Interesting story. So I was talking with a few of my loved readers yesterday, and unbeknownst to me, this month’s topic was renewing your mind. I just so happened to tell one of them that writing to you and pouring my heart out was a good renewal process for me. To top that, one of the key things that one of my favorite ministers discussed in her sermon on Sunday was that while you can “only be born once, but you can be renewed over, and over, and over again.” Mind you, topics were posted on the 27th of April, a week ago today. That’s God!
While writing devotional reminds me deeply of God working in my life, I ensure to renew my mind in Christ as much as possible. While my devotionals may sound redundant after a while, I hope you begin to realize the importance of these opportunities I discuss repeatedly.
The number one way to renew your mind is through putting peace between you and the lord. Praying is so easy, but we a lot of times make it as difficult as pulling teeth. If you don’t close your eyes! And talk to your Help! I know somethin! When doing so, ensure you seek forgiveness. I realize sin is only knowing of the wrong you’re doing, when you’re doing it, but I like to seek forgiveness anyway incase I have offended God and did not realize or remember. Since you’re already praying… You might as well seek help in any other regions you may be struggling with. If you need God to help you fully renew your mind, just ask! I dare you to even try to overwhelm the Lord!
Next of course, is keeping your mind wrapped within the Word. Prayer and reading the Word are major ways too keep us marinating in God’s love. Educating yourself through the Bible often times guides you to greater renewal. God is God no matter where you seek him. I kid you not, before remembering the topic for this devotional, I made it a goal to find a very good book that ministered to me and help me greatly called, Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyers. Reading through this book is beyond great in helping you renew your mind. It teaches you how to discipline your mind, and what Christian doesn’t need help doing that? I’ve read it once, and maybe you have too, but this book is something that should be studied by all Christians over and over, in my opinion.
So, we’ve got prayer, reading, and if you know my devotionals, you know what comes next. Chuuch! One of the main reasons I wake up early during my precious weekends – besides loving the Lord so much – is to renew both my mind and spirit in church. This is so much more than going, it’s going hungry and ready for the Word. Many times in the atmosphere of praise and worship, I get exactly what I need, and then some! While I can’t speak for you, all I can say is if you go to church and pay close attention, renewing yourself in the Lord shouldn’t be hard at all.
And with these things said, I can’t think of any other techniques! I hope these were a blessing to you. And they help in the renewal of your mind. Either way, I pray that God bless your mind. Love you all!
- C.J.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
i got brainwashed
Did you know not too long ago I started a process of being brainwashed? It's been crazy, but for the most part I kind of like it. What about you? What if I told you that you were being brainwashed, would you believe me? Did you know that everything you know is something that you learned from someone else or through experience? The sum total of your knowledge is everything that all your teachers, parents, friends, and experiences have taught you. Let me tell you a secret...ever since you were born you have been brainwashed.
Think about it. All the media images, commercials, music, tv shows, movies, and people have all conspired to teach you something. Kind of crucial, I think. They are all trying to brand a message into your mind to get you to do exactly what they want you to do and they are doing a very good job. Parents, probably not soo much ( Honor your father and mother so that you can live a long life) :0). We have all been brainwashed by the media-news, movies, music, commercials etc. to believe what they teach us. Did you know that for the most part they don't give you the whole story or don't tell you the truth? They don't want you to know. They want to give you just enough so that you can keep coming back for more and line their pockets.
So if you're going to be brainwashed, why not be brainwashed by the right person or people? Do you remember I said not too long ago I started a process of being brainwashed? Jesus made Himself real to me in my bedroom and ever sine then I made a decision to let Jesus do all my brainwashing. How do you let Him do that? Glad you asked. I started reading the bible, which is His SWORD!!! Did you know that when ,John the disciple, saw Jesus in heaven after his death the bible said he saw a sword in His mouth. Anyway, this weapon, the bible, can completely change your mind. It doesn't give you half truths or half stories. It gives you the whole truth because God's word is not selfish and is not trying to get anything from you. Everything that it says is for your benefit 100% of the time.
What do you say? If you're going to be brainwashed in your mind by something anyway why not let the King of heaven and earth do it? He wants to make your mind like His. Dang! Can u imagine thinking like Jesus? The bible says..."let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" He wants you to think like He does so that you can act like the king or queen you were mean to be.
