Sunday, September 29, 2013

Take Thoughts Captive

Our thoughts can determine what kind of day we will have.
The effects of negative thinking are both
emotional and physical.

Negative thinking can cause anger, anxiety, depression,
lack of energy and illness.

On the other hand, the effects of positive thinking
lead to peace, joy, happiness, increased
energy and improved health.

The Message Bible tells us in 
2 Corinthians 10:5
that we are to, "use our powerful God tools
for smashing warped philosophies, tearing
down barriers erected against the truth of God,
fitting every loose thought and emotion
and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ"

It is our responsibility to take every negative thought
captive and set our mind 
"on things above". Colossians 3:2

Set your mind today on Christ!


Monday, September 23, 2013

Down and Out

Down and out is not what you think.

It is not a lack of money or resources.
It is not a hard luck situation.

Rather it is receiving down from God
and then sending it out to touch the lives of others.
God's grace, mercy, and love.

1 Corinthians 1:3-4 AMP
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of sympathy
(pity and mercy) and the God [Who is the Source]
of every comfort (consolation and encouragement)
Who comforts (consoles and encourages) us
in every trouble (calamity and affliction)
so that we may also be able to comfort
(console and encourage)
those who are in any kind of trouble or distress,
with comfort (consolation and encouragement)
with which we ourselves are comforted
(consoled and encouraged) by God.

God pours down on us His love until
we are overflowing.

Send out the overflow.

Be a blessing to others just as you are blessed.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Silence

Silence
It is the lack of audible sound.
A complete absence of sound, the state of being silent.

Everywhere we go today, we are confronted by sound.
It is almost impossible to find it.
We can get lost in the noise.

The old adage "Silence is golden" is now a thing of the past.
We are consumed by noise in our ever growing, busy lives.

The bombardment of noise can over shadow His voice.

But, in those silent moments, we can 
hear God's voice more clearly.

The still, small voice of God, spoken to us with grace and mercy.

God can speak to us in many ways.
Through the Bible, perhaps in an audible voice, or through dreams,
and at other times through wise counsel.

Take the time to silence the noise around you,
get quiet and listen.

God will speak!

1 Kings 19:11-12
Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain 
before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by and
and a great and strong wind tore into the 
mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord,
but the Lord was not in the wind;
and after the wind, an earthquake, but the Lord 
was not in the earthquake; and after the
earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in 
the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.


Sunday, September 15, 2013

You Are Not Alone


Have you ever felt like you were all alone?
Like you were the only person to go through something.
And no one knows how difficult it is
and there is no one to help.

Jesus knows!
He knows because He went through the same things.

This means that He had to become like 
His people in every way, in order to be their faithful 
and merciful High Priest in His service to God, 
so that the people's sins would be forgiven.
And now He can help those who are tempted,
because He himself was tempted and suffered.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live inside us because He
can identify with us.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Wherever we go, we take the Holy Spirit with us.
He never leaves.
The Holy Spirit gives us comfort when we need
to be comforted.
Advice when we need to be counseled.
Strength when we are weak.
The Holy Spirit is ever standing by our sides to help.

So the next time you feel alone
and don't know where or who to turn to,
turn to the Holy Spirit and let Him lead you.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Monday, September 9, 2013

The Mountain

Mark 11:23 AMP
Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain,
"Be lifted up and thrown into the see!", and does not doubt at 
all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place,
it will be done for him.

Physically, the mountain is an immovable, very large object.

Emotionally, the mountain can be any problem we face
which looks to be immovable and impassable.

The Israelites faced the physical mountains of the 
Sinai desert for forty years.
A journey that should have only lasted eleven days on foot.

God lead them on this long journey to test their faith and obedience.
They failed time and time again.

Our own mountain can take time to overcome as well.
When we lack faith in God's ability to take care of us 
or because of disobedience, we can travel around and
around our personal mountain.

Jesus instructs us to use our faith
and tell the mountain to move.
We are to believe and receive when we pray.

Speak to your "mountain" or problem and tell it to move out 
of the way. Speak faith in God and in His word.

Matthew 17:20
So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; 
for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard see,
you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there,"
and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.