“In order to hear God, we first have to evict all of the noise that is in our minds.”~TB
At Some Point
Are you aware of what you think about on a daily basis? Better yet, how do you talk to yourself internally? How you think and what you say to yourself ultimately confirms who and what you believe in. The negative junk that clogs our minds comes from two places: the opposition and some poor souls who poured their negativity onto you. The good news, it’s all lies. Even better news, you have the power to control and filter what you think and what you say to yourself. At some point, you have to take captive your thoughts and let the past hurts fade away.
Clean House
Listening and following God daily is the ultimate way to evict the junky thoughts that fill your mind. This is because His Truth supersedes whatever anyone else says about you. Remember, He made you.So who better to believe, the One who created you or the one who was cast out of heaven? When you make it your mission to talk to God each and every day, notice the internal communication you receive. His words are kind, loving and true. In order to hear them loud and clear, evict the crap, the negative feedback loops and the like so that you may know your true self in Him
Today’s Question
Are you ready to serve your negative thoughts their eviction papers?
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Isaiah 52
1Wake up, wake up, O Zion! Clothe yourself with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.
2Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem. Sit in a place of honor. Remove the chains of slavery from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
3For this is what the LORD says: “When I sold you into exile, I received no payment. Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.”
4This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Long ago my people chose to live in Egypt. Now they are oppressed by Assyria.
5What is this?” asks the LORD . “Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long.
6But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.”
7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!
8The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD returning to Jerusalem.
9Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the LORD has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10The LORD has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.
11Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. Get out of there and purify yourselves, you who carry home the sacred objects of the LORD .
12You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives. For the LORD will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.
13See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted.
14But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
15And he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not been told; they will understand what they had not heard about.
“Make a decision and stick with it, because a double-mind cannot properly follow the Lord.”~TB
Reconcile Your Path
Saying you’ve accepted Christ is one thing. Walking the path is another. If you decide to accept the gift of salvation, be bold and follow through on that decision. People fall into traps because they say one thing but do the opposite. This happens because you are looking around at everything else when really you should focus your attention on God. Your relationship with God influences every aspect of your life, develop it first and the rest will follow.
Quicksand
Being disengaged in your relationship with God is like trying to pull yourself out of quicksand to no avail. When you are double-minded– practicing opposing behaviors– your mind becomes trapped, unable to free itself from a loop of negative/evil thinking. Friends, nothing good comes from a corrupt mind, as your actions and behaviors will soon mirror your destructive thoughts. Making evil choices is like a poisoned well, where your misdeeds leak onto all who encounter you. To be free of this trap, ask God for help.
Follow the Leader
Like Red Riding Hood, everyone strays from the path, getting into tricky situations. Fortunately, God is the wisest of them all, and no amount of quicksand is too difficult for Him to free you. Experiencing this freedom requires you to follow God, the leader. Though this path is narrow, it is clear, and simple to follow. Understand that simple and easy are not the same thing, as you must decide in everything you do to follow Christ. Be sober in your judgment and decisions and you will find peace in God’s path.
Today’s Question
Are you upholding your decision to follow the path or is quicksand a better option?
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Proverbs 4
1My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment,
2for I am giving you good guidance. Don’t turn away from my instructions.
3For I, too, was once my father’s son, tenderly loved as my mother’s only child.
4My father taught me, “Take my words to heart. Follow my commands, and you will live.
5Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.
6Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you.
7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
8If you prize wisdom, she will make you great. Embrace her, and she will honor you.
9She will place a lovely wreath on your head; she will present you with a beautiful crown.”
10My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.
11I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.
12When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.
13Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.
14Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers.
15Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving.
16For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.
17They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence!
18The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.
19But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.
20My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words.
21Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
22for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.
23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
24Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech.
25Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.
27Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
“Take control of your thoughts and feelings as nothing corrupts the heart and mind like mindlessness.”~TB
Cycle
Life has a way of getting people off track and onto autopilot mode. When your mind is on autopilot, whatever default cycle that is playing in your mind takes over. The opposition uses this time to insert negative and fear-mongering ideas into your brain. If you’re not paying attention, you may think these ideas are your own. Reject them. In a disciplined mind, the teachings of Christ have equipped you to see the trap and avoid it. In an undisciplined mind, the lack of Biblical understanding makes it impossible to discern truth from fiction leaving you in a vicious cycle of fear, anguish, and doubt. In order to break the cycle in your mind, you must firmly plant yourself in the truth.
