Pope: Vanity makes our life a fraud --- & --- WHEN YOU FEEL ANXIOUS ...

Pope: Vanity makes our life a fraud - Published on Sep 26, 2016

We feel in our souls two kinds of anxiety: a good anxiety, which comes from the Holy Spirit, and which moves us to do good works; and a wicked anxiety that is born from a dirty conscience. That was the message of Pope Francis in his reflection during the morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. The Holy Father based his homily on the perplexity and malice of Herod, as described in the Gospel of Saint Luke. Wickedness, the Pope said, always has the same roots: Greed, pride, and especially vanity – an evil that makes one anxious for appearances, pretences, and leads one to cover-up their true selves. How many people, the Pope asked, strive to appear good, but are actually wicked? They seem to be good, but ...

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When you feel anxious (1)

Do not be anxious about anything. Philippians 4:6
Anxiety starts as a trickle then creates a channel in our mind through which all our thoughts begin to flow. Most of our anxieties fall into three categories: 1) Anxiety about things we all face: like aging, disability, retirement, loneliness, financial uncertainty, accidents, illness, losing a loved one, and death. 2) Anxiety about things we all must do: like making decisions, starting and ending relationships, losing weight, changing careers, making a mistake. 3) Anxiety reflecting our inner state of mind: These anxieties reveal how we feel about our ability to handle things. For example, fear of rejection can affect every relationship in your life. In order to avoid being hurt you shut others out, your world grows smaller and your opportunities for personal growth are more limited. Many of our anxieties can be reduced to one question, 'What if I can't handle it?' Your mind is the battlefield where victory is won or lost. So ask yourself, 'Would I still be anxious if I knew for certain I could handle anything that came up?' The answer is no. Anxiety can't immobilize you and steal your joy when you know you can handle whatever happens. You say, 'That sounds too simple.' Not when you bring God into the picture! Here are two great anxiety eliminating Scriptures you can stand on when times are tough: 1) 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). 2) 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds' (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV).
from - UCB Word For Today




WHEN YOU FEEL ANXIOUS (2 of 2)

When you feel anxious (2)

Do not be anxious about anything. Philippians 4:6
We all face times when we must choose between faith and anxiety. A woman trapped in an abusive relationship must choose between getting help, getting out or staying stuck. A young person being pressured to do drugs can choose to give in, or say, 'no' and walk away. A person anxious about death can read God's Word, talk to a friend or counsellor, or continue to be anxious. The Bible says: 'The righteous are bold as a lion' (Proverbs 28:1). You say, 'Right now I don't feel too bold.' Courage doesn't eliminate anxiety, it rises above it! David said, 'Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart' (Psalm 27:14). When your cause is right and you're committed to God, He gives you the courage needed to act. But you must learn to face the thing you fear. This can mean standing up for what you believe, making a phone call you've been putting off, expressing your opinion, acknowledging some character flaw and asking God to help you change. What you must remember is, doing always comes before the feeling of increased confidence. Each time you confront your anxieties you take a step forward. But when you allow anxiety to control you, you retreat into your 'safe zone' and start seeing yourself as somebody who can't handle life. Here's some great advice for living: analyse the situation fearlessly, figure out the worst that can happen. Once you've accepted that, you experience a release of energy and you can begin doing something about it, even if all you can do is - leave it in the capable and loving hands of God.
from - UCB Word For Today






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Tradition, Scripture and the Catholic Church --- How Old Is Your Church ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Old Is Your Church ?
If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.

If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.

If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your church in London in 1774.

If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, N.Y., in 1829.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1605.

If you are of the Dutch Reformed church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your religion in New York in 1628.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as 'Church of the Nazarene," "Pentecostal Gospel." "Holiness Church," "Pilgrim Holiness Church," "Jehovah's Witnesses," your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past fifty years.

If you are Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church.


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BUILD UP YOUR FAITH !

