Do you worry? Are you concerned about your future to the point where it steals your joy? Jesus said in Matthew 6:25, “Take no thought for your life.”
That seems simple enough, but for some reason we don’t get it. We think we have to run our own lives and make things happen. If something isn’t going right we think we have to fix it. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to make something happen that is never meant to happen.
Do you worry? Are you concerned about your future to the point where it steals your joy? Jesus said in Matthew 6:25, “Take no thought for your life.”
That seems simple enough, but for some reason we don’t get it. We think we have to run our own lives and make things happen. If something isn’t going right we think we have to fix it. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to make something happen that is never meant to happen.
I’ve heard it said that if you try to teach a pig to sing, it will frustrate you and irritate the pig. If that pig is meant to sing God will lead him to sing without your help.
Sometimes, we are to just take our hands off of things and let God take care of it. Let Him do what only He can do and not worry about the outcome. Believe that He has your best interest in mind for He has a wonderful plan for each believer (Jeremiah 29:11).
God wants to govern our lives. When we become saved, the Holy Spirit comes to live in our hearts and wants full control. We must die to the flesh and give Him that control or else we will be fighting against Him. James 4:6 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Read Mathew 6:19-34 where Jesus is saying, “Take no thought for your life.” Ask God to make it alive to you so that you can fully grasp this portion of Scripture. We are meant to be free of stress, reasoning, worry and everything else that can weigh us down. And, taking on too much care for our own lives certainly will weigh us down.
God is our Heavenly Father who cares for us. So, we don’t have to worry, struggle to figure everything out, or even try to make things happen. God wants us to dwell in His “secret place” and abide under His shadow (Psalm 91:1) as we cast all of our care upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).
The bottom line is: Take no thought for your life (Matthew 6:25), be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:6), and be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10), for He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him, because he trusts in Him” (Isaiah 26:3).
Saturday, June 12, 2010
HEALTHY LIFE
Taking good care of yourself is mandatory!
The following tips are all required to maintain a healthy, happy, and prosperous life.
~ Eat a healthy diet
We all know we need to provide our physical bodies with high quality fuel if we want it to run properly. We should concentrate on eating a regular healthy diet high in nutrients and keep junk food to a minimum. Also include herbal and vitamin supplements.
Taking good care of yourself is mandatory!
The following tips are all required to maintain a healthy, happy, and prosperous life.
~ Eat a healthy diet
We all know we need to provide our physical bodies with high quality fuel if we want it to run properly. We should concentrate on eating a regular healthy diet high in nutrients and keep junk food to a minimum. Also include herbal and vitamin supplements.
~ Get plenty of physical exercise
Physical exercise is known for a load of benefits. Not just physical benefits, but for mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits as well. To live a longer and healthier life, move it, or lose it!
~ Get plenty of mental exercise
Keep challenging your mind to expand, grow, learn, and explore. Television has its place, but turn it off sometimes, in favor of a great book and increase your mental sharpness. Use it, or lose it!
~ Play hard
Some people are workaholics and feel guilty for having fun, but recreation is vital to maintaining balance in our lives. All work and no play is a recipe for burnout and contributes to lower productivity in every other area in your life.
~ Get adequate rest
Try to get as much uninterrupted sleep as you need to stay mentally sharp, emotionally sound, and physically rested. Sleep is your nervous system’s way of healing and refueling your entire being.
~ Stay focused in the present moment
“Be anxious for nothing.” (Phil 4:6) Regretting the past or worrying about the future is a complete waste of time. It stresses your emotions, which makes you more susceptible to disease. Besides, power is only found in the present moment.
~ Surround yourself with positive people
You can’t fly like an eagle if you are running around with chickens. I believe a person tends to gravitate toward the style of thinking of their associates. Keep yourself surrounded with positive-minded people who are on the increase.
~ Laugh
Laughter will keep you healthy. “A merry heart does good like medicine.” (Prov 17:22) There is humor in almost every situation. Sometimes, we just have to look for it.
~ Think positive
Examine how you feel emotionally at any given time. And then ask yourself, “What am I thinking about that’s causing this feeling?” Thinking and feeling go hand in hand, and many times we don’t even realize what we’re thinking about.
~ Deal with your emotions
Have you been avoiding dealing with a negative emotion? If left unattended, it will eventually manifest itself in some form of physical illness. Sooner or later, you will express it, so express it sooner than later and stay healthy.
The following tips are all required to maintain a healthy, happy, and prosperous life.
~ Eat a healthy diet
We all know we need to provide our physical bodies with high quality fuel if we want it to run properly. We should concentrate on eating a regular healthy diet high in nutrients and keep junk food to a minimum. Also include herbal and vitamin supplements.
