'My anxious thoughts multiply within me...' Psalm 94:19 NAS
Your thought-life can be the incubator for anxiety and depression, so understand this:
(1) Your thoughts are yours! 'My anxious thoughts multiply within me.' You conceive, interpret, assign meaning to, accept or reject them. So be decisive about which thoughts are, or aren't, helpful.
(2) You become what your thought-life makes you (Proverbs 23:7). It's not your circumstances, it's your thoughts about your circumstances that produce your emotions. Your thoughts trigger biochemistry that determines your feelings, their duration and their intensity. When you begin to think differently you'll feel differently.
(3) Your thoughts are prolific. The Psalmist said they 'multiply' within you. Random thoughts may be temporarily upsetting, but they don't produce lasting anxiety or depression. That is the work of persistent thought patterns - negative thoughts that multiply, repeating themselves within you. You must 'take them captive' and 'bring [them] into obedience' to Christ-like thinking in order to control your feelings (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
(4) You must 'Let the Spirit renew your (individual) thoughts and attitudes (habitual mind-set).' (Ephesians 4:23 NLT) Submit your thoughts to God's Spirit, allowing Him to approve or renew (replace) them with His thoughts. Anxiety and depression cannot continue to control you when you give God control of your mind.
(5) People can contribute to your anxiety and depression. They can make you want to live - or die! (Proverbs 18:21) They can reduce or increase your anxiety and depression. Avoid those who speak discouraging words, and spend time with those who speak '...a good word [that] makes [your heart] glad.' (Proverbs12:25 NAS)
ONE THING IS NEEDFUL :
20My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; - Proverbs 4:20–21
George Müller, who lived in the 1800s, cared for more than 2,000 orphans in his five large orphanages. But he never allowed his huge responsibility to take him away from the Word of God. He said that every day, he would set aside time to study the scriptures until his inner man was happy in the Lord.
Once, Müller met a man who worked between 14 and 16 hours every day. He told the man, “You are destroying your health. You don’t have time for your family and, most importantly, you don’t have time to nourish your inner man with the Word of God.”
The man replied, “I hear you, but I can’t see how I can cut down my working hours and spend time in the Word because even with the 14 to 16 hours I put in each day, I still can’t put enough bread on the table for my family.”
As the man walked away, Müller said, “He doesn’t believe that if he gives time to God’s Word first, God will take care of all his needs.”
Likewise, do you really believe that every day, only one thing is needful? Even if the bills don’t get paid, the children are not making any headway in their studies and the office work is not completed, all these things can wait. Only one thing is needful — that you spend time in the Word of God.
When Martha complained to Jesus that her sister Mary had left her to serve alone (Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing His Word), Jesus defended Mary by saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41–42)
My friend, you will not lose out when you take time to sit down and listen to God’s Word. Even your health and well-being will be blessed. (Proverbs 4:22) So take time today to meditate on His Word. It will make your way prosperous (Joshua 1:8–9), and give you divine health and good success!
Thought For The Day :
You will not lose out when you take time to sit down and listen to God’s Word.
THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT BELIEVING
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. - John 8:32
When things go wrong in our lives, we often ask the question, “What did I DO wrong?” We believe that something we did brought about the bad thing that has happened. Granted, there are consequences to our actions, but what brought about those actions in the first place? It’s our beliefs!
So the question we should really be asking is not, “What did I do wrong?” but “Where have I gone wrong in my believing?” The bad things that we are experiencing today are often a result of the wrong beliefs that we have. Similarly, the good things that we are experiencing today are a result of believing right about the Lord’s grace, love and promises for us.
Beloved, I pray today that the Holy Spirit will reveal to you areas of wrong believing in your life so that any hindrances to your breakthrough may be removed. Just go to the Lord right now and ask, “Where have I believed wrong, Lord?” And let Him guide you into all truth and show you the way to your victory.
When you know the truth and believe right, you will live right, experience freedom from bondages and walk in the blessings of God!
BOLT ON BLAKE
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. —Hebrews 10:24
Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake of Jamaica made history when they finished first and second respectively in both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter race in the 2012 London Olympics. Despite their rivalry on the track, Bolt paid tribute to Blake as a training partner: “Over the years, Yohan has made me a better athlete. He really pushed me and kept me on my toes.” It’s clear that the two spurred each other on to greatness on the track.
As believers in Christ, we have the privilege and responsibility of encouraging one another in our faith. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Heb. 10:24).
The church is not just an institution or a mere social club. It is where we, who have been brought near to God and washed from sin, can help one another grow in Christ likeness. The purpose of meeting together as a corporate body is to exhort and encourage one another (vv.19-25).
No believer can function alone. To live as our Lord Jesus wants us to, we need the community of believers. As you meet with other believers, think of who you can come alongside and encourage by your words and actions to be more like the Christ we love and serve.
Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comforts and our cares.
A healthy church is the best witness to a hurting world.
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