"Your mind leaps from problem to problem to problem, tangling your thoughts in anxious knots. When you think like that, you leave Me out...and your mind becomes darkened." (152)
Problem solving is much different from problem soaking! A problem soaked mind is saturated in tangled, toxic thoughts that impact and eventually assault our brains. A problem solving brain operates much differently.
It reminds me of how cucumbers become pickles! As a child I would watch Mom brew the brine and thoroughly soak the cucumbers. We could observe the change inside those Mason jars over the next days, weeks, months.
Dwelling on problems can begin to dominate and dictate our lives to such a point that we become 'pickled' in our own bitter brew.
It's not likely a pickle will ever turn back into a cucumber, however, we have a Problem Solving Savior who "yearns to help" and "together, we can handle whatever this day brings."
Problems are just a fact of life, but the Presence of Jesus will make the brew...
Better, not Bitter....dmc
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Gardens or Graveyards
"Bring Me your mind for rest and renewal. Let Me infuse My Presence into your thoughts...giving you glimpses of heaven while you still reside on earth...I want you to walk with Me in the garden of your heart..." (151)
The way our minds build neuro-networks of thought looks similar to branches on trees. We can literally grow a "garden" of fruit-producing 'trees' with the patterns of thought we allow to develop in our minds.
Carefully tending our thought life is critically important because toxic, negative thoughts can neuro-chemically burn the branches, eventually leaving holes in the brain where life-giving thoughts could have been! The death of a fruitful, life-giving mind, overcome with oppressive thoughts, is such a tragedy!
Jesus invites us "to walk with (Him) in the garden of our hearts, where (He wants to) take up permanent residence."
It's a process of retraining our thought life, with His help, so we can experience the benefits of a beautiful, God-glorifying frame of mind!
Growing a Garden, not Digging a Graveyard...dmc
The way our minds build neuro-networks of thought looks similar to branches on trees. We can literally grow a "garden" of fruit-producing 'trees' with the patterns of thought we allow to develop in our minds.
Carefully tending our thought life is critically important because toxic, negative thoughts can neuro-chemically burn the branches, eventually leaving holes in the brain where life-giving thoughts could have been! The death of a fruitful, life-giving mind, overcome with oppressive thoughts, is such a tragedy!
Jesus invites us "to walk with (Him) in the garden of our hearts, where (He wants to) take up permanent residence."
It's a process of retraining our thought life, with His help, so we can experience the benefits of a beautiful, God-glorifying frame of mind!
Growing a Garden, not Digging a Graveyard...dmc
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Strategically Placed
"There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way. Some...are trials, designed to shake you free from earth-shackles. Others are blessings that reveal My Presence..." (150)
Approaching life from the perspective of "hidden treasures strategically placed" in my daily life is a radical mind reset. I've discovered hidden doors will suddenly open when I look at an encounter, a circumstance, a challenge, a responsibility or some life event as a strategic opportunity to discover God's hidden treasure. Some are timely junctures. Others are timeless life lessons. While others may just be another great God-adventure.
It makes me realize how my life is strategically placed in both the larger and smaller scope of all things; including the time and place of my birth, who I am, why I'm here, how I live, and even when and where I will die! All a testimony of being strategically "in Him" where "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden." (Colossians 2:3)
Strategically In Him...dmc
Approaching life from the perspective of "hidden treasures strategically placed" in my daily life is a radical mind reset. I've discovered hidden doors will suddenly open when I look at an encounter, a circumstance, a challenge, a responsibility or some life event as a strategic opportunity to discover God's hidden treasure. Some are timely junctures. Others are timeless life lessons. While others may just be another great God-adventure.
It makes me realize how my life is strategically placed in both the larger and smaller scope of all things; including the time and place of my birth, who I am, why I'm here, how I live, and even when and where I will die! All a testimony of being strategically "in Him" where "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden." (Colossians 2:3)
Strategically In Him...dmc
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Beyond My Understanding
"When things don't go as you would like...remember that I am sovereign over your circumstances...even though it is beyond your understanding." (149)
Already this morning I've had several emails of concern about things beyond our understanding. Things that tend to "shatter our thinking." However, in the midst of messy times God is still sovereign. Our "ultimate challenge is to keep fixing our eyes on" Him! What we focus on is what becomes the dominating force of our lives!
When our own understanding is weak we can come "under the mighty hand of God" rather than coming under the messy circumstances. (I Peter 5:6)
Under His Mighty Hand...dmc
Already this morning I've had several emails of concern about things beyond our understanding. Things that tend to "shatter our thinking." However, in the midst of messy times God is still sovereign. Our "ultimate challenge is to keep fixing our eyes on" Him! What we focus on is what becomes the dominating force of our lives!
When our own understanding is weak we can come "under the mighty hand of God" rather than coming under the messy circumstances. (I Peter 5:6)
Under His Mighty Hand...dmc
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
But as For Me
"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation, My God will hear me." Micah 7:7
There are times when we have to make a decision based upon what we personally believe about God or what we have personally heard from God. What others may say... friend, companion, relatives, those who seem especially close... may really sound more like the words of an enemy (Micah 7:5-6) because they are more focused on the problem rather than His Presence. (148)
It's critically important for me to check out my focus...if it's more on the problem than on His Presence... I'm in trouble! If I take counsel from others who are more focused on the problem than His Presence... we're all in trouble!
"But as for me," I must "wait for God" no matter what others say. Great problem solvers have a way of seeing through the problem in the light of His Presence! It REALLY IS the FOCUS we gain in His Presence that makes all the difference!
