Right Thinking

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Perspective. Thinking like God thinks. Trusting Him when we only see the “little picture” and He sees the “big picture”. It is like us looking through a straw at a picture and only seeing a tiny bit of the whole thing. We don’t get to enjoy the beauty of the picture for we are only seeing maybe one color or one little area.

As it is with life…sometimes we are only seeing a small glimpse of what God is doing. We have questions, doubts, and fears. But we can trust God! He has our good in mind and is working in our lives to create a beautiful masterpiece! When Jonah was swallowed by the whale and was in the midst of its belly, he could only see whale everywhere he looked. And yet God saw a different picture. He saw Jonah being used by God, and the city of Nineveh repenting and coming to Him! He saw good things coming in Jonah’s life.

God sees good things coming in our lives, too! He is creating an awesome “picture” of His grace and love transforming us into people that look and act like Jesus! I continually need reminded to think rightly, so therefore I think that to remind you never hurts. Right thinking is a choice you have to make for yourself the rest of your life. It takes deliberate, purpose-driven thinking to maximize your joy and not to settle to live a life of mediocrity. The secret to living an exceptional life tomorrow is a matter of thinking strong, joyful thoughts today!

What we receive will be the result of what we believe. We choose to believe the Word of God; not what we see or feel. It is so easy to be moved by these things, but the Word never fails. It can bring the victory we need. Some cruel person may say one weird thing about you and you believe or think the wrong thing about yourself. Like “having a unibrow” or “being fat” or “stupid”. My brother used to call me bubbles, chubs, and fatty to the point that I would scream “I hate you” to him. I didn’t mean it and would cry in sorrow that I said such things. But I would have to say that I have fought battles with “fat” thoughts my whole life!

It doesn’t matter what others think as much as it matters what YOU think! Choose to think rightly about yourself! We have so much to be thankful for. We have food, water, a house, bed to sleep in, clothes to wear, etc. 

Forgive us, Lord, when we grumble or take for granted the many things You awesomely provide. Help us to think rightly. I pray that the women of God would arise and be examples to the world of all that you have done for us. Help us to be fully awake and alive!

I Trust You

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plan that I have for you“, declares the Lord, “plans for welfare

and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

What a powerful verse!

Sometimes we are scared about our tomorrows and our hope is dashed to the rocks, but our God

says good things to us. As we immerse ourselves in His Word and allow Him to speak to us, faith arises in our hearts. We know that we can trust in Him!

I like the story in Mark 4 about Jesus being asleep in the boat during a great storm. He had already spoken that they would go to the other side. The disciples woke Him with great fear and torment and said, “Don’t you care that we are perishing?” He awoke and said, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” So I ask you today? Why are you afraid? Hope in God! He has your back. He promised to never leave or forsake us! (These are questions that I still have to ask myself at times!)

We need to arise with that simple faith of a child. We trust Him to take good care of us. It doesn’t matter what things may look like, or feel like; it matters what He has said to us in His Word!

The Bible is FULL of magnificent promises. The grace that has been extended to us is absolutely amazing! We don’t deserve His tender care and continuous watchful eye, but He gives it to us anyway. All we have to do is to lie back in ease and say “I trust You!” “I trust You to turn this bad situation around!” “I trust You to soften their heart!” “I trust You to provide abundantly for me.” “I trust You to bring about healing in my body even though it looks like things are getting worse.” “Jesus, I trust You!”

He hasn’t brought you this far to allow you to drown in defeat. God is a god of miracles and will part the Red Sea if that is what it takes to deliver you. He is a God that is more than enough for every situation. He has delivered us from the kingdom of the enemy to bring you into a good land… a land that is flowing with milk and honey.

Expect Him to show Himself strong to you today!

His Love

Ephesians 3:14-19 (The Message)

My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

We need revelation of this magnificent love that the Father has for us! Even as I write this, I know this is an area that I need to grow in!

God wants us to experience Him and this great love. It is to be more than a head knowledge, but something that we KNOW! Jesus came to earth, bore our sins and sicknesses on the cross, suffered and died for us, and was raised again conquering death, hell, and the grave. He put the enemy under His feet, defeating him so that we could have total victory in our lives.

As this scripture says, we are to live full lives! John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us abundant lives! He has wonderful things for each of us. All we need to do is believe and receive what He has already provided.