Driver’s Seat
Purposefully walking with Christ requires intentional action. Get back in the driver’s seat of your mind. Arm your thoughts by reading the Truth and planting it firmly in your brain and heart. Take hold of righteous thoughts and reject the corrupt ones. No one’s thought life will be perfect, but if you allow the fake thoughts to pass you by without much thought, they will not be able to root and rot your brain. Fill your mind with the word of God so that you are awake and able to see when evil is trying to trick you. When you discipline yourself, you will see clearly, making the decision to lead your mind as God intended.
Today’s Question
Did you do the reading to get out of the mindless mindset?
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Psalm 117
1Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.
2For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the LORD ’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD !
“If God continually invests His resources and time into you and you still don’t get it, who can you blame?”~TB
Optics
When you use God’s Holy lens to view your life, you learn not to sweat the small stuff because you understand the greater importance that He has placed on your life. People, situations, problems, and the like are easier to navigate because you see the playing field from a Biblical perspective. Using God’s resources, your trials become less trivial, as you experience peace in even the harshest conditions. Friends, you cannot survive this world successfully without the provisions of God. Step out of your understanding and rely on His.
Myopic
When you refuse to use the Holy resources that are abundantly available, your sight is useless. Everyone else is at fault for your existence and peace is but a dream because you lack the Biblical vision to pass your Holy eye exam. Step back and look again! God has been with you this whole time. The Bible is available to you in every format possible. Quit licking your superficial wounds and cling to the Truth! If you fail to confer with your Father in Heaven, that is your fault. So step off of your sanctimonious cross and use your Holy resources! Stop using your myopic viewpoint and adopt God’s superior vision to life in the Truth.
Today’s Question
Who can you blame if you fail to do your own work?
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Psalm 110
1The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”
2The LORD will extend your powerful kingdom from Jerusalem ; you will rule over your enemies.
3When you go to war, your people will serve you willingly. You are arrayed in holy garments, and your strength will be renewed each day like the morning dew.
4The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
5The Lord stands at your right hand to protect you. He will strike down many kings when his anger erupts.
6He will punish the nations and fill their lands with corpses; he will shatter heads over the whole earth.
7But he himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way. He will be victorious.
“Set your mind on God to experience His Truth” ~TB
Mind
Your mind is a gift or a curse– depending on how you use it. You can choose to fill it with God’s wisdom, live an obedient life, and be kind to your neighbors. Or, you can fill it with filth, walk around mindlessly, preferring destruction over peace. Sure, those seem drastically different, but the Truth is living in or out of God’s Will Isdrastically different. Do not be fooled by the external lives of others. Only God can truly examine one’s heart. Work on your mind and don’t fall prey to the fake minds around you.
Set
When you set your mind, thoughts, and actions of God you rely on His strength and wisdom and not your own. The impossible becomes possible because you understand that you need Him in everything that you are and everything that you do. Allowing God to steer your mind sets you up for the peace and joy He graciously offers. It is a gift like no other and humans are unable to recreate such things. When you set your mind on the things of the flesh, you welcome confusion, stupor, and chaos. Friends, the human mind is incapable of such a Holy Mindset. Rely on Him.
Today’s Question
Is your mind set on God or do you have a fleshly mindset?
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Psalm 106
1Praise the LORD ! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
2Who can list the glorious miracles of the LORD ? Who can ever praise him enough?
3There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.
4Remember me, LORD, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me.
5Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.
6Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!
7Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the LORD ’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea.
8Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power.
9He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert.
10So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes.
11Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived.
12Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise.
13Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!
14In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland.
15So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it.
16The people in the camp were jealous of Moses and envious of Aaron, the LORD ’s holy priest.
17Because of this, the earth opened up; it swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and the other rebels.
18Fire fell upon their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.
