Be Wise

Complacency and foolishness with our bodies can destroy us.

Maybe not immediately, but later on down the road. Don't choose foolishness today, and say you will change later. 

There might not be a later. 

"Or don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Cleaning Out the Excess In Our Bodies-Part 1

I truly believe with all my heart, that if our thoughts and hearts are aligned with the Word of God, and our focus is on pleasing Him, then our bodies will be a reflection of that. I know that is a strong statement, and one that can cause a lot of controversy. But if we lack self-control and discipline in our relationship with Christ, we will more than likely lack it in our thoughts, hearts, homes, bodies, and finances. 

We are imperfect people. This will always be a battle we face until Christ takes us home. Now, don't misunderstand me. I understand some people battle health issues that attribute to things with their bodies. I am one of them. I struggle with tummy issues and have for the last 16 years. Thus, the comment my hubby and I had recently about our bodies. He said, "I don't mean this in a bad way babe, but if you didn't have so many stomach problems you would probably be a heavier person." I laughed and said, "Why do you say that?" He responded, "Because you love food so much." And I do, but my stomach doesn't. 

I laughed and said, "Though it’s a thorn in my flesh, it is also a blessing, because I have had to learn how to have self-control and be more disciplined in what I eat and drink."  

Now, I fail quiet often at this, and I pay for it, which in return leaves my hubby, and my parents saying, "You know better. You know that is going to upset your stomach, should you be eating that. Or we are not going to feel sorry for you when you are up sick." All to my lack of control at times and response, "Probably, but I really want it." 

Brethren, its hard when everyone else around you is eating the things you love and you know your body can't handle it. When the temptation is in your face it makes it really hard, doesn't it?

This happens on both sides of me, with my family and my husband's family. 

So, how do we honor God in these situations? How do we clean out the excess junk in our bodies, cabinets, fridges, and on the go, all while displaying self-control and discipline that honors God?

Let’s look at one of many today.

1.    Prayer. It is the greatest tool there is when it comes to taking care of our bodies. When we stay in constant communication with the Lord, asking Him for help, we can believe that He will do just that.

Though there are many amazing passages about prayer, three of my favorite and go to are…

1.    Philippians 4:6-7“Don’t worry about anything instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

a.   The more I focus on Him and what He does for me, the less I focus on the problem or the temptation of eating something I know I shouldn’t.

2.    Romans 8:26-27“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”

a.   There is something so comforting in knowing that God gets us, even when we don’t get ourselves. When we struggle to find the words, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf and speaks the words our mortal minds can’t. Rather than turning immediately to another person, doctor, nutritionist, info commercial, or diet fad, turn to God in prayer first and let Him give you the guidance, help, and understanding you need. Then allow Him to place the right people in your life that will help you and encourage you. For me it’s my hubs, mom and dad. They are GREAT at keeping me in check. Partially because they are tired of being up all night with me, or taking me the ER.

b.   Sometimes our very own can enable us, lead us astray, only fix something temporarily, but it’s God that sticks with you to the end.

3.     This is a two-part. I LOVE this entire passage, but for reading sake I will pull out the main two and encourage you to read the entire passage on your own.

a.     Matthew 6:25-27; 31-33-“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are.”

b.     Vs 31-33-“So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you life for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.”

My struggle is not with over indulging myself with food. Nor is it not eating enough food. My struggle is eating the right things that agree with my stomach. For a long time I would be worry and get scared to eat because of my fear of getting an upset stomach and vomiting. But when I combined these two passages with the other ones, it gave me a new outlook on my situation. I no longer have to fear food, or worry about throwing up, all though I still do at times. Especially when I am lying in the ER for the umpteenth time because I am so sick. Instead I can turn to the Lord, pray for wisdom and guidance and trust that He will help me make wiser choices and be able to discern what I need to eliminate in my diet.

I can’t tell you how many times in the last 16 years that I have cried out to the Lord asking for His presence to be with me, to help me, and to relieve me of this. And though I am 16 years into this and I have yet to be healed of it, I have learned a lot, am still learning a lot, and trusting in Him a lot more. Instead of getting angry, I praise Him because it could be SO much worse.

I have to stay in constant communication with Him. I have to rely heavily upon Him. I have to make the choice to either, listen and act on His Word, or to give in and pay the consequences.

