A friend of mine recently started a book club and the first book was Joyce Meyer's Battlefield of the Mind. Because of different things going on, I wasn't able to participate in the book club, but I was able to do a two week devotional based on the book. It was a great reminder of the power that our thoughts hold.
Since completing that devotional I've tried to be very conscious of what's on my mind, where my thoughts lead me. And I've become keenly aware at how easy it is for my mind to start with one small thought and end up totally lost on a trail that is then effecting my emotions. I've found myself thinking just one small thought that, on it's own, is nothing. But where that thought leads is negative. One thought will bring up a hurt that was long ago forgiven, but now stirs emotion. One thought will create a string of thoughts that lead to emotion about something that hasn't even happened...but in my mind I allowed to happen.
I'll be honest. At first I was a little taken aback at the realization of what my mind does to me. I honestly thought I had a pretty good "thought" life. What I've learned through this short journey is that my mind really is a battlefield.
The enemy knows that if a single thought is planted and allowed to grow, he can completely sideline my day. I've found myself a lot over these last weeks spending more time in prayer than usual. Not over things going on, but just on things in my head. I've found myself literally exercising II Corinthians 10: 5 (I destroy every claim and every reason that keeps people from knowing God. I keep every thought under control in order to make it obey Christ.) on almost a daily basis.
I've also found great power in knowing that those thoughts are not His thoughts about me, about my life, about my family, about my future. I've found great power in knowing that those thoughts, with just a prayer, are in complete submission to Him. I've found that my mind is the biggest battle that I will ever fight against. And I've found that I will continue to win the battle, in Him.
Welcome to my blog, My Sacred Hideaway. The words you'll read here come from sacred times with my Father. I pray you're blessed.
Showing posts with label Joyce Meyer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joyce Meyer. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Personal Effects
I recently attended a conference where I had the blessed opportunity to hear Joyce Meyer speak. Near the end of her message, she asked the question, "When your time here is through, what will be your personal effects?"
It's a question that resonated within me then and today has come to the forefront of my mind again. We usually hear the phrase "personal effects" in some way connected with material possessions. But when the question was asked by Joyce Meyer, she was referring to our spiritual legacy, what we leave behind when we leave this world.
Very early this morning a great man of God exited this world, defeated cancer and walked straight into the arms of his Healer and Savior. I began to reflect on his "personal effects" and quickly realized that with all that will be said to honor him over the next days, there are no words that will be sufficient to give weight to his legacy. His "personal effects" will truly only ever be fully measured on the other side of eternity. His legacy will continue to shape and inspire countless lives.
As I reflect on his life, I can't help but wonder what my "personal effects" will be. When I pass from this life to the next, what will I have left behind? When I pass from this life to the next, what will God be able to show me the eternal impact of my life has been? Will I hear, "Well done!" when I stand before my God?
God, help me to live my life in such a way that my "personal effects" are not only felt in this life, but resonate in the next. Help me follow you with such a passion and devotion that human words can never measure the impact that YOU allowed my life to have on this earth.
It's a question that resonated within me then and today has come to the forefront of my mind again. We usually hear the phrase "personal effects" in some way connected with material possessions. But when the question was asked by Joyce Meyer, she was referring to our spiritual legacy, what we leave behind when we leave this world.
Very early this morning a great man of God exited this world, defeated cancer and walked straight into the arms of his Healer and Savior. I began to reflect on his "personal effects" and quickly realized that with all that will be said to honor him over the next days, there are no words that will be sufficient to give weight to his legacy. His "personal effects" will truly only ever be fully measured on the other side of eternity. His legacy will continue to shape and inspire countless lives.
As I reflect on his life, I can't help but wonder what my "personal effects" will be. When I pass from this life to the next, what will I have left behind? When I pass from this life to the next, what will God be able to show me the eternal impact of my life has been? Will I hear, "Well done!" when I stand before my God?
God, help me to live my life in such a way that my "personal effects" are not only felt in this life, but resonate in the next. Help me follow you with such a passion and devotion that human words can never measure the impact that YOU allowed my life to have on this earth.
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Blame Game
"There's no person on earth or devil in hell that can keep you from the greatness God has for you." Joyce Meyer said this very early on in her message that she delivered at C3 2011. It's something that has stirred in me since I heard it. I knew something would grow from it and I knew that God wanted me to see something through it. And over the last weeks God has gently nudged me towards what that phrase means for me and what I think it means for a lot of us.
Something else Joyce Meyer said is that God has placed greatness in all of us. It was a nice statement to applaud and say Amen to. But to believe? But to grab onto and claim as mine? It really wasn't even anything I thought about during her message. But I have since. And I've accepted that God has placed greatness in me. I believe it. And I believe I haven't even begun to see the fullness of that greatness in me.
