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What is An Emotionally Healthy Person?

How does a person’s mental health influence their emotional health? I never thought there was a relationship between mental health and emotional health until I began to heal my trauma memories. When my memories and resulting resentments were healed, my emotions changed. There is hope that your future can be different.

What you dwell on creates memories, either good or bad. The stronger the feelings, the stronger the memory connection. For example, think about your favorite vacation. Why was it your favorite vacation? What made that memory so strong? Strong feelings develop beliefs like “I had a great vacation because…”. Or, “I hated that vacation because…”.

For example, I hate going to the Outer Banks because of many traumatic memories from my negative perspective. How we feel is a matter of perspective. My husband loves going to the Outer Banks and didn’t understand why I was traumatized by it. I was anxious about so many things that my perspective was negative, which generated bad behavior. These negative beliefs caused me to stay home alone while my family vacationed at the Outer Banks. Being home alone was better than dealing with the trauma I felt going on that miserable vacation. Have you noticed that each family member has a different memory of the same event? Some family members are more traumatized by an event and have bad memories, which often affects their relationships in some way.

I also realized that my mental health improved when my spiritual health improved because the Bible verses I memorized changed how I processed disappointment from unmet expectations. The scripture that had the biggest effect on my mental and emotional health was 1Theselonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” So, when my expectations were not met, and I got angry, I would think, “What can I rejoice about?” Then, I would pray and give God the situation that made me angry or depressed. Next, I would think about what I can be thankful for in the situation. That discipline took me two years to master. By changing my thinking, I changed my feelings, which changed the beliefs that controlled my behavior. So, my relationships changed, and so did my future.

An emotionally healthy person does not allow a problem or disappointment to define who they are but sees themselves as separate from the problem. They can go to God with the disturbing issue and trust God to help them with it. An emotionally healthy person can self-regulate their emotions and have inner control. The following list is not an exhaustive list of what an emotionally healthy person is. As you read each one, count how many you struggle with.

Can love others without judgment.
Has a healthy self-worth and gives all shame and guilt to God.
Being able to regulate your emotions like sadness and joy.
Can give grace to messy people who frustrate them and are unaffected by their opinions.
Giving to people, not being selfish, and not expecting others to conform to their expectations.
Maintains hope in God despite life’s setbacks.
Take responsibility for their emotions and actions, and do not blame others.
Is not fearful but trusts God.
Identifies wrong beliefs and adopts God’s truth for their beliefs.
Is empathetic toward others.
Is comfortable being alone and being with people.

In the coming weeks, I will address many of these and how to identify the source of the negative feelings and traumatic memories. There is hope for complete healing. God bless you this week. Thank you for joining me today.

Are you Spiritually Healthy?

How Mentally Healthy Are You?

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All verses are from the English Standard Version. If you find my posts and website helpful, please share this link with your friends and family: hopeforcompletehealing.com. The information is copyright protected. Please do not reproduce any part of the posts or my book without proper citation to Joyce Hanscom and this website.

My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of relevant promises to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Contact me at hopeforcompletehealing@gmail.com, and ask for a PDF of Eight Life-changing Prayers from the Bible. The prayers are for the Spirit of wisdom, renewal, spiritual strength, knowledge of His will, virtues of God, non-believers, 23rd Psalm, and victory. I will also send you the Lord’s Prayer Model to pray effectively. Please leave your name, so I know you are a real person making the request.

How Mentally Healthy Are You?

What is mental health? Because I am a former mental health basket case, I think I am qualified to tackle this issue and to offer anyone who needs it hope. You know you are mentally healthy when you have peace despite the problems around you. In this world, we will have many troubles. Jesus said in John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Tribulations mean troubles, suffering, misery, hardships, and difficult trials. Only when we stay focused on Jesus do we have peace and can endure the hard events and people in our lives.

