Garbage in, Garbage out

"Meditation is nothing but dwelling on the thoughts of our hearts"

How do respond when someone says something that doesn't benefit you? What do you allow yourself to watch on TV? What do you choose to listen to in the car? Do you surround yourself with people who talk about encouraging things?
-All these questions should lead to the answer of what's truly running through your heart and mind.

1. Find a happy thought and focus on it for one whole minute. How do you feel after? 
2. Find an angry thought and focus on it for one whole minute. Our moods completely change when doing these things.

Sometimes we think that just because we aren't necessarily living ungodly lives, then these things are no problem.
But, what about the time when your friend slipped a cuss word and you didn't say anything? Or, the movie you love that has nudity in it.
All of these things seem like no big deal, but they get put into our minds whether we want them there or not.

"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about these things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8

The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing, and that just seems crazy! But, to pray without ceasing simply means to continually be in the mindset of prayer.
Prayer  is nothing more than communicating with God, and we can easily do that by sharing our every thought and action with Him.

"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never with, and they prosper in all they do." Psalm 1:1-3

Our thoughts lead to our actions. Our minds are always thinking and the things we allow them to dwell on will shape our thoughts, actions, and every other aspect of our lives.

"We are, and continually become, those thoughts that persist in our hearts and minds."

The saying has always been true: "what goes in must always come out". And I know I'm not the only one who wants those things to be Godly, uplifting, and happy things.

 "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

                             

 

 

Happiness

Happiness.. It's a choice. But, it's not as easy as it sounds. When you're following the path of righteousness it is indeed harder than a life in the opposite direction. When you're following Christ, it makes the devil angry. He throws every temptation at you to try and knock you off your course. But that's the amazing thing about Jesus, the bigger the trial; the bigger the blessing. Have you ever felt such a strong feeling of contentment and thankfulness for everything you have? I mean, sometimes we don't even think we know why. The feeling is God's overwhelming love. The happiness isn't temporary. It isn't coming from some boy, or a good grade, or even your favorite movie coming out in theaters. It's God's love and mercy pouring out over you. And when that happens you begin to overflow onto other people. This is why it's so important to share the love God has given you! He sent His only begotten Son to take away all of our shame so that we could run and tell the world about His love for them. Before Christ returns, He promises us that everywhere everyone on earth will hear the word of God. We are his handmade disciples put on this earth to solely share the happiness of what comes from being filled with God's spirit... And He is proud.

 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14 NKJV

Things We Don't Wanna Talk About

"Don't you realize 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."
 -1 Corinthians 6:19

Very recently 150 Yazidi women and young girls killed themselves after being forced to become Islamic State sex slaves. Some of the survivors helped share their stories..


- I'm not talking about this to make people upset, I'm doing it because no one else will talk about it.

The husbands, brothers, sons, uncles, etc. of these women were immediately butchered by the Islamic State.
The "less attractive" women were separated for special rape treatment.
As soon as one girl knew this was happening, she went to a nearby bathhouse in Northern Iraq and slashed her wrists.
These women chose to take their own lives over the lives the Islamic State decided they could force them to have.
The bodies of those who did commit suicide were given to the dogs as meals..

-Stories like this one are the ones we don't share. We prefer not to think these things are happening in the world we live in, but they are. We can't keep sitting back doing nothing. These women don't have a voice of their own, and that's why God gave us one.
We are their voice!
What if this was us? Our family? Friends? Even someone we barely knew.. We'd be devastated. Awareness needs to be brought to these kind of topics, and people need to stop being scared to get up and take a stand for them.

These women and men need to know they are LOVED! They are to DIE for. They need to know that they are prayed for daily. God has a plan for them too.. His plan for them isn't finished there. He's not even close to done! But, if we sit back and do nothing we aren't glorifying Him at all.
In fact, God has already told us to not worry, to not be afraid, to spread the gospel to all nations, that we are strong, that He is always with us... so what are we waiting for?

'He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."'
-Mark 16:15

"Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you."
-1 Peter 5:7

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him."
-Psalm 28:7

So lets be BOLD! Let's stand up for what we believe in and glorify God while doing it.

http://m.clarionproject.org/news/150-isis-sex-slaves-commit-suicide-some-fed-dogs

Reap What You Sow

I'm going to start off with this:
 ^"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:7-9)

We've all heard the saying "you reap what you sow", but are we truly living that way? That verse is pretty self-explanatory, but sometimes it's easier said than done.

You want love? Go show Godly love to someone else. Want to be encouraged? Encourage others. Ever feeling down? Go lift someone up. Feeling insecure? Go compliment someone.

Are you ever in a tough situation where it just seems impossible to do any of that? Let me give you some examples: A person wants nothing to do with you and gets pleasure out of your misery. We've all had an encounter with someone like that. BUT, there's a reason they're that way. Why do you expect love if you haven't shown it?

Ever been around a person who seriously just DRAINS you. Everything they say is negative and honestly it just brings you down. It's hard to show love to people who aren't returning it. No one wants to be that way. They're draining you, but don't give up. Encourage them.

But, what if we are one of those people? We aren't perfect, we get upset, insecure, and sometimes just feel lost.
We want love! We want to be happy and we all want to be someone who other people just enjoy being around.

How are we supposed to get RESPECT, LOVE, ENCOURAGEMENT, FRIENDSHIPS, HAPPINESS... if we don't first give it.
You can't do it backwards. People always say "Well, I don't respect them, because they don't respect me". Or, "Why would I want to help someone who doesn't even like me?"

You reap what you sow. You don't get what you want, then return it. That's reaping before sowing. It doesn't work that way.

Take a step of faith and simply go out of your way for someone who normally wouldn't appreciate it. Compliment someone. Be honest with them. Respect them. It takes time, but it works. It's the only way it will work.

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38