But why do we (or maybe just I) have such a hard time believing that? Accepting that? And ACTING on that? It's the first statement that finally answered that for me. We all go through "stuff" in life. We all have people that wrong us. While the difficulty or amount of "stuff" is different for each of us, the bottom line is that we ALL go through it. As I reflected on Joyce's testimony, I realized the "stuff" she has overcome in her life to achieve her greatness. She endured things that most of us can't even fathom and she has allowed God to bring greatness through it and in spite of it.
There have been times where I believe that I have caught a glimpse of the greatness that God has for me. But one thing has always held me still. My "stuff". Or probably more accurately, the memories of my "stuff". At times, when I've been "still", I've found myself blaming people from my past. If so-and-so had not done this or had done that differently, or if this event hadn't happened...Then my life would be different. Then I could achieve that greatness.
What I've come to realize is that the greatness that God has in store for me is a part of all that has shaped me. I've always know that the combined experiences of my life have made me who I am today. Good or bad, they've all brought growth, change, perspective & hopefully some wisdom. But I've allowed the devil to make me believe that it's taken away or lessened the greatness God has in store for me and through me. I let myself believe that my chance to experience greatness was missed or lost. Until now!
Now, I wholeheartedly believe that there is no person in this world that can change or take away the greatness that God has in store for me. There is no event that take that greatness. And there is no devil in hell, no matter how hard he tries, that can take away what God has in store for me. My past does not take away my greatness. Past hurts, wrongs, mistakes and trials do not change what God has in store for me. My God, who knows me to my core, says that he has GREAT plans for me. He doesn't care about my past. He sees my future.
I think that's something that a lot of us miss. We need to hear that God's greatness in us didn't get taken away because of "stuff". It's there for all of us. God's greatness is in ALL of us.
Something else Joyce Meyer said is that God has placed greatness in all of us. It was a nice statement to applaud and say Amen to. But to believe? But to grab onto and claim as mine? It really wasn't even anything I thought about during her message. But I have since. And I've accepted that God has placed greatness in me. I believe it. And I believe I haven't even begun to see the fullness of that greatness in me.
But why do we (or maybe just I) have such a hard time believing that? Accepting that? And ACTING on that? It's the first statement that finally answered that for me. We all go through "stuff" in life. We all have people that wrong us. While the difficulty or amount of "stuff" is different for each of us, the bottom line is that we ALL go through it. As I reflected on Joyce's testimony, I realized the "stuff" she has overcome in her life to achieve her greatness. She endured things that most of us can't even fathom and she has allowed God to bring greatness through it and in spite of it.
There have been times where I believe that I have caught a glimpse of the greatness that God has for me. But one thing has always held me still. My "stuff". Or probably more accurately, the memories of my "stuff". At times, when I've been "still", I've found myself blaming people from my past. If so-and-so had not done this or had done that differently, or if this event hadn't happened...Then my life would be different. Then I could achieve that greatness.
What I've come to realize is that the greatness that God has in store for me is a part of all that has shaped me. I've always know that the combined experiences of my life have made me who I am today. Good or bad, they've all brought growth, change, perspective & hopefully some wisdom. But I've allowed the devil to make me believe that it's taken away or lessened the greatness God has in store for me and through me. I let myself believe that my chance to experience greatness was missed or lost. Until now!
Now, I wholeheartedly believe that there is no person in this world that can change or take away the greatness that God has in store for me. There is no event that take that greatness. And there is no devil in hell, no matter how hard he tries, that can take away what God has in store for me. My past does not take away my greatness. Past hurts, wrongs, mistakes and trials do not change what God has in store for me. My God, who knows me to my core, says that he has GREAT plans for me. He doesn't care about my past. He sees my future.
I think that's something that a lot of us miss. We need to hear that God's greatness in us didn't get taken away because of "stuff". It's there for all of us. God's greatness is in ALL of us.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Words of Wisdom...but not from me!
Our church staff spent Wednesday through Friday at C3 2011 at Fellowship Church in Grapevine. To say that this conference was impactful is an understatement. I'm certain that over the next days & weeks a number of blogs will come from what God did in me while I was there. The easiest one to start with is the words of wisdom that I received from the dynamic speakers that spoke into my life in those 3 days. The quotes are more just in the order I wrote them down in, not the level of impact they had. And some may not make a lot of sense when you see them, but you'll probably see a full blog on those anyway!
