R U LIVING WITH STINKIN' THINKIN' ?

If you are like me, some days you swing your feet out of bed, put them on the floor and as soon as you do, your mind begins to race with all sorts of thoughts about what you have to do today; the battles that you will have to fight; the problems you will have to solve or overcome... I could go on and on.

In fact, it is just that type of thinking that will make you crawl back in bed, pull the covers up over your head and decide that this is the best way to face your life today. Your big problem here....YOU HAVE THE WRONG MINDSET! Yes, it is indeed easy for even the strongest of believers to want to behave in such a manner...it's all because they have allowed themselves to get swallowed up in what I call.... STINKIN' THINKIN'!

It is this kind of thinking that has us focus on ALL the wrong things...the bills that are due; the crabby boss that we have to answer to; the friend that has knifed us in the back...again. I think you catch my drift.

But what if we awoke with more than just a positive mental attitude...what if we stepped out of bed with the mind of Christ as we thought of all the places of service we could be today; the good that we could do at work, on the commuter train, riding in the carpool. What if rather than focusing on the bad things that may lie before us, we concentrate on the good that God has already accomplished in our lives and the promise that there is more to come.

Paul probably shared this best in his writings to the Philippians in Chapter 4: 4-9 which reads,

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

So let's do what Paul suggests and be joyous...since joy does not come from our circumstances  but rather it is born in our minds and hearts because of who we are in Christ Jesus...FOR HE IS THE TRUE SOURCE OF OUR JOY IN THE LORD! And if a problem does pop up, we can continue to follow Paul's teaching and just PRAY and not WORRY ABOUT THE OUTCOME...It's in the hands of the Almighty which should give us the peace that Paul writes about...one that transcends all understanding.

But the real crux of what Paul is saying to us regarding our mindset is explained starting with verse 8 when he gives us a litany of the things that should fill our minds...NOBLE, RIGHTEOUS, PURE, LOVELY AND ADMIRABLE THOUGHTS...if it is worthy of excellence or praise, then we are to fill our minds from the start of each day to the very end with those thoughts. And when we do, there is no room for STINKIN' THINKIN'!

Living with a mindset that lets others know that I belong to Christ....

WPQ

Poem for the day:

If you seek to follow Christ

But questions fill your mind;

Just trust the Father up above

For the answers in due time.

For He has called each of us

To be willing to step out;

To declare our faith and love for Him,

Forever… and without doubt.

To live each day with our thoughts in tow

And show others His great love;

To keep our minds ever focused on

The thoughts of things Above.

WPQ © FEBRUARY 2018