Mick
Think about it. All the media images, commercials, music, tv shows, movies, and people have all conspired to teach you something. Kind of crucial, I think. They are all trying to brand a message into your mind to get you to do exactly what they want you to do and they are doing a very good job. Parents, probably not soo much ( Honor your father and mother so that you can live a long life) :0). We have all been brainwashed by the media-news, movies, music, commercials etc. to believe what they teach us. Did you know that for the most part they don't give you the whole story or don't tell you the truth? They don't want you to know. They want to give you just enough so that you can keep coming back for more and line their pockets.
So if you're going to be brainwashed, why not be brainwashed by the right person or people? Do you remember I said not too long ago I started a process of being brainwashed? Jesus made Himself real to me in my bedroom and ever sine then I made a decision to let Jesus do all my brainwashing. How do you let Him do that? Glad you asked. I started reading the bible, which is His SWORD!!! Did you know that when ,John the disciple, saw Jesus in heaven after his death the bible said he saw a sword in His mouth. Anyway, this weapon, the bible, can completely change your mind. It doesn't give you half truths or half stories. It gives you the whole truth because God's word is not selfish and is not trying to get anything from you. Everything that it says is for your benefit 100% of the time.
What do you say? If you're going to be brainwashed in your mind by something anyway why not let the King of heaven and earth do it? He wants to make your mind like His. Dang! Can u imagine thinking like Jesus? The bible says..."let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" He wants you to think like He does so that you can act like the king or queen you were mean to be.
Mick
Saturday, April 18, 2009
hmmm....
Decisions, decisions, decisions… Making them can be hard more often than easy. But when I reach a serious crossroad in my life, I pause and think things through. When I can’t come up with a decision on my own, I waste no time calling on the Lord, from which my help comes from (Psalms 121:2).
In expecting an answer, I first make sure my conscience is clear. This meaning, my mind is free of shame and my sins are all forgiven through repentance. Once I know I’m right with God, I feel my prayers have that much more strength behind them. That also prepares my mind to receive His answers.
I also refuse to just sit and wait for the answer – doing nothing – when I know the answer might not come immediately. You must seek His words where ever available. This definitely means seeking God’s Word, but God will speak through those he places in your life as well. Waste no time in hesitating to call someone you know you can lean on spiritually. Your message from God could be waiting, it’s you who has to be the one to look for it. Another very smart place to look is in Church. I make it a habit to make it to church more than once a week. I don’t want to miss anything! The best position you can put yourself is a position to receive, and if that means you raise your odds by going twice, then so be it! Go get yours!
As a Christian, you are far from alone. This is why we go to church, and why we can turn to the Bible whenever we need to, to be able to turn the world off, and turn our hearts on to speak with our Father.
Life is full of choices. When faced with them, we have to take them the best we can: One decision at a time! Stress opens the door for the devil to invade on your joy. Know that there are people not fortunate enough to even have choices. So make the most of all of yours and show the devil he has no reign in your life – at all!
Be blessed, stay blessed!
C.j.
In expecting an answer, I first make sure my conscience is clear. This meaning, my mind is free of shame and my sins are all forgiven through repentance. Once I know I’m right with God, I feel my prayers have that much more strength behind them. That also prepares my mind to receive His answers.
I also refuse to just sit and wait for the answer – doing nothing – when I know the answer might not come immediately. You must seek His words where ever available. This definitely means seeking God’s Word, but God will speak through those he places in your life as well. Waste no time in hesitating to call someone you know you can lean on spiritually. Your message from God could be waiting, it’s you who has to be the one to look for it. Another very smart place to look is in Church. I make it a habit to make it to church more than once a week. I don’t want to miss anything! The best position you can put yourself is a position to receive, and if that means you raise your odds by going twice, then so be it! Go get yours!
As a Christian, you are far from alone. This is why we go to church, and why we can turn to the Bible whenever we need to, to be able to turn the world off, and turn our hearts on to speak with our Father.
Life is full of choices. When faced with them, we have to take them the best we can: One decision at a time! Stress opens the door for the devil to invade on your joy. Know that there are people not fortunate enough to even have choices. So make the most of all of yours and show the devil he has no reign in your life – at all!
Be blessed, stay blessed!
C.j.
