From Mountains to MoleHills

Do you ever ask yourself these questions? Why do I act this way? Why does that person bother me so much? Or say to yourself: I should be better than this. Do you ever feel like you’re so far away from God that you wonder if he will take you back? Do you have trouble forgiving people that hurt you?

I would say that most people ask these all the time and they are probably pretty normal thinking patterns. Would you like to get out of this rut? The first thing I had to do was to name and claim my sins; my selfishness, my fear, my envy, dishonesty, laziness, unforgiveness and my pride. These things blocked me from God.

When I started practicing the opposite, I knocked down the mountains that were blocking me from God. I started practicing unselfishness, trust, humility, honesty, diligence, forgiveness, and love. These things I could not do by myself, but I would pray and ask God to help me. As much as I was willing, God helped me.

I think it is vital to sit down and take a look at these things that are blocking me and write them down. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. If I don’t look at what’s making me the way that I am, then I will never be able to change it. I can’t change everything over night. But little by little, one at a time, I can reduce the effect that some of these things have on my life. If I practice the opposite, with God’s help I can turn mountains into mole hills.

Pressing on with excellence!! Keith

You have what it takes to change your thinking and change your life.

What a Waste!

My brother has a 1976 Cosworth Vega he bought about 25 years ago. It is a very rare car and it only has around 30 or 40 thousand miles on it. Every once in a while, on special occasions, maybe a couple of times a year, he would pull it out, wash it, and wax it. Then he would drive it around a little and park it back in the barn. For a while he parked it in my Grandpa’s garage but somehow it got put back into the barn. He put a tarp over it and then it’s almost like he forgot about it. The car has been sitting there for more than fifteen years. The tarp has rotted off. It’s completely covered with bird dirt and dust. Mice have gotten in and built nests on the engine, in the air breather, in the glove box, and who knows where else. The whole car smells like mouse pee. There is even mold growing on the steering wheel.

This is perfect illustration of what can happen when we allow worry and fear to go unchecked in our lives. They don’t just go away, instead they get worse and turn into anxiety and depression. If they’re neglected long enough they become insanity. What a waste. It doesn’t have to be this way. Take action now while the problems are smaller so that you can be the rare and precious person that you were meant to be in the first place. Don’t waste your life. Just like my brother’s Vega, if you neglect working on these things now it will cost you much more to fix later.

Taking it to the street:1.) Write down some things in your life that you are doing that you don't like. 2.) Ask God for forgiveness about these things and for help to practice the opposite.   

Pressing On with Excellence,

Keith

Defeated Christian

With faith, you can be free. With fear you are defeated. I lived a long time as a defeated Christian. I was saved, but I believed only to a certain point. I had corrupted beliefs that inhibited me from being free in Christ. So, I was right where Satan wanted me; defeated, not making a difference in anyone's life, not being able to change anything in my own life. You would hear me say things like...I can't do this, because I don't have any money. Or, I can't do that because I'm not smart enough or good enough or whatever. The truth is, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13).  But, with faith you can be free! When you really believe that the God who created the universe really loves you, you don't have to worry about anything. You can know that he will take care of you, that where you are is exactly where you are supposed to be. You can know that, if you're still breathing, God has a mission for you! You don't have to worry about gas prices or whether you going to have enough to eat or really anything. The way you think about life changes. You are free from that old scarcity mind set. The old things have passed away and all things are new. Now that we are Christians, we have to do away with that old way of thinking or we will be right where Satan want us...as a defeated Christian.

Taking it to the street:

1) Ask God to help you to see the truth.
2) Make a list of 10 things that you are thankful for.

Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith
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Trust

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is instant when we accept Christ as our savior, but I think for some there is a period of time before we learn how to be controlled by the Spirit; before we believe that we can become controlled or before we realize the need to be controlled by the Spirit. Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (NIV). Do you have joy and peace? Do you see that little word as? That little word implies that, to the same degree that we trust in him, we will have joy and peace. I used to say I believed in God and wanted to do his will, but really I wanted to do my will. That was when the trouble would start. See, I did believe in God, but I still did not really trust him. Because I did not trust him I thought that I had to control things and that is when I would lose my peace. Just because things don't work out the way you thought they should have, does not mean that God is not in control. God's will is going to be done regardless. So we might as well get on board with him and trust that he will take care of us and he will. My kids trust that I will take care of them, so why should it be any different with me and my Heavenly Father? Is there anything you're having trouble trusting God with? What's holding you back?
Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

Pray for Moore, OK

I want to take some time to send up some prayers for the folks in Moore, OK. This tornado was devastating to a lot of people and I think they could use as many prayers as possible. Especially for the families that have lost loved ones, and the relief effort, and the workers that are there helping, and those that will be going out to help them. I can't imagine what it would be like. Nature may have had her fury, but this didn't take God by surprise.  He is more powerful and we can trust that he is. Psalm 46:1 says "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." God Bless you all, Moore, OK. We will be praying for you.
Pressing on with Excellence!!
 Keith

Be Still

Do I even trust God yet? I wonder sometimes. I am so confused on what I should do that I don’t know what to do! Should I be looking for a job or what? I know we are running out of money fast. I need to make some kind of an income, don’t I? Will God really keep me from being evicted? Does He know what is going on? Is my trust in money? Am I afraid of failure? Am I afraid of success? I just need to know what or where God wants me and I will head in that direction. Isn’t it irresponsible to just sit and wait on God? Shouldn’t I be trying to make something happen?

Where am I right now?  Right now I still have some money. Right now I still have some time. Right now I have food, family and a car. Right now I have clothes and a place to live. Right now I believe in God and his love for me. Right now I need to be still and know he is God: Psalms 46:10. This is about him not me; God knows exactly what I need. For now, He wants me to not think. He wants me to be still. In my weakness he is strong.

Pressing on with excellence!

Keith