Tag: Jesus

About your spiritual / psychological toolbox.

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the wil of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Where are your thoughts falling short of God’s life-giving truth? Here are four tools to help you:

  1. remove the lie and replace it with truth. …an enemy who is seeking to destroy us. His weapon is the lie…
  2. create new trenches of truth. Our brains have neural pathways—mental ruts we created through repeatedly thinking the same thoughts—which trigger our automatic response to external stimuli. To stop a behavior, we need to remove the lie behind it and replace the neural pathway.
  3. reframe. You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control how you receive it and react to it. We all have cognitive biases that cause us to see things in ways that do not reflect reality. you have the power to reframe…
  4. change your perspective through prayer and praise. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything that is happening, but when we’ve had enough, God is enough. Not only is God enough, God is near. We stay mindful of His presence. When we do, it leads us to pray. Praying changes our brain, as does praising God. We praise Him for the who of who He is, even if the what is not what we want. As we praise God, we feel warming peace of mind.

Decide today that you will not think like the rest of the world. You will let God renew your mind… fix your thoughts on Jesus. He made you. He will sustain you. He can carry you, strengthen you, and empower you to do what He’s called you to do. You are more than a conqueror through Christ.

A blend of my thoughts and “excerpts from today’s Bible App Devotional called ‘Winning the War in your mind’”

Worldview via Jesus Lens

If you feel discouraged, disillusioned, even disappointed in the world, or your community, or even persons you thought you knew, praying the Psalms can help you regain perspective and Christ-like peace.

Psalm 123
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt. Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

(The inspired and inspiring Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.)

Troubling Dream, God’s Reply

I had a troubling dream about feeling useless in retirement, and wondering if I made a difference in ministry. Then I felt guilty for having such an egotistical thought in my dream. Then awoke to this scripture today., and the reminder that I will continue in ministry as a hospital chaplain. Thank you Jesus.

Do you ever wonder if what you do matters? Hear the word of the Lord:
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10

In Your Storm

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them.
Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.
They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Mark 6:47-50

Even though the disciples had been with Jesus for a long time, they didn’t recognize him as he approached in the storm. The story reminds us that we may not recognize the Lord when He comes to us in the middle of our own personal storms.

[Adapted from “Lessons in Religion”]

Mental Health and Faith

Inspired and adapted through an article in “Rethink Church”

Depression… anxiety… inability to concentrate… mood changes… trouble relating to people… low energy… feeling hostile towards others… excessive worry… feeling unable to cope with stress… excessive drug or alcohol consumption…

An inability to deal with mental health symptoms is not always an indication of sin in your life. In some cases it might be an indication of illness–and may need to be treated as any other illness gets treated (with a doctor’s help).

“in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; until the destroying storms pass by.” [Psalm 57:1]

In many ways, we are bound to one another. So when one person suffers, we all encounter suffering. This passage is just one of many that remind of our connectedness: “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.” [1 Corinthians 12:26]

If you or a friend need help, please take that step and reach out to someone you trust.

Psychology Today offers a referral site. If you have suicidal thoughts call a suicide hotline number. In the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use its webchat on suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat.

Bible in One Year 2022 Nicky Gumbel

Jesus healed a man who had been an disabled for thirty-eight years (John 5:5). The man must have been desperate: he had been putting his hope in the healing powers of the waters of Bethesda, which would bubble up periodically, and it was thought that the first person in after the waters bubbled up would be healed. But this man had no one to help him get in first (v.7).

He had no friends, no close family. Nobody cared for him. He was alone and abandoned. Nobody loved him, but Jesus loved him.

Jesus says to him, as he says to each one of us, ‘Do you want to get well?’ (v.6). For thirty-eight years, this man had learned to survive as he was. Now he has to rise up, make choices, find new friends, find work and become responsible for his life.

Joyce Meyer writes of this incident that, in effect, Jesus said to the man, ‘Don’t just lie there, do something!’ She continues, ‘Being sexually abused for approximately fifteen years and growing up in a dysfunctional home left me lacking confidence and filled with shame. I wanted to have good things in my life, but I was stuck in emotional torment and despair.

‘Like the man in John 5, Jesus did not give me pity either. Jesus was actually very firm with me and He applied a lot of tough love, but His refusal to let me wallow in self-pity was a turning point in my life. I am not in the pit any longer. I now have a great life. If you will reject self-pity, actively look to God and do what He instructs you to do, you can have a great life too.’