Friday, 24 June 2011

trACker number364 Hopelessness has a Horrible Habit of Becoming Increasingly Hopeless the More You Harp on It


trACker number364
The e-Devotional helping to keep you on-track
GodTracker is online at www.godtracker.co.uk 

24 June 2011 
  
Dear God Tracker

Hopelessness has a Horrible Habit of Becoming Increasingly Hopeless the More You Harp on It

His best mate had been rushed to hospital after taking an overdose cocktail of anti-depressants. Geoff sat by Don’s hospital bed, watching and waiting. The Monitors bleeped and narrow tubes extended from Don’s arms up to drips next to his bed. It was all a bit too much for Geoff. This was the second time in as many weeks he had maintained vigil at Don’s side after two attempted suicides.

Don had been in severe depression for several years. His family life was stable and he had been securely employed in the same job for almost all his adult life. However, for some reason Don had become disgruntled with life. He continually complained about his health, though the doctors reassured him there was nothing wrong. Convincing his doctor that he was under stress, he had prescribed anti-depressants. Gradually the strength of the anti-depressants was increased until he was at maximum dosage. Don had convinced himself that he was severely depressed. His family life began to suffer. His work degenerated until eventually Don had every reason to convince himself that there was no longer anything to live for.

Geoff maintained his visits to Don until Don had begun to improve. By now he had recovered from the overdose and, with proper council, was seeing the brighter side of life. On the other hand, it was who now Geoff who found himself on that awful slippery spiral downward. Somehow Don’s angst had become contagious. Geoff found himself swept away by despair, though there was no real reason for it. He found grounds to blame his career, his family and even his faith for his depression. Now Geoff himself was in grave danger of swapping his hospital visitor’s chair for Don’s bed.

God Tracker, hopelessness has a horrible habit of becoming increasingly hopeless the more you harp on it. Beware of the magnetism of misery! Misery, whether founded or not, leads to despair. Despair is a ploy of Satan and Satan is the father of lies. Lies are futile and hold no water. The truth is, knowing the truth sets you free from despair and misery. Jesus is the truth and the way to exchange a disgruntled life with abundant life. We need to, indeed care for and support others who are in depression but I have discovered that depression is contagious. Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free. Only he has the wherewithal to lift our spirits and meet our needs. So lift up your eyes and hold fast to the hope you profess. Guard against the lies of Satan by filling your heart and mind with God’s truth and your days with his presence. There is no problem too great that you cannot overcome, in Christ.

God-tracking is hopeful.

Stay blessed

Dudley

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GodTracker is now also available as a blog. Check out: http://godtracker.blogspot.com/
Our hope is that, by sharing experiences in tracking the will of God, we will draw closer to him and discover the awesome value of walking with God. Let us know what you think by e-mailing dudley@godtracker.co.uk God knows the plans he has for you. So go ahead and track them!

Why not invite your Facebook friends to join the GodTracker group or recommend a friend to subscribe to trACker here:  http://www.godtracker.co.uk/tronline.shtml#recomend

What is trACker?
GodTracker and trACker owe their origins to an international Christian radio programme produced by Dudley Anderson called, OnTrack. Although OnTrack went off-air in 2005, trACker has continued to help people to track God's plans and purposes for their lives since July 2003.

There is no charge for trACker. Thank you to those who have generously given to this work. Please consider helping toward expenses in delivering this service to you by making a  
D O N A T I O N   H E R E  or copy and paste the following link to your browser:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=4H3GDJBA52WN6&lc=GB&item_name=godtracker%2eco%2euk&currency_code=GBP&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

You can now hear Dudley Anderson on UCB UK
Saturdays from 00:00 to 05:00 GMT and Sundays from 06:00 to 12:00 GMT
Listen to UCB UK on DAB, Sky channel 0125 or online at http://ucbmedia.co.uk

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VoW

Verse of the Week

Colossians 3:1
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.


Quote of the Week

A Sample of Dudley’s Fave Quotes.

Oh, how true it is that despair is often the womb from which real faith is born.” --- Duncan Campbell

 

Don’t Give-up, Look-up!

Look-up and Fix Your Eyes On Jesus!

I am Hidden With Christ in God

Colossians 3:2-3
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Pray
“O Lord, I’m desperate. I have been caught up in the spiral of despair. Please forgive me for taking my eyes off of Jesus and looking intently at my circumstances. I deliberately choose to believe the truth now that you are the author of my life and in you I live and move and have my being. Fill me with your joy for mourning and praise for despair. Your word tells me that the joy of the Lord is my strength. Fill me now with your joy. Nothing is too difficult for you, my God. I set my mind on things above and claim that I am hidden with Christ in God. Thank you Lord. Amen.”


