by Alisha | Mar 25, 2013 | Uncategorized
The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:15 to “let the peace of God rule in your hearts.”
Have you ever wondered how to do that? It’s not always so easy, is it? Especially when the cares of life, the weight of worries, and an overwhelming flood of emotions are bearing down on you.
But the Lord would never tell us to do something that we couldn’t do, right?
One thing I find very interesting about this verse is that the word “rule” here comes from the Greek word, brabeuo, which refers to an umpire or referee.
In fact, the Amplified Bible adds that facet to this verse, which I believe helps give it a bit more clarity. It says,
And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds…
Now, here’s a useless bit of trivia about me: I love Atlanta Braves Baseball! So, when March comes around and the leaves are budding, the flowers are blooming, birds are singing, bees are buzzing, and the whole earth is coming alive, my mind immediately turns to “Spring Training” and “opening day” for Major League Baseball!
(Stay with me here, I’m going somewhere with this…)
Now, being a Braves fan, I am well aware that their former manager, Bobby Cox, holds the all-time record for ejections (158 regular season, and 3 post-season). And I have personally watched a lot of those.
Let me set the stage: An umpire would call a strike or a ball or any play that Bobby didn’t agree with, and out of the dugout he would come. You could see him spewing off words. He would get right up in the umpire’s face and argue…and then it would come, the “magic word” that always got him thrown out.
The umpire would throw his arm and yell, “You’re outta here!” And Bobby Cox would add another ejection to his resumé.
This is a fabulous illustration of what we must do when thoughts or emotions come to our mind that produce worry, fear or any other negative emotion.
Peace is to be the umpire of our heart and mind.
When those thoughts or emotions come, arguing against the Word of God, screaming at you, getting right in your face, trying to upset you, trying to get you out of faith and over into doubt, then eject them! Throw them out of the game! Say, “You’re outta here!” And refuse to allow them to stay in your mind.
Let the peace of God decide and settle with finality all questions (all thoughts, all emotions) that arise in your mind. If it doesn’t produce peace, it has to go!
Never allow those thoughts to “stay in the game” and wreak havoc in your mind! You are in control.
If you didn’t read last week’s post, What Are You Thinking?, then I suggest you read it and the “thought checklist” which will help you know which thoughts you can think.
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
by Alisha | Mar 17, 2013 | Uncategorized
Did you know that the thoughts you allow yourself to dwell on are vitally important?
Thoughts are shapers. They produce emotions which produce decisions, actions and habits. If you are constantly thinking negative thoughts, you will make wrong decisions, which will cause you to take inappropriate actions and eventually develop bad habits.
Martin Luther once wrote, “You can’t stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”
You may not be able to keep a thought from entering your mind, but you certainly can keep it from staying there. How? You must do exactly as the Word says – cast it out! (2 Cor. 10:5).
Never allow a thought that is in direct opposition to God’s Word remain in your mind.
Instead, keep your mind “stayed” (fixed, firmly established) on the Lord, then He will keep you in perfect peace!
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJ) says, You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
So, how do you know if you’re thinking a wrong thought?
When a thought comes into your mind, you must first determine where it came from. Was it a “God” thought? Did it minister life or faith or peace to you? Or did it minister fear, worry, dread, doubt or unbelief? If it is one of the latter, then that thought is from the enemy and must be cast out.
Another method for determining whether or not a thought is from the Lord or from the enemy is found in Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
This verse gives you a “checklist” for which thoughts you can think on and which thoughts you can’t.
Thought Checklist:
- Is it true?
- Is it honest (honorable)?
- Is it just (right, fair)?
- Is it pure (clean)?
- Is it lovely (pleasing, agreeable, friendly)?
- Is it a good report?
- Is it virtuous (excellent)?
- Is it praiseworthy (commendable)?
If the thought lines up with this list, then it’s okay to think on it.
Love thoughts, faith thoughts, peace thoughts, joy thoughts – those are the thoughts that you should continually dwell upon. Those are the ones you are to think about.
Think about God’s Word (His goodness, His faithfulness, His grace, His mercy, His healing power, His provision). Meditate on it continually.
When you train your mind to think on the Lord, when you learn to keep your thoughts fixed, or “stayed” on Him, you will have His peace that passes all understanding.
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
by Alisha | Feb 11, 2013 | Uncategorized
2 Cor 4:16-18 (NLT) We never give up…our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
No matter what you’re going through, no matter what you’re facing, you can and will make it through. Never give up! Never give in!
I know it seems hard. I know you may feel like you’re never going to make it through to the other side, but if you’ll keep standing in faith, you will!
Did you know the Bible calls all of our struggles and trials small? In fact, the King James Version calls them “light” afflictions. Yes, I know, they don’t seem very small or “light.” In fact, most of the time they seem big, heavy, and burdensome. They may even seem insurmountable, overwhelming and potentially devastating.
But we must put these struggles in perspective. We must view them in light of eternity. We must look at the grand scheme of things, and take God’s view of the situation. Remember, with Him nothing is impossible (Lk. 1:37). He always gives you the victory (1 Cor. 15:57). He always causes you to triumph (2 Cor. 2:14).