We live in a sinful world full of people who are evil and self-centered. The trauma and abuse both in and outside our homes cause mental illness issues. I was angry, depressed, anxious, and suicidal. I have come to accept that I have an anxiety disorder from all the trauma I suffered. Just today, I jumped and screamed when someone shot their gun close to my home. I do not live in a violent neighborhood, but it is hunting season, so I hear shooting all the time, but I still jump. I even joined a women’s pistol shooting club to overcome my anxiety about guns, but I still jump and scream.

When I look at various articles about mental health, including my coaching classes with Light University, I learn that there are many perspectives on what a mentally healthy person is. The following list summarizes people’s views of what a mentally healthy person looks like.

Aware of negative thinking but not obsessed with it.
Identifies and accepts disappointment but does not discount it.
Forgive those who offend them.
Is realistically thankful about something even when expectations are not met.
Humbly consider others’ needs and desires.
Understands boundaries and uses them.
See possibilities and positives in hardships and not obsess about unrealistic, worst-case scenarios.
Proactive and not defensive. So, they receive criticism and use it for positive change and do not get defensive or become depressed.
Do not get into futile arguments to prove their right.
Knows they can only control their thoughts and actions and not what others think or do.
They are content but also persevere towards positive goals.
Do not need validation from others to feel good about themselves.
Do not relinquish their power to external influences.
Take sad thoughts to God and rejoice in His help, provision, and wisdom?

This list does not cover every aspect of mental health. If you have mental health issues or want to learn more, please read my free online book to begin your healing process. My online book at hopeforcompletehealing.com helps people identify events that contribute to mental health issues and how to resolve them.

Some people are more resilient at handling difficulties because they focus on the positives and seek solutions. People like me who are melancholy or have fairness issues tend to focus on what they don’t like and how hopeless their situation is. So, your mental orientation will determine how mentally healthy you are. Do you see the positive or the negative? Do you seek solutions or sink into helplessness and self-pity?

If you have an influence over children, teach them mental resiliency, which is how to handle disappointment and be self-controlled. To learn more, read The Link Between Disappointment, Resentment, and Self-control. In the coming weeks, I will write posts about specific mental health issues and how to resolve them. I will also explain how to be spiritually healthy to influence your mental health so you can be mentally resilient.

May God bless you richly, and may His face shine upon you.

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of relevant promises to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Are you Spiritually Healthy?

Do you know that humans are spirits in a physical body (1Thes. 5:23)? Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” What does the image of God look like? John 4:24 tells us, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 1Corinthians 6:17 states, “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” We are joined to the Lord through faith when we believe that Jesus, God’s Son, died for the sins of the world, was buried, and rose on the third day (John 20:31; 1John 2:2; and 1Cor. 15:3-4).

Once a person receives the gift of salvation leading to eternal life, they must nurture the spiritual new life they received. 2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. What is the evidence in your life that your old self has passed away and you are living a new life?

A spiritually healthy person desires to read and hear God’s word and to grow in the knowledge of God. 1Peter 2:2 tells us, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” Also, Hebrews 5:13-14 states, “For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” A spiritually healthy person has discernment and can distinguish good from evil.

There are no right answers to the following questions because that would be legalism. These questions are meant to bring awareness to how well you are supporting and advancing your spiritual health. From Monday to Saturday, what are you doing to nurture your spirit and new life in Christ Jesus? I am assuming you go to a worship service on Sunday or Saturday. But what do you do to support your spiritual health during the week?

How often do you thank God for what Jesus did on the cross for you?
How often do you realize you sinned and humbly ask God to forgive you and those you sinned against? (Sin is anything you do that breaks God’s command to love Him and others; see 10 commandments and 1Cor. 13:4-7.)
How often do you read and meditate on the truths of the Bible?
How often do you pray throughout the day?
How often do you set your mind on the truths of God and rejoice?
How often do you submit to God and obey Him instead of giving into your self-centered desires?
How often do you worship God throughout the day?
How often do you use your gifts to serve others in your church community?
How often do you exercise the power of the Holy Spirit?
How often do you do things by faith and not by sight?
How often are you mindful to live a holy life?
How often do you tell others about Jesus and His gift of salvation?

