“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand... when I awake, I am still with you” (Ps. 139:17,18). Are there times in your life when your thoughts darken to the love God has for you? Are you ever moved to ask “Why God”? Do you ever feel that God has forgotten you? Your thoughts hold the key to how you respond in every situation. What you think about God matters. But what you think God thinks of you matters more. If you believe God does not consider you or pay attention to the circumstances of your life, you block yourself from Him and the love He has for you. Such dark thoughts alienat
…there need be no poor people among you...if only you fully obey the Lord (Deut. 15: 4-5)”. Poverty is a curse. If that seems a bit over the top consider the misery in its wake. Children go hungry, people die, crime soars, stress is unmanageable, and homelessness abounds due to its darkness. How can a single mom nurture her children when she’s working two jobs to pay the bills? How can a hungry man think noble thoughts and seek God when all he can think about is food? Poverty is evil because it causes grief and pain. Poverty has many faces. You can have money and yet have impoverished relationships and mind sets. Becoming a disciple of Christ will change the way you think and live. It w
The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4: 5-7). Our thought life is like the proverbial iceberg with only a small part of it recognized while most of it lies hidden beneath the sea of our consciousness. We can get a better grip on what we are thinking by our feelings. Anxiety is an uneasiness or nervousness about someone or something that carries with it an uncertain outcome. Fearful thoughts fuel anxiety, which can be tormenting. Apostle Paul understood the power of t
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6KJV). Like a hamster on a wheel we can spend our days spinning around getting nowhere. Dead works produce nothing of any real value and yet they exact much from our time and energy. A dead work will keep you busy by doing the same things over and again for no eternal value. The carnal mind operates without the wisdom of the Holy Spirit neglecting the power and creativity of God’s resources. Can you convert to a higher life in the midst of your days, a useful life that counts? You can when you move from the power of your own thoughts and ideas to the energy of the mind of Christ. In the sprouting of
Wherever we go, God uses us to make clear what it means to know Christ. It's like a fragrance that fills the air. To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are dying. To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a life-giving fragrance (2 Cor. 2:14-16). The nose knows. What does it know? Scientists are discovering that the nose is essential to the manner in which we form relationships. We draw to people who give off scent signals that appeal to our “receptors.” What smells good to you may overwhelm another due to the number of receptors you may have. Fragrance is compelling because it can operate below the level of conscious awaren