Your troubles are very real, there’s no denying the fact. But remember, they are light, momentary, brief and fleeting. Don’t lose heart. Never give up! You will make it through because the Greater One lives in you, and He is greater than any problem, sickness, or deficiency you may have (1 John 4:4).
Learn to see through eyes of faith. Fix your gaze on the eternal. Focus your attention on the promises of God’s Word and forever settle in your heart that He is the final authority.
If you are discouraged, despondent or hopeless, then you must change your perspective, change your focus. How do you do that? By building yourself up in the Word of God. Find scriptures in the Bible that promise victory in whatever situation you are facing.
God’s Word is very practical and applicable to our daily lives. I guarantee you that there is a scriptural promise for whatever need you have. Find it and write it down. Memorize it, meditate on it and cling to it. (If you can’t find a scripture that pertains to your need, contact me and I will help you.) The more Word you get in your heart, the more your faith will grow.
I love this passage in The Message Bible:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
These hard times are “small potatoes” compared to the coming good times…There’s far more here than meets the eye. And not a day goes by without God’s unfolding grace to help us!
How’s that for perspective?
Don’t let what you’re going through weigh you down or rob you of your joy. Don’t allow momentary, light afflictions to cause you to give up on God’s faithfulness. What you’re going through right now won’t last forever. It’s temporary. So, focus on the eternal. Focus on the Lord and what He has promised in His Word. Fix your gaze on Him and never give up!
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
(photo credit)
by Alisha | Feb 4, 2013 | Uncategorized
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
Hebrews 4:9 (NKJ)
Are you truly in faith for what you’re needing or desiring from the Lord?
One way to answer this question is to determine if you are resting in Him or if you’re worrying and fretting.
Hebrews 4:3 (KJV) says, For we which have believed do enter into rest.
If you are truly in faith, believing the Word of God, then you have entered into rest.
Rest is a place, and you have to enter into it. In that place of rest there is peace, quietness, confidence and trust. You are not struggling, you are not working, you are not trying to obtain – you are resting in the promises of God.
Hebrews 4:10 (AMP) says, For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors…
Have you ceased from all your labors? Are you totally surrendered to Him? Are you completely secure in the fact that God is going to come through for you? Or are you anxious and constantly struggling with thoughts that He might not come through this time?
If you’re in faith, you’re not working, worrying or wondering. You are resting. You are trusting. You are confidently expecting God to do just what He said.
Faith is like being in deep waters. If you’re struggling, panicking and thrashing about, you will begin to sink. But if you’ll lie back and relax, trusting the waters to bear you up, you can rest and float.
As Christians, we must enter that place of rest. We must relax and confidently trust in the Lord to fulfill His Word in our lives. We don’t have to struggle. We don’t have to panic. We don’t have fret. But we do have to believe.
Hebrews 4:11 (AMP) tells us, Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves]…
Yes, you will have to work and strive diligently to enter into that place of rest. But once you’re there, you won’t struggle or strive again. You will relax in His arms, you will receive His strength and you will watch as He works in your behalf.
Isaiah 30:15 (AMP) says, For thus said the Lord God, the Holy one of Israel: In returning to Me and resting in Me you shall be saved; in quietness and in trusting confidence shall be your strength.
And in Matthew 10:28 (MSG) Jesus said, Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Ask the Lord to show you how to enter into His rest. Remember, He will never tell you to do something that you can’t do. He is always there to help you. He wants you to succeed. He wants you to be blessed. He wants you to receive whatever it is that you need of Him.
So enter into the rest of God. Wait patiently and confidently in Him. God is not a man that He should lie — what He has said, He will do (Num. 23:19).
(photo credit)
by Alisha | Jan 28, 2013 | Uncategorized
Don’t quit.
Don’t give up.
Don’t even consider casting away your confidence.
Why? Because if you will stay steady and remain in faith and patience, you will receive what you’ve been believing the Lord for!
Hebrews 10:35-36 (AMP) Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.
This scripture tells us that we need patience.
Having patience does not mean that you just sit around twiddling your thumbs while you wait for God to do what He said. No, patience is not passive – it’s aggressive! It is a firm decision to keep your heart and mind fixed on the Word of God and to believe Him in the face of every test, trial and circumstance that would come your way.
You must be relentless in your faith and patience. Believe God’s Word over what your senses tell you. Believe God’s Word over what your emotions tell you. Refuse to be moved by what you see, hear or feel!
Patience does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trials. It is the opposite of despondency. It doesn’t give up or give in. It stays with the Word. It strengthens and fortifies your faith.
Hebrews 6:12 (NIV) says, We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
The answer is on its way. You will see your dream fulfilled at just the right time and at the appointed season as long as you remain in faith and patience.
God is faithful. His Word is true. We must have complete confidence in Him that He will do just what He has promised.
So refuse to give up. Refuse to quit. It is through faith and patience that we inherit the promises of God!
Subscribe to Flourish so you don’t miss another post!
