Positive: very confident, not negative
Just because we occasionally have negative thoughts, it doesn't mean that we have to entertain them. Of course, thoughts are going to come - but two things can't occupy our mind at the exact same time, so if we dismiss the discouraging, negative thoughts, then nothing else can use that space in our mind except for the positive and healthy thoughts! Unhealthy thoughts can bring unnecessary stress, anger, and discouragement to us - not to mention - these types of thoughts just make you feel down. So instead of dwelling on those negative thoughts, let's encourage ourselves by focusing on positive thoughts.
The word reminds us in Philippians 4:8 to think on the thoughts that please the Lord. "Finally; brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." There's nothing negative in that scripture. Our best days begin in our thinking, because being positive puts a little pep in our step!
Let's use Daniel as an example. Sure, Daniel had some huge obstacles, but the Bible says that Daniel had an excellent spirit. Trust me when I say that Daniel did not get this excellent spirit by thinking negatively - "woe is me, I'm in captivity, I've got to serve this King, and these people are against me." No, the word tells that Daniel prayed to his God three times a day and gave thanks. He started his day off in faith and thanksgiving and he developed an attitude of gratitude. It was all in his positive thinking.
Even in the midst of our storms - whether our negative forces be finances, sickness, loss of a job, or some other unfair thing - we must maintain positive thoughts. God is the head of all things; and all things that happen are apart of our journey. So let's keep the faith, the thanksgiving, and the positive thoughts, because our God is bigger than any problem we could ever have!!
With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and Amen!
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Embrace and Seize Each Day!
Embrace: To hug, to surround, to take in mentally or visually, to accept
Seize: To grasp, to take possession forcibly
We must embrace today and live life to its fullest by getting the most out of each day. The truth is, we already know the right things to do and the benefits of doing them. The question is - why don't we make more of an effort to do those right things?
Well, I guess it makes us feel better to say, "I'll do the right thing tomorrow" - it's certainly the easier thing to do! My friends, I'm here to tell you - Seize the day today, for tomorrow is not promised to us. Matthew 6:34 in The Living Bible says, "So don't be anxious about tomorrow, God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time."
We tend to get so caught up in tomorrow's commitments, problems, and deadlines that we don't take the time to embrace today. By leaving the present to get involved in what we think might happen in the future, we can forget to live today. In some instances, the very things we're so worried will happen in one of our tomorrow may never happen. As long as the Lord allows us to tarry on this earth, we won't run out of tomorrows. So we must learn to make today what today is supposed to be, and not be bound by yesterday and tomorrow. Let's embrace and seize our today!
Let's take blind Bartimaeus, for instance - he didn't know that Jesus was coming through Jericho that very day, but when he heard the noise and realized that Jesus was passing by, he didn't say, "oh well, I'm tired today, I'll wait until tomorrow to go see Jesus." No, Bartimaeus never looked ahead to tomorrow, he seized the day and embraced that moment. He cried out as Jesus was passing by, saying "thou Son of David have mercy on me!" He reacted to what was going on in his life on that very day. The Bible tells us that "Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called." When Bartimaeus went to Him, "Jesus answered and said unto him, what wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said that I might receive my sight... and immediately he received his sight" (Mark 10:46-52).
Why are we troubling ourselves about what MIGHT happen tomorrow when Jesus will stand still for us TODAY? We cannot waste our todays - we must seize them! Let's embrace our today and put our faith in Jesus today and trust Him with all our heart - with a knowing that He is in the midst of our today. Remember, Jesus loves us, it was Him that died for us and His grace is more than sufficient.
With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Stay Focused, Committed, and Connected!
Focus: A point of concentration
Committed: To obligate or pledge oneself
Connected: Joined or linked together
In these last days we need to understand that perilous times will come and there will be great stress and trouble. This stress will be hard to deal with and the trouble will be hard to bear. For people will be lovers of self, self-centered, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; ungrateful, unholy, lovers of money and aroused by greedy desire for wealth, proud, arrogant, people will be without natural affection, trouble makers, haters of good, and uncontrolled -- from these things we must turn away.
We must stay focused on the positive things of the Lord; we must concentrate on His righteousness, His love, His mercy, His word, and on the fact that He gives us life everyday. He didn't/doesn't just stop there - John 3:16 tell us that for God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son - there is no selfishness or self centered-ness, nor arrogance, nor haters of good in that. It's imperative that we stay focused.
We must commit our way (i.e. walk) unto the Lord, and trust also in Him -- commit to worship and praise, because He's the one that orders our steps; commit our whole being unto Him, so that whatever weapon is formed against us will misfire every time. Additionally, when we obligate ourselves to the Lord, He will in turn obligate Himself to us.
We must stay connected. I know that you have heard the phrase "they are joined at the hip;" well, we must get joined at the hip, the heart, the head and wherever else we can to Jesus. We have to get connected to Him as He stays connected to the Father - that way He will lead, guide, keep and protect us.
Even though we are focused, committed, and connected to the Lord, there will still be times of trouble. People, circumstances, and situations will still test us, but stay with Jesus -- He has overcome the world and well able to keep you (and me!) from falling.
With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!
