So, What Do You Think?

 "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2).



    What is the first thing that you think of when you open your eyes each morning? Do you think about all the things you have to do that day? Do you think about the dreams you had during the night? Do you think about how tired you are? Do you think about all the pressures of your job and wish it were your day off? Do you think about something that happened yesterday or look forward to something that will happen tomorrow? What comes to your mind?

     What do you think of as you lay your head on your pillow to sleep at night? Do you regret things you said or didn't say during the day? Do you think about all the things you did that day? Do you recall all the conversations you had with co workers or family members? Do you go over your plans for tomorrow in your mind?  What thoughts fill your mind?


      Does the Lord ever fit into your thoughts? In the morning, do you thank Him for waking you up and protecting you throughout the night? Do you thank Him for His love, grace, mercy and blessings? Do you spend time each morning just telling Him how much you love Him without asking Him for anything?  Do you ask Him what He wants you to do for Him today? Do you worship Him in the morning?  Or, do you stay in bed until the last minute, rush up and get ready as quickly as possible, grab a quick bite to eat, and rush out the door and on your way; saying a quick prayer in the car as you travel through traffic?


"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up."  (Psalm 5:3).

      At night, before bed, do you rush to get last minute things done, lay out clothes for tomorrow, brush your teeth, set the alarm clock and go to bed hoping to quickly fall asleep. Do you spend quiet time worshipping the Lord, talking with Him (not just TO Him; there is a difference), do you spend time in His Word, and letting Him know how much you love Him?


Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. (Psalm 55:17).

     Does Jesus ever cross your mind? Does He cross your mind even when things are going good, or do you only think of Him when you need something from Him? He is thinking of you.


  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end"
 (Jeremiah 29:11)


What is on your mind? What are you thinking about?

Have A God Day!

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  (Psalm 118:24).


      We all have said at one time or another, "I am having such a bad day", or "this is a terrible day", or something to that affect. When tough times come to our lives, we talk about how bad our day is. We go on and on about how horrible our day is.


"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."  (Genesis 1:31).


     According to this passage, everything God made was very good. So, if God created this day, and everything God made is very good, then this cannot be a bad day. It can only be good.  We must be thankful for every day that we are given.

      Some time back,  I sent a friend an email, and at the end, I intended to type, "Have a Good Day."  Instead, I typed, "Have a God Day". At first, I thought I should correct the typo, but then realized that every day should be a God day. Every day should be a day filled with God thoughts. We should fill each day with His Word. We need to use our days to share God and His Word with others. 

      When bad things happen to us, instead of saying how bad our day is, we should thank God for this beautiful, wonderful and amazing gift God gives us. Declaring how bad the day is, is simply saying that God made something bad. He did not and cannot make bad days.

     It is time we change how we view our day. It is a blessing from the Lord and we are to rejoice and be glad in it.


     HAVE A GOD DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go Through It

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." (Isaiah 43:2).


       We often hear people say, "You just don't know what I am going through!"  Perhaps you have even said that to someone when you were going through a really tough time. We all have said it. Maybe we have said, "I just can't go through any more. It seems I am always going through these hard times", or something similar to these statements.  We all go through things. We all have hard times that seem will never end. At times, we think we can never smile again.

       Stop and think about the statements we make:  "You just don't know what I am going through".   Going through..... Look at that closely. According to the dictionary, "going" means to be moving in a direction, travelling,  departure.   "Through" means from beginning to the end,  to complete. So, this would mean, then that we are travelling through our situation until its completion. We aren't staying in our situation, we are moving through it.

     If I approach a house or building and I go in the building, this means, I go in the door, and I stay inside. I might sleep, read, eat, paint, clean or a number of other things. If I go through the building, this means I go in one door and out the other; with no intention of staying inside. 

      We all have problems, troubles, trials and frustrations. The question for today is:  "Are you stuck in your problems, or are you going through your problems?"  There is a distinct difference. It's all a matter of your mindset. If you believe that your problem will last forever, then you are stuck in it and it will last a long, long time.   However; if you rejoice in your trials, (that isn't always easy to do), keep moving toward the Lord, keep focusing on His word, then you will move through it so much more quickly and stronger than when you went into it.  Notice in the above scripture, God didn't say when you are "in" these situations, He said when you go "through" them.

