Don’t Give Way to Fear

Sometimes unbelievers are known to say, “Isn’t it convenient that Christians come up with this God who says what they always wanted to hear.” I suppose they are thinking about all the promises that God will love us and provide for us. What they are surely forgetting is that the God who speaks to us in the Scriptures and through Jesus says a lot of things that we don’t really want to hear and quite a number of things that scare our pants off.

Stop

Here are some thoughts I first shared with you six years ago. Recently, I found myself needing them. Maybe some of you might need them, also.

I am going to share with you one of the most important words you will ever hear. The word is “stop.” To paraphrase Ecclesiastes, there is a time to go and a time to stop.

Most of the important mind changing moments in my life came only after I stopped. Most of the times when I got up to go after something and went with some clarity and impact were times after I had first stopped.

Play YourTrump Card

 What follows are thoughts I first posted seven years ago, but I find I need a reminder and maybe some of you do as well.

According to The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, here is the definition of a trump card: “the suit designated as having precedence over the others. In general, it is something capable of making a decisive difference when used at the right moment” as in ‘The prosecutor played her trump card by calling a surprise witness.’”

The Spiritual Battle

King David writes:

For I hear the slander of many;

There is terror on every side.

They conspire against me

And plot to take my life.

But I trust in you, O Lord;

I say “You are my God, my times are in your hands.”

I have come to understand that my enemies are just as real as those that David had. They are those powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil that Paul describes in Ephesians. They are not called “powers” for no reason. They are strong and they are to be reckoned with. They conspire against us and want to ruin our lives. This is not paranoia; it is just facing the facts.

“Forgiving Ourselves”: Just a Matter of Semantics?

Somewhere along the line, most of us have heard the expression, “I don’t think we really disagree, but it’s just a matter of semantics.” In fact, most of us have probably used a phrase much like this. Our point seems to be that we may be saying the same thing, but just using different terminology. Ironically, in making this statement, we are probably not even using the word semantics correctly. But let’s not get too pedantic.

The fact is that sometimes we can “quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (1 Timothy 1:7). However, there are times when a healthy discussion about the terminology we are using may be valuable, or even more than that.

It Takes More than Right Thoughts

If you have read my book Mind Change you know how strongly I believe in the importance of replacing the wrong thoughts with the right ones. Thoughts are powerful. Words and concepts lodged in our brain make a difference. But there is a passage in the New Testament book of Hebrews that reminds us that thoughts and words are not enough.

Lift with Your Faith

This week’s post comes from Sheila

Have you ever lifted something heavy and told yourself, “Lift with your legs! Lift with your legs” and then yell out, “Oh! I hurt my back”? Just telling ourselves to “lift with our legs” doesn’t mean that we will necessarily do it.

In life situations I tell myself, “Rely on God! Rely on God!” and then I proceed to rely on myself. I said the right thing to myself, but myself didn’t listen. And when I rely upon myself, I end up ushering in anxiety and fear and faithlessness without even realizing.