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!
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.
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??? 😊