Taking good care of yourself is mandatory!
The following tips are all required to maintain a healthy, happy, and prosperous life.
~ Eat a healthy diet
We all know we need to provide our physical bodies with high quality fuel if we want it to run properly. We should concentrate on eating a regular healthy diet high in nutrients and keep junk food to a minimum. Also include herbal and vitamin supplements.
~ Get plenty of physical exercise
Physical exercise is known for a load of benefits. Not just physical benefits, but for mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits as well. To live a longer and healthier life, move it, or lose it!
~ Get plenty of mental exercise
Keep challenging your mind to expand, grow, learn, and explore. Television has its place, but turn it off sometimes, in favor of a great book and increase your mental sharpness. Use it, or lose it!
~ Play hard
Some people are workaholics and feel guilty for having fun, but recreation is vital to maintaining balance in our lives. All work and no play is a recipe for burnout and contributes to lower productivity in every other area in your life.
~ Get adequate rest
Try to get as much uninterrupted sleep as you need to stay mentally sharp, emotionally sound, and physically rested. Sleep is your nervous system’s way of healing and refueling your entire being.
~ Stay focused in the present moment
“Be anxious for nothing.” (Phil 4:6) Regretting the past or worrying about the future is a complete waste of time. It stresses your emotions, which makes you more susceptible to disease. Besides, power is only found in the present moment.
~ Surround yourself with positive people
You can’t fly like an eagle if you are running around with chickens. I believe a person tends to gravitate toward the style of thinking of their associates. Keep yourself surrounded with positive-minded people who are on the increase.
~ Laugh
Laughter will keep you healthy. “A merry heart does good like medicine.” (Prov 17:22) There is humor in almost every situation. Sometimes, we just have to look for it.
~ Think positive
Examine how you feel emotionally at any given time. And then ask yourself, “What am I thinking about that’s causing this feeling?” Thinking and feeling go hand in hand, and many times we don’t even realize what we’re thinking about.
~ Deal with your emotions
Have you been avoiding dealing with a negative emotion? If left unattended, it will eventually manifest itself in some form of physical illness. Sooner or later, you will express it, so express it sooner than later and stay healthy.
YOU ATTRACT WHAT YOU ARE
It’s been said that, “To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. To attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go to work on yourself. If you become, you can attract.”
It’s been said that, “To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. To attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go to work on yourself. If you become, you can attract.”
Many people want some extraordinary things but their self-image limits them on what they actually receive. A person cannot attract to themselves that which is greater than the way they see themselves.
For example, as long as you think and act like a smoker, you’re sure to keep smoking regardless of the patches, hypnosis, drugs or other cures you may seek. The same goes whether your wanting to lose weight, find a mate, or find a more satisfying career.
Until you begin to think and act like the person who has the things you desire you’ll never attract those things.
People who have successful marriages don’t think and act the way they do because they have successful marriages, they have successful marriages because they think and act that way. The same is true with people who have accumulated great wealth. They have wealth because they think and act that way.
Many people work very hard and sacrifice a lot in an effort to create the best life possible. But they are frustrated beyond belief and cannot understand why “life is so hard” or “why life continues to deal them such a poor hand.”
Life is only hard because one believes that it is. Life will continue to deal a poor hand to those who believe that it will. People do not attract what they want, but that which they are. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
They only way to attract what you want is to change the way your thinking about yourself in certain situations. Get a different picture. Even if it is hard to believe. It’s been said that the longer you tell yourself a lie the more you will begin to accept it yourself.
In all reality though, you will be telling yourself the truth. The truth is you are a winner and you can have the things you desire. Jesus died that you may have life in abundance (John 10:10). You just need to change your expectations.
No matter what negative circumstances you may find yourself in, expect things to turn around in your favor. When you stop working on what it is you’re trying to get, and start working on changing the way you see yourself, only then will you get what it is you want. When you change, your results will change.
It’s been said that, “To attract attractive people, you must be attractive. To attract powerful people, you must be powerful. To attract committed people, you must be committed. Instead of going to work on them, you go to work on yourself. If you become, you can attract.”
Many people want some extraordinary things but their self-image limits them on what they actually receive. A person cannot attract to themselves that which is greater than the way they see themselves.
For example, as long as you think and act like a smoker, you’re sure to keep smoking regardless of the patches, hypnosis, drugs or other cures you may seek. The same goes whether your wanting to lose weight, find a mate, or find a more satisfying career.
Until you begin to think and act like the person who has the things you desire you’ll never attract those things.
People who have successful marriages don’t think and act the way they do because they have successful marriages, they have successful marriages because they think and act that way. The same is true with people who have accumulated great wealth. They have wealth because they think and act that way.