Conclusion

I understand that our salvation is not about works but all about the grace of God. Grace is a gift given out of love when we don’t deserve it. However, once a person receives the gift of salvation that leads to eternal life through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, they will show evidence that God is at work in them. Philippians 2:12-13 states, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Remember, a person’s spiritual health correlates to their mental health.

May God bless you richly, and may His face shine upon you.

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of relevant promises to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Additionally, consider my book Fighting Unseen Battles, which describes the many unhealthy beliefs that control our lives and what the truths are. To learn more about this book, read the post How to Fight Unseen Battles. my post called Breaking Mental Strongholds Book. Also, check out Fighting Unseen Battles on Amazon. To learn more about this book, read: How to Fight Unseen Battles.

What Does a Healthy Person Look Like?

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. –3John 1:2

According to this verse, the key to good health is when our soul is well. What is a healthy soul? The first step to a healthy soul is to have a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10 and John 1:12). Second is to be humble and repentant of your sins. Third, is drawing near to God in prayer, reading His word, and worshiping Him? If you haven’t participated in the 365 Days of Worship, you can start this year. If you worshiped with me this past year, please continue to worship each day. Find and bookmark all my worship posts here. Reflect on what God has done for you this past year. How have you grown closer to Him?

I have been pondering and praying about what I should learn and write about. I kept coming back to what an emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically healthy person looks like. Do you consider yourself a healthy person? Have you ever wondered what a totally healthy person looks like? When I was in the depths of dysfunction, I longed to know how a healthy person acts.

When you face stressful times, do you react well? Do you overreact? Do you go into escape mode? Stress has a way of exposing how spiritually, mentally, and emotionally healthy you are. I still need improvement, but my emotional health is better than last year.

I am a certified Mental Health Coach and am becoming certified as a Child and Youth Mental Health Coach. Through my courses, I have learned a lot about mental health, but I am also learning how mentally unhealthy I was and how it affected my children. I am experiencing the consequences of my unhealthy reactions. I wish I knew then what I know now. I can’t beat myself up, nor should you, for what you did not know. I suffered a lot of traumas from my childhood, which developed dysfunctional actions as an adult. We are only responsible for changing as we grow in knowledge and with the help of God. It is my prayer as I expose areas of trauma in your life that you grow in God’s grace and give God’s grace to others who suffered childhood trauma.

I have discovered that being spiritually healthy is key to mental health because our hope and help can only be found in a healthy relationship with God. Being mentally healthy is key to emotional health because what you think directly affects your feelings. Emotional health is key to physical health because our feelings create physiological reactions in our bodies that cause cell weaknesses or lead to addictions. Being completely healthy leads to healthy relationships and overall well-being.

I will share what I have learned about each of these areas so you can be the healthiest you have ever been in the coming year. Note that a relationship is only as healthy as the least emotionally healthy person. So the goal of my website and this series of posts is to help you be spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy to have great relationships with people and to enjoy life. Are you enjoying your present life and relationships?

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My latest book, Unlocking God’s Promises, explains 18 categories of relevant promises to each of our lives. It also includes the promises in Psalm 91.

If you find this website helpful, you would like to read Breaking Mental Strongholds, which expands on my website book and includes many of my posts.

Week 52: Worship God for He is the King of Kings.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. –Psalm 95:3

Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised, And His greatness is unsearchable. –Psalm 145:3

When you think about something great, what comes to your mind? Do you think of the Super Bowl winners or Olympic winners? Do you think of a world leader, singer, or event? Someone or something that embodies greatness is credited with an outstanding accomplishment that was extremely notable and awe-inspiring, which inspires praise.

Why is God (Father, Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit) great? King David said His greatness was unsearchable because He did so many great and incredible things, like creating all the stars, moons, and planets in the Universe.

Moses said in Deuteronomy 3:24, “‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?” Moses personally experienced God’s greatness when he talked to Him in the burning bush that never burned up. Moses obeyed God and went back to Egypt, and then saw God perform ten miracles that brought the ten plagues to Egypt. God caused all the Egyptians to give their possessions, clothing, silver, gold, and jewelry to the Israelites before they left Egypt. When the Egyptian army chased after them, God parted the Red Sea, and over one million Israelites crossed over on dry ground. Wow, God is great and worthy of praise

God gave them the Ten Commandments and explained how to worship Him by building the moveable Tabernacle. Next, He showed mercy to them countless times when they disobeyed and did not trust Him. He took care of them for 40 years in the wilderness by feeding them every day and keeping their clothing and shoes from wearing out. Once they entered the Promised Land, he helped them defeat the inhabitants. God saved Rahab and her family when the walls of Jerico fell. God’s greatness can be found from Genesis 1 to Revelations 22.

God is the great King. Revelations 15:3 states, “And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!” Also, Revelations 19:16 states, “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Jesus Christ was not born an earthly king and never reigned on the earth, but God humbled himself to become a man so we can relate to Him in a personal way. He then died to pay the debt for the sins of all of mankind so we can spend eternity with Him. We worship a great God.

My prayer is that your relationship with God is closer than ever as you’ve been worshiping Him with me. This is the last week of the year and the last post about worshiping God. How fitting to end the year worshiping God’s greatness because He is worthy of our praise. May God bless you richly in the coming year.

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WEEK 52–December 24-December 31

Day 358-Dec. 24—Worship God because you can be one spirit with Him.

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. –1Corinthians 6:17

Day 359-Dec. 25—Worship God for helping you to escape temptations.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. ¹⁴Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. –1Corinthians 10:13-14

Day 360-Dec. 26—Worship God, who gives you the victory.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. –1Corinthians 15:57

Day 361-Dec. 27—Worship God for giving you His freedom and transforming you.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. –2Corinthians 3:17-18

Day 362-Dec. 28—Worship God for making you a new creation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. –2Corinthinas 5:17

Day 363-Dec. 29—Worship God for His grace that helps you abound in every good work.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. –2Corinthians 9:8

Day 364-Dec. 30—Worship God for giving you divinely powerful weapons.

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. –2Corinthians 10:4-5

Day 365-Dec 31—Write down all the things God did for you this past year and worship Him.

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.

WEEK 51: Worship God and seek His presence continually.

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! –1Chronicals 16:10-11

Take a moment and write down all the things you think about continually. What thoughts dominate your mind most of the time? How do those thoughts affect your beliefs about God, others, or yourself? How do they affect your mood and behavior?

For example, my son and daughter-in-law just had a baby. She had a high-risk pregnancy and had to be induced. Those thoughts consumed my mind and caused me to be fearful, anxious, and tense. It did not matter how much I prayed and gave it to God. So, am I praying with faith or worry? But when I worshiped God, I felt peaceful and relaxed.

Now, my thoughts are fearful that I won’t be as involved in my first granddaughter’s life as I want to be. My daughter-in-law is wonderful and has a very close relationship with her family, so they get the lion’s share of her time and commitment. I now have to analyze my wrong thinking about rejection and the subsequent unhealthy belief that I am not valued. All this stems from childhood abandonment and neglect issues from both my parents. But when I turn my thoughts to praising and glorifying God my anxiety and depression disappear. So amazing. Colossians 3:1-2 states, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

God puts us in situations to reveal the hurtful issues of our hearts that He wants to heal. Remember, one of God’s commands is to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. We can’t love God wholeheartedly or others if our souls are full of hurt and worries that consume our thinking. Take unhealthy thoughts captive through the power of the Holy Spirit and command them to be gone in Jesus’ name. Next, ask God to show you why you have those fearful or angry thoughts and work through the healing process of the hurtful memories that I explain in my online book. The most transformational thoughts are thoughts of thanksgiving, which can be about anything to be effective. 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 states, “ Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Not only are we to worship and glorify God but to continually seek Him and His strength and presence through prayer and praise. “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.” Singing helps to focus our mind on worship and entering God’s presence. I am not someone who remembers songs, but I can make a joyful noise and serve Him. Psalm 100:1-2 states, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! ²Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”

I pray you are encouraged and challenged to take unhealthy, ungodly thoughts captive and transform them into thankful thoughts. As you worship God this week, seek His presence when you first wake up and before your feet hit the floor, then continually throughout the day.

