T.H.O.U.G.H.T.S

As i went through this magazine (Activated), i came across
this wonderful article which i felt a need to share it
with all. An accepted and common hitch in every one's life
is the battle with the mind. But with inflow of positive
thoughts and Gods grace and power which is a great secret
of overcoming bad thought. I encourage you read the
article below if you really need to come out of the bad
the thoughts of the minds. This will surely help.

Source: Activated Vol 8: Issue 11

" I JUST CANNOT OVERCOME MY BAD THOUGHTS," a woman wrote
me, asking for advice. "As you may remember, I had wrote
you before about someone near to me who is very spiteful
and says such unkind things, and i told you that i had
overcome my urge to say anything back. i have been able to
control my tongue, but i haven't changed my thinking any.
I may have self-control outwardly, but I’m seething on the
inside."

That letter reminded me of a story about a little boy
named Jimmy who was punished for doing something that his
mother had told him again and again not to do. At last she
said, " You sit in the corner until i tell you that you
may get up." Jimmy sat there, but he was very angry and
willful about the whole thing. After a while his mother
asked "Jimmy, are you ready not to obey?" And Jimmy said,
"Well, I'm sitting down, but I'm still standing up in the
inside!

Often it's the inward struggle of the mind that's the
hardest to win. That's why God's Word makes it so plain
that we're supposed to take control of our thoughts:
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of
good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any
praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

I once heard someone say that he believed the greatest
power God has given is the power to think. Our thoughts are
a vital part of us, and they accompany us wherever we go.
We can no more get away from our thoughts that we can get
away from our shadow. When our thoughts are positive and
principled, they become the best of traveling companions,
but when they aren't, they dog our steps and rob us of
happiness and peace of mind.

It's the old foundation principle that our desires, which
are what motivate us, are the direct result of our
thinking. We exhaust our energies dealing with those
results, which failing to deal with the source, which is
the mind; we fail to "think on these things."

All high and holy aspirations come from high and holy
thinking. When we stop to consider the miracle of life,
the world God created for us, and the marvel of His love,
we realize that we're surrounded with so much love, we
realize we're surrounded with so much that's beautiful and
wonderful. It's an awful shame that our thoughts go
wandering among weeds and brambles, when they turn to
ungodly and ugly things.

We get so busy that we don’t take time to think properly,
to meditate. It reminds me of another story about a mother
who went to visit her son in the big city. He was so busy
rushing here and there that all he had time was for, "
Hello, Mother!" and she said to him, “Son, when do you do
your thinking?"

Many of us are like that. We get too busy to stop and
think, to turn our thoughts toward God and the life-giving
truth of his Word, so "set our minds on things above, not
on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2)

The battles of life are first fought on the battleground
of the mind, and the issues of life are determined there.
Murder is first committed within the precincts of the mind,
before the shot is fired. The thief puts out his hand and
steals the watch, but first he has stolen it within the
precincts of his mind. We teach our children that they
shouldn't do this or they shouldn't do that because it's
wrong, but do we teach them to think? Do we teach them to
center their thoughts on things that are "true, honest,
just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praiseworthy"?

Thinking seems to be lost art these days. People don't
take the time to think things through. If they did, God
would allow them a plan; He would show them how to get the
things done or how to unravel the problem situation if
they would just stop, look to Him, and give him a chance.

Getting back to that woman's letter, it seems almost
unpardonable to allow our minds to linger on thoughts of
hate and criticism and resentment. But how do we overcome
such thoughts?

The only way to get rid of impure thoughts is to overthrow
them with thoughts that are "pure and lovely." The way to
get rid of malicious thoughts is to overthrow them with
loving, positive thoughts. The only way to reap a proper
harvest from the fertile garden of the mind is to
carefully sow good seed and carefully tend the crop. As my
father taught me when i was a little girl, " Sow a thought
and you reap an action. Sow an action and you reap a
habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow character
and you reap a destiny" God's word says that as we think
in our heart, so are we ( Proverbs 23:7)

Thoughts may seem to be the most insignificant of things,
known only by ourselves, but psychologists tell us that
each thought influences the total of our consciousness. If
a thought is repeated enough times, it becomes a thought
pattern. Those who train their minds to think kind,
gentle, loving thoughts will grow to be kind, gentle and
loving. But those who habitually think negative thoughts
will develop ugly temperaments and be ruled by feelings of
resentfulness, bitterness, and anger. Their life will
shape itself, not in a way that is beautiful, but in one
that is debasing. They will find their soul bending
downward in a sort of a permanent moral curvature, while
those who " set their minds on things above" grow straight
and tall and true.

Ask God to help you “set your mind on things above," and
as you continue to look to Him, He will transform you
through the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). That's
the secret of overcoming bad thoughts!

Five Finger Prayer

" Prayer does not equip us for the Greater work. Prayer is the Greater work." Oswald Chambers

Have you ever thought folding hands while praying had a meaning?? Here is an easy way to pray.

1. Your Thumb is nearest to you when you fold uour hands. So begin our prayer by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember.

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This include teachers, doctors, ministers. They need support and wisdom in leading others in the right direction. keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. This reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the country, our nation, our leaders. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain, They need our prayer always.

5. Last but definetely not the least is our little finger, the smallest finger of all which is where should place our relation to God and others. As Bible says, " The least shall be the greatest among you." By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.