Many people work very hard and sacrifice a lot in an effort to create the best life possible. But they are frustrated beyond belief and cannot understand why “life is so hard” or “why life continues to deal them such a poor hand.”
Life is only hard because one believes that it is. Life will continue to deal a poor hand to those who believe that it will. People do not attract what they want, but that which they are. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”
They only way to attract what you want is to change the way your thinking about yourself in certain situations. Get a different picture. Even if it is hard to believe. It’s been said that the longer you tell yourself a lie the more you will begin to accept it yourself.
In all reality though, you will be telling yourself the truth. The truth is you are a winner and you can have the things you desire. Jesus died that you may have life in abundance (John 10:10). You just need to change your expectations.
No matter what negative circumstances you may find yourself in, expect things to turn around in your favor. When you stop working on what it is you’re trying to get, and start working on changing the way you see yourself, only then will you get what it is you want. When you change, your results will change.
STEPS TO MANAGE YOUR LIFE
Because so much in life is out of your control is all the more reason to control those things that you can.
One thing you can absolutely control is your thinking. It’s a good thing too, because the Bible tells us that “As a Man Thinketh, So is He” (Proverbs 23:7)!
Managing your life really only comes down to managing your thoughts. And, to keep things even more simple, there are really only two things you can do with your thoughts, and they are…
Because so much in life is out of your control is all the more reason to control those things that you can.
One thing you can absolutely control is your thinking. It’s a good thing too, because the Bible tells us that “As a Man Thinketh, So is He” (Proverbs 23:7)!
Managing your life really only comes down to managing your thoughts. And, to keep things even more simple, there are really only two things you can do with your thoughts, and they are…
a) Create a thought of your own choosing, and… b) React to a certain stimulus
Knowing that, here are 5 simple steps to managing your life…
1. Take One Step at a Time
Whatever your goals are, no matter what, break them up. Take everything one step at a time. Keep your tasks simple to begin with because success breeds success. In no time at all, you’ll look back and be amazed at your progress.
2. Try to Find the Positive
If you encounter a setback, don’t think of it in negative terms. You never know what is really positive or negative until a little time has passed and you’re able to look back. Just try to see the positive in the situation for the time being.
3. Know This Too Shall Pass
Everyone has a bad day now and then. You know, those days when you just don’t feel yourself for whatever reason? Just accept it when those days come. Don’t force yourself to be your best on those kind of days. Just know that “This too shall pass.”
4. Don’t say, “I Can’t”
We are all capable of far more than we think we are. Besides, how do you really know if you can do something or not until you at least try? If you try and fail, you can congratulate yourself for at least giving it a shot. Just don’t beat yourself up over it if you do fail.
5. Take Action!
The more you think, analyze, and evaluate, the more likely you are to become paralyzed. Now, there is nothing wrong with planning, in fact, we ought to plan! But, there comes a time for action if something is going to get done.
Conclusion
Managing your life really only comes down to managing your thoughts. When you realize there are really only two things you can do with your thoughts, managing them seems a much simpler task.
Once you get in the habit of applying these 5 simple thinking processes, you can change your life!
One thing you can absolutely control is your thinking. It’s a good thing too, because the Bible tells us that “As a Man Thinketh, So is He” (Proverbs 23:7)!
Managing your life really only comes down to managing your thoughts. And, to keep things even more simple, there are really only two things you can do with your thoughts, and they are…
Because so much in life is out of your control is all the more reason to control those things that you can.
One thing you can absolutely control is your thinking. It’s a good thing too, because the Bible tells us that “As a Man Thinketh, So is He” (Proverbs 23:7)!
Managing your life really only comes down to managing your thoughts. And, to keep things even more simple, there are really only two things you can do with your thoughts, and they are…
a) Create a thought of your own choosing, and… b) React to a certain stimulus
Knowing that, here are 5 simple steps to managing your life…
1. Take One Step at a Time
Whatever your goals are, no matter what, break them up. Take everything one step at a time. Keep your tasks simple to begin with because success breeds success. In no time at all, you’ll look back and be amazed at your progress.
2. Try to Find the Positive
If you encounter a setback, don’t think of it in negative terms. You never know what is really positive or negative until a little time has passed and you’re able to look back. Just try to see the positive in the situation for the time being.
3. Know This Too Shall Pass
Everyone has a bad day now and then. You know, those days when you just don’t feel yourself for whatever reason? Just accept it when those days come. Don’t force yourself to be your best on those kind of days. Just know that “This too shall pass.”
4. Don’t say, “I Can’t”
We are all capable of far more than we think we are. Besides, how do you really know if you can do something or not until you at least try? If you try and fail, you can congratulate yourself for at least giving it a shot. Just don’t beat yourself up over it if you do fail.
