Changing The Way We Think

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

We won’t develop new responses until we develop new thoughts. That’s why renewing our minds with new thoughts is crucial. New thoughts come from new perspectives. The Bible encourages this process, which only makes sense because God created the human mind and understands better than anyone how it functions.

A foundational teaching of Scripture is that by the power of the Holy Spirit it is possible to be completely changed through transformed thought patterns.

“Do not conform 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).
We don’t have to live lives conformed to the patterns of this world. And we don’t have to stay stuck in patterns of negative actions and reactions. We can let God’s Word renew and rewire our minds, because we aren’t people destined to stay the same. We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

I don’t know about you, but understanding how my brain is designed makes our key verse come alive in a whole new way. Being transformed by thinking in new ways isn’t some New Age form of mind control. It’s biblical, and it’s fitting with how God wired our brains.

Yes, when we gain new perspectives from God’s Word, we can see new ways of thinking. And if we change the way we think, we’ll change the ways we act and react.

"Proverbs 31 Ministries"

Antidote For Bitterness

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

Just because I’ve been hurt doesn’t mean I now have to live hurt. I can get mad and bitter and spread more hurt around. Or, I can choose grace and gentle responses and spread more hope around.

Hurt people, hurt people.
Healed people, heal people.
And I want to be in that latter group
.
There’s nothing we can do to eliminate the pain of rejection. Oh, how I wish there were. With every fiber of my being, I wish I could remove it from my world and yours. But I can’t. The only thing to help my heart heal from these deep wounds is the constant pursuit of the sweetest grace.

To love God is to cooperate with His grace. And since I’m so very aware of my own need for grace, I must be willing to freely give it away. Each hole left from rejection is an opportunity to create more and more space for grace in my heart.

From: "Proverbs 31 Ministries"

Worry: The Fruit Of A Divided Heart

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

                                                Worry:  The Fruit Of A Divided Heart

    "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." Psalm 94:19

The word anxiety comes from a root that means "to divide." That's because anxiety produces a divided mind, one which is pulled this way and that way, constantly distracted and disturbed. Here's the point: Either the Lord carries the worry or we do. If we do, we'll be divided, distracted, disturbed. And we will end up confused, frustrated, and burdened. If He carries the load, we may still have troubles and difficulties, but no anxiety, no dominating fear, no undue concern, no hopeless despair.

There's a reason we can do that with confidence - "your consolation brought joy to my soul." This touches a secret fear of many believers - that if we submit out lives to Jesus Christ, He'll mess things up. He'll ask us to do things we don't want to do, He'll send us places we don't want to go, He'll bring unpleasant people into our lives and force us to be someone we don't want to be. And we secretly fear He can't be trusted to take care of us. So we decide to live at a 60 or 70 percent level of trust and wonder why we are so bored, frustrated, and unfulfilled spiritually.

I'm convinced that our problems are at heart theological. We've never settled the question, What kind of God do we believe in? In biblical terms, we've never settled the question of whether we believe God really cares for us. We think He does, we hope He does, but many days we're not sure.

When you get right down to it, we're not sure about God. We can't quite bring ourselves to trust Him. Until we, by a conscious choice, settle the big question, What kind of God do I believe in? all lesser questions will go unanswered.

Here is the genius of biblical Christianity: God cares for me. and He proved it by sending His own Son to die for me. At the Cross the issue was settled for eternity. Any God who would sacrifice His own Son for a person like me must care for me. There's no other reason He would do such a thing.

When we come to God, we don't have to convince Him to hear us. We don't have to chant or shout or burn incense or ring bells or use a priest or offer a sacrifice. No, we come as His children, and He gladly hears us. We don't do anything to make God care. We begin and act from the assurance, rooted in history, that God cares for us. And it's on that basis that we can unload all our worries on Him.

Lord Jesus, help me to discern the difference between honest concern and sinful worry. Show me how to cast my cares upon You lest I collapse under the weight of my own problems. Amen.

From the book, Green Pastures, Quiet Waters, by Ray Pritchard

Understanding Will Never Bring You Peace

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31


UNDERSTANDING will never bring you Peace. That's why I have instructed you to trust in Me, not in your understanding. Human beings have a voracious appetite for trying to figure things out, in order to gain a sense of mastery over their lives. But the world presents you with an endless series of problems. As soon as you master one set, another pops up to challenge you. The relief you had anticipated is short-lived. Soon your mind is gearing up again: searching for understanding (mastery), in stead of seeking Me (your Master).
The wisest of all men, Solomon, could never think his way through to Peace. His vast understanding resulted in feelings of futility, rather than in fulfillment. Finally, he lost his way and succumbed to the will of his wives by worshiping idols.

My Peace is not an elusive goal, hidden at the center of some complicated maze. Actually, you are always enveloped in Peace, which is inherent in My Presence. As you look to Me, you gain awareness of this precious Peace.

From the book, "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence.

Sit Quietly In My Presence

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31


SIT QUIETLY IN MY PRESENCE while I bless you. Make your mind like a still pool of water, ready to receive whatever thoughts I drop into it. Rest in My sufficiency, as you consider the challenges this day presents. Do not wear yourself out by worrying about whether you can cope with the pressures. Keep looking to Me and communicating with Me, as we walk through this day together.

Take time to rest by the wayside, for I am not in a hurry. A leisurely pace accomplishes more than hurried striving. When you rush, you forget who are you and Whose you are. Remember that you are royalty in My kingdom.

From the book, "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence.

Wait On The Spirit

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31


Wait on the Spirit. If Peter and the apostles needed the help of the Spirit, don’t we? They walked with Jesus for three years; heard his preaching and saw his miracles. They saw the body of Christ buried in the grace and raised from the dead. They witnessed his Upper Room appearance and heard his instruction. Had they not received the best possible training? Weren’t they ready? Yet Jesus told them to wait on the Spirit. “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).

Learn to wait, to be silent, to listen for his voice. Cherish stillness and sensitize yourself to his touch.  All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene.

From God is With You Every Day

Watch Your Words Diligently

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31


WATCH YOUR WORDS DILIGENTLY. Words have such great power to bless or to wound. When you speak carelessly or negatively, you damage others as well as yourself. This ability to verbalize is an awesome privilege, granted only to those I created in My image. You need help in wielding this mighty power responsibly.

Though the world applauds quick-witted retorts, My instructions about communication are quite different: Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Ask My Spirit to help you whenever you speak. I have trained you to pray - "Help me, Holy Spirit" - before answering the phone, and you have seen the benefits of this discipline. Simply apply this discipline to communicating with people around you. If they are silent, pray before speaking to them. If they are talking, pray before responding. These are split-second prayers, but they put you in touch with My Presence. In this way, your speaking comes under the control of My Spirit. As positive speech patterns replace your negative ones, the increase in your Joy will amaze you.

From the book, "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence.