Last One Picked

Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. Philippians 4:8 

Do you ever feel left out? Maybe no one likes you? Perhaps as a child you were always selected last when teams were chosen. Maybe in your mind you conjured up scenarios that never really existed and thought people were thinking certain things they really weren't. It is essential to get control of your thought life. Your mind sort of controls everything. One thing to really get a handle on is basing your worth on Facebook likes. If you do this, or spend entirely too much time on Facebook,perhaps it is time to give this social media site a rest. 

What we dwell on in our mind is critical. If you have a habit of watching TV news then you may become fearful. If crime dramas are your forte, then you may go to bed stressed. What we watch enters into our subconscious mind and can shape us whether we think it does or not. 

God loves you my friend. His love for you is unconditional. Sure you may do things to break His heart every now and then but He would for sure pick you to be on His team, He already has! Have you made Jesus first place in your life? 

PRAYER: I choose to start basing my worth on you Lord and not what people think of me or who likes me and who does not. You alone are worthy to be praised and I thank you for all the goodness you have brought into my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Saint Or Sinner?

Saint Or Sinner?

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said.“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:10-11

It might surprise you to know we are all sinners. Have you lied? That is a sin. Have your lusted over someone other than a spouse even in a movie? That too is a sin. Have you had hatred in your heart for another human? Bingo! You get the idea. 

Be a witness. Talk to the hurting, the prisoner, those who the world would not have anything to do with. They need the love of God. "We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."(Romans 3:23). Romans 5:6-8 says "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Christ was not mad at the sinner. He simply said "Go and sin no more." 

There are many temptations in this world. The temptation to lie, cheat, steal, are around us all the time. Keep looking to the cross and to Jesus to keep on the straight and narrow path which leads to salvation and eternal life with Him. 

PRAYER: I know temptations are around me daily Lord but I also know you offer a way out. Help me be consumed by your word and not the world and its' issues and problems. Keep my heart pure and free from sin. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click on link and be prepared to praise God in song:

http://youtu.be/ipwEtvWL_3c?list=RDipwEtvWL_3c

Mind Fest

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.Colossians 3:2

 What does your mind dwell on daily? Perhaps a movie or television show you watched or are watching. Maybe a book you are reading. Perhaps it is dwelling on problems. To get your mind off bad stuff you have to intentionally think on good stuff. To think on good stuff you have to make a habit of focusing on good. That is harder to do if in your spare time you fill your mind with junk. 

A mind controlled by the things of the spirit thinks on good things. A mind controlled by things of the flesh will dwell on wrong things. You must make it a point to fill your mind on what is good, uplifting, pure, peaceful, and loving. Don't get up and the first thing you do is to start worrying. Stop if you do that and start praising God and praying instead. Be careful what you choose for 'entertainment' if the shows are full of immorality, swearing, killing and the like. Better to turn off the television. 

Don't allow Satan to control your thoughts and make you become anxious. Talk out loud to him and say "Satan you have no power over me. I am a child of God. I refuse to think wrong thoughts.Be gone and leave me alone." Try it and see if you do not feel better. Before you know it you will have a mind fest of pure, wholesome, and positive thoughts and the other kind will be just a memory. 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I purpose in my heart today to think on things above not my problems down here. I choose to think good thoughts and keep you in them. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

Think Right

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything be excellent or praiseworthy-think on such things. Philippians 4:8

What you choose to think on can literally control you. If you get up and start worrying over something you have no control over, worry thoughts consume you. If you try to figure things out in your head, that type thinking can control you. Perhaps you obsess over issues and if so then obsessive thoughts control you. Satan is a master of trying to get your thoughts off God and things of the spirit and onto things that take you away from biblical thinking. Do not allow this to happen.

 Wake up and talk to yourself. Quote scriptures. Sing praise songs. Tell the devil he can not control you as you are a child of the living King. Say something like "Satan get away from me. I choose by the mighty power of Jesus to fill my mind with things of God. I will not allow you to drag me into your pit!"  After you do that you should feel better.

Thinking right is a discipline you need to practice daily. Get control of what you allow into your mind and work on having the mind of Christ.

 PRAYER: Lord I choose to keep my thoughts focused on you. Your meditations are my delight. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Fixated? Stop It Now!