5. Take Action!
The more you think, analyze, and evaluate, the more likely you are to become paralyzed. Now, there is nothing wrong with planning, in fact, we ought to plan! But, there comes a time for action if something is going to get done.
Conclusion
Managing your life really only comes down to managing your thoughts. When you realize there are really only two things you can do with your thoughts, managing them seems a much simpler task.
Once you get in the habit of applying these 5 simple thinking processes, you can change your life!
THANK YOU GOD
Thank you God for creating me!
In your womb I have been fashioned;
Your spirit dwells within me;
Truly I am wonderfully marvelously made!
From your love and wisdom have I come
To this place and time.
To me you have given talent and life and blessings.
To me you have given tasks given to no others.
With joy and gratitude
I celebrate my much-honored existence.
From ages past to eternity,
I have been included in your divine plan.
Thank you God for creating me!
In your womb I have been fashioned;
Your spirit dwells within me;
Truly I am wonderfully marvelously made!
From your love and wisdom have I come
To this place and time.
To me you have given talent and life and blessings.
To me you have given tasks given to no others.
With joy and gratitude
I celebrate my much-honored existence.
From ages past to eternity,
I have been included in your divine plan.
Thank you God for creating me!
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM
Have you ever been tempted to cut a corner or to take the easiest route, though you know it may not necessarily be the best one? Or have you ever made a decision because it was quick and simple, knowing that it might come back to bite you later?
Have you ever been tempted to cut a corner or to take the easiest route, though you know it may not necessarily be the best one? Or have you ever made a decision because it was quick and simple, knowing that it might come back to bite you later?
I appreciate a parable Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard told about the dangers of taking the easy route. It is a story about a wild duck. Though life was difficult at times, the beautiful creature loved the boundless heavens and the endless stretches of wilderness. Soaring about treetops and towns, the duck symbolized to its tame counterparts, who could not fly, the epitome of freedom.
One evening during fall migration, he chanced to light in a barnyard where a farmer was feeding his ducks. The beautiful creature ate the corn the farmer sprinkled about and liked it so much that he stayed the night in a bed of warm straw. He ate the duck’s corn again the next day. And the next. And the next….
When spring came, he heard his old companions flying overhead and an almost forgotten yearning awoke deep within him. The duck had all but squelched his instinct for freedom over the comfortable and easy winter. But now he yearned to join his comrades in the sky. He flapped his stretched wings as he strained toward the flock, but he had grown fat and indolent and unable to fly. The wild duck had become a tame duck.
The easy way through our problems, though appealing, may not be the best way. (Remember…the only place you will find success before work is in the dictionary!). It’s always easier to borrow than to save; easier to jump in now than to do the hard work of planning; easier to postpone confronting a situation than to remedy it; easier to cut corners than to do it right; easier to remain the same than to make changes.
If you want to fly, you may have to pay a price. But freedom is worth it – at any cost!
Are you ready to soar?
Have you ever been tempted to cut a corner or to take the easiest route, though you know it may not necessarily be the best one? Or have you ever made a decision because it was quick and simple, knowing that it might come back to bite you later?
I appreciate a parable Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard told about the dangers of taking the easy route. It is a story about a wild duck. Though life was difficult at times, the beautiful creature loved the boundless heavens and the endless stretches of wilderness. Soaring about treetops and towns, the duck symbolized to its tame counterparts, who could not fly, the epitome of freedom.
One evening during fall migration, he chanced to light in a barnyard where a farmer was feeding his ducks. The beautiful creature ate the corn the farmer sprinkled about and liked it so much that he stayed the night in a bed of warm straw. He ate the duck’s corn again the next day. And the next. And the next….
When spring came, he heard his old companions flying overhead and an almost forgotten yearning awoke deep within him. The duck had all but squelched his instinct for freedom over the comfortable and easy winter. But now he yearned to join his comrades in the sky. He flapped his stretched wings as he strained toward the flock, but he had grown fat and indolent and unable to fly. The wild duck had become a tame duck.
The easy way through our problems, though appealing, may not be the best way. (Remember…the only place you will find success before work is in the dictionary!). It’s always easier to borrow than to save; easier to jump in now than to do the hard work of planning; easier to postpone confronting a situation than to remedy it; easier to cut corners than to do it right; easier to remain the same than to make changes.
If you want to fly, you may have to pay a price. But freedom is worth it – at any cost!
Are you ready to soar?
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Love one another, but make not a bond of love.
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread, but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone.
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together.
For the pillars of the temple stand apart.
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread, but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone.
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together.
For the pillars of the temple stand apart.
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.
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