest” (Habakkuk 2:5)
ARROGANCE— root cause is insecurity! (They build themselves up to hide their real feelings about themselves)
Is 30:15
“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance & restis your salvation,
in quietness & trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.
FEAR- God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power love and a SOUND MIND!!
Fear will make you feel like you’re losing your kind!! Choas in the head!!
(That’s the goal of Satan)
But when I began to BELIEVE God was WITH ME, fighting my battles, defending my cause— I could RELINQUISH my controlling tendencies & get quiet in his throne room!!!
Mark 5:1-20
“This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10 Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”
13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there (rested soul) fully clothed, sound minded & perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
Chaos to calm
Crooked to straight.
Dark to light
Broken to mended
Unloved to beloved
Because of Jesus’ healing hand!
PSALM 23 : (written when David was being hunted down and having to live in caves)
1
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside QUIET waters,
3
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Anita’s Notes:
It is you Lord.
If they knew my heart would it be the same?
If they heard my cries or they felt my shame..
If they could see my love beyond mistakes.
If they knew my struggles, how much it takes..
If they could see how hard that I try…
If they knew my words were not a lie…
Would they hold me closer to the heart? Would they forgive me right from the start?
Would they listen to me with open ears? Would they carry my burdens or my fears?
Were they comfort me when I am sad? Would they understand when I get mad?
It’s not them that I need, I think I see,
it’s not them Lord, you must agree.
It’s not them who can see down in my soul,
It’s not them who can fill your loving role.
It’s not them who can replace all my sorrow,
It’s not them who can promise a better tomorrow.
It is you Lord with all your mercy and grace,
It is you Lord my heart can never replace,
It is you Lord, your forgiveness and love,
It is you Lord with an ear from above.
It is you Lord I solely seek,
It is you Lord who carries me when I am weak.
Anita Harless.