We've all heard it before - "the power of positive thinking".
Sow a thought and you reap an action;
sow an act and you reap a habit;
sow a habit and you reap a character;
sow a character and you reap a destiny.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Our destiny is tied directly to and starts with our thoughts.
If you think you'll never succeed, chances are you'll give up before you make it.
If you think you can't, chances are you won't try nearly as hard.
What does God say about our destiny?
"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome." - Jeremiah 29:11 AMPC
If God's thoughts and plans for us are of welfare and peace, to give us a hope in our future or 'final outcome' - Why would we ever think anything different? He is fighting for us. Why would we think negatively about ourselves, our future, our life -- when we can walk with assuredness that Jesus Christ himself - the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, creator of the universe - wants GOOD things for us, and wants us to walk in His peace!
"For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors] in the depths of the earth [a region of darkness and mystery]. Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them." - Psalm 139:13-16
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5
He knows each and everyone of us before we were conceived. He knows the thoughts and plans He has for us - and He desires us to walk in peace knowing our future is with Him.
Do not allow place for the enemy to wreak havoc in your life. Cast down negative thoughts and things that do not glorify God.
Sow thoughts - positive thoughts, sow actions - in building His kingdom, sow habits - of personal devotion and relationship, sow character - becoming christ-like and putting on the mind of Christ, and reap the destiny God has ordained for you.
We are sons and daughters of God. It’s time we start thinking like it!
We all know we aren’t perfect. 😮 (Right? 💁🏻♀️ I mean, we do KNOW that no matter how much we strive for perfection, we aren’t quite there yet, hmm?)
Even when we, in our flesh, work SO hard at “being righteous” (that’s ‘being in right standing with God’) scripture tells us OuR righteousness is as filthy rags, yeah?
We strive to be “good” in our own ability, may hear comments from different directions, but we can’t get all bent out of shape about it —
“Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth who does good and never sins. [Isa. 53:6; Rom. 3:23.] Do not give heed to everything that is said, lest you hear your servant cursing you– For often your own heart knows that you have likewise cursed others. All this have I tried and proved by wisdom. I said, I will be wise [independently of God]–but it was far from me. That which is is far off, and that which is deep is very deep–who can find it out [true wisdom independent of the fear of God]? [Job 28:12-28; I Cor. 2:9-16.]”
Ecclesiastes 7:20-24 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/ecc.7.20-24.AMPC
Let’s face it. We can’t be ‘righteous’ OR wise independently of God. (And why in the world would we ever try it??) Why chase after or seek wisdom in our own strength? Why chase after or strive for being in right standing WITH God if we don’t LEAN ON HIM for understanding of HOW to be in right standing with HIM?
We are on the receiving end of strife and get in a huff wanting to grab the tweezers and go after the splinter in our fellows eye — yet we tend to speak contentiously to others when they’ve offend us.
Hello! Can we not see for the mote in our own eye?
Where is the Love of the One who dwells in us?
“The mouth of the [uncompromisingly] righteous man is a well of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions. On the lips of him who has discernment skillful and godly Wisdom is found, but discipline and the rod are for the back of him who is without sense and understanding. Wise men store up knowledge [in mind and heart], but the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction.”
Proverbs 10:11-14 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/pro.10.11-14.AMPC
Love covers a multitude of sins (offenses).
Love does. God is love. And we are to portray God’s love to all!
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. [Matt. 12:37.]”
Proverbs 18:21 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/pro.18.21.AMPC
We are filled with God’s Spirit and all have creative Word in our mouth. I mean, after all, it was God that SPOKE this world 🌎 into existence.
His Spirit dwells in us. All power is given to us.
“But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the Prophets, Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction, Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives. [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.”