19The people made a calf at Mount Sinai ; they bowed before an image made of gold.
20They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull.
21They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt—
22such wonderful things in the land of Ham, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea.
23So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the LORD and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.
24The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them.
25Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the LORD .
26Therefore, he solemnly swore that he would kill them in the wilderness,
27that he would scatter their descendants among the nations, exiling them to distant lands.
28Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor; they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead!
29They angered the LORD with all these things, so a plague broke out among them.
30But Phinehas had the courage to intervene, and the plague was stopped.
31So he has been regarded as a righteous man ever since that time.
32At Meribah, too, they angered the LORD, causing Moses serious trouble.
33They made Moses angry, and he spoke foolishly.
34Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the LORD had commanded them.
35Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs.
36They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall.
37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons.
38They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder.
39They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the LORD ’s sight.
40That is why the LORD ’s anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession.
41He handed them over to pagan nations, and they were ruled by those who hated them.
42Their enemies crushed them and brought them under their cruel power.
43Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin.
44Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries.
45He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love.
46He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness.
47Save us, O LORD our God! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you.
48Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD !
“When you have an authentic relationship with God, you begin to understand which messages are from Him and which messages are not”~TB
Conviction
When you regularly engage in walking with the Lord, you begin to see the world differently. Consequentially, you begin to discern the thoughts that are your’s, His, and the evil ones. And with this relationship with Christ, you know that your previous deeds are no longer acceptable. This conviction allows you to put aside foolish behaviors as you seek to mirror the life of Christ. No one’s walk will be perfect, but the messages from God will help you get back on track if you choose to listen.
Condemnation
Walking in sin is much more difficult for the born again because you know the price that was paid for you by Jesus. Of course, there will be times when messages of extreme guilt and worthlessness begin to creep into your head. They may cause you to question your standing with God. Friends, these messages are not from God, but rather the evil one. Condemnation is lamenting over deeds that He has already forgiven you for. If God isn’t repeatedly pointing at your past, why are you? Delete those messages as they deter your path with the Lord.
Discernment
As you grow in Christ, you will level up in discernment, filtering which messages are important and which ones are unnecessary. This is why it is so important to read the Bible, to talk with God, and to pick up the Cross daily to cast away your former evil selves. Knowing and practicing the difference helps you avert pitfalls and temptations because you know who you are in Christ. The messages will never go away, but when you truly know the Lord, you can filter through the noise.
Today’s Question
Which messages are you reading, the good or the evil?
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Psalm 104
1Let all that I am praise the LORD . O LORD my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty.
2You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens;
3you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind.
4The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants.
5You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved.
6You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains.
7At your command, the water fled; at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away.
8Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed.
9Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth.
10You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains.
11They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees.
13You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.
14You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth—
15wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength.
16The trees of the LORD are well cared for— the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17There the birds make their nests, and the storks make their homes in the cypresses.
18High in the mountains live the wild goats, and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes.
19You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set.
20You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about.
21Then the young lions roar for their prey, stalking the food provided by God.
22At dawn they slink back into their dens to rest.
23Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening.
24O LORD, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.
25Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small.
26See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea.
27They all depend on you to give them food as they need it.
28When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied.
29But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust.
30When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.
31May the glory of the LORD continue forever! The LORD takes pleasure in all he has made!
32The earth trembles at his glance; the mountains smoke at his touch.
33I will sing to the LORD as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath!
34May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD .
35Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever. Let all that I am praise the LORD . Praise the LORD !
“Patrol your own parameter of love in your life and reject any evil or wicked ideas from entering the space of your mind, heart, body, soul, or spirit, because when you die, only Christ can save you.”~Jon Barnes
Reject
Reject negative thoughts that would consume your time and energy.Get rid of evil habits that will diminish your character and right standing with God.Clean up your workspace, home, cars, computers, and stuff so that you can operate more effectively and efficiently.
Temptation
Reject the attraction of stuff, temptation, lust, fame, money, and the ruble wisdom of evil, the bling(s) subtle attractions and charm, like fools gold.Let Jesus test the authenticity of your findings, actions, motives, and plans for the future.Don’t bet your life of eternity with God on a horse race, slot machine, card game, or a scam from the devil.