Whether you are an over-eater, under-eater, or junk food eater, God gives you the choice daily to choose wisely. If we are not careful food can become our idol. It can become an addiction that destroys us. For me, if I am not wise, my GERD can turn into cancer. My stomach can become an ulcer fest, and the acid can destroy the lining in my stomach and esophagus. All of which, I do not want to happen. But if I choose to eat poorly because my flesh desires the goodness of unhealthy and acidic foods, this will be the consequence and outcome.

If you choose to over-eat your body and heart will pay for it. It will be harder physically and mentally. And can even take the place where God should be.

If you are an under-eater, your body and heart can pay for it. Your body needs food. It is what fuels you. Food has a God-given purpose. And we will discuss both of these later on in this series.

If you struggle with food and you feel defeated, let God’s Word remind you that there is hope. Turn to Him in prayer. Spend time visiting with the Lord. This is something that you will have to do daily, maybe even every second. But if you turn to Him first and choose to push through those temptations He will make you stronger.

Ask the Lord every time you go to put something in your mouth. Is this a healthy and wise decision? Will this give me the right source of nutrients, energy, and strength I need to serve you and be used by you, or will this reek havoc on my body, soul and mind?

This is the first of many when it comes to taking care of our bodies. As we wade through this part I will share with you what has worked for me. And hopefully we can clean out some excess junk in our pantries, cabinets and fridges.

Again, I want to stress that this is what the Lord has helped me with, and He might have something very different for you.

Be wise today, sweet one. Bless the Lord by making wise decisions.

Cleaning Out The Excess-Part 5

David set the perfect example of how to cleanse our hearts. He knew all to well what it was like to have a heart full of excess junk (sin).

As we close this part of Cleaning out the Excess within our hearts, let's let David's words fall fresh upon us today. May his plea to have a heart pleasing to God, also be ours.

  

"Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my shameful deeds-they haunt me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner-yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me-now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you." Psalm 51:1-12

It's Time!

When is the last time you fell to your knees, out stretched your arms, threw your head back, and allowed Christ to pour out His blood, His love, and cleanse you in a way that only He can?

It's Time!

Cleaning Out The Excess-Part 4

When we only allow the things of The Lord and His Word to fill our hearts, we don't have room for it to be full of anything else.

Now, granted we live in what we call a world. And in this world there are many distractions. 

Distractions that feed the senses. This causes conflict within our heart. 

So does the fact that we were born sinners, and have within us hearts that are most deceitful.

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" Jeremiah 17:9

Knowing all of this, what's our option? How do we remove the junk, the excess, the world, the sin?

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." Ezekiel 36:25-27

First, you let Jesus get a hold of you and cleanse you. Second, you allow Him to create in you a clean heart. Third, we allow Christ to fill us with the Holy Spirit. 

"For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill ourhearts with his love." Romans 5:5

Are you ready? Are you willing? 

Altar Sunday

As you kneel at the altar today, let Jesus re-ignite the fire.

Never A Question or A Doubt

Live for Jesus in such a way, you never have to look back with regret or shame. 

Love and serve your family in a way you never have to utter the words, "I could have loved more, done more, invested more, laughed more."

And always ensure your relationship with Christ is filled with...

Passion. Devotion. Trust & Faith.

Take Him Up On It

Do you need help cleaning out the excess junk in your heart?

If so, look to the Lord, He promises to help.

"The Lord your God will cleanse your heart and the hearts of all your descendants so that you will love him with all your heart and soul, and so you may live!" Deuteronomy 30:6

He takes it a step farther than we could have even imagined or asked for. He not only offers to cleanse our hearts from the junk, but from our descendants as well.

Rejoice in that promise, and take Him up on His offer!!

Cleaning Out the Excess-Part 3

"The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I know! I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." Jeremiah 17:9-10

It's one of the biggest storage compartments within us. Everything that is put in it stays until we allow Christ to come in and clean it out.

It is an area that needs more attention and focus than what is normally given to it.

It can be full of love and deception all at the same time. It's rarity, when filled with Christ is one to be treasured, tended to, kept clean, and filled with His Word.

It can be the healthiest of hearts or the sickest.

Despite all things, it is the one thing that should be fully devoted to Christ in every aspect.

It can't merely be swept and clean and left empty. It functions best when full, full of His Word. Full of the Holy Spirit.

Everything that settles within it, takes root and produces our actions, our speech, our character.

It is the control center for all things, and if ran by man alone, can be deadly.

Cleaning out the excess in our hearts is the wisest decision we can make.

Do you have things in your heart that needs to be cleaned out?

What are they? 