     Jesus promised that He would be with us always. He promised to never leave us nor forsake us. The Holy Spirit is with us to strengthen, help, comfort and guide us along this journey.  We are not alone. We are not abandoned. He is with us while we go through these things. He will protect us and encourage us during those dark times.

      If you feel trapped in your situation, look for the way out. He has provided an exit so that we can escape and not be stuck in our trials indefinitely. He is the way, the truth and the life. Seek Him and He will show you the way. You don't have to stay stuck in depression, worry, doubt, fear, anxiety, sin, hopelessness, heartache, misery, or any other situation. While it's true that sometimes bad things happen to good people, we must keep moving through it and not sit down and give up and die in it. 

     When faced with a seemingly hopeless situation, set your mind and fix your heart; knowing that you will come through it to the other side. Don't allow the enemy to tell you that you will forever be stuck in it. Tell yourself and the enemy that you are going through it in Jesus'  name!

     

Don't Forget

 "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:"  (Psalm 103:2).


      God blesses us every day with blessings and benefits. Often times, we don't even notice these benefits. We go day after day without even giving regards to the wonderful things God has done and is doing for us.



 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." (Psalm 68:19).


    Every day, God blesses us with all manner of blessings. From the time we wake up until we go to sleep, He is constantly blessing us. Psalm 103 lists some of the benefits He blesses us with.  He gives us breath, knowledge, life, hope, food, clothing, shelter, joy, peace, salvation, and too many benefits to mention.  This passage tells us to not forget these benefits. Life and stress sometimes cause us to lose focus of these benefits and cause us to focus on the negative things in our lives. It is important to remind ourselves of the wonderful blessing of the Lord.

     It isn't enough for us to remember these blessings, but we should tell someone else what God has done in our lives. They might be going through a rough time and need to know that He can do it for them also. Sharing your testimony with others can build their faith and give them hope.

     
      Spend some time meditating on the blessings of the Lord. Think about all the things He has done for you. Remember his benefits, then spend some time thanking Him and sharing with others!

What In The World Are You Doing?

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,                 (2 Corinthians 6:17).


    Paul was telling the church people of that day that the Lord was saying it was time for the church to act like Christians and not be worldly. This isn't about how they looked, but how they lived. It wasn't about what they said with their lips, but what they did with their lives. It is the same today. God is still telling the Christians to be more Christ-like and less worldly. Again, this isn't about hair length, clothes, or outward appearance. It is a matter of the heart. When the heart is right, the other things will fall into place the way they should.


"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7).


     God knows the intent of our hearts. He knows what we think, what our inner attitudes are. He knows our struggles and whether we are trying to change or not. He knows us better than we know ourselves.   Now, we know that God forgives us when we ask Him to. We know that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We know that if we confess our sins and confess that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God that we will be saved and our sins will be forgiven. This is awesome news and makes us rejoice and be thankful. However;

     We should not take this grace and mercy for granted. It is not something to take lightly. We should not live haphazard lives, casually going about our day giving into sin when we get the urge to.  We should not sin just because we can later ask forgiveness.


"What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid."  (Romans 6:15).


What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?   God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:1-2).

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  (Romans 6:12).


    When we live a lifestyle of sin, we are separated from God and are friends with the world. We can't live a worldly life and be in harmony with God.  It's one or the other. It can't be both.


"know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."  (James 4:4).


"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." ( 1 John 2:15).


      So, are you living to please the people around you? Are you living to please yourself? Are you indulging in sin to satisfy your fleshly desires? Are you living carelessly with no regard for eternity?  If so, you are living in the world.  According to this passage, if you love the things of the world, God's love is not in you.  You can change that today. Turn to the Lord. Follow His ways. Love Him. Serve Him. Say no to the things of the flesh. Say no to sin. Repent from sin. Turn from sinful ways. Then you will be full of God's love and He will be your God.

      So, check your heart and ask yourself, "What in the world am I doing?"

What Do You Say?

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (Proverbs 18:21). 


