Temperance Tuesday- My experience

As I was thinking hard on what to write for the past two days ago for Saturday Sabbath day. I couldn’t think about anything and nothing come to mind. I seem to forget that God is still in control as I thought of my problems on Sabbath night. I also thought to myself, I shouldn’t be feeling like this (its sabbath day). That’s when the Holy Spirit touched my heart and I remember Christ. I prayed to Him as I was thinking on what to do and how to deal with the problem, I was in. It was like the two people are in constantly fighting within my mind on what I should do and not do in the situation. This happened quite sometime to me.

In my head, I know that I don’t want to act out of God’s character but at the same time I was so upset. It’s like I’m fighting within myself. This reminded me of Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” In my case, I wasn’t lusting but I wanted to say things and talk however my flesh was telling me at the time. I know this is the enemy’s doing, but sometimes I refused to acknowledge that. At the same time, I can feel the small voice inside of my head telling me that I need to stop and allow God to take control of what I was thinking of doing. I don’t know if you ever feel this way too? but when I feel upset, I hated the feelings of being upset because it made me think of all the negative thoughts that I want to do so I can let out my anger. If I were to act out and say what was in my mind. Later on, I will feel really bad and very guilty about it. I often didn’t get away with what my feelings are telling me to do. Especially when it comes to problems that are repeatedly made in the past and it makes me feel so angry. However, this sabbath night I didn’t allow myself to take control of me.

Of course, it was hard at the time but when I allowed God inside my mind and started to open the Bible app from my phone and read random verses in there. Then I remember the verses in Isaiah 53. I’ve read these verses before but every time I thought of the situation that I’m facing. It reminded me of how good God is and how strong, humble, patient, and endurance He is, despite what He’s been going through. My tear started rolling down to my cheeks as I was reading the verses. When Jesus was here on earth, no one was with Him even His disciples left Him. But He was here to only do what His Father told Him to do. He did His Father’s wills not His own wills. We ought to do the same. To always striving to be like Christ and put to death our own desires. God is so good, His love for us never failed. He overcome everything in this world. He is the best example that we all should follow.

As I thought of the verse in Isaiah 53, I prayed and thought (God, you are so good), the more I thought about the goodness of God. My mind started to focus more on Him rather than my own problems, which is nothing in comparison to His. Then the feeling of upset and negative thinking started to go away. This is what I’ve learned and I want you to do the same. When you are feeling down and upset about something, just pause and STOP for a few seconds! Don’t let that enemy inside but allow God in by praying and opening His words. Focus on JESUS, OUR ONLY HOPE.

The Sin-Bearing Messiah

53 “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no [a]form or [b]comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no [c]beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and [d]rejected by men, A Man of [e]sorrows and acquainted with [f]grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely He has borne our [g]griefs And carried our [h]sorrows; Yet we [i]esteemed Him stricken, [j]Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded[k] for our transgressions, He was [l]bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes[m] we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord [n]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from [o]prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And [p]they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the Lord to [q]bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 [r]He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the [s]spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

-Chao Kpa