Around 2 am, this morning I was staring into the darkness.
“What if” scenarios ran through my mind in succession. None of my
concerns were beyond the realm of possibility.
But, does worrying about them in early morning hours do any good? Those are ideas that cannot make their way
into my consciousness during my busy daytime hours. They find a pathway
into my thoughts as I emerge from sleep and lay quietly in the dark.
We all have a head that is full of thoughts, emotions, impulses, and ideas that exist just beyond the edge of our awareness. They can be a real blessing, a source of tremendous creativity. We dream about an idea that proves to be just the right solution to a problem. The work of sorting through solutions was largely done outside of our conscious mind.
We all have a head that is full of thoughts, emotions, impulses, and ideas that exist just beyond the edge of our awareness. They can be a real blessing, a source of tremendous creativity. We dream about an idea that proves to be just the right solution to a problem. The work of sorting through solutions was largely done outside of our conscious mind.
Would you like to rest better, live more faithfully, do
better at dealing with others? Then, fill
your mind with good, godly, and faith-filled thoughts. The practical advice God gives is to be “filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another
with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to
the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:18-20, NIV) When we invite the Presence of the Holy Spirit
into our lives, when we regularly take in the Truth of Scripture, when we take
care about what we consume as entertainment (many of us are much more careful
about what we put into our stomach than our brain!) we form a rich resource for
healthy thinking.
Want to change your actions? Don’t start
at the surface. Change the way you think. Right thinking always goes before
right living. Scripture says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern
of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will
be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect
will." (Romans 12:2, NIV) Another passage urges us to focus on
the Lord. The result? "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in
you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!" (Isaiah 26:3, NLT)
Those fears that visit me in the night-time reflect some
area that I can and must more fully transform by faith; so, I drag them into
the light. How? I talk about them in prayer with God. Sometimes I seek the counsel of a friend.
Often I meet them with what I learn in the Bible. Exposed to the Light, they wither and die. This
is my declaration - "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not
be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my
salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2, NIV)
Fighting fear today?
Do the headlines find a way into your head and resurface to make you anxious?
Do the headlines find a way into your head and resurface to make you anxious?
Has temptation battered you, left you on the ropes, feeling like
a failure?
Here is a word from the Word. Receive it with faith.
“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of
the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers.
But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants; day and night they think about his law.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.
Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.
But this is not true of the wicked. They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction."
But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants; day and night they think about his law.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.
Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.
But this is not true of the wicked. They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction."
(Psalm 1, NLT)
“What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies?
Yet God does not forget a single one of them.
And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.
So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows." (Luke 12:4-7, NLT)
Yet God does not forget a single one of them.
And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.
So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows." (Luke 12:4-7, NLT)
And, don’t forget to keep those good, godly friends
close! We are not Lone Rangers, we are part of the family of God! Let’s
live like it.
____________
Change my heart, oh God.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart, oh God.
May I be like You.
You are the Potter,
I am the clay!
“Mold me and make me,”
This is what I pray.
Eddie Espinosa
© 1982 Mercy /
Vineyard Publishing (Admin. by Vineyard Music USA)
CCLI License #
810055
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