Committed: To obligate or pledge oneself
Connected: Joined or linked together
In these last days we need to understand that perilous times will come and there will be great stress and trouble. This stress will be hard to deal with and the trouble will be hard to bear. For people will be lovers of self, self-centered, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; ungrateful, unholy, lovers of money and aroused by greedy desire for wealth, proud, arrogant, people will be without natural affection, trouble makers, haters of good, and uncontrolled -- from these things we must turn away.
We must stay focused on the positive things of the Lord; we must concentrate on His righteousness, His love, His mercy, His word, and on the fact that He gives us life everyday. He didn't/doesn't just stop there - John 3:16 tell us that for God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son - there is no selfishness or self centered-ness, nor arrogance, nor haters of good in that. It's imperative that we stay focused.
We must commit our way (i.e. walk) unto the Lord, and trust also in Him -- commit to worship and praise, because He's the one that orders our steps; commit our whole being unto Him, so that whatever weapon is formed against us will misfire every time. Additionally, when we obligate ourselves to the Lord, He will in turn obligate Himself to us.
We must stay connected. I know that you have heard the phrase "they are joined at the hip;" well, we must get joined at the hip, the heart, the head and wherever else we can to Jesus. We have to get connected to Him as He stays connected to the Father - that way He will lead, guide, keep and protect us.
Even though we are focused, committed, and connected to the Lord, there will still be times of trouble. People, circumstances, and situations will still test us, but stay with Jesus -- He has overcome the world and well able to keep you (and me!) from falling.
With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Defeat Disappointments!
Disappointment: To fail to satisfy desires, hope or expectation
From time to time we all face some type of disappointment that leaves us breathless. Of course, these times are usually unexpected and we often find ourselves with more questions than we have answers. Even when we don't seem to have any of the answers, we have to remember that God has them all. We tend to rely so much on our own hopes and our own expectations that we don't leave room for anything else. Have you ever noticed that when those hopes and expectations are not satisfied how easily we forget that God is in control and that He has a perfect and a chosen path for all His children? That includes you as well, my friend!
We can take a look at King Hezekiah. The prophet Isaiah told him, "thus said the Lord, set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live" (Isaiah 38:1). I suspect that the King was undoubtedly disappointed (to say the least) and that the news certainly came unexpectedly. Hezekiah knew who had the plans and all the answers, so he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore. In the same chapter, verse 5, The Lord said to Isaiah, "Go and say to Hezekiah, thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years." You can't tell me that God wasn't in control of that situation!
Of course we won't always have the opportunity to prevent disappointment. The Lord may allow circumstances to take place, but our actions should always be the same - we should prayerfully seek God's face. Friends, let me be a witness - He is ready to comfort us, heal us, and protect us. All we have to do is turn to Him and believe that He is giving us His best. If we put our highest hopes into this or that, we will eventually be disappointed. Our highest hopes, faith, and trust must be in Jesus.
Maybe you've lost a love one too soon, or maybe your children are making bad choices in their live, or perhaps you have made some bad choices along the way. That's okay. Disappointments are likely to happen, my hope is just to give you a little insight on how to defeat them.
I don't know about you, but I've had a lot of disappointments in my life. Maybe it's because I had some expectations without consulting the Lord first or maybe because the plans that I had were MY plans and not His, but Praise God - they did not push me away from the Lord! Instead, they pulled me closer to Him.
In conclusion, I offer you my antidotes against disappointments:
With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!
From time to time we all face some type of disappointment that leaves us breathless. Of course, these times are usually unexpected and we often find ourselves with more questions than we have answers. Even when we don't seem to have any of the answers, we have to remember that God has them all. We tend to rely so much on our own hopes and our own expectations that we don't leave room for anything else. Have you ever noticed that when those hopes and expectations are not satisfied how easily we forget that God is in control and that He has a perfect and a chosen path for all His children? That includes you as well, my friend!
We can take a look at King Hezekiah. The prophet Isaiah told him, "thus said the Lord, set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live" (Isaiah 38:1). I suspect that the King was undoubtedly disappointed (to say the least) and that the news certainly came unexpectedly. Hezekiah knew who had the plans and all the answers, so he turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore. In the same chapter, verse 5, The Lord said to Isaiah, "Go and say to Hezekiah, thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years." You can't tell me that God wasn't in control of that situation!
Of course we won't always have the opportunity to prevent disappointment. The Lord may allow circumstances to take place, but our actions should always be the same - we should prayerfully seek God's face. Friends, let me be a witness - He is ready to comfort us, heal us, and protect us. All we have to do is turn to Him and believe that He is giving us His best. If we put our highest hopes into this or that, we will eventually be disappointed. Our highest hopes, faith, and trust must be in Jesus.
Maybe you've lost a love one too soon, or maybe your children are making bad choices in their live, or perhaps you have made some bad choices along the way. That's okay. Disappointments are likely to happen, my hope is just to give you a little insight on how to defeat them.
I don't know about you, but I've had a lot of disappointments in my life. Maybe it's because I had some expectations without consulting the Lord first or maybe because the plans that I had were MY plans and not His, but Praise God - they did not push me away from the Lord! Instead, they pulled me closer to Him.
In conclusion, I offer you my antidotes against disappointments:
- Put God first
- Let trust prevail
- Accept God's plan
- Remember His promises
With all that said, let the Church say Amen... and AMEN!
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