Big Screen
Do not become brainwashed from the movies, TV Shows, media, and other advertisements that are used to negate the Word of God from your lifestyle.Run your daily diagnostic with Jesus to detect and fix problems that you may not detect on your own.His Big Screen TV can see it all to help patrol and improve your walk with God.
Stay on patrol and stay away from wicked, evil people.
Today’s Question
Are you using and enjoying the wonderful stories and information from your bible to patrol the parameters of your own heart with Christ or have you lost your mind to satan?
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Psalm 50
A psalm of Asaph.
1 The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. 2 From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. 3 Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him. 4 He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people. 5 “Bring my faithful people to me— those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.” 6 Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge. Interlude
7 “O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! 8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. 9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. 10 For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. 13 Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? 14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15 Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”
16 But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? 17 For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash. 18 When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. 19 Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. 20 You sit around and slander your brother— your own mother’s son. 21 While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. 22 Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. 23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”
“Challenges are positive steps that are out of order for you to organize, rearrange, and find suitable solutions to new questions and answers.” ~Jon Barnes
Ordered
You are ordered to organize your thoughts by following the commandments of love from your heart, which is given to you by God.Only God can give you true love that will last and overcome challenges in life.This love will rearrange your steps into the positive direction designed by God with purpose.Follow God’s love examples.
Organization
In God’s Universal Organization, He is Lord of all things from the most expansive existence to the smallest things imaginable.Everything has a step, placement, and value, as nothing is ever wasted, unnoticed, or unaccounted for.God is clearly in control.By studying God’s blueprints of organizational and creative patterns, you can find solutions to your problems, purpose to your life, and love to receive, connect, and share with others.
Rearranged
It is Christ who teaches us to rearrange, rewire and repair our wicked hearts to follow Him as a disciple, student, and child of God.We are all on the playground learning how to get along, share, and care for one another.In this love, we can see what true Christian look and act like.Your challenge is how you implement God’s Ways and love into your life to find suitable solutions to new and old questions.
Today’s Question
Do you really want to know and live by God’s Laws, Truth, and Justice or would you rather live in hell now and for eternity?
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Psalm 44
1O God, we have heard it with our own ears— our ancestors have told us of all you did in their day, in days long ago:
2You drove out the pagan nations by your power and gave all the land to our ancestors. You crushed their enemies and set our ancestors free.
3They did not conquer the land with their swords; it was not their own strong arm that gave them victory. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them.
4You are my King and my God. You command victories for Israel.
5Only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes.
6I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me.
7You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us.
8O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name. Interlude
9But now you have tossed us aside in dishonor. You no longer lead our armies to battle.
10You make us retreat from our enemies and allow those who hate us to plunder our land.
11You have butchered us like sheep and scattered us among the nations.
12You sold your precious people for a pittance, making nothing on the sale.
13You let our neighbors mock us. We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
14You have made us the butt of their jokes; they shake their heads at us in scorn.
15We can’t escape the constant humiliation; shame is written across our faces.
16All we hear are the taunts of our mockers. All we see are our vengeful enemies.
17All this has happened though we have not forgotten you. We have not violated your covenant.
18Our hearts have not deserted you. We have not strayed from your path.
19Yet you have crushed us in the jackal’s desert home. You have covered us with darkness and death.
20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods,
21God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart.
22But for your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.
23Wake up, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Get up! Do not reject us forever.
24Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our suffering and oppression?
25We collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt.
26Rise up! Help us! Ransom us because of your unfailing love.
“Put forth your best effort to help people with good motives and ideas from God so that they can avoid making the same embarrassing mistakes of old.”~ Jon Barnes
Our
When our ideas come from the research and studies of God’s perspective, we begin to understand how to approach logic in a civilized manner to master sin and prevent disobedient behavior.Put your evil thoughts to death daily with Christ.Trust and obey God, not people. Since the price of death was at the doing of our ancestors, God re-calibrated our path of hope, faith, love and manner of existence to experience and see the big picture in Him.People cannot show you God’s big picture in your life, because God will show you Himself.