The Greatest Thought

"My thoughts are completely different from yours, says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

When we think we know what's best,  remember our thoughts, plans and ways don't even come close to God's. Thus, the purpose of cleaning out the excess. To many of ours crowds out His. 

The only way to align our thoughts with His, is by filling ours with the Word of God.

Most times, the greatest thought we can have is a surrendered one.

Jesus my thoughts can often become so overwhelming that they leave me in a tailspin. Today I surrender every thought. I relinquish all control and ask that You free me from the domination of them.

Help me to focus on Your thoughts and Your ways. They are greater than any of mine could, would, or ever will be. Amen

The Saddest of Sad

To hear women say, "I have been a Christian for a long time, but never knew how to have a real relationship with Christ. That is the saddest of sad.

To be given the opportunity to know Christ, yet turn away from Him. That is the saddest of sad.

To be set free from the entanglement of sin, yet go right back into it. That is the saddest of sad.

To be able to wake up and choose to spend time with Jesus, yet choose not too. That is the saddest of sad.

To have the opportunity to share the Good News with someone who is lost, yet not because of fear. That is the saddest of sad.

To choose anger over love, bitterness over forgiveness. That is the saddest of sad.

To choose to gossip rather than encourage. That is the saddest of sad.

To choose self over selflessness. That is the saddest of sad.

To be a hoarded of things. That is the saddest of sad.

To always be in want rather than content. That is the saddest of sad.

To complain rather than give thanks. That is the saddest of sad.

Jesus break our hearts for what breaks Yours. Amen

Bringing Your Thoughts Into the "Light"

"Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure." Titus 1:15

There is a huge difference between thinking something and verbally expressing it. When we literally speak our thoughts out loud, or even write them down, it takes them to a whole new level.

They become exposed. And we need them to be.

As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we have to be able to communicate with Him. We need to verbally speak to Him.

Yes, Jesus already knows our thoughts, but brethren as we all know, good relationships come from good communication.

Therefore, we need speak out loud to the Lord. We do this through prayer. We can also write it. When we write we do what? We think and then put those thoughts on paper.

These steps are super important to cleaning out the excess. So with all that said, I have a few questions for you.

Now, just like I told my ladies in Sunday School, this will either be as good and beneficial as you make it.

It's your choice. You can begin the transformation and purging process or you can hoard those thoughts.

You will need to print this out so you can write out your answers. Answering them in your head defeats the purpose.

Bringing Your Thoughts Into The “Light”

1. Write down the top 5 thoughts that consume you the most.

            1.

            2.

            3.

            4.

            5.

2.  Do those thoughts align with the Word of God?

            If no, why?

3.  When you hear God tell you, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” What is your first thought?

4.  If I were to ask you to write down every thought you had in the last 20 minutes, how would those thoughts describe you?

5. How often do you think about yourself?

            1                                5                               10

        Rarely                   Quite Often                All The Time

6.  How often do you think about your past?

             1                                5                              10

        Rarely                   Quite Often                All The Time

  

7.  How often do you compare yourself to others?

         1                              5                                10

     Rarely                   Quite Often                All The Time

8.  Do you struggle believing the things God tells you?

                        Why?

9.  What thoughts consume you more, those of others and the world or God’s Word?

           

10. What do you fill your thoughts with?

            a. TV

            b. Internet

            c. Facebook

            d. Pinterest

            e. Lies

            d Work/money

            e. God’s Word

            f. Truth

            g. Love

            h. Joy

11. What things need to be removed in order for your thoughts to be transformed?

12.  What thoughts do you hoard the most?

13.  What thoughts do you need to relinquish?

           

14.  How much does your past affect your thoughts today?

            Why?

15.  How does your thought-life affect your relationship with Christ?

16.  How long have you tried to change your thought-life?

             

17. What is the number one thought you struggle with? Write it on the stem of the tree. 

        -Then using the roots below, write the words that sprout from that thought.  

        -Once you have finished, evaluate the words you wrote. Then draw a heart around the whole thing. What does your heart look like filled with those words?

How can you allow the Lord to transform those thoughts into something beautiful and pure?

What will you choose to think on today?

Altar Sunday

Do you have too much clutter in your life?

Are your thoughts overwhelming?

Is your heart at its capacity?

Do you hoard negative thoughts and world things?

If so, today is the best day to head to the altar, and dump it off.

Let the Lord remove what's not needed and fill you with the things of Him that are needed.

Cleaning Out the Excess-Part 2

Yesterday we looked at what bad thinking does to our hearts. If you missed that post you can read it here.

