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November 05

Believe…And You Will Have Life

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Is there something in your life that you do not like: your dysfunctional personality, the darkness in your mind, the death in your spirit, the painful feelings in your heart, the sickness in your body, or the senseless life you have lived, until now? If you could go to the pawn shop and exchange your dark mind for a new mind, filled with light, would you consider it? If you could ask a surgeon to replace your broken heart with a whole one, would you do it? If you could ask a psychiatrist to give you a pill that would eradicate your spirit of death and grow a new spirit of life, in its place, would you contemplate it? If you could ask a psychologist to replace your dysfunctional personality with a different one, would you try it? If there were a special kind of food that would heal your body from its diseases, would you eat it? If someone who is filled with life, love, and hope offered you her/his life in exchange for yours, would you take it? If someone could bring Heaven to earth, would you receive it?

FOR AS THE FATHER HAS LIFE IN HIMSELF, SO HE HAS GRANTED THE SON TO HAVE LIFE IN HIMSELF
(John 5:26).

I have GOOD NEWS for you.  There is someone who brought Heaven to earth: into your troubled heart, into your dark mind, into your dead spirit, into your disease-ridden body, and into your broken life.  The Perfect Father has Life in Himself. He gave that Life to His Son, Jesus Christ…to bring YOU that Life, as well. When you receive that Life, in faith, you receive HIS LIFE, complete with HIS MIND, HIS HEART, HIS SPIRIT, HIS BODY, and HIS PURPOSE…and this Life lasts forever.

BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, AND THAT BY BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME
(John 20:31).

You cannot lead two lives, at the same time. It will either be the Lord Jesus, living HIS LIFE in you, or YOU, living YOUR life in you. The choice is yours.

What do you need to do to receive the LIFE the Perfect Father gave the Lord Jesus to give to YOU?

You give Him yours, in faith. Then, you ask Him for His, in faith.

PRAYER: Father of our Lord Jesus, I worship You with gladness for the Life that You have in Yourself. How encouraged I am that You have granted that same Life to Your Son, Jesus, and for offering that Life to me, as well. In faith, I surrender my life to You, in exchange for Your Life to dwell in me, through Your Spirit. Thank you that this Life lasts forever.

Maintain an Awareness

Thus, the OLD MAN became the origin of sin that causes the effect of sin in each of us. The OLD MAN is where it all started and where it all ends…unless we are delivered from it.

The Two Counsels
November 04

What You Need to Be Truly Happy

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THEY SAY A PERSON NEEDS THREE THINGS TO BE TRULY HAPPY IN THIS WORLD:
SOMEONE TO LOVE, SOMETHING TO DO,
AND SOMETHING TO HOPE FOR
(Thomas Edward Bodett).

I have found this to be true in my life.
I need three things to experience true joy in this world:
to love God,
to do the good works God has prepared for me to do,
and to have the hope of possessing a heart that is good, acceptable, and worthy.

I bless you to believe that you were created with the desire to love God; however, you need to understand HOW to love God.  Loving God is not just a feeling.  Loving God is not just a one-time decision.  Loving God is a moment-by-moment interchange of surrendering and receiving—surrendering everything you are, to God, to receive everything God is, to you.

I bless you to believe that you were created to do the good works GOD has prepared for you, since the beginning of time.  These works accommodate your personality, skills, and gifts.  They allow you to be you!  When you do the good works GOD has prepared specifically for you, you experience God’s Peace, God’s Power, and God’s Joy! How do you know what those good works are? Ask Him! Get to know Him. Then, He will show them to you.

I bless you to believe that you were created with the desire to have a good heart.  People always ask, “Have you given your heart to Jesus?”  But, I want to know, “After you have given your heart to Jesus, have you asked Jesus to give His heart to you?” This spiritual exchange is absolutely necessary if you want to be happy. When you receive the heart of Jesus, you do not have to strive to make your own heart good, work to make yourself acceptable, and toil to prove that you are worthy.  HIS HEART IS ALREADY GOOD. Bring your broken heart to him just the way it is, full of fear, animosity, jealousy, resentment, anger, anxiety, suffering, and disappointment, and ask Him to exchange all of that for His own Heart. Then, with Joy, proceed to draw water out of the wells of salvation.

THEREFORE WITH JOY SHALL YE DRAW WATER OUT OF THE WELLS OF SALVATION
(Isaiah 12:3).

Have you given your heart, with everything in it, to Jesus? 

Have you asked Jesus to give His heart, with everything in it, to you? 

PRAYER: Most High, how I love loving You, moment-by-moment, through an interchange of surrendering and receiving—SURRENDERING TO YOU EVERYTHING I AM AND DO, TO RECEIVE FROM YOU EVERYTHING YOU ARE AND DO.

Maintain an Awareness

Regardless of which pain you have, the determining question is, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH IT?

The Two Counsels
November 01

How Do I Live by Faith?

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NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH: BUT IF ANY MAN DRAW BACK, MY SOUL SHALL HAVE NO PLEASURE IN HIM
(Hebrews 10:38).

What is faith? How do we live by faith, every day, moment-by-moment?

NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR, THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN
(Hebrews 11:1).

FAITH is the substance of things-HOPED-for, the evidence of things-not-seen. What are these things-not-seen that we are hoping for? How do we receive these things-HOPED-for that we cannot see? Why do we need to hope for things-not-seen?

CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU AND TELL YOU GREAT AND UNSEARCHABLE THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW
(Jeremiah 33:3).

In my life, these things-not-seen that I have been hoping for are the personal promises God has given me before He supplies the things-not-seen. My faith becomes the evidence that I am hoping for those personal promises to be fulfilled, in God’s time, even when the FACTS and CONCLUSIONS of my current circumstances show me there is nothing to hope for, because there is no evidence.