Focused on His Presence...dmc
There are times when we have to make a decision based upon what we personally believe about God or what we have personally heard from God. What others may say... friend, companion, relatives, those who seem especially close... may really sound more like the words of an enemy (Micah 7:5-6) because they are more focused on the problem rather than His Presence. (148)
It's critically important for me to check out my focus...if it's more on the problem than on His Presence... I'm in trouble! If I take counsel from others who are more focused on the problem than His Presence... we're all in trouble!
"But as for me," I must "wait for God" no matter what others say. Great problem solvers have a way of seeing through the problem in the light of His Presence! It REALLY IS the FOCUS we gain in His Presence that makes all the difference!
Focused on His Presence...dmc
Monday, May 20, 2013
"Light" Insurance
"Stay in the Light of My Presence, receiving forgiveness, cleansing and healing... My illumination decimates the darkness. Come close to Me and let My Light envelop you, driving out darkness and permeating you with Peace." (147)
Certainly this is true when we are dealing with issues of sin in our lives... quickly confessing the sins of "self-pity, denial, self-righteousness, blaming, hatred" and a myriad of other transgressions.
However, I am especially grateful that the Light of His Presence can also drive out the dark emotions of the soul. Depression, anxiety, fear, uncertainty, loneliness and other emotional side-effects of just being human can submit, subside and dissipate in the Light of His Presence! Living in a fallen world requires some "Light" insurance!
Staying Close to His Light Today...dmc
Certainly this is true when we are dealing with issues of sin in our lives... quickly confessing the sins of "self-pity, denial, self-righteousness, blaming, hatred" and a myriad of other transgressions.
However, I am especially grateful that the Light of His Presence can also drive out the dark emotions of the soul. Depression, anxiety, fear, uncertainty, loneliness and other emotional side-effects of just being human can submit, subside and dissipate in the Light of His Presence! Living in a fallen world requires some "Light" insurance!
Staying Close to His Light Today...dmc
Sunday, May 19, 2013
The Aware Difference
"It is through awareness of My Presence that Peace displaces negative feelings. Practice the discipline of walking consciously with me through each day." (146)
This is the discipline that will make all the difference...intentional awareness of God's Presence!
No matter what is happening, being more aware of His presence will enable us to override the negatives of insecurity, fear, pride, loneliness or whatever tends to sabotage and defeat us.
Seeking to be Aware with a Disciplined Focus...dmc
This is the discipline that will make all the difference...intentional awareness of God's Presence!
No matter what is happening, being more aware of His presence will enable us to override the negatives of insecurity, fear, pride, loneliness or whatever tends to sabotage and defeat us.
Seeking to be Aware with a Disciplined Focus...dmc
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Shedding Blinders
"Do not blindly follow your habitual route, or you will miss what I have prepared for you." (145)
Today, I want to shed my blinders of the familiar and habitual patterns and tap deeper into God's perspective that is "higher" than my ways or thoughts about this day! (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Michael W. Smith's clip of Open the Eyes of My Heart will inspire you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnqb7Vn4AEE
What does God see that I have missed?
Carefully Aware...dmc
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy
Today, I want to shed my blinders of the familiar and habitual patterns and tap deeper into God's perspective that is "higher" than my ways or thoughts about this day! (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Michael W. Smith's clip of Open the Eyes of My Heart will inspire you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnqb7Vn4AEE
What does God see that I have missed?
Carefully Aware...dmc
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy
Friday, May 17, 2013
A Philanthropic God
"I am a God of abundance. I will never run out of resources... gain glimpses of My overflowing vastness." (144)
To comprehend and access a "God of abundance" stretches most of us because we live in a world limited by self-focused supply-and-demand and poisoned with entitlement and greed. But God operates far differently!
We can "gain glimpses" of the "God of abundance" in God's people. We will find those who operate out of the vastness of an eternal perspective rather than holding to an overly practical materialistic perspective. Those who are in sync with such a philanthropic God tend to inspire us to become a more generous, kind and charitable soul.
God seems impractically generous... an abundance of beauty where no one sees or stands in awe, an abundance of dazzling delicate detail to the tiniest of creation, an abundance of shimmering stars in folds of endless space, an abundance of love to the least strategic or powerless of people, an abundance of mercy to the least deserving or downcast, an abundance of potential to the least confident or influential, an abundance of favor to the highly overlooked and unappreciated soul... We have such an abundant, philanthropic God!
Awed & Inspired by Glimpses of His Generous Heart...dmc
To comprehend and access a "God of abundance" stretches most of us because we live in a world limited by self-focused supply-and-demand and poisoned with entitlement and greed. But God operates far differently!
We can "gain glimpses" of the "God of abundance" in God's people. We will find those who operate out of the vastness of an eternal perspective rather than holding to an overly practical materialistic perspective. Those who are in sync with such a philanthropic God tend to inspire us to become a more generous, kind and charitable soul.
God seems impractically generous... an abundance of beauty where no one sees or stands in awe, an abundance of dazzling delicate detail to the tiniest of creation, an abundance of shimmering stars in folds of endless space, an abundance of love to the least strategic or powerless of people, an abundance of mercy to the least deserving or downcast, an abundance of potential to the least confident or influential, an abundance of favor to the highly overlooked and unappreciated soul... We have such an abundant, philanthropic God!
Awed & Inspired by Glimpses of His Generous Heart...dmc
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