Dating, Relationships, Sex, & Christianity
One of the more challenging parts of being a Christian is having, and keeping a righteous relationship. For me, I can say that’s the hardest part. I’m a firm believer in practicing what you preach, so a large part of me really didn’t feel I should even write this message to you, mainly because I don’t always follow what is right. How selfish of me though. Why would I feel I was in sin if I didn’t know what was right? I believe I do though, and as with all my previous devotionals, I refuse to let my feelings and sins get in the way of your path to righteousness. You have a right to know, and know you will…
Relationships for Christians are very different from the everyday couplings of the world. Things like abstinence come into play mainly. I’m really no expert when it comes to Christian relationships, but I speak from experience when I say they are no easy task, especially when both sides aren’t Christian. We as individuals are shown love and intimacy in movies and books and all throughout entertainment, and like everything else the world has to offer, we are drawn to that and in turn want it for ourselves. The world claims many weak minded people because of this. I’ve talked with many of my close friends about this, and they’ve felt that because they’re so deep in these types of sin and can’t find their way to the light, they feel God may never accept them. I can understand how they feel, I’ve messed up plenty of times and never once felt God turned his back on me, or ever would.
Amidst all this though, I’ve chosen to hold off on working on a relationship until after I graduate because of the degree of seriousness involved in keeping a healthy and righteous relationship. With that said, I can’t really speak on relationships from a more direct standpoint, but those I have had prior to this decision weren’t close to the example I’d like to be able to set one day. The righteous pick themselves up and learn from their mistakes though, as I am doing now.
The easiest ways to fight temptation are to catch it early and avoid it. Once you’ve fallen victim to it, it takes a very strong-minded spirit and supernatural help to unbind those unholy desires – those being words of wisdom I can actually stand behind.
To my young readers, this final message is very important. Do not give in to what the world tells you or leads you to believe. Please! I was told time and time again, and refused to listen. I found out for myself that saving yourself for marriage is so worth the wait. Truly, if you listen to nothing I say listen when I tell you this: You are not missing out on anything, and it will be nothing you expect if you don’t wait till the right time. For those who feel you’ve already messed up, it’s never too late to save yourself again! Don’t feel like it’s over for you. We serve a very forgiving God. As long as you’re willing to pick up the pieces and press forward, success isn’t far off for us!
- C.j.
Relationships for Christians are very different from the everyday couplings of the world. Things like abstinence come into play mainly. I’m really no expert when it comes to Christian relationships, but I speak from experience when I say they are no easy task, especially when both sides aren’t Christian. We as individuals are shown love and intimacy in movies and books and all throughout entertainment, and like everything else the world has to offer, we are drawn to that and in turn want it for ourselves. The world claims many weak minded people because of this. I’ve talked with many of my close friends about this, and they’ve felt that because they’re so deep in these types of sin and can’t find their way to the light, they feel God may never accept them. I can understand how they feel, I’ve messed up plenty of times and never once felt God turned his back on me, or ever would.
Amidst all this though, I’ve chosen to hold off on working on a relationship until after I graduate because of the degree of seriousness involved in keeping a healthy and righteous relationship. With that said, I can’t really speak on relationships from a more direct standpoint, but those I have had prior to this decision weren’t close to the example I’d like to be able to set one day. The righteous pick themselves up and learn from their mistakes though, as I am doing now.
The easiest ways to fight temptation are to catch it early and avoid it. Once you’ve fallen victim to it, it takes a very strong-minded spirit and supernatural help to unbind those unholy desires – those being words of wisdom I can actually stand behind.
To my young readers, this final message is very important. Do not give in to what the world tells you or leads you to believe. Please! I was told time and time again, and refused to listen. I found out for myself that saving yourself for marriage is so worth the wait. Truly, if you listen to nothing I say listen when I tell you this: You are not missing out on anything, and it will be nothing you expect if you don’t wait till the right time. For those who feel you’ve already messed up, it’s never too late to save yourself again! Don’t feel like it’s over for you. We serve a very forgiving God. As long as you’re willing to pick up the pieces and press forward, success isn’t far off for us!
- C.j.
how do you know for sure?
How do you know what decision to make? How do you choose what's right? How do you know what decision to make when it seems like any decision is a good decision? Have you ever been there? I have. Is there a difference between making a good decision and the right one? Do you even care? Does it even matter because whatever happens just happens?