      We all have had times where we said things that we later wished we had not said. We regret saying them for one reason or another. We know that once words are spoken, they can't be unspoken. Words can encourage or discourage. Words can give hope or despair. Words can help or hurt. Words are powerful.

      Have you ever heard someone say something like, "I just can't get rid of my headache?" or, "I wish my depression would go away", or something to that effect. Look at that closely. Listen to them closely. When you or I say, "my headache," or "my depression", or "my whatever it may be", we are basically taking ownership of it. We are calling it "mine".

     If you come to "my" house, you walk in "my" door, and sit at "my" table; I can call them mine, because they are mine! If I come to your house, I cannot call your table, chair, house, or anything in your house "mine", because they are yours, not mine. Simple, isn't it?


      When you say, "my" headache or whatever it is, you are claiming ownership to it. You  tell everyone about "my" (whatever it is). Then you turn around and ask God to take it away. Now, we know from Scripture that God is not a thief, Satan is. (John 10:10). God does not steal anything from us. If you  ask Him to take away "your" headache, why would He? It's "yours".

     We must realize the importance of the power of the tongue. We must began to rebuke these things from our lives and stop claiming ownership to them. As children of God, sickness, disease, worry, etc, do not belong to us.  We are not to own them and call them "ours".   The gifts of God are ours. Start claiming them!  My peace, my healing, my joy, my blessings.....

     Let's watch our words and keep our tongue under subjection.  I don't want anything the devil has to offer, so I will not call disease mine. It may be invading my body, but it's trespassing and I do not have to accommodate it and give it room in my body and in my life. Tell it to go in Jesus' name, don't claim ownership to it.

     Remember the song we sang in Sunday School:  "O Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say?"  That's not just for children. We would all benefit from choosing our words more carefully.  So, what do you say?
   

Obedience

		"Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?"  (Galatians 5:7).      Obey.... this is a word that our flesh does not like. Children are taught to obey their parents, teachers and anyone else who is in authority over them. We think when we are children, "I can not wait to grow up so I don't have to obey anyone!"   Then we grow up. We then have to obey traffic laws, civic laws and our employers. It seems we are always having to obey someone.  We know that if we don't obey our boss, we will be unemployed. If we don't obey the traffic laws, we will be fined. If we don't obey the civic laws, we might end up in jail. There is punishment for disobedience.      While we are so diligent to make sure we obey all those on this earth that we are to obey, we often fail to obey the One who really matters...God. Why do we find it so hard to obey God? Why is it a drudgery for some to obey Him? "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."  (1John 5:3).      It should be a pleasure to obey God. His word tells us that His commandments are not grievous. In other words, they are not an inconvenience or hardship. God is never going to ask us to do something that we cannot do with His help. He is never going to require us to do something that cannot be done. Why then, do we fail so often to obey Him? "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"  (Romans 6:16).      We are all obeying someone. We either obey God or Satan. If we obey flesh, man or Satan, we are not in obedience to God. He wants simple obedience. He is looking for someone to say, "Lord, whatever You want me to do, I will do it". He wants us to obey Him just like we want our children to obey us. He is not being mean to us. He knows what is best for us. He guides us and leads us on the right path for our good. If we disobey and stray off the path, we are headed for trouble, heartache and pain. "But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you" . (Matthew 21:28-31).      These two sons are a lot like our children, or like we were when we were young. The father asked the son to go work out in the field. One said he wouldn't (maybe he though he had better things to do with his time, or he thought the work was too hard). Later, he felt guilty; and because of the love he had for his father, he repented and went and worked. The other son agreed to do it, but failed to show up. His word was not honored. The first son obeyed his father and that is what the father was looking for.      God is looking for obedient children. He wants to bless us, but if we are always off doing our own thing, that cannot happen.  Are you obedient to the Father? You can sacrifice all your time and money for good causes, but if you are not obedient to the Father's will, it will not benefit you. "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."          (1 Samuel 15:22).      His word is filled with commands to love, honor, help, pray, study, forgive; and so much more. Study His word to find out what He wants you to do. Pray and listen for His voice to tell you what to do. If you ask what He wants you to do, He will let you know. Be obedient. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).