Morning Meditation: Out of the Fog: Day 3

Out of the Fog: Day 3 

If you believe that you were made in the image and likeness of God there are certain things that you should be willing to accept about yourself. To be made in the image and likeness of God is to not just resemble God but to be crafted after God. We are not God but certainly we possess character traits and abilities which God uses to validate His presence with us and in us! Mary Mary singing about who they are and their accomplishments say it well, "it's the God in me"!

What do you know about God? You know He is compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. You know He is truthful, fearless always victorious, that He cares for people who are oppressed that He is powerful and therefore empowers us and the list goes on.

Can we say we are made in God's likeness and profess love for Him while we 'cannot stand' the people around us, or can we say we are affiliated with God yet allow fear to overtake us and dictate our very existence even limiting how big we dream?

Who is God to you? Take a moment to think about what God has done for you in the past. What behaviors and attitudes have God been asking you to modify or discard so that you can begin to be more like Him? Have you been using the authority that God has given you in your everyday life or have you been living a defeated life believing and acting as though everyone is against you, that you will never realize your dreams, that you are not capable of being and doing the things your heart most desires?

Today take heart there is God on the inside of you, therefore He has gifted you with everything needed to resemble Him and to win in this life.


It is time to embrace who you truly are!
 

EJ

Unburden your Life: Fear

Guided Study

Proverbs 12:25
"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad."

Fear is one of the common realities in the lives of human beings. However while some people find motivation through their fears others are severely paralyzed by them. These may range from diagnosed phobias to the fear of failure and the fear induced anxiety of everyday worries. Fear and caution are two separate things. If we can admit it we recognize that fear is quite unhealthy and quite often debilitating. The only fear that is healthy is the fear of God! As such God is certainly vocal through His word about the struggle with fear. He is adamant that our fears be drowned out by our faith. What are you fearful or anxious about? See what God has to say about it and meditate on it to build your faith in that area because after all, "which of [us] by being anxious can add a single hour to [our] span of life?" Matthew 6:27. What a clear picture about the uselessness of our fear induced worries. The sad thing is we know it is useless too because how many nights have you given up being happy to worry about something that never even ended up happening but yet we allow it to dominate our lives.

"When I am afraid, I will put my trust in God" says the Psalmist. What a testament to the fact that fear is swallowed up by faith! How many times have you had to complete a task despite the fear in your heart and once you settled in to what you were doing didn't your fear disappear even if was just in that moment?

Another thing that we learn from the Psalmist is that it is our duty to replace our fear with faith. We have to take the faith steps in order to confront and eliminate the things which make us anxious: it is a conscious decision that is required on our part each day. It is time to release the strong arm of fear from your life. Once you have identified your fears try to address each individually so that you do not become overwhelmed and of course ask God to help you because will power isn't always enough. If you need professional help do not be embarrassed or dismayed, God works through people too!!

Here are a few scripture references, check them out when you have a moment.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Hebrews 11:1
Philippians 4:6-7
1 Peter 5:6-7
There are many more! 

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EJ

Unburden your Life: Procrastination

Guided Study- Saturday 4/26/14

This weekend we will provide a few scriptures concerning some of the common issues we struggle with as humans so we can see what God says about them that we might adjust our thinking and behaviors toward them. 

Procrastination 
Results in unpreparedness, disobedience and missed opportunities. It usually reveals a lack of confidence in one's decision or in the person who inspired the decision in the first place and other times is simply shows that one has chosen to be lazy. Here is what the Word of God says about it.

John 9:4 - I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work

Matthew 25: 1-13
Take a moment and read the parable of the 10 virgins. Here is a snap shot

Verse 10 - "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut."

Deuteronomy 23:21
"When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the LORD your God will surely require it of you.

In your quiet time, what does God say about procrastination to you? 

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EJ

Morning Meditation: Unburden your Life: Day 5

Unburden your Life: Day 5

Sitting quietly I found myself thinking about the celebration of Easter and how well commemorated it is, so much so that, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday boast some of the heftiest numbers in church attendance across the world. What's the point in remembering something that we do not believe?!