WEEK 51–December 17-December 23

Day 351-Dec. 17—Worship God for the free gift of eternal life.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. –Romans 6:23

Day 352-Dec. 18—Worship God for bestowing His riches on all who call on Him.

For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. –Romans 6:11-12

Day 353-Dec. 19—Worship God, who does not revoke His gifts and calling.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. –Romans 11:29

Day 354-Dec. 20—Worship God, who gives you endurance and encouragement to live in harmony with others.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. –Romans 15:5-6

Day 355-Dec. 21—Worship God for giving you hope and filling you with all joy and peace.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. –Romans 15:13

Day 356-Dec. 22—Worship God for giving you His Spirit, who gives you understanding.

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. –1Corinthians 2:12

Day 357-Dec. 23—Worship God for giving you the mind of Jesus Christ.

“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. –1Corinthians 2:16

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.

Week 50: Worship God because He is Holy.

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” –Revelations 15:4

So, what does it mean that God is holy? What does holy mean? The Strong’s dictionary lists many connotations of the word holy, but the one that refers to a holy God is “purity from defilement.” God is perfect, and no sin exists in His presence. Because God is holy, He deserves our devotion and is worthy of glory.

Why should you fear a holy God? Because your sin separates you from God, and you don’t want to be separated from Him. Isaiah 59:2 states, “But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” You must repent of your sinful nature by first asking Jesus, the Son of God, to forgive you because of the blood He shed as the perfect sacrificial lamb. Second, do what is right by obeying God’s commands, namely that you love Him and love others with all your heart (Luke 10:27-28).

King David tells us in Psalm 99:9, “Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!” And Psalm 99:5 states, “Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he.”

Here is something interesting I researched. The scene of Heaven in Revelations 15 falls between the seven trumpets of judgment and the six bowls of wrath during the seven-year tribulation period. Because God is Holy, He will pour out His wrath on the wicked (sinners) who do not fear or worship Him, like in the days of Noah (1Peter 3:20). Also read 2 Peter 2:4-10.

Remember, 1Thesselonians 5:9-10 states, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” If you were made righteous by your faith in Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, and walk in faith (Gal. 3:11), you will not experience the wrath of God. Hebrews 10:38 states, “But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

Matthew 24:36-42 explains what the rapture will look like. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. ³⁷For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ⁴⁰Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. ⁴¹Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. ⁴²Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” Also read Luke 17:26-37.

Revelations 7:9-10 states, “After this (sixth seal opened) I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” It appears that the multitude are those who were raptured before the seven-year tribulation. Many who know about Jesus Christ but do not fear and obey God nor love Him and others with their whole heart will be left to go through the tribulation. I believe these and others will repent of their sins at the time of the rapture and are the saints in Revelations 13:7 and 14:12, “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.” I understand everyone does not share this view.

If you want to learn more read my series of posts about the end of times.

The following posts explain the other aspects of worship mentioned in this post.

WEEK 27- Worship Gives God Glory.

WEEK 28: Worship reveals the fear of God.

Week 34: Worship God at His footstool.

365 Days of Worship – Week 8 – Exult

As you worship the Holy God this week, ask Him to show you where you are not obeying Him or loving Him and others wholeheartedly. I pray God blesses you this week.

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WEEK 50–December 10-December 16

Day 344-Dec. 10—Worship God for revealing Himself to all mankind.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. –Romans 1:19-20

Day 345-Dec. 11—Worship God because He is kind, forbearing, and patient toward you.

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? –Romans 2:4

Day 346-Dec. 12—Worship God because He is not partial.

There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. ¹¹For God shows no partiality. –Romans 2:9-11

Day 347-Dec. 13—Worship God, who blesses you for your faith and with forgiveness.

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” –Romans 4:5-8

Day 348-Dec. 14—Worship God, who justifies you by your faith, so you can have peace with God.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. –Romans 5:1

Day 349-Dec. 15—Worship God for pouring His love into your heart through the Holy Spirit.

Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. –Romans 5:5

Day 350-Dec. 16—Worship God for removing the control of sin over you.

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. –Romans 6:6

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. –Romans 6:11

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.

Week 49: Worship God with the upright.

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. –Psalm 111:1

Most of us celebrated Thanksgiving. What were you thankful for? The Civil War was still going strong when President Lincoln made the proclamation to have a day of Thanksgiving. In his proclamation, he wanted Americans on both sides of the Civil War to give God thanks. This proclamation should be our prayer for America today.

    No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

    It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.

    And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity, and union.

What are you thankful to God for? In the opening verse, Psalm 111:1 says, “Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation [assembly].” We understand what it means to praise the Lord and give Him thanks. How about with your whole heart? Is your heart divided between God and a person or a worldly item or activity? Ask God to examine your heart and let you know if you have any resentment or bitterness for things done that you have not forgiven. At one time, I was angry with God for not answering my prayers, so I was not thankful with my whole heart. I have since resolved my anger issues. Read my online book to learn how I did this. https://hopeforcompletehealing.com/

King David tells us in this verse to praise and thank God “in the company of the upright and in the congregation.” The upright refers to righteous people who keep God’s commandments, namely, to love Him with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul and love others (1John 2; Luke 10:25-37). My church has a praise and prayer time, where the congregation testifies what they praise God for and shares their prayer requests. This is my favorite part of the service because it is so encouraging, and you feel more connected with the other believers.

Psalm 64:10 also states, “Let the righteous one rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult!” An upright (righteous) person will naturally want to praise God and be thankful to Him. Do you agree or disagree with this thought? Also, read my posts called Worship – Week 8 – Exult and Worship – Week 4 – Whole Heart.

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WEEK 49–December 3 – December 9

Day 337-Dec. 3—Worship God for perfecting His love in you.

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. –1John 4:12

Day 338-Dec. 4—Worship God for giving you faith to overcome the world and be victorious.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? –1John 5:4-5

Day 339-Dec. 5—Worship God for giving you understanding that you may know Him who is true.

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. ²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols. –1John 5:20-21

Day 340-Dec. 6—Worship God, who keeps you from stumbling.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. –Jude 24-25

Day 341-Dec. 7—Worship God, who freed you from your sins and made you a priest.

From Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – Revelations 1:5-6

Day 342-Dec. 8—Worship God, who always was and always will be.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” –Revelations 1:8

Day 343-Dec. 9—Worship God for the gospel and its power for salvation.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. –Romans 1:16

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.

Week 48: Worship God because He is blessed.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD! –Psalm 106:48

In this week’s post, we will explore the meanings of words to understand the meaning of this verse. We will begin with “Blessed be the LORD,” which means worthy of praise, honor, and adoration. Everlasting means for eternity. We worship God because He is worthy of praise, honor, and adoration.

Why do translators use the words LORD or Lord in one place and God in another place? CompellingTruth.com’s explanation is as follows; “Here are a few of the terms used in the Bible and what they refer to in the original Hebrew or Greek. LORD (in all caps or small caps): This spelling is usually used when God’s proper name is meant. The Hebrew, without vowels, is YHWH (also known as the tetragrammaton). No one knows for certain what the proper pronunciation of this should be, but other translations are Yahweh or Jehovah.” According to gotquestions.org, they explain, “In the Old Testament, when ‘God’ is used, it is usually a rendering of the general Hebrew word for God, ‘Elohim.’ When ‘LORD GOD’ or ‘Lord GOD’ occurs, it is usually a rendering of a dual name for God ‘Adonai YHWH.’ The Hebrew term ‘YHWH Sabaoth’ is usually rendered ‘Lord of Hosts.’ The Hebrew term ‘YHWH Shaddai’ is usually rendered ‘LORD Almighty.’”

“And let all the people say, Amen” – The idea is, let all the people join in this; let them all express and declare their assent to this: let them all say, “Be it so.” The word “Amen” is a word expressing assent – meaning verily, truly, certainly (Albert Barnes Commentary).