Romans 3:21-25 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/rom.3.21-25.AMPC
😏 Yeah. We’ve all sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows (and receives). Yet — we are all JUSTIFIED [(just) as (if)(I’d) never sinned] and made upright and in right standing with God FREELY and graciously through the blood-sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross! 🙌🏻
“Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin). Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:29-32 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/eph.4.31.AMPC
Walking by His redeeming Grace, we need to guard our hearts ❤️(and mouths 👄 ) from bitterness and strife, unwholesome or worthless talk. We must be careful not to grieve the Heart of God with our bitterness, indignation, wrath, rage, temper, resentment, animosity, anger, quarreling, slander, or abusive language.
❌ That needs to be BaNiShEd from us, as well as any spite, ill-will or malice. ❌
I mean, it can’t live in us where the Spirit of God dwells!!
❤️ Christ empowers us to be kind, helpful, useful, tender hearted, compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted with the ability to FORGIVE as God has forgiven us.
Banish the enemy.
Kick🦵🏼out anything that is not of God.
Uproot the anger. Bring it to God, and leave it there!
How many of you have read “The Bait of Satan”? 🙋🏻♀️
I’ve done a lot of soul searching lately, and I try to use the scripture as my gauge when I examine my mindset and my actions. 🔎 📖 🧠
When we are extremely stressed, exhausted, ‘on edge’, tense, etc (in other words, not walking and dwelling in God’s divine peace or being Spirit-led) we tend to be touchy, and easily offended. 😳 Wait, whaaaa?
“Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.”
Proverbs 19:11 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/pro.19.11.AMPC
😡⛔️ So… in essence, if I practice ‘good sense’, I keep my anger in check, and I’ll be able to overlook transgressions, offenses, and heaven-forbid “borrowed offenses”…. 🙌🏻 because I’m Kingdom-Minded. 🌎✝️🧠 Above all else, my soul must be saved, and I must reach as many as I can while it is yet day. ☀️ 🌾
“Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.”
Ephesians 4:3 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/eph.4.3.AMPC
We strive for guarding and keeping unity and harmony within Spirit-led believers, binding the power of peace TO us, and dispelling, resisting, and ‘loosing’ the spirit of discord and disunity FROM us.
[God Love]
“It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].”
1 Corinthians 13:5 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/1co.13.5.AMPC
God’s love shines through us, a pure, unadulterated, unconditional love. It’s not touchy, fretful, resentful and doesn’t keep record of wrongs. 🗂️
Meaning if I’m presented with an offense from an individual, I release it, I don’t bind it to me. 🗑️
Next time I am presented with an offense from this individual, I again release it, without binding it to me or recounting the previous forgiven offense.
We don’t keep scores! 📈
“A fool's wrath is quickly and openly known, but a prudent man ignores an insult.”
Proverbs 12:16 AMPC
https://bible.com/bible/8/pro.12.16.AMP
🤡 No one wants to be considered a fool, yet wrath, anger and hostility can definitely paint a person as one. A prudent (acting with or showing care and thought for the future) man ignores insult. 👑
Kingdom-minded. Prudent. Showing care/thought for the future. Above all else, my soul must be saved, and I must reach as many as I can while it is yet day. ☀️ 🌾
Declare with me — Satan has no place in me; not in my mind, in my heart, in my life. Forgive. Release. Christ is the Victor and King of my Heart.
The “trend” of this world says “pursue what makes you happy!” and with that propaganda being pushed everywhere you turn, it’s too easy to fall into that mindset — ask me how I know. I mean, even the Declaration of Independence states:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
I read this, and I immediately think of these scriptures.
The first, where Jesus Christ is speaking in John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
The second, again, Jesus speaking, Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
The third, Ecclesiastes 11:13 (AMPC) “All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God's providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man.”
Our unalienable rights, pulled straight from the scriptures… God has come that we might have life, and have it more abundantly. He alone can give liberty — and the foundation of HAPPINESS is in reverencing & worshipping HIM and keeping His commandments, which is our original purpose!
Think about that.
The very foundation of ALL HAPPINESS is fulfilling our original purpose - the very reason for our creation - and that is simply reverencing [God], worshipping [God], and obeying the commandments given by…. you guessed it! GOD!
