"Living in a Peaceful State of Mind"

02, May 2017

"Living in a Peaceful State of Mind"

‘You will keep in perfect peace … all whose thoughts are fixed on You!’ Isaiah 26:3 NLT

Who are you trusting to solve your problems, God or yourself?  Before you answer, read this: ‘You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You … whose thoughts are fixed on You! … for those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and You smooth out the path ahead of them’ (Isaiah 26:3, 7  NLT).

What a great promise!  If you want to maintain a peaceful state of mind, live by this principle: ‘Do your best, and trust God with the rest. Some of us grew up with the notion that it’s wrong to enjoy ourselves when we have problems.  We’ve been conditioned to think that if we can’t do anything else—at least we can worry and be miserable.  Paul addresses this:  ‘Do not [for a moment] be frightened … for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign … from God’ (Philippians 1:28 AMPC).

Satan doesn’t know what to do when he can’t get you upset; you’ve taken a powerful weapon out of his hands.  By trusting God completely, you’re no longer at the mercy of circumstances, other people, or your own emotions and limitations. Broadcaster Paul Harvey once quipped, ‘In times like these, it’s helpful to remember there have always been times like these'!

The question isn’t:  ‘Will trouble come'? ... it’s ‘How will you handle it’?  The Bible says, ‘We who have believed do enter that rest’ (Hebrews 4:3 KJV).  When things go wrong—don’t go wrong along with them.  Follow God’s leading, stand on His Word, then rest in Him and trust Him to work on your behalf.

"Be Willing To Learn From Others"

11, April 2017

"Be Willing To Learn From Others"

‘Happy is the man who finds wisdom.’ Proverbs 3:13 NKJV

Certain people can make us feel ‘less than’ when we’re in their company, but truly wise and mature people never try to do that.  If you’ve had a bad experience with this, don’t allow it to drive you back in defeat.  If you don’t stand near a ruler, you won’t be able to measure your growth or monitor how much you’ve developed.  Whatever successful people know, they haven’t always known it—they had to learn and grow too.  So don’t pretend you know what you don’t know.  It’s best to speak genuinely and sincerely, asking questions when appropriate.  Most successful people enjoy a chance to discuss and share what they know, so take advantage of this.

Fear of rejection keeps us from going forward in life and in relationships. You’d be surprised how many people limit themselves to socializing only with those who are comparable to them. They feel uncomfortable the moment they’re surrounded by people who are different from them.  An important part of your development occurs when you decide to cross the tracks and relate to people who are ahead of you in some way. These relationships create a chance for you to grow. It’s not wrong to lack knowledge; it’s wrong to be unwilling to learn.

Joshua learned the principles of good leadership from Moses.  Ruth learned how to find the right relationship by listening to Naomi.  Make this Scripture a guiding principle of your life: ‘Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding.’