But, in order to have received personal promises from God—things-not-seen—I needed to have a deep, personal relationship with God, first. I needed to make Him my eternal God, my Refuge—the One who holds me in His eternal arms, during difficult circumstances.

THE ETERNAL GOD IS THY REFUGE, AND UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS
(Deuteronomy 33:27).

God always tells us ahead of time what to expect, so we may have faith—so we may hope for things-not-seen. Do you live in a real relationship with God? Then, what are the personal promises for which you are hoping—the evidence of things-not-seen? Are your circumstances difficult, at the moment? Find out what God has already promised you in regards to your current circumstances. If you cannot find any promises to hope for, find God. Ask Him to show you something about your circumstances. Anything that God shows you about your circumstances will be a personal promise to you from God—a thing-not-seen that you can hope for. This is how you will live by FAITH, moment-by-moment, every day.

PRAYER: My Lord, I come to You during my difficult circumstances. I seek Your Presence and Your Participation. Show me the things-not-seen for which You want me to hope, today.

Maintain an Awareness

Our relationship with God is not just one-sided—us praying to God. When we pray, God also needs to talk to us…and He WANTS to.

The Two Counsels
October 29

When I Fail

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Oswald Chambers once said, “When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has never received anything.”

JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID, A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING, EXCEPT IT BE GIVEN HIM FROM HEAVEN
(John 3:27).

I bless you to sing a new song of joy, today.  Jesus came to give you what you need, so you do not have to fail anymore.

HITHERTO HAVE YE ASKED NOTHING IN MY NAME: ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL
(John 16:24).

Do you need acceptance?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need goodness?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need kindness?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need joy?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need faith?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need hope?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need comfort?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need light?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need life?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need healing?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need forgiveness?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need belonging?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need affirmation?  Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need love? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need strength? Receive it from Jesus!
Do you need a miracle? Receive it from Jesus!

PRAISE THE LORD, MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS—
WHO FORGIVES ALL YOUR SINS AND HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES,
WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM THE PIT
AND CROWNS YOU WITH LOVE AND COMPASSION,
WHO SATISFIES YOUR DESIRES WITH GOOD THINGS
SO THAT YOUR YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE’S
(Psalm 103:2-5).

What do you need?  At what are you failing?

Come to the Lord Jesus, just the way you are, and ask Him for what you need, in faith. It is as simple as that.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you that I may ask You for anything I need, no matter how small or large my request is, so I may receive, and my joy may be full.

Maintain an Awareness

When your heart hurts, both the Lord Jesus and the father-of-lies stand ready to lead you out of that pain to a solution.

The Two Counsels
October 27

When Love Fails

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Have you ever gone through the pain of disillusionment, when you stopped believing in love? This pain makes a person feel alone. It makes you feel that there is nobody on your side, nobody you can trust, and nobody to take care of your heart. It makes you feel that LOVE does not exist, because real LOVE would have intervened for your heart when it was hurting. Real LOVE would have been kind when you were going through a hard time. Real LOVE would have been patient and gentle when you did not understand. It would not have dishonored you during a time when you needed stability, or kept a record of your wrongs when you did not know what was right. It would have persevered when you failed.

FEAR THE LORD, YOU HIS SAINTS, FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM LACK NOTHING
(Psalm 34:9).

You need to know that there is a reason for the pain of disillusionment. There is a reason why love fails. The reason is SIN—the negative, destructive beliefs of the father-of-lies and their effects on our hearts. You need to take SIN in consideration when someone failed you—where there was a lack of gentleness and patience when you needed understanding, where there was no kindness when you made a mistake, where there was a grudge when you needed grace. When you understand this, you will stop having such high expectations of everybody. You will stop keeping records of their wrongs, because you know the source from which these wrongs originated. You will become patient, kind, and gentle, because you understand the reason for their bad, sad, and mad behavior.

BUT FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING THE LORD’S LOVE IS WITH THOSE WHO FEAR HIM
(Psalm 103:17).

I bless you to know that there is a different Source available for you to live from. It is the Source of real LOVE. This everlasting LOVE always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres, even when your heart is hurting, when you make a mistake, and when your love fails. Believe in this Source…and you will lack nothing.

THE LORD IS FAITHFUL TO ALL HIS PROMISES AND LOVING TOWARD ALL HE HAS MADE
(Psalm 145:13).

What have you done with the pain of disillusionment—when love was not there for you when you needed it the most?

PRAYER: I revere you, Lord God, for Your Love is from everlasting to everlasting. Your Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Because of Your Love, I lack nothing.

Maintain an Awareness

How often do we find ourselves doing “good deeds,” just to find out that our “good deeds” were not really good, but merely a reaction to the OLD MAN belief “You are bad”?

The Two Counsels
October 26

The Serpent Deceived Me, so I Ate

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THEN THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE WOMAN, ‘WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE?’THE WOMAN SAID, ‘THE SERPENT DECEIVED ME, AND I ATE’
(Genesis 3:13).

“My friend was rude to me, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”
“My boss made a snide comment, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”
“My husband did not love me, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”
“My wife disrespected me, so I ate of the fruit the enemy offered me.”

I bless you to understand that the enemy, the father-of-lies, will offer you his fruit, every day, to cause sin to reign in your mortal body “SO THAT YOU OBEY ITS EVIL DESIRES”
(Romans 6:12).

Know that the evil one will offer you the fruit of enmity, strife, fear, jealousy, mistrust, anger, fits of rage, animosity, depression