So… what are you pursuing today? This week? This month? This year?
“He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor. [Prov. 15:9; Matt. 5:6.]”
Proverbs 21:21 AMPC
Do you want Life (and life abundantly)?
Pursue righteousness (right-standing with God) and unfailing Love. 1 John 4:8 tells us that God is Love.
“But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart. Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold of the eternal life to which you were summoned and [for which] you confessed the good confession [of faith] before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:11-12 AMPC
“Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.”
2 Timothy 2:22 AMPC
We need fellowship with like-minded people. We need each other - encouraging each other in the Lord.
When we repent of our sins and flee worldly lusts, God redeems us by His Blood.
When we surrender our life, our WILL, our desires - and earnestly pray God’s will be done in our life - our children’s lives, our family’s lives, our neighbor’s lives, a strangers life… There’s a peace that comes.
A Peace that can staunch any adversary.
Anxiety has to flee.
Boundaries are reestablished.
Coping mechanisms change.
Depression has to go.
Ego bows down.
Faith is renewed.
Grace abounds.
Heaven rejoices.
Miracles happen.
Temptation fumes as you laugh in his face.
He is the Peace that can restore broken relationships. The Peace that can break addictions. The Peace that can restore estranged parents with their children. The Peace that can give rest to the weary mind. The Peace that binds up the broken hearted. The Peace that can restore JOY.
His name is Jesus.
And he wants so much for you to turn to Him…
And if you feel for a moment your sin is to great for His forgiveness… remember this:
It’s 10:45pm and I’m sitting on the balcony of a 10th floor condo I’ve shared with my sister and brother-in-law the past 2 days. I find myself staring into the black abyss before me, searching for stars. Mind you - I’ve been inside the past little while and nearly every light (and lamp) has been on in the sitting areas, kitchen and a couple bedrooms.
I dimmed my cell phone screen on the table and flipped it face-down. I look behind me and see lights shining out the glass doors from the room I’d just left behind.
I go back, and one by one, turn down each light switch and kill the power to each lamp... And I walk forward, leaving the room behind and enter to the balcony.
It wasn’t instantaneous, but slowly, while focusing my eyes and my energy forward again into the great black abyss, I see stars appearing. Miraculously combusting in outer space? No. They had been there all along... but my eyes were so used to the empowered lights behind me in the room I’d left they simply couldn’t focus forward on the light that awaited me in the sky.
And it hit me.
How often do we allow our eyes, energy and brain to remain focused on the things we’ve left in the past... the things we’ve empowered that we’ve put behind us, that it cripples our ability to see the promise of a beautiful light ahead?
I don’t want to be so hung up on the things behind me that they overpower my future.
Come on, tell me you feel it too. Maybe it’s not something huge, maybe it’s not something you feel that is drastically life changing... but maybe it is. Maybe it’s something seemingly insignificant, that we continue to allow to backlight our life, that constantly makes us loose focus or unable to see what beauty God has laid out before us. Maybe it’s fear of the black abyss that has us crippled, rendering us unable to see the promise... and all we have to do is cut. the. power. to. those. things. behind. us.
Throw it at the foot of the cross and eliminate the paralytic blinding fear from the equation. Push forward, strain to see the light that’s shining....
After great deliberation, I have chosen “Cultivate”.
This is a year FULL of expectation and potential, and I want to cultivate all that I can to see things come to fruition.
So what is it about Cultivate that has captured my attention?
Relationships. Good Habits. Characteristics. Faith.... as I began to dig deeper, and with the inspiration of so many before me, I have specific areas of focus...
I desire to cultivate:
• Contentment
• Relationships
• Diligence
• Grace
• Forgiveness
• The Fruit ofbthw Spirit
• Hospitality
• Trust
• Generosity
• Simplicity
• Gratitude
• Humility and
• Respect
These are my focus points. I hope to share with you as I journey through the year! <3
I recently heard the lyrics of a song and it resonated within my spirit. Please take the time to read them below (and listen, if you can), I'll continue my thoughts afterward.