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

What is your mind constantly fixated on? Is it something good or do you consistently dwell on things that drag you down and make you feel bad? Many in our world are fixated on celebrities some to the point of stalking them as was in the news recently with actress Sandra Bullock. Fixations can be on tragedies where perhaps you can not get enough of bad news about disasters. Maybe you are fixated on mistakes from your past and can not seem to forgive yourself even though Jesus forgave you. There are those fixated on conspiracy theories. Today's world sees a new fixation with Facebook, You Tube, and Twitter where some feel a need to know every detail of a person's life.

             In life it is necessary to strike a balance and not let your mind be saturated to the point where you can not think on anything else. For a believer, a great thing to keep your mind on would be 'things above' and the word of God. Whatever your mind dwells on is often what rules your life. If you have difficulty keeping your mind fixed on Jesus and things that are good and perfect as it refers to in Philippians 4:8. My recommendation would be to get away and let go of things you know causing you to fixate. Spend more time in prayer and Bible study. Basically things that build you up and not saturate you with meaningless activity. 

The challenge for reader's today is to check your life and see what it is you may be fixated on that  really does not bring you closer to God and turn that around to glorify Jesus.

PRAYER: Just as the verse in Philippians 4:8 says to think on good things, help me Lord to resist spending too much time on things that take me away from you and get me into a pit of despair. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Be Happy Everyday!

This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Hopefully you woke up today in a good mood ready to face yet another day God has blessed you with here on Earth. We are not here to serve ourselves alone. We are here to serve the Lord and love people, all people.

Sometimes if you wake up feeling depressed, gloomy,sad, and alone, try saying out loud the verse above. Say it over and over if you have to. If you are away from things of the Lord and feeling sort of out of it, go get a Bible and open to the book of John in the New Testament and rejoice. Make a list of your blessings in life instead of dwelling on your problems. Pray for other people. Do something nice for someone, even a stranger. Purposely think on good things. 

Each and every day is a gift from God and a reason to be glad. If you are feeling down it is because Satan likes to get you to be this way. When you feel bad tell Satan to get behind you. Now go out and be happy!

PRAYER: I love you Lord and I choose this day to rejoice and make the enemy mad. Help me be kind today regardless of feelings. In Jesus' name. Amen. 

DON'T GIVE UP...PRAY ON!

 "Keep on keeping on" as the saying goes. What is it you are believing God for? Prayer is an essential tool for the Christian. It is our way daily of communicating with God and letting Him hear our heart. When all else fails, pray.

Luke 18:1(NIV) reminds us to "pray and NEVER give up". Never means never. Discouragement may come. The enemy messes with your mind and gives you wrong fearful thoughts. Reject those thoughts of fear and replace them with faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7( NIV) says 'We walk by faith not by sight.' Even though you may feel a situation is never going to be any different, hang on dear friend.

What has got you down today? Now is the time to look up and praise God. Start praising Him daily and see if your problems don't start to diminish. The enemy has to flee in when you praise God.

Start today and make up your mind you will have right thinking. Purposely reject wrong fearful thoughts that come from the enemy Satan. He wants you to be worried and fretful as then you become powerless against him. 2 Corinthians 10:5(NIV) says ' We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ.'

Go be powerful and look to God!

PRAYER: I can do all things through you Lord and I have your power to defeat wrong thinking that is causing me to pray then turn around and worry. I reject wrong thinking right now and with your help will walk by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link and lift up your hands and praise God!

http://youtu.be/HIkxVMDY71I

YOUR THOUGHT LIFE

 What are you thinking about right this minute? Before you sat down to read this devotion what was on your mind? Were they good thoughts or impure thoughts? Our mind has to be trained to be Christlike. It has to be disciplined to "feed" it with good input and not garbage. Whatever we put in our minds is often the kind of person we are.

For instance, a constant "diet" of R rated movies full of cursing and crude humor may produce a mind and conscience seared like a hard heart. The more you take in the less it bothers you. Perhaps you get to a point where you feel it is normal.

A person who feeds their mind on pornography is also going to send their mind into a pit of destruction. When you know certain things are wrong you need to be disciplined to run the other way. Flee evil.

Many forces in the world today make sin and crude language seem common place. You watch television to a constant stream of "bleeps". What happened to pure speech and a clean heart?