God wants us to feel good about ourselves. He doesn’t want us to feel like we never measure up. The Bible says that there is “no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. We don’t measure up in ourselves, but because of the great grace that He poured out upon us, we are accepted, forgiven, adopted, redeemed, chosen... God is pleased with us. That is so hard to fathom. He sees us in Jesus and chooses to lavish His goodness upon us! We don’t deserve this awesome love. We can’t do anything to earn it. Therefore, we can’t do anything to lose it. Wow! “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Did you get that? You can’t do anything to lose God’s love. He knew what He was getting when He got you and wants you! It is not based on our own merit or our own goodness. But it is His goodness!

What does this look like for you? You can go about your every day with your head held high and with lots of joy. You can live secure in His love. If you mess up, there is forgiveness. Even if others disappoint you or are disappointed with you, you can have hope knowing that God loves you and wants to bless you in every way.

You, also, can be a blessing to others as you allow those rivers of His love to splash upon all those that you come in contact with. Since we are loved, we can love.

He causes us to be secure in Him. Because of that security, we can add strength to others. We can build and encourage. That not only inspires others, but it adds fullness to our lives!

Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

His love is beyond measure! Let’s determine to get a greater revelation of this. Let’s ask Him to help us to understand this great love!

He's got His Hold on You

Hebrews 13:5-6 – AMP

…for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor 

leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you 

helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] 

6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is 

my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. 

What can man do to me? 

Wow!  I love this! I heard a teaching on this and it was explained that He has a grip on our forearm and He is not letting go.  There are so many times that I become weary and lose my hold on Him and it is great to know that He never lets go of us.  He said He would NEVER leave or forsake us. 

People let us down.  Even the best spouse will let you down.  Why?  Because they are human.  We, also, will let people down.  We try… (Don’t you try?) But we have natural, human, (and sometimes very selfish!) love.  

He has perfect love for you.  He IS love! If you are too young to remember seeing the old “Tarzan” movies with Johnny Weissmuller, you’ll have to use your imagination.   Many times people were falling in quick sand and it was pulling them under.  (There is also a scene of this in the “Princess Bride” which is a little closer to your era…)  This is what I picture when I read this verse.  He is always there to throw you a rope and keep you from going under. 

When you feel like you can’t take any more, you can trust that He has not let go of you.  It may not look or feel good, but that is what faith is… Believing what we can’t detect with our senses. 

Is this hard?  You betcha!  Are there times you feel like giving up?  Been there and done that!  But is He faithful?  Yes, yes, and yes again!  Don’t quit.  There is light at the end of your tunnel! 

I remember a young woman losing her child and wanting to rescue her from the hurt.  She sang the praise song, “O No You Never Let Go” with tears streaming down her face.  Later she gave testimony of how the Lord was with her and blessed her with another child.  She chose to praise Him and to believe in the midst of a terrible storm that the Lord was with her through the wind and rain, hurt and despair.  

If He did it before, He’ll do it again!  He’s there for you!!!

The Golden Rule

Luke 6:31 

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 

Short and sweet but very powerful!  Oh, that we would ponder this verse and do it continually! 

It’s so easy to see the speck in someone else’s eye and ignore the plank that is in our own eye.  We are not going to be held accountable for how others may act or have treated you.  BUT you will be held accountable for what YOU do! 

This is very easy for me to relate to with my husband.  Neither of us like it when the other one doesn’t answer a question or doesn’t even grunt or nod to acknowledge a statement.  We find it very rude.  And, yet, we both do it! I would like it if Tim never “ignores” me again!  But, what is more important is that I don’t do it again!  This is something God wants me to strive for. 

The Bible says love is patient and kind.  Are you patient and kind?  Would you like to hear a heavy sigh when you ask someone to do something?  Then don’t do it.  Would you like to have someone roll their eyes at you as if you were stupid?  Then don’t do it. 

Let’s out-serve one another. Want to?  I love being complimented, so I need to give lots!  I love to be blessed with gifts, so let’s give to others even if it only costs $1-$5.  I love to be encouraged with words, so let’s encourage others. Think about things you can do for your mate.  How about your kids?  How about your co-workers?  

As we strive to be a blessing to others, I believe we will be blessed in return. A few verses after this one says, “Give and it will be given unto you.” Maybe the “giver” won’t be the one you give to, but the Lord will see to it that sooner or later that it returns to you. 

