Discipleship
Thinking to Win
Our lives are formed in many ways initially by how we think! Our thinking leads to our behaviors which leads to our actions. Actions put into play for an extended period of time will result in a life well played or poorly lived.
In the book of Philippians Paul gives us a blueprint of how to think. Chapter 4 verses 8 and 9 say- “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy– think about such things.
What we think about the most is generally most important to us. We will Become what we think about.
In this crazy culture right now it is so easy to get into your own head in the wrong way and have negative thoughts. Paul illustrates we should be thinking about whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is pure and meditate on those items.
I am reminded that God’s word is full of truth and gives us the best blueprint we could ever ask for how to live our life. Saturating our mind with God’s word renews are thinking and put it on the right track to live a victorious life.
I know that whenever I am not allowing my mind to read and think about God‘s word I can drift toward selfish thoughts and depending on my own human strength. This way of living is so limited and has very little satisfaction.
Living in the truth of God‘s word and spreading the light enjoy to others in her life our encouraging words has got encourages us is the best way to live!
Prayer
Every Day
Every day we wake up and have a choice! God gives us Freewill whether we will choose to start the day with him or not. Our choice!
I continue to be reminded with a fresh outlook on getting into his Word and allowing God to speak to me that my day is much, much better. I am more focused and the daily discipline of looking at scripture, keeps my thoughts more aligned with God throughout the day.
Here’s a few quick tips to help:
1. Pick the time and place in advance where you will read your devotion and allow Gods Word to speak to you. Even if you start with 5 minutes and do it consistently you can build great habits.
2. There will be things and people that will try to distract you and get you off the path. There is an enemy named Satan and he wants to steal, kill and destroy your life. If he can throw curve balls at you and you swing, he’s got your eyes off the main pitch.
3. If you miss a day, pick it back up the next day. Don’t beat yourself up and just quit, keep fighting the good fight! Gods grace is sufficient for you and he loves you too much to give up on you.
Tell your friends and family about your journey with Jesus, you just might inspire them to start doing the same thing! God is so good, all the time!
2022- Time to get into Gods Word!
www.bible.com/reading-plans/29244/day/1The Secret
Paul was in prison. He had been beaten. He was not treated well and had to be physically exhausted.
Perspective. Paul had it. He reminds all of us that our view of our circumstances can rely on our mindset and perspective.
The Holy Spirit of God filled him and used him as a major vessel and carried the gospel in prison. So much that he went to the house of another jailer and shared his faith in Jesus to the jailers house and the scripture said they were all saved!
He found the secret. The secret in the power of Christ. He is our only one true hope! Praise his name!
Have a great day and ask the Lord to help you with whatever you are struggling with today!
How can we pray for you?
Tomorrow
Great scripture here in James 4!
We are not guaranteed tomorrow! Enjoy this day as a gift from God and his beauty all around you. Find 3 things to be thankful for. I’ve always tried to do that when I want to get too far ahead of God and do it myself and operate in my limited strength instead of Gods amazing power!
Our life is a mist….the Bible reminds us……here for a little while (in terms of eternity) and then gone….God wants us to make our time count when we are here! Lord Jesus help us serve you with our actions and our words!
God gives is the definition of Sin here- “if anyone knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them”. Ouch. That’s kinda close to home. Once God reveals himself and what he wants us to do it’s up to us to act and move….
I’m sure glad God is in control of my life and I will give him full surrender every day!!
2 Ears to Hear
Every time I read James Chapter 1 I always am reminded that God really wants us not just to hear people but intently listen to them!
1- Quick to Listen- a lost art in our culture. We are always thinking what we can say next and not letting others fully speak….people love to be heard!!
2- Do what the Word says- James reminds us not just to listen to Gods Word…..actually live it out in the flesh and just do it! Now that’s application!
3- When we examine Gods Word and obey it- He says we will be blessed at what we do! Family, Career, Ministry, whatever you put your heart to!
I’m glad we serve a God of Grace who’s mercies are New everyday!!
God Bless you!! Have an amazing week!
Focus
Every day we wake up and have a choice. What are we going to think about first. What is our mindset going to be like for the day?
We are all human and have negative thoughts come in our mind all the time. We have a choice if we are going to listen to our negative self talk or not. What we feed our mind with absolutely affects our behavior and how we are going to act and speak.
Hebrews 12:2 reminds us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”.
We are to gaze on Christ and try moment by moment to ask ourselves, “what would Jesus think about this” or “how does this look to Jesus”?
It re-focuses us on what’s important and what’s eternal. It re-aligns our heart and gets us centered back to our walk with God. We have to be intentional about it. Our natural thoughts are to waver and go the opposite direction. We have to pray and ask God for help moment by moment. It’s a battle we all face!
I want to encourage you today to focus on Christ and his goodness. Remember all that he has done for you in your life and believe by faith that he’s not done with you yet!
Groups are where Growth Happens
Groups are where Growth Happens.
In my 19 years as a follower of Christ, I have been involved in larger and smaller churches. I have sat in services of 1000+ and services of 150. While both have their pluses and minuses, one thing they have in common is their inability to connect people in relationships how God has wired us.
You may hear a good sermon, listen to some great worship music but when it comes to truly growing in your relationships with God, others must be involved. Growing in your walk with Christ cannot just be vertical it must be horizontal. This normally happens in a Small group, Life group or Community Group, whatever you decide to call it. It is where people can get real with people and talk about spiritual thoughts in their mind and heart. There are not many places where talking about such things is acceptable but in a small group, talking about God is understood and expected.
The conversation should flow about life in general, but always point back to God. After all, He is the rock of our salvation. He is the main reason we are all getting together, isn’t he? Groups all have different ebb and flow, depending on their leader and culture to which the group is formed. But something happens when people get together in Jesus name, lives begin to be transformed. This is done intentionally and takes time.
Here are 6 things a healthy small group does:
1. Pray. The leader must encourage other group members to have a special, personal time with God daily. They must also pray for ‘one another’. There is nothing more encouraging than knowing you are being prayed for by somebody else.
2. Meet regularly. Weekly is the goal to shoot for. If weekly can’t be done than twice a month can work, but is not the optimum meeting time. A lot of life happens every day, so meeting weekly gives group members a chance to be able to share what God has done and is doing in their lives.
3. Pick relevant material to study/discuss. You won’t hit a home run with every study you do, but you should be close to where people are living life every day in your group. Mix up the topics as well as the method you are choosing for delivery.
4. Making group members feel Valued and Loved. While everybody has a different motive to get involved in a small group, one thing is common, when group members know that you care about them, they will continue to attend group.
5. Plan activities outside of your normal meeting time. Make sure you schedule dates and times just to do life together. Picnic at park, game night, bowling, dinner and movies, you name it; just make sure you do something away from your typical meeting environment.
6. Plan to serve together. A healthy group is not strictly inward focused, but strives towards meeting other people’s needs. When you serve together in the community, it brings a sense of unity to the group that you can only experience by serving others.
These are just a few of the things that will grow your group stronger!
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