Positive Thinking

The term "Positive Thinking" originated with Norman Vincent Peale back in the 1950's.  Positive Thinking is not "faith".  If you had been on the Titanic when it went down, all of the positive thinking that you could muster up would not have saved you!  So, what is the difference?   Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is the substance of things not yet seen....faith has substance and positive thinking is only a thought.  Is there anything wrong with positive words?  No, we should speak them constantly to build up the believers or as a parent, to build up our children.

Confusing the two though can be the difference between a true doctrine and a false one.  Kenneth Copeland believes if you speak it, those words will come to pass.  He is a false teacher and this is not the doctrine of Jesus.  People who use positive thinking to accomplish what faith does will always be disappointed.

Faith is simply trusting God.   

His Plan

"What is God's Plan for your life?"  The pastor had asked this many times before, but today it seemed to purge me for an answer.  I don't do anything spectacular or eye catching for the Lord.  Thoughts of my friend of old started a wedding chapel in her church and books weddings.  The pastor give Godly counsel to those who want to be married in the chapel.  Suddenly I was really down in my Spirit.

What was His plan for me?  The Holy Spirit's answer was simple and yet a long life time of work in progress.  John 6:29...Jesus answered, "The work of God is this:  that you believe in the one whom He has sent."  His plan is that we become like Jesus.  It involves living with our focus on Christ.  It involves living Holy lives which prepares us for eternity.  It involves having a heart for Christ and His wants.

That is His plan for my life and then I will enter that eternal place where all things will be made known to me!  Praise the Lord!

Joyce Meyers

Is Joyce Meyers a false teacher?  There are a couple of scriptures that will prove she is certainly out of line when it comes to the order inside of God's government here on earth.  It is very clear in I Timothy 2:12 that women cannot usurp authority over a man or teach a man out of scripture.  Women are only allowed to teach other women...Titus 2:3-5.

It is getting more popular for women on television to start their own ministries.  According to scripture, they are not aligned with God's Word.  Are they false teachers?  I can say that they are not obeying what the scriptures teach.  I would call this a great lack of discernment on their part.  Many things are being done for the Lord out of the flesh and when that happens, we need to take a good look at these teachers.



One More

One more thought on the Cross of Calvary.  I like to travel back in time and reflect upon the Cross.  It is a journey that fills me with deep thoughts about eternity.  We are a people who are about the business of the day.  We hurry to and fro giving very little thought to mortality.  Jesus said that He must be about My Father's business...Luke 2:49.

What does it mean for us to be about the Father's business?  In I John 3:10 gives the answer.  We are to be about the business of practicing righteosness.  The definition of righteousness is:  justice and it refers to following the ways of God.  We can find His ways in His Word that is alive and will last forever!  Amen.

Struggle

How do we handle a struggle in our lives that comes from Satan?  He has no power over the child of God, but oh, can he harass!  I read a great book this week that talked about the sovereignty of God in this world.  EVERYTHING is under Christ!  The Holy Spirit is actually retaining the destruction of this world until the time when He takes the children of God to be with Christ!

It is an awesome thought, is it not?  If not for the blessed hand of God through His Holy Spirit Satan could squash us like a bug!  The devil's goal is to kill, only he can't do that to the child of God....he can tempt us and destroy our testimony!  It is very comforting that Satan cannot touch me unless God allows him to do so.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you...James 4:7.  Resist (wrestle) and he will leave!  The definition of "flee" is to "run away"....that old devil will run away from you!

Trick?

The definition of the word "trick" is to perform an act of mischief.  The dictionary also adds that it is the destroying of personal property.  This article is not about halloween, but rather how we have come to accept things in this society that really teaches children that to destroy is a harmless "trick".  They are also learning that a certain behavior that used to be wrong, is now okay with the endorsement of their parents.

The word "trick" also means a threat.  I have to admit that even many Christians are immune to the word.  It is considered cute.  In the last days good will be known as evil and evil will be known as good...Isaiah 5:20.  We are without a doubt living in the last days my friend.  The word "trick" also means darkness. 

Jesus is the light of the world...John 8:12.  In Him there is no "darkness"....I John 1:5.  Amen.

I Wish

I wish I could go back and change so many things in my life.  If it were possible my list of priorities might look something like this:  Date more than a couple of months before getting married, be a great mother, be satisfied with my life, and find Christ early in my youth.  Oh, but would I really go back?  No, I don't think so.  There is nothing so valuable to me now as every moment experienced.  Does that sound naive?

After the Lord came into my life, those life experiences are worth more than gold to me.  God has instilled in me the ability to sorrow for the lost and for those who suffer from sin.  My past life has equipped me to know what is important after salvation comes.  I know how to pray for myself and others who are struggling with the devil.  No, there is no way under heaven that I would ever go back!

Thank you Jesus for every day of my life, the sorrows and the joys.