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Taking the shield of faith. Ephesians 6:16

A Roman soldier's shield protected him from head to toe. It was made of iron, upholstered in thick layers of fabric, and saturated in water when going to battle. Consequently the flaming arrows of the enemy fizzled on contact. Getting the idea? Paul writes, 'Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one' (NIV). Satan can't penetrate a heart that's pure, saturated in Scripture and fortified by faith. That's why Jesus told Peter, 'I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail' (Luke 22:32 NKJV). It's your faith that's under attack; it's your faith that needs to be fed and nurtured; it's your faith that sustains you in life's battles! Jesus said, 'Have faith in God' (Mark 11:22). Note, He didn't just say, 'Have faith in something bigger than yourself.' No, He said, 'Have faith in God.' If you're under attack today claim this promise: 'He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint' (Isaiah 40:29-31 NKJV). God gives each of us a 'measure of faith' (Romans 12:3 NKJV). But Jude says you must develop it by 'building yourselves up on your most holy faith' (Jude 20 NIV). Faith under attack is faith under construction. It's in the battles of life that you discover whether you have nurtured faith or neglected faith!

UCB Word For Today (14th Sept 09)







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MARY, OUR LADY OF SURPRISES, TAKE OVER !

WHEN THINGS DON'T GO WELL, TRY LETTING GO -- AND INVOKING 'OUR LADY OF SURPRISES'



There are a lot of names for the Blessed Mother, but how about "Our Lady of Surprises"? There's actually a prayer invoking her help under this title (see below), and why not? God often works most powerfully through surprises.

Haven't you experienced this? You want something and you want something and you want it -- you pray endlessly -- and nothing occurs. When you let go, a bunch of surprises fall upon you.

Look at the surprise of Jesus multiplying the loaves or cleansing men of disease or the surprise of the first disciples at Lake Gennesaret. After a hard night of fishing, Jesus was suddenly there out of the blue to tell them where they should cast their nets. (They listened to what He said -- leading to an astonishing catch.)

He does this with us all. He sheds grace when we least expect it. When we're faithful and don't complain and don't try to tell God the way everything in our lives should go, He often responds with a flurry of the unexpected!

In meteorology there's a phenomenon of lightning known as the "blue giant." This is when a bolt travels dozens of miles, often striking a place even when there doesn't seem to be a cloud in the sky. It's literally a bolt from the blue. God's gifts can be like that -- when we allow Him.

It's another of those spiritual laws, that letting go lets God. We can actually inhibit the answer to a prayer by wanting something too much. That can tend toward lust, and God doesn't respect that. Or, it can signal a lack of faith. When we pray and then watch everything that transpires with a microscope -- waiting and biting our nails, doubting it will come -- the prayer often goes unanswered (or at least is delayed). It's like watching for the water to boil. It takes forever.

Instead we're called to pray from the heart and then believe that the prayer will work if it's in God's greater plan for us. Be patient. When something isn't happening, let go of it. If it is not in God's Will, the yearning for it -- the obsession -- will soon fade, granting us peace. If it is in God's Will, He now has the room to operate.

A Christian author once said that in the afterlife we will see all the presents God had in store for us and how many never came because we didn't know how to ask for them!

The key word is "release." Release your desires to the Lord. Release all that is causing you anxiety. In prayer, go through everything that may be causing you angst -- and hand it over to Christ. Release your desire. Release all your fears. This is very powerful in communicating with the Almighty One. Invite God to surprise you every day and no day will bore you!

And remember the Blessed Mother:

"O Mary, my mother and Our Lady of Surprises, what a happy joy you caused the wedding guests, when you asked your Divine Son to work the miracle of water into wine. What a happy surprise for them since they thought the wine had run dry. I, too, Mary, love surprises and as your child, may I ask you to favour me with one today? I ask this only because you are my ever caring mother."

Try it. Say that one from the heart.

You may be amazed -- surprised -- at what she brings you.

from:- Spirit Daily - Daily spiritual news from around the world