Thoughts
Being connected to God’s Holy Spirit allows us the freedom to flow, learn, understand, and put our cares into His Hands of Righteousness.We see these choices and base our acts of love from our integrity, motives, and works of faith.The death of your good thoughts come from evil spirits that you cling to, respect, and follow, whether you know it or not.Evil comes from disobedient thoughts, ways, and lifestyles that are inconsistent with God’s Ways and Thoughts.Choose your thoughts carefully and purposefully.
Last
Your thoughts are not pure or original.They are either copies of God’s Thoughts or thought of evil, which are the opposite of God’s ideas and plans.When you put your ideas last, God’s plan is activated in your life to give new and better thoughts and plans for your existence in Him.When you put yourself last, God will promote and put you first in the line up of wisdom and truth.
Today’s Question
Do your thoughts come from the Seed Sower or did you put your mind in the hands of the wicked seed-eater?
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Esther 6
Mordecai Honored
6 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles,the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him.2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.
“Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered.
4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.
5 His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”
“Bring him in,” the king ordered.
6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”
Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?”7 So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor,8 have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head.9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”
10 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”
11 So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”
12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.
“Helen Keller and Mother Theresa didn’t use Google to become famous; they overcame difficult situations with good ole’ fashioned hard work and love.” ~ Jon Barnes
Hard
It’s hard not to become lazy with all of this technology and it is important for all of us to maintain a healthy physical work ethic to keep our mind, body, and spirit sharp.When we look at our history, notice the work ethic of those who achieved, accomplished, and accessed the finer things in life, which was not money, government, or corporate driven.
Drive
Since your heart writes on the hard drive of your mind, try to feed and regulate your thoughts with the good actions and intentions of great people who inspire character, integrity, and honor.Walk in the ways of wise people who honored God’s commandments and ideas.Drive these concepts and connect them deep inside your heart, so that your mind doesn’t google or wander all over the place to crazy sites you didn’t choose.
Sites
Guard your mind and eyes against things that are not appropriate for your children to watch.We become googled eyes from all of the flash, bling, and fling things that cross our path.I refuse to become exploited by technology, ideology, or psychology that negates the love and lifestyle God has for me and my family.Keep your sights on Jesus and Biblical readings. I choose not to second guess or make up things, situations, or stories that are not true in God’s sights.
Today’s Question
What are you googling and looking at?
Enjoy The Reading
2 Chronicles 6
Solomon Praises the Lord
6 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness.2 Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”
3 Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing:4 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father,5 ‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel.6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”
7 Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.8 But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,9 but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’
10 “And now the Lord has fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.11 There I have placed the Ark, which contains the covenant that the Lord made with the people of Israel.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer.13 Now Solomon had made a bronze platform 7 1⁄2 feet long, 7 1⁄2 feet wide, and 4 1⁄2 feet high[a] and had placed it at the center of the Temple’s outer courtyard. He stood on the platform, and then he knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven.14 He prayed,
“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.15 You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.
16 “And now, O Lord, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’17 Now, O Lord, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David.
18 “But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!19 Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you.20 May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place.21 May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.
22 “If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of your altar at this Temple,23 then hear from heaven and judge between your servants—the accuser and the accused. Pay back the guilty as they deserve. Acquit the innocent because of their innocence.
24 “If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn back and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple,25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave to them and to their ancestors.
26 “If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to follow the right path, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.
28 “If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns—whatever disaster or disease there is—29 and if your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple,30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart.31 Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.
32 “In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands when they hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple,33 then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.
34 “If your people go out where you send them to fight their enemies, and if they pray to you by turning toward this city you have chosen and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name,35 then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause.
36 “If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far away or near.37 But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’38 If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their captivity and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—39 then hear their prayers and their petitions from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 “O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.
41 “And now arise, O Lord God, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power. May your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation; may your loyal servants rejoice in your goodness. 42 O Lord God, do not reject the king you have anointed. Remember your unfailing love for your servant David.”
Hi Peeps,
Hi Peeps,