I’d walk by faith if I could get these feet to move
But I don’t want to live that way
I don’t want to look back someday
On a life that never stepped across the line
So why am I still standing here
Why am I still holding back from You
You’ve given me a faith that can move a mountain
But I’m still playing in the sand
Building little kingdoms that’ll never stand
I hear You call me out into deeper waters
But I settle on the shallow end
I’m so tired of standing here
What if I gave everything to You
What if I gave everything
What if I stopped holding back from You
Starting now I’m stepping out onto deeper waters
What if I gave everything
What if I stopped holding back from You
Starting now I’m stepping out onto deeper waters
I want to see some mountains move
Ready to give everything
Say goodbye to standing here
--
All too often we say we are ready for the deep waters, yet here we are, still standing in the shallow of the beach. Why is it that we hold back from stepping forward? Is it fear? And if so, fear of what? Not being acceptable? Not being "good enough"? Not knowing exactly what to say?
((Future Blog Topics!))
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's slow down a little.
(I love it, God totally talks to me through these little "blurbs" I post on here. So yeah, this is me and my story, what I'm going through and dealing with.)
Before we get too carried away, let's first figure out this:
What exactly am I saying when I say "deep waters"??
Glad you asked. "Deep Waters" is a place where I am completely engulfed, consumed and at the mercy of the 'current'. In this instance, the "Current" is God. I want to surrender my life completely over to HIM and HIS will.
Okay, great! Isn't that every Christians desire? Yes, I pray so! So... if I want to surrender completely to His will, let's then figure out this:
What exactly IS God's will for my life RIGHT NOW?
Again... glad you asked. I know there's some "major" things that God would have me and my husband do and/or participate in, however, I want to talk about the day to day things...
“His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.” Matthew25:21AMPC http://bible.com/8/mat.25.21.ampc
So what small things should I be observing and being faithful in?
Oh, simple. It really is quite simple.
Do you like lists? Here's a good start:
Daily Prayer.
Reading & Applying the Word of God.
Fasting.
Love.
Tithing & Offering.
Whoooooaaaaa! Wait. There's no way it could really be that simple. No? Yeah. Really, I think it can be.
If I begin with
Daily Communing with the Lover, Redeemer, Savior and Friend of my Soul,
Daily Reading His divine Word and applying it to my life...
Fasting & Pray for the needs of others,
Loving all of God's children unconditionally to the point of servanthood,
Returning the tithe to God that is already His and give in abundance from what He has financially and physically blessed me with...
I very well believe I'm on my way to walking in His Will!
These things are my focus right now. This is the small things I'm trying to be faithful in. Sure, I slip up and fail to show the Love of God at times. Life gets busy and I don't read the Word as I should... sometimes prayer time is rushed--- but I'm longing for the deep. I'm ready to see what happens when I stop holding back from HIM.
“I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” Romans12:1AMPC http://bible.com/8/rom.12.1.ampc
We read in the scripture "make a decisive dedication of your bodies, present all of your members and faculties, as a living sacrifice". That's true worship. We cannot hold anything back. Not our time, our finances, our homes, our entertainment... if it's not pleasing God, we haven't given it to Him.
Our time & how we spend it should be holy.
Our finances and how we spend it should be Holy.
Our homes and all that occupy it should be holy.
Our entertainment should be Holy.
If it isn't good, honest, true, and pure, we shouldn't be dwelling on it.
He has done SO much for us, and in our favor, it is our reasonable, logical and ONLY service and form of worship-- to give ourselves wholly and completely to Him.
((My "small things" list may not be all inclusive, and there's SO much more to discuss, but I'll save it for another post. 🙂))
So... what about you? What small thing are you finding yourself focusing on? Day-to-day. Are you being diligent? I'm tired of standing in the sand and building kingdoms that will never stay. Only what we do for Christ will last. I'm ready to see mountains move. You??? 😊