Let’s talk about the grocery clerk who runs the cash register.  It is not her fault that they didn’t have your sale item, or that you are in a hurry because you left yourself very little margin.  Be kind.  

I recently heard, “Christians can be the meanest people on earth.”  Yuk!  I don’t want that said about me.  How about you?  I don’t want my kids to say, “She talked the talk, but didn’t walk the walk”. Our actions speak louder than our words! 

I remember being prompted by the Lord to call a bank teller up to apologize for my actions.  Talk about humbling!  But, if it made her response to His love and grace more appealing, so be it!  We don’t get to see the “why”.  Maybe the Lord was just teaching me.  

I’d like to say that I am perfect in this, but that would be a lie! (Thank God for His grace and forgiveness!)  So, want to strive to put this in practice with me? 

Forgiveness Starts with You

Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." 

Seven times is a lot.  To forgive seventy times seven is to forgive infinitely. 

We just experienced hurt and stabbing for the umpteenth time from the same people.  I said to myself, “that is the last time I will be stabbed.” But who am I kidding?  We have no choice other than to forgive.  Ugh! (We do have a choice to not get walked on and to not give certain people the ability to “stab” us again.  You may be in such a situation.  Sometimes you just have to stay away from certain people.) 

But this is not the case most of the time.  When we truly forgive we knowingly give people the opportunity to get us again.  This is when we need to remember what Jesus has done for us. 

Did He have to forgive us?  No.  He is love and chooses to pour His grace and mercy upon us.  He said that no one could take His life from Him, but He gave it willingly. 

The Bible says that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”!  In other words we didn’t do anything to deserve His love.  We didn’t even experience remorse until after He died for us.  He just chose to forgive us! Sometimes people are not sorry for their wrongdoings to you.  They feel no remorse, but are justified in their own minds for acting like jerks (do Christians act like jerks?). But, we are not going to be held accountable for how others’ act.  We are, though, going to give account for our actions, thoughts, and attitudes.  I want to be squeaky clean, but I need His help to want to forgive. 

So, I pray!  I ask God to help me to want to forgive.  I pray blessings for my “enemies”.  I ask that they experience God’s love (when part of me wants them to experience God’s judgment!).  So even though I have yucky feelings, I choose to pray and speak blessings. 

Is this easy?  No.  And I’m sure that everyone will experience this opportunity over and over and over.  

OK, God! We get it! 

As you can see, I need a Savior and I need Him every day!

God is Love

I Corinthians 13:4-7 (New Living Translation)

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

This is who God is!  The Bible says that God is love. This is used as to how we are to act as Christians, but it also describes how He acts toward us.  God is patient and kind.  Let me say that again…GOD IS PATIENT AND KIND!  Wow!  That alone speaks volumes to the many lies that we have heard.  Many of us have seen God as a giant ogre who is waiting to drop the gavel and pronounce judgment on us.  But that is very contrary to what the Bible says.  

This does not come easy for me.  I have to remind myself often of what the Bible says.  It is easy for me to receive guilt and condemnation… But that is NOT God! 

When we screw up…He is patient and kind.  When we ignore His presence… He is patient and kind.  When we deserve punishment…He is patient and kind!  He gave us mercy when we could be French fries. 

This translation says “love is not irritable…”.  Another translation says love is not irritable or touchy. So God doesn’t get mad easily.  It takes a lot to get him angry.  (We need more of Him and less of us in our lives!)  Sometimes I feel like I have ticked Him off and He doesn’t want to hear from me.  That is a lie!  Have you heard it too?  It’s a ploy of the enemy to separate us from the One who loves us most!  We don’t have to walk on eggshells.  I read in the Psalms David whining but he ends up praising.  God is big enough to take our whining, but praising can change the situation!  So, it’s much more productive. 

And the last part of this verse…love never gives up!  He doesn’t give up on us, our spouses, our kids, our neighbors, our government, our co-workers, our church, etc. Our prayers can avail much!  They can make a real difference because we are asking God to be involved in our loved ones lives.  

He will, you know? 

I’m expecting revival to hit Defiance, Ohio…the whole United States. Watching the movie “Woodlawn” showed how God moved in the 70’s and many were saved from all walks of life.  Two whole football teams were saved.  He did it before and He’ll do it again!  

Why?  Because He loves us!