I don't know if you have been in a place of confusion like the questions show up above. I have and it can be pretty frustrating. I want to talk to you about making choices. How do you make the right choices when no one around you is making them and you don't have an example or someone to tell you what to do? How do you know what to do when your dad or mom is not around to show you how?
I have been in a place where I felt like I had to make every decision by myself. I felt like there was no one there to tell me what to do and how to do it. So I always wondered...why do things have to be hard? I became (and still even now to a certain degree) dependent on the fact that things are just supposed to be hard. Life is hard. Making decisions is hard. Choosing what to do between different things is hard. Why does it have to be like that?!! Where was my dad when I needed him the most. When I needed the most guidance because the biggest decisions of my life were just ahead of me.
I am here to give you an answer that made me free and helped me beyond my wildest dreams. Do I believe we need dads to show us the way? Yes. I believe it was meant to be like that. But most of us don't have that chance. And it gives way for us to have an even better replacement for that void in our life.
If you read in the bible, David had to make an important decision in his life. His own people were ready to kill him and everything was just going wrong. It got so bad that the bible says David had to "encourage HIMSELF in the Lord". There was no one around to pump him up or to hype him up. But what's more important is what happened next. The bible says..."David asked the Lord, saying, Should I pursue the army? should I overtake them?" Do you know what happened after he asked Jesus? Jesus responded and said..."PURSUE!!! Because you will surely overtake them, and without fail recover all" Dang! What an answer.
What was the key? David didn't turn to his friends or family or co soldiers or what we do the most, he didn't turn to himself. He turned to the Lord Jesus and got His answer. That's what we need to do when faced with big decisions. I am not saying that you will always hear the Lord on every little matter. There are some things He knows you can answer. But when it comes down to a crisis and a major decision in your life who do you turn to? I think that's clear and I hope that you will turn to Him next time you come across a life crisis.
Mick
I don't know if you have been in a place of confusion like the questions show up above. I have and it can be pretty frustrating. I want to talk to you about making choices. How do you make the right choices when no one around you is making them and you don't have an example or someone to tell you what to do? How do you know what to do when your dad or mom is not around to show you how?
I have been in a place where I felt like I had to make every decision by myself. I felt like there was no one there to tell me what to do and how to do it. So I always wondered...why do things have to be hard? I became (and still even now to a certain degree) dependent on the fact that things are just supposed to be hard. Life is hard. Making decisions is hard. Choosing what to do between different things is hard. Why does it have to be like that?!! Where was my dad when I needed him the most. When I needed the most guidance because the biggest decisions of my life were just ahead of me.
I am here to give you an answer that made me free and helped me beyond my wildest dreams. Do I believe we need dads to show us the way? Yes. I believe it was meant to be like that. But most of us don't have that chance. And it gives way for us to have an even better replacement for that void in our life.
If you read in the bible, David had to make an important decision in his life. His own people were ready to kill him and everything was just going wrong. It got so bad that the bible says David had to "encourage HIMSELF in the Lord". There was no one around to pump him up or to hype him up. But what's more important is what happened next. The bible says..."David asked the Lord, saying, Should I pursue the army? should I overtake them?" Do you know what happened after he asked Jesus? Jesus responded and said..."PURSUE!!! Because you will surely overtake them, and without fail recover all" Dang! What an answer.
What was the key? David didn't turn to his friends or family or co soldiers or what we do the most, he didn't turn to himself. He turned to the Lord Jesus and got His answer. That's what we need to do when faced with big decisions. I am not saying that you will always hear the Lord on every little matter. There are some things He knows you can answer. But when it comes down to a crisis and a major decision in your life who do you turn to? I think that's clear and I hope that you will turn to Him next time you come across a life crisis.
Mick
get to know Him
How do you develop a relationship with God?
It's a simple answer for which many people do not know the answer.
How do you develop relationships with your friends and those you love?
-spend time with them
-listen to them and talk to them about yourself (get to know each other)
How do you develop a relationship with God?
-spend time with him
-listen to Him talk and talk to Him about yourself
You spend time with God by spending time worshiping, praying, reading the Bible.
How do you listen to Him talk? You can do this by reading His Word. You can listen to Him by listening to preachings. You can listen to a song that encourages you in whatever you are going through. Prayer is simply having a conversation with God. Talk to Him, sincerely from the heart. Then in turn listen to Him speak. There have been so many times in my life that I have been praying about something and when I opened my Bible to read what I read was related to what I was praying about. That's God speaking!
You develop a relationship with the Lord when you read your Bible (you're listening to Him speak), when you pray (you are speaking with Him).
And the awesome thing is that you can pray anywhere! While your riding to school you can have a conversation with God without ever saying a word out loud and that is enough! You can be all alone with God in the midst of a crowded room.
Get to know God. Read the Bible and see what He's about and what He's saying to you. He is speaking all the time, all we have to do is take time to listen.
Psalm 85:8 (New King James Version)
8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
It's a simple answer for which many people do not know the answer.
How do you develop relationships with your friends and those you love?
-spend time with them
-listen to them and talk to them about yourself (get to know each other)
How do you develop a relationship with God?
-spend time with him
-listen to Him talk and talk to Him about yourself
You spend time with God by spending time worshiping, praying, reading the Bible.
How do you listen to Him talk? You can do this by reading His Word. You can listen to Him by listening to preachings. You can listen to a song that encourages you in whatever you are going through. Prayer is simply having a conversation with God. Talk to Him, sincerely from the heart. Then in turn listen to Him speak. There have been so many times in my life that I have been praying about something and when I opened my Bible to read what I read was related to what I was praying about. That's God speaking!
You develop a relationship with the Lord when you read your Bible (you're listening to Him speak), when you pray (you are speaking with Him).
And the awesome thing is that you can pray anywhere! While your riding to school you can have a conversation with God without ever saying a word out loud and that is enough! You can be all alone with God in the midst of a crowded room.
Get to know God. Read the Bible and see what He's about and what He's saying to you. He is speaking all the time, all we have to do is take time to listen.
Psalm 85:8 (New King James Version)
8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
how to know a fake
I know some of you have a lot of friends and people that you are close to. Some of us don't have as much because we choose not to. Either case is not better than the other but at one point or another we had to take the time to develop a relationship with someone. And I am talking about someone you don't know. Do you remember how you did that? What did it take to get to a point where you had a best friend? Or someone who you are real close to? Someone who knows you and you can trust. But how do you know who you can trust? Or how do you know who's real or not?
You had to take the time to hang out with them in different situations and different places. It took time. And sometimes through time you found out that people weren't for you, or they were fake, or they were just using you. But then by hanging out with people you found out that there were people who had your back and that you could trust. You would have never known you could trust them if you didn't take the time to hang out with them in different situations and in different ways.
Did you know that's the same way you develop a relationship with Jesus? Jesus is a real person who you can take the time to build a friendship with. If you take the time to hang out with Him He will prove to you who He is and how much you can trust Him. Will it be easy? NO!!! It is hard. You have never done it before. He will let you go through some really hard stuff but He has also given you what you need to go through the hard stuff. But do you know one of the great benefits about hanging out with Jesus and getting to know Him?...The bible says "He will never leave you or forsake you" What a friend, right? Who can make that promise but Jesus Himself. He's got some swagger but He can back it up. Trust me, I know. He has proven Himself to me and there is no one who is with me at all times like He is.
Stay tuned for our up coming devotionals because they will show you how to hang out with and how to get to know Jesus. Thanks and talk to you later.
Mick
You had to take the time to hang out with them in different situations and different places. It took time. And sometimes through time you found out that people weren't for you, or they were fake, or they were just using you. But then by hanging out with people you found out that there were people who had your back and that you could trust. You would have never known you could trust them if you didn't take the time to hang out with them in different situations and in different ways.
Did you know that's the same way you develop a relationship with Jesus? Jesus is a real person who you can take the time to build a friendship with. If you take the time to hang out with Him He will prove to you who He is and how much you can trust Him. Will it be easy? NO!!! It is hard. You have never done it before. He will let you go through some really hard stuff but He has also given you what you need to go through the hard stuff. But do you know one of the great benefits about hanging out with Jesus and getting to know Him?...The bible says "He will never leave you or forsake you" What a friend, right? Who can make that promise but Jesus Himself. He's got some swagger but He can back it up. Trust me, I know. He has proven Himself to me and there is no one who is with me at all times like He is.
Stay tuned for our up coming devotionals because they will show you how to hang out with and how to get to know Jesus. Thanks and talk to you later.
Mick
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