As We Think, so Shall we Speak, & as We Speak, so Shall We Become!

“The most important part of an athlete is above his shoulders.”

I recently read that in the book, “Mind Gym”. My son is reading it for a sports psychology class & it’s filled with scientific tidbits that support Biblical Truth.

Sports psychology is considered the science of success. Studies show that within a group of athletes with similar ability, those who receive mental training outperform those who don’t almost every single time!

It’s this idea of training your mind & mouth around principles of life. Philippians 4:8 addresses this very thing, reminding us to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable & praiseworthy!

The mind is the starting point of ALL behavior. As we think, so shall we speak, & as we speak, so shall we become!

Proverbs 18:21 reminds us of this simple Truth:

Speak life, bring life

Speak death, bring death

We’re all comprised of soul, body & spirit, & when we “work out” all three, strengthening the spirit to lead, so the mind & body will follow, rockstar athletes are developed!

If we invest time in our spiritual gym, even before our mind gym & physical gym, a Divine alignment begins to happen with unstoppable potential!

I believe there are potential superstar “athletes” in ALL walks of life! Regardless of your current job, the success of your VOCATION is directly linked to your AVOCATION!

Avocation is the act of calling aside, away from employment & it comes from the root word for “voice”.

In light of that, what are we giving voice to? Even before that, what are we lending our ears to SO THAT our spirits might be strengthened to lead our minds to think Truth, leading our bodies to speak & act in Truth?

Father, Your Word says that those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Our tongue can bring forth life & death, but it starts with spirit.

Holy Spirit, lead our spirits. Fill us with Truth so the things we think & words we speak bring forth “consequences” of life!

Help us fall out of agreement with man-made labels & negative self talk…if we’re about to think or say something that aligns with death, stop us in our tracks & replace our thoughts & words with The Word of God that ALWAYS creates life!

#OneYearBible

July 8th One Year Bible Readings

1 CHRONICLES 5:18-6:81

ACTS 26:1-32

PSALM 6:1-10

PROVERBS 18:20-21

Facing a Fork in the Road? Let it Become Cause for Pause until Wise Counsel Speaks

Do you ever wish that God spoke to us like He did to the Israelites? With cloud by day & fire by night, they knew without a doubt they were headed in the right direction!

The other day I saw a video of a little girl talking to her daddy saying, “I don’t have a plan…do you have a plan?” At one point she begs emphatically, “We neeeeed a plan!” When her daddy suggests they talk to someone, she interrupts & says, “Nope. No, that won’t….”, then the video cuts off.

I really didn’t need to hear the rest of it anyway because I’ve had similar convos with God when I’m trying to determine what to do😳

Wondering which way is the best way is not a new conundrum. David prays in Psalm 5, asking the Lord to lead him on the right path, making His Way plain for David to follow. It’s such a simple prayer, but what do we do when standing at a fork of many ways & don’t really know where to go?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned the hard way that most times, the path ahead that SEEMS right, just might end in death, especially if I haven’t sought counsel on the matter.😬

Rather than ploughing ahead in common sense, it’s usually best to let the fork become cause for pause & ask for Divine sense!

When we’re not sure what step to take, it’s best to look back & recall the last thing the Lord said on the matter & continue in it until He says otherwise. And if all you hear is crickets, it might be best to remain at the fork until He speaks!

God still speaks today just like He did in the days of Moses, but it can be hard to hear His still, small voice amidst the hustle & bustle we allow in life! I’ve heard Him speak through His Word, movies, songs, conversations, circumstances, etc. The ways are countless, we just need to carve out some silence so we can hear & be patient enough to wait when it seems to take a while 😉

Father, faith comes by hearing so it’s imperative that we consider to whom or what we are listening! We want to follow in faith the path that doesn’t just SEEM best, but IS best because it’s been paved by The Way!

Jesus, make Your Way plain so we can easily follow, & when it’s unclear, we’ll choose to pause & praise while we wait for You to speak The Way ahead!

#OneYearBible

July 7th One Year Bible Readings

1 CHRONICLES 4:5-5:17

ACTS 25:1-27

PSALM 5:1-12

PROVERBS 18:19

Choosing Peace Usually Isn’t Convenient or Comfortable

This past week we’ve been without AC so not only were we hungry for real food (because I didn’t want to heat up the house by using the oven), we were hot as blazes AND thirsty, making for a fine mix of “thangry”.

Apparently “thangry” is the new “hangry” & means to be SO thirsty that you’re overtaken by anger.

As we all sat in the hot & humid house on Sunday, salty comments began to fly & I knew it was time to get a hotel room until our new AC system arrived.

As I write in the cool air of the hotel lobby, I realize that not all thrangry circumstances will have such an easy solution. We’ve all had moments when anger rises from the recesses of an unmet need & sometimes the only choice is to NOT to let the spirit behind it control us.

David exhorts us in Psalm 4 to not let anger lead, but to think about things overnight & remain silent. Not only that, he pushes us to offer sacrifices in the RIGHT spirit & trust the Lord.

There’s a cool connection between trust & offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving. When we choose to wield our words for gracious praise to God, it’s almost like a confession of trust!

Letting the enemy use external circumstances to woo us into angry land, however, robs us of rest.

When we remain silent before our offender & confess our confidence in God under bit & bridle of the HOLY Spirit, we’re able to do like David did & lie down in peace, trusting God to handle the details.

Choosing peace is oftentimes not convenient nor comfortable, but neither are the consequences that come when we let anger have its way!

Holy Spirit, peace comes as a fruit of following Your lead. When we’re tempted towards anger, remind us that all needs are met by our Father Who owns cattle on a thousand hills!

The next time we’re tempted to be overtaken by anger, may it become opportunity to test Your Word & see that it’s oh-so-good! Help us offer a sacrifice of praise in the right spirit as we trust You to keep us safe & provide for our every need!

#OneYearBible