Jesus didn't cheat death He conquered it. He is not somehow running from death scared it will catch up with Him. He faced it and then took away all of its power so that we would no longer live in fear! Can we really say we believe in God's power if we do if we go on to live lives burdened by fear and anxiety. Many people have resigned themselves to simply hoping life will be better in the after life because we have given up on the life we now have. Are our ideas and behaviors simply denying Jesus' power in our lives and putting Him back on the cross. You will never lay your life and your cares at the feet of someone in whom you do not believe. Is that was is stopping you?

To some people this post will be something cute because they believe the subject to be that of a fairy tale but to others it will be powerful stirring introspection and change. Decide today what you will believe about God going forward. The more we believe what He says is the more likely we are to do and to be what He commands.

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” John 20: 29 

Until next time, 
EJ

Morning Meditation: Unburden your life: Day 4

Unburden your life: Day 4

You may not have wanted to get out of bed this morning.

You have probably asked a thousand times, "how much more of this can I take? When will I get a new job? When will I start my business? Why can't I find the drive I need or where is my lucky break? How will I be able to go back to school? When will my heart stop aching? When will my dreams come true?
Facing our challenges and fears is not easy, so what a blessing it is to give them over to God. That doesn't mean we ignore them or shun responsibility for them, what it means is that we allow God to give us wisdom and guidance and we determine not to worry, despair or to become depressed. Very often God uses the people in our lives to assist us.

However, be careful of the expectation that people are to be there for you and to rescue you. God has empowered you to help yourself and where your abilities fail His strength will prevail.

Remember at one of Jesus' most challenging moments (praying on the Mount of Olives) when He was in so much agony over what was to come that Luke likened the sweat falling off Him to blood. Jesus’ disciples fell asleep though He had asked them to stay awake and to be in prayer (Luke 22:39-46) Though He had people around Him, He had to face His issues alone. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to help but maybe the burdens He carried were too great for them (that’s for another post). The ability to go on was divinely sent (an Angel appeared from heaven and strengthened Jesus).

Today tap into God's power and let Him help you handle your issues.

When was the last time you prayed about your problems? Take some time and talk with God about them.

Be sure to tell your problems to God first if you must share them with other people. 

EJ

Morning Meditation: Unburden your Life: Day 3

Unburden your life: Day 3 

The use of affirmations has gotten quite popular in the life coaching circles over the last few years but the truth is these were practiced by people even in biblical times! 

We use affirmations to influence our thoughts and behavior; to change negative behaviors and ideas, to increase our faith and to focus our Spirit on the very thing we want to accomplish especially if the mind at the time does not believe it to be possible.

When we follow the standard set by God for us we will begin to call those things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17). Here is an example "my mind is at peace I am worry free because every decision I make will turn out for my good. I am successful at all that I do" this may be something that you say every time you begin to worry about a decision you are making or become fearful of the future. Either way while it may feel silly saying it because it does not represent how you feel at the time you are calling your inner man to align himself with what you are saying (what you want) and over time the adjustment will be made. There is power in the tongue; in the things you say (Proverbs 18:21)!

Today as you continue to give God your challenges and worries, create an affirmation that you can use to help you refocus whenever anxiety and worry resurface. Use your affirmation as many times as you need to throughout the day.

You can't leave it to chance begin to change your life today by aligning yourself (what you say and what you meditate on) with your desired outcome. 

EJ

Morning Meditation: Unburden your Life: Day 2

Unburden your Life: Day 2 



Have you ever taken the time to really look at the Songs of David in the Psalms? David had many challenges and though he had several moments where he might have been fearful, uneasy or even disappointed He knew that His problems were best handled by God. When you let go of the things that worry you and leave them with God you are making a declaration of faith in God and His ability to both love and care for you and you are allowing yourself the opportunity to see God's power at work through you as well as in your situation. Read Psalm 121 when you get a moment. Here are the first few verses.

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2 

EJ