Whatever the Mind can Conceive and Believe, it can Achieve

Napoleon Hill authored that quote. I know it's true. This blog comes from the incessant, but, I know, necessary, talk about the coronavirus. From the negative reports, the fears, concerns for the well-being of lives, there is really no place to hide. I loved these words from a pastor: “Wherever we are on earth, we have no rocket ship to escape this outcry or a home so insulated from peril of any kind, but we CAN put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6). God is our “shield”. The plague will not come to our homes; His blood on the doors of our heart shelters us from harm.” (Psalm 91)

My cousin posted this: "At last night's prayer gathering it was mentioned that the word "corona" in coronavirus means crown. This is a quote from a devotional from National Men's Ministries of The General Council of the Assemblies of God: "Health is the crown on a well man's head that only a sick person can see." Standing on the promise of Jeremiah 33:6: "Look, I will bring health and healing. I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security."

There is pure power in our thoughts. What we think about long enough, will actually come to pass – be it a fear of something or a dream of conquering and winning at something. But why is that? How is that the mere concept of something, held in the forefront of our minds, can be brought to fruition through persistent thinking about it over time? God always has an answer for questions like this.

I remember all the talk about polio and tuberculosis when I was a young child. I didn’t grasp what it was all about, but it sounded scary based on the concern in my mom and dad’s voices when I heard them talking about it and how those awful diseases had attacked some of their friends. I could tell that worry and concern had entered into my little corner of the world.

The fact is illness and disease has always been a part of our world. Blame that on the enemy of our souls who comes to “kill, steal and destroy”. Think about the awful plague of leprosy in the Bible that cruelly destoryed people’s lives and families and excommunicated them from their homes and towns. But, Jesus. All of those diseases then, and now, didn’t and don’t phase God. John 10:10 says “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but I (Jesus) came to give you abundant life.” Doesn’t that bring comfort – especially when we conceive it, believe it, and achieve that abundant life?

If we are living in fear about the flu, the coronavirus, cancer, the common cold, heart failure, a pimple or acne, then we better, sooner than later, start getting our thinking right. Go back to that beginning thought “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” I hear people saying all the time “I think I’m catching a cold.” But, when we talk that talk, we aren’t aligning ourselves with the truth of God's Word. "For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.( 2 Timothy 1:7). God says: “Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Me!” (Isaiah 26:3). Proverbs 23:7 “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” There is a remedy for going rogue in our thinking. The Bible makes it clear that our thinking and our hearts are linked together. What we think, affects our heart, soul and body. Likewise, the condition of our heart, soul and body affects our thinking.

The coronavirus is showing us what we should have known all along: we are mortals in desperate need of God. We need God’s protection in the present and His saving grace for eternity. One way God wants to redeem this pandemic is by using it to turn us to Himself. We need to pray for the sick – those around the world and even here in the U.S. This unprecedented threat is an unprecedented opportunity for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s point others to Jesus – the Great Healer Who changes not. “He is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). I am one of those who has been healed by His miracle-working power. I’m proof positive that there is nothing to fear because Jesus is still here!

God's Church Triumphant is Alive and Well

God's Church Triumphant is Alive and Well
I'll be heading home from Tulsa after attending church with so many of my dearest friends this morning. Of course, my sweet godson will be sitting by me. That's been his seat since my Sweetheart went to heaven. Each Sunday, he'd wait for me, or I would wait for him to snuggle close to me, often holding hands, and while in that place, I would remember the precious man whose place he took there. That man and I treated going to church like “date night”, except God was the center of our attention, while we held hands together. I never loved him more than when we were worshiping God together. My godson has helped me carry on that love.

The recent “church” tragedies could cause one to question that attending church isn't that safe place that it once was, but, without fear or doubt, I know it is still a place of hope, peace, comfort, faith, community, and fellowship with God and His people. Of course the enemy of our souls celebrates if he can create fear in our churches, in outdoor music concerts, in our schools, and even just a walk down the street, but fear only paralyzes us and keeps us from the abundant life Christ came to give us. Isaiah 41:10 says 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Rather than being on the defense, St. Paul gave us a warfare strategy against our greatest enemy in Ephesians 6:10-17 Ephesians 6:10-17 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the BELT OF TRUTH buckled around your waist, with the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS in place, and with your FEET FITTED WITH THE READINESS THAT COMES FROM THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. In addition to all this, take up the SHIELD OF FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the HELMET OF SALVATION and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the word of God.” Now that's what I call "suited up for day AND night patrol!

We continue to ready up each day by putting on our whole armor and that includes carefully choosing those friends that brighten our day with good news instead of bad news. That's why I love attending my church. It's the Body of Christ -- fellow believers. We're the family of God and when we gather together, we realize that these are the people who love to talk about the things that we love to talk about; they love to dwell on the topics that are dearest to our hearts. If our hearts have been given to the LORD, we gravitate to hanging out with His people who are like-minded in our desires to know Him and his children more. We even sincerely desire to reach out more to others to help them know Him more, too. We are motivated and inspired to live out our faith in word and deed. We find solace and peace within the Body of Christ. And in a world that presents so much chaos and confusion -- it's a safe place of refuge. I would propose to you that the Church is such a place. I am who I am today -- faith-filled, joy-filled, purpose-driven, and passionate about my Lord because of Church. The fact is: I've got friends in high places, where the Spirit of God dwells, not in just a building or place, He lives inside us. We are not just going to Church. We ARE the Church triumphant -- and we are ALIVE and WELL!

May THE FORCE Be With You

Day 356 of Photo Inspirations -- May THE FORCE Be With You
I no sooner arrived in Texas to begin the Christmas festivities with my family here, than I heard "We're going to see Star Wars tonight!"  I loved it.  Going together to a movie at Christmas is a traditional "must do" activity for us.  Yesterday morning, in my "FB Memories From this Day in Years Before', I laughed as I saw my 2014 post where we went to see a movie that was quite the opposite from this year's.  It was "Annie".  Note the unhappy face on Payton in this first photo inspiration from last year.  It was certainly not the same exuberant face he had watching Star Wars.

Star Wars was a winner for all of us.  I laughed when the most iconic movie opening in movie history came on:  the Star Wars opening crawl.  Every Star Wars movie starts the same way with "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....." and so it was with this new Star Wars: "The Force Awakens".

Everyone in the theater was clapping and cheering.  It was like a long lost friend had come home.  LOL!  I think all of the Star Wars movie fans had lots of bottled up energy in them since they had to wait a whole 33 years since Episode VI.  

True to form as in previous episodes, Star Wars is still about "good versus evil".  This Episode 7: The Force Awakens may be my all time favorite. There were some epic, inspiring messages once again, and like any good thriller action movie, the ever present theme throughout Star Wars is the presence of a good force and an evil force.  The LIGHT side and the DARK side.  Right versus wrong. There’s talk of "the Light" guiding various characters, and one evil-loving character (I won't spoil it for you if you haven't seen the movie yet) says "I feel it again. The call of the Light.”

And in reality, on a daily basis, we have those calls, too.  Figuring out what to do in tricky situations where we have a clear choice between doing the right thing and doing the wrong thing; following the LIGHT or the DARK.

The further, and the longer, I travel on my personal faith journey, the clearer the two are to me. When the LIGHT guides me and I follow His direction, my life is filled with joy, peace, and freedom from worry, anxiety, sadness and fear.  Psalm 23:3-4 "He leads me in the paths of righteousness.  For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."   That's my lightsaber -- His rod and staff -- His Word.  In Star Wars, the lightsaber can cut through metal, deflect blaster shots, bring light to dark places and annihilate human beings and very strange creatures. When armed with a lightsaber, the user of  it becomes a formidable foe.  Our lightsaber, God's Word (scripture), is our weapon.  In Ephesians 6, believers are called to take up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” in order to do battle with the enemy. While a lightsaber may be the hallmark of a true Jedi Knight, the Bible is the tool of a true Christian. When we keep it close at hand, we can be a force for good.

The closer we are to the LIGHT, the stronger we are in fending off the enemy of our souls.  That is the obvious "good conquering evil" theme in the movie.  And isn't that true in our lives as Christians?  The closer we are to God and His Word, the stronger we become in our faith and conquering in every area of life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest Star Wars episode.  And I take its famous quote and repeat it to you "The Force Be With You"....rather,  "May God's peace that passes understanding be with you; may His LIGHT guide you"

"Jesus said, 'I am the light of the world.....and whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness"  John 8:12.  

"Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. THE LORD BE WITH YOU."  2 Thessalonians 3:16

May the FORCE of God's mighty power be WITH YOU!