Philippians 4:8(NIV) is a good verse to memorize. It says 'Finally brothers, 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.' Meditate on that scripture then ask God to help you discipline your mind for the kingdom of God.

PRAYER: Forgive me Lord when I allow wrong thoughts or impure thoughts into my mind. Help me Lord to keep my mind meditating on the word of God to counteract the attempts of the evil one to get me distracted and using my mind in the wrong way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

OH WE GOT TROUBLE!!

 We may indeed have trouble in our world but we do not need to focus on it and dwell on it all the time. I am sure all of us have people we know who continually dwell on doom and gloom. Why not make a practice of trying to say positive things. Try this. "Thank you Lord for my home. Thanks for my friends. Thanks for food to eat. Thanks for having money to spend even if I think I do not have enough. Thanks Lord for my Bible. Thanks Lord for good health and for healing me. Thanks Lord for beautiful flowers and the gift of nature." You get the idea so now try it.

If each and every morning it is your habit to wake up and flip on the morning news then rest assured your mind will be filled with troubles. Likewise if you reach for the morning newspaper before having quiet time with Jesus that too is a solution for bringing you down. Not that these two sources do not occasionally have cheery things in them but the point being if you want to be content, peaceful and not live in constant dread and fear your focus has to be on "above".

Phillipians 4:8(NIV) says 'Finally brothers and sisters, 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." Whatever your mind dwells on usually is what controls you. Scared of the end of the earth what is happening in the world? Give that care to Jesus. There does not have to be trouble in your heart. Even with the craziness happening around you it is possible to be at peace and set an example for Christ.

PRAYER: Thanks Lord for your perfect peace. I know I need not fear the terror around me and in this world. You are in control and I trust you no matter what the situation looks like right now. Help my unbelief at times. In Jesus name. Amen.

Assignment: Read Psalm 91

Click link below for a great praise song to lift your spirits.

http://youtu.be/8cJJGgRlQi8

OFFENSE/DEFENSE

Yeah team. Go, fight ,win! No this devotion is not about the start of the football season which for many faithful fans of this sport is one they can hardly wait for. Instead I am referring to the emotions of taking offense or being offended which I could be a spokesperson for. Then there is defense, feeling like you have to constantly defend yourself in front of others or prove your worth or value. Neither one really draws you closer to the Lord.

These two emotions are no fun to experience. To allow another's comment or perception of you to offend you is not what brings the joy of the Lord to your heart. If you are constantly worried what comments people say or feeling, then you are not trusting the Lord and maybe allowing the enemy to get into a weak area and irritate you. If you can not shake this feeling perhaps it is time to get alone with God for a while and study his word on this topic. A "Fast from Wrong Thinking" as Chicago Pastor Gregory Dickow calls it. I find that prayer followed by really praising God and perhaps listening to praise music really helps. At the end of this devotion today I have included a link to a wonderful song of praise.Take a moment and listen to it.

2 Corinthians 12:10(ESV) says 'For the sake of Christ then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities, for when I am weak then I am string.' Your worth and value does not come from humans but from God. Taking offense is one thing Satan loves to torment the believer with. If you deal with being offended just remember what Romans 8:1(ESV) says. 'There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.'

In life you may continue to receive little "tests" in order to grow in Christ. You can identify what your weak area is and then need these little "tests" in order to try to overcome your weakness and thus grow more Christlike. Do you want to keep being "tested"? I think it was my sister Judy who told me that we keep going through the same things till we learn. I know that is true.

If you feel the emotions of offense or defense coming on and you know in your heart that you do not want to have them then cry out to God. When you are offended you can risk an otherwise healthy relationship due to misunderstanding.

The thing to do is to seek Christ and His face continually. When you dwell on what bothers you then you can get more and more offended and defend yourself even more. None of us are perfect. We seek to be Christlike in what we say and do. Being offended and defending yourself is of the flesh and not of the kingdom of God. We need to recognize that.

Romans 7:18(ESV) is a good place to conclude. It says 'for I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is in my flesh, for I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.' Aren't you glad Jesus can take those things and help you be a brand new person as you seek His face daily?

PRAYER: My hope is in you Lord and you alone. At times my human nature kicks in and then I have to stay close to you even more. Thank you for forgiving me when I mess up. In Jesus' name. Amen.


Click link to hear a wonderful song to start your day!

http://youtu.be/BOtuJQhW93A