Today, we are going to look at how we can combat those negative, stinky thoughts with God's Word. 

This is the first step to cleaning out the excess in our hearts.

Do y'all know how many thoughts we think about on an average day? I don't either, but what I do know is it is a TON. 

From the time we wake up, to the time we finally fall asleep, our mind is full of thoughts and our hearts are absorbing a majority of them.

So how can we sort through all these thoughts and ensure only the good are going in.

1. We ask God to make us aware of every thought. Good and Displeasing thought.

     Here are a few passages that will help us. (These are great verses to memorize, write on a card and carry with you.)

•  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." 

•  "May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart, be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14        

2. We take every thought captive and place it under the obedience of God's Word

• "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)
• What exactly does this passage mean and how do we take our thoughts captive?
• 1. We literally grab a hold of the thought we are having. For example let's say we are having a critical thought. We take that critical thought, and place it under God's microscope, view it, dissect it, and find out the root of it. We then take the root of that thought and place it under the obedience of Christ, by casting it down and going through these next two steps below.

3. We acknowledge and confess it.

• "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
• When we confess our sinful thoughts, we bring them out into the "Light" for Him to expose, examine, forgive and cover in His blood. We need to be doing this daily. This is a huge part of bringing our thoughts into captivity and placing them under the obedience of Christ. 
• Confession must always lead to repentance. 

4. Then we remove it and replace it with God's truth.

• Once confession and repentance takes place. The second most important and crucial part to getting rid of the excess and sinful thoughts, is removing it-by nailing it to the Cross. (This means you literally get rid of it. Once you do, it is no longer yours. It's not available, it's not accessible. It has to be destroyed.) Then you have to replace the empty with God's Word. (God's Word is clutter free, stress free, beautiful, enjoyable, and doesn't leave a mess.)
• To Remove it
• We have to be willing and we have to choose to LET IT GO! This can be a huge stronghold for many. Especially if it is something that has been apart of our life for a long time. Hoarding negative and sinful thoughts has become a bigger issue than we are truly aware of.
• "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit." Romans 8:5
• Are you dominated or are you controlled?
• If you are dominated removing the stronghold will be hard, but can be done.
• If you are controlled, letting go will be easy.
• We have to remove all the things that fill our thoughts with darkness.
• "Your eyes is a lamp for your body, A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul. But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness. If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!" Matthew 6:22-23
• Where does a majority of your sinful thoughts stem?
• TV
• Music
• Friends
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Self
• Co-workers
• Internet
• Books
• Magazines
• It's important to be aware of how your thoughts get started, for then it will be easier to remove them. 
• "Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth." Colossians 3:2
• "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Romans 12:2
• Do you know the best way to remove the sinful clutter of thoughts? Is by crowding them out. Don't allow there to be any room for them in your heart. We do this by doing this final step.
• Replacing the empty spaces the clutter left behind.
• This is so very important, let me tell you why.
• "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ' I will return to the person I came from.' So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and clean. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before." Matthew 12:43-45
• Sweet one we can clean up all this clutter within our thoughts and hearts, but if we don't fill it up with God's Word, we too will be worse off than before. 
• Now, we have an entire Bible full of amazing things to fill our thoughts with. But to break it down, I have one that I believe is very powerful, helpful, enriching and fulfilling.
• Philippians 4:8-9-"Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you." 
• How exactly does this all work?
• Let's take that critical thought we were having and see how all this ties together and works for His glory and our good.
• We have the critical thought. It is placed under the microscope, we are aware of the root of it, we know begin the process of elimination.
• God gives us 8 steps in Philippians 4:8-9
• 1. Is this critical thought true?
• 2. Is this critical thought honorable?
• 3. Is this critical thought right?
• 4. Is this critical thought pure?
• 5. Is this critical thought lovely?
• 6. Is this critical thought admirable?
• 7. Is this critical thought excellent?
• 8. Is this critical thought worthy of praise?

Brethren when you focus on these 8 steps in your thought life, before you even get to number 3 God will have already revealed to you that thought is either good or no good. Then, it is up to you to acknowledge it, confess, repent from it, remove it and replace it. 

All of this takes action and obedience. Without either of those taking place, the work you are doing to clean out the excess will be done in vain. 

So as you can see, there is work to be done. Keep your eyes on the prize and don't give up. You will have a few set backs, you will probably have a few interruptions, but just keep your eyes on Jesus and the end result.

Happy cleaning day!

"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish." Hebrews 12:2