"God promises to reward good works. If you're good, they will find you. Let the game come to you, in God's time." --Ed Young
"Leaders set people up for success." --Ed Young
"The popularity contest ended the day you surrendered your life to Christ. Now you play for an audience of ONE!" --Ed & Lisa Young
"When pride walks on the stage, God walks off." --Ed Young
"Don't let what God has called you to do distract you from what God has called you to do." --Brian Houston
"Don't get distracted by disappointments. God didn't say offences might come, He said they will come." --Brian Houston
"No mature Christian who is seasoned in the Word has a defendable excuse to live life offended!" --Brian Houston
"It is in the secrecy of your sin that the devil has his power." --Dr. Robi
"Use the talents & gifts God has given you in a creative way where God has placed you." --Kong Hee
"God knows how to find "the one" no matter the size of the crowd." --Steven Furtick
"The voice of doubt will come loudest from within. It is my own insecurities that will sabotage what god wants to do in and through me." --Steven Furtick
"Don't be afraid, just believe." --Steven Furtick
"God doesn't see death, he sees the opportunity for resurrection. God doesn't see defeat, he sees the opportunity for a monumental comeback." --Steven Furtick
"You don't have to fully understand to completely obey." --Steven Furtick
"There is no person on earth or devil on hell that can keep you from the greatness God has for you." --Joyce Meyer
"How my life turns out is not dependent on what others do to me or don't do for me." --Joyce Meyer
"God has put greatness in every one of us." --Joyce Meyer
"Do all you can do and let God do what you cannot do." --Joyce Meyer
"If you can't do anything else, WIGGLE!" --Joyce Meyer (Ok, maybe you had to be there for that one, but it's profound, I promise!)
"What are my personal affects going to be when my time is up?" --Joyce Meyer
"If you wanna see God show up, move to a place of obscurity because that's where God gets all the glory." --Shannon O'dell
"Your story is about to change." --Shannon O'dell
"God wants to do more for you than what you are currently asking for." --Judah Smith
"What your God has prepared for you exceeds even your wildest dreams." --Judah Smith
"Jesus chose drinks at a party to first manifest his glory and you question if he cares about your struggles and concerns?!" --Judah Smith
"Give your best today and I'll better your best tomorrow." --Judah Smith
"If you empty out everything that is inside of you, you will go to unprecedented places." --Bishop TD Jakes
"I can buy a good preacher, but I can't buy a great leader." --Bishop TD Jakes
"Get off the boat where it's safe and step into the unfamiliar." --Bishop TD Jakes
"If all you get [out of this conference] is what we teach, you've been cheated. If while I'm speaking in generalizations, God has given you specifics, then you have been filled." --Bishop TD Jakes
"God promises to reward good works. If you're good, they will find you. Let the game come to you, in God's time." --Ed Young
"Leaders set people up for success." --Ed Young
"The popularity contest ended the day you surrendered your life to Christ. Now you play for an audience of ONE!" --Ed & Lisa Young
"When pride walks on the stage, God walks off." --Ed Young
"Don't let what God has called you to do distract you from what God has called you to do." --Brian Houston
"Don't get distracted by disappointments. God didn't say offences might come, He said they will come." --Brian Houston
"No mature Christian who is seasoned in the Word has a defendable excuse to live life offended!" --Brian Houston
"It is in the secrecy of your sin that the devil has his power." --Dr. Robi
"Use the talents & gifts God has given you in a creative way where God has placed you." --Kong Hee
"God knows how to find "the one" no matter the size of the crowd." --Steven Furtick
"The voice of doubt will come loudest from within. It is my own insecurities that will sabotage what god wants to do in and through me." --Steven Furtick
"Don't be afraid, just believe." --Steven Furtick
"God doesn't see death, he sees the opportunity for resurrection. God doesn't see defeat, he sees the opportunity for a monumental comeback." --Steven Furtick
"You don't have to fully understand to completely obey." --Steven Furtick
"There is no person on earth or devil on hell that can keep you from the greatness God has for you." --Joyce Meyer
"How my life turns out is not dependent on what others do to me or don't do for me." --Joyce Meyer
"God has put greatness in every one of us." --Joyce Meyer
"Do all you can do and let God do what you cannot do." --Joyce Meyer
"If you can't do anything else, WIGGLE!" --Joyce Meyer (Ok, maybe you had to be there for that one, but it's profound, I promise!)
"What are my personal affects going to be when my time is up?" --Joyce Meyer
"If you wanna see God show up, move to a place of obscurity because that's where God gets all the glory." --Shannon O'dell
"Your story is about to change." --Shannon O'dell
"God wants to do more for you than what you are currently asking for." --Judah Smith
"What your God has prepared for you exceeds even your wildest dreams." --Judah Smith
"Jesus chose drinks at a party to first manifest his glory and you question if he cares about your struggles and concerns?!" --Judah Smith
"Give your best today and I'll better your best tomorrow." --Judah Smith
"If you empty out everything that is inside of you, you will go to unprecedented places." --Bishop TD Jakes
"I can buy a good preacher, but I can't buy a great leader." --Bishop TD Jakes
"Get off the boat where it's safe and step into the unfamiliar." --Bishop TD Jakes
"If all you get [out of this conference] is what we teach, you've been cheated. If while I'm speaking in generalizations, God has given you specifics, then you have been filled." --Bishop TD Jakes
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