King David also wrote similar prose that describes why God is worthy of praise, honor, and adoration.

Blessed be the LORD! For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. –Psalm 28:6

Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. –Psalm 31:21

Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! –Psalm 66:20

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah –Psalm 68:19

Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! –Psalm 68:35

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. –Psalm 72:18

The Apostle Paul also wrote:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. –2Corinthians 1:3-4

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. –Ephesians 1:3

This week, worship the blessed God who loves you. Each day describes reasons for worshiping Him. May He bless you richly this week.

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WEEK 48–November 26-December 2

Day 330-Nov. 26—Worship God for being patient and not wishing anyone would perish.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. –2Peter 3:9

Day 331-Nov. 27—Worship God because He is light.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. –1John 1:5

Day 332-Nov. 28—Worship God is faithful to forgive your sins.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. –1John 1:9

Day 333-Nov. 29—Worship God for sending His Son to destroy the works of the devil.

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. –1John 3:8b

Day 334-Nov. 30—Worship God because He is greater than your heart and knows everything.

By this [love with deeds, vs. 18] we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. –1John 3:19-20

Day 335-Dec. 1—Worship God for giving us His commandments so you can abide with Him.

Whoever keeps his commandments [belief and love, vs. 23] abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. –1John 3:24

Day 336-Dec. 2—Worship God because He is love, and you can love with His love.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. –1John 4:7-8

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. –1John 4:16

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.

Week 47: Worship God as a true worshiper.

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. –John 4:22-23

What makes a person a true worshiper? Why are we to be true worshipers? A person who worships is someone who is preoccupied with the power and admirable attributes of God, a person, a career, or an obsession. Worshiping anything other than God is idolatry. Objects of worship can be our children, grandchildren, careers, possessions, other family members, famous people, and so on.

Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well. She asked Jesus the question in John 4:20, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” ²¹Jesus said to her, ’Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.’” The Samaritan woman questioned the correct place of worship. Jesus wanted her to know that He, the Savior from the Jews, is going to change where people worship. Jesus then tells her in verse 23, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” Do you only worship the Father in a certain location? We are still to engage in corporate worship, as I explained in Week 36: Worship God with one voice.

Note: God is a triune entity that comprises the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So Jesus, the Son of God, prays to His Father. They both are components of God. Jesus told His disciples that the Father would send the Holy Spirit of truth to be their helper when He returns to the Father (John 14:26 and 15:26). This may be confusing, but you will understand when you get to heaven.

What does it mean to worship the Father in spirit and truth? Jesus Christ is now the High Priest, so we have access to the Holy of Holies by His blood and forgiveness of our sins (Heb. 10:19-22). Now, we can worship the Father anywhere through our spirit (Heb. 9:24) and according to the truth of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us. Worship is no longer limited by location. Remember, we are spirit beings with a physical body and a soul (1Thes. 5:23). Read my post about worshiping in spirit and truth. The Father is seeking true worshipers who worship Him anytime and anywhere. Are you a true worshiper?

This week, ask God to give you a heart to be a true worshiper. I have provided seven days to focus on worshiping God in truth. May He bless you richly as you worship Him anywhere and anytime.

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WEEK 47–November 19-November 25

Day 323-Nov. 19— Worship God, who will exult you.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. –James 4:10

Day 324-Nov. 20—Worship God for giving you a living hope.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. –1Peter 1:3

Day 325-Nov. 21—Worship God for giving you an inheritance guarded by His power.

To an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. –1Peter 1:4-5

Day 326-Nov. 22—Worship God for choosing you as His possession.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. –1Peter 2:9

Day 327-Nov. 23—Worship God for giving you His mercy.

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. –1Peter 2:10

Day 328-Nov. 24—Worship God for dying for your sins and healing you by His wounds.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, you have been healed. –1Peter 2:24

Day 329-Nov. 25—Worship God for giving you life in the Spirit.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. –1Peter 3:18

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Verses are from the English Standard Bible. To review the previous weeks, visit the 365 Days of Worship Page. This post is copyright protected.