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Why not recommend trACker to someone?

Friday, 17 June 2011

trACker number363 My Priority List: God… Family… Work


trACker number363
The e-Devotional helping to keep you on-track
GodTracker is online at www.godtracker.co.uk 

17 June 2011 
  
Dear God Tracker

My Priority List: God… Family… Work

It was well past 10.00pm one Friday night when my lovely wife came into my study. I had been working since early morning, breaking only for lunch and supper. I had not even noticed when Karen popped in for a chat after she had come home from work at five. This was no one-off occurrence, either. I’d been working like this for many months, close to 7 days a week doing what I believed was God’s work. “Are you ever going to turn that computer off and spend some time with your family?” she asked.

I have always been under the conviction that Christians should be above reproach. I believe that, as a follower of Christ, I should do all that I do to the best of my ability and with all my heart. To this end, I was totally committed to the work God had called me to. I would go the proverbial “extra mile” just so that my conscience was convinced that I was performing in excellence. However, the harder I worked and the longer I worked, the further I drew away from God’s true purpose until I was so consumed by the work of the Lord that I’d taken my eyes off the Lord of the work. As a result my family had become a byproduct of my ministry; my health and my fitness began to suffer and my marriage was threadbare. Although I was bringing in a modest income, I had actually ceased providing for my family. Paul said it like this to Timothy, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever,” (1 Tim 5:8).

God Tracker, if you are intent on seeking and tracking the plans and purposes of God for your life then let me sincerely encourage you to, indeed, give it all you’ve got. Let me encourage you to, indeed, work with excellence as unto Christ. However, if you are truly on-track with the God’s plans and purposes then you should be working, serving, ministering and functioning in all you do by his principles and presidents and not by your own ambition. To this end, you will not compromise God’s priorities for the sake of performance.

Without compromising the work God has called me to do (on the contrary, my output has in fact increased) I made a few adjustments to my weekly routine. I made time for the family and took a whole day’s Sabbath. Now I’m very happy to report that, through the council of my loving heavenly Father together with that of my loving earthly wife, I have readjusted my priority list: God… family… work.

God-tracking is getting your priorities right.

Happy tracking

Dudley

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

GodTracker is now also available as a blog. Check out: http://godtracker.blogspot.com/
Our hope is that, by sharing experiences in tracking the will of God, we will draw closer to him and discover the awesome value of walking with God. Let us know what you think by e-mailing dudley@godtracker.co.uk God knows the plans he has for you. So go ahead and track them!

Why not invite your Facebook friends to join the GodTracker group or recommend a friend to subscribe to trACker here:  http://www.godtracker.co.uk/tronline.shtml#recomend

What is trACker?
GodTracker and trACker owe their origins to an international Christian radio programme produced by Dudley Anderson called, OnTrack. Although OnTrack went off-air in 2005, trACker has continued to help people to track God's plans and purposes for their lives since July 2003.

There is no charge for trACker. Thank you to those who have generously given to this work. Please consider helping toward expenses in delivering this service to you by making a  
D O N A T I O N   H E R E  or copy and paste the following link to your browser:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=4H3GDJBA52WN6&lc=GB&item_name=godtracker%2eco%2euk&currency_code=GBP&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

You can now hear Dudley Anderson on UCB UK
Saturdays from 00:00 to 05:00 GMT and Sundays from 06:00 to 12:00 GMT
Listen to UCB UK on DAB, Sky channel 0125 or online at http://ucbmedia.co.uk

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

 

VoW

Verse of the Week

James 3:16
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.


Quote of the Week

A Sample of Dudley’s Fave Quotes.

So many of us are so busy doing God's work, we forget sometimes that God is actually the One working.” --- Bonnie Ricks

 

Don’t Give-up, Look-up!

Look-up and Fix Your Eyes On Jesus!

My Work Is In You

Matthew 11:30
“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Pray
“Dear heavenly Father, I realise that I have been doing too many things in my own strength and by my own methods. I’m sorry, Lord. I choose now to give my labours to you and ask that you will show me the things that I’m doing that are not your will for me; show me the time-wasters in my work, O Lord, and help me to focus only on the essentials and to not neglect my loved ones. I draw my strength and stamina from you now. I choose to yoke up with Jesus and ask that you will lead me as my senior partner in business, because my work is in you. To your glory. Amen. 


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Why not recommend trACker to someone?

Friday, 10 June 2011

trACKer Number362 I Do Not Need Self-confidence; I Need Self-control


trACker number362
The e-Devotional helping to keep you on-track
GodTracker is online at www.godtracker.co.uk 

10 June 2011 
  
Dear God Tracker

I Do Not Need Self-confidence; I Need Self-control

Like so many of us, I have, on several occasions, found myself in a position where my self-esteem or self-confidence has taken a nasty knock. I know what it’s like to give your all to something only to be insulted or reduced by so called well meaning (or otherwise) advice. I also know what it’s like when people who look up to you instantly point their fingers and waggle their tongues the moment you make a mistake. Sadly, so many of us don’t have the grace to bring about constructive change in folk through humble prayer and not criticism. What do we do, then, when our self confidence has been ripped out from under us?

As I pondered this dilemma I got to thinking more about this concept of self. I looked up the word “self” and found it means the qualities that make one individual or unique. The word “ego” is related to “self” and it means a sense of personal identity. Both words are summed up in one word: “me”. Therefore both self-esteem, which is the admiration I have of me and self-confidence, which is the faith I have in me, are both connected to the human effort to achieve, perform or behave in a way that impresses others and exalts “me”. Somehow, as I mused over this mission I begin to realise that “self”-confidence or “self”-esteem are not something that a true God Tracker should aspire towards. So where do my esteem and confidence come from, if not from self?

Listen: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control,” (Galatians 5:22). Did you notice that last fruit mentioned in Paul’s list… self-control? The obvious and correct interpretation of this fruit is to imply the control of our passions and lusts by the Holy Spirit. However, thinking about self-confidence and self-esteem, I suddenly noticed that we can turn self-control around to become, control of self! In other words, all that I call “self” or “ego”, as a Spirit filled believer in Christ, should come under the control of the Holy Spirit. This means that my qualities that make me individual or unique should reflect Christ in me and my sense of personal identity should not be in self but God’s word. I began to realise that I do not need self-confidence; I need self-control.

God Tracker, as we seek to track God’s purposes for this life, let us not rest on self anymore. As we desire to achieve great things in life and become confident in all we do, let us not build on our own egotistic esteem but upon his word to us and the power of the Holy Spirit to bring it to life in our lives.

God-tracking requires humble God-confidence.

Stay blessed

Dudley


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

If you have recently joined trACker then a hearty welcome to you.
Our hope is that, by sharing experiences in tracking the will of God, we will draw closer to him and discover the awesome value of walking with God. Let us know what you think by e-mailing dudley@godtracker.co.uk God knows the plans he has for you. So go ahead and track them!

Why not invite your Facebook friends to join the GodTracker group or recommend a friend to join trACker here:  http://www.godtracker.co.uk/tronline.shtml#recomend

What is trACker?
GodTracker and trACker owe their origins to an international Christian radio programme produced by Dudley Anderson called, OnTrack. Although OnTrack went off-air in 2005, trACker has continued to help people to track God's plans and purposes for their lives since July 2003.

There is no charge for trACker. Please consider helping toward expenses in delivering this service to you by making a   D O N A T I O N   H E R E  or by copying and pasting the following link to your browser:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=4H3GDJBA52WN6&lc=GB&item_name=godtracker%2eco%2euk&currency_code=GBP&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

You can now hear Dudley Anderson on UCB UK
Saturdays from 00:00 to 05:00 GMT and Sundays from 06:00 to 12:00 GMT
Listen to UCB UK on DAB, Sky channel 0125 or online at http://ucbmedia.co.uk

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

 

VoW

Verse of the Week

2 Corinthians 3:4-5
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.


Quote of the Week

A Sample of Dudley’s Fave Quotes.

“Are you facing an impossible situation?  Remember Who is in control.  Remember how many miracles He has done in your life up until now.  And believe that He will do more” --- Bonnie Ricks

 

Don’t Give-up, Look-up!

Look-up and Fix Your Eyes On Jesus!

Only You Can Restore My Confidence and Hope

Isaiah 57:15 (GNB)
"I am the high and holy God, who lives forever. I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope.

Pray
“Father, as I think about my sense of low self-esteem I realise that a high-regard for my “self” is not something I should pursue as a Christian. You look for humility in the deepest parts of me, Lord. So I choose today to humble my “self” and repent of all my sins before you. I’ll be honest, I need confidence to do the things that I do in life but I know now that, that confidence cannot be in me but in you. Lord, be my self-esteem; be my self-confidence. I ask that yiur Holy Spirit would manifest more control of self in my life so that I will be successful and accomplished in all I do, but not of me; of you. Lord, be my esteem; by my control of self and be my self-confidence. Only you can restore my confidence and hope. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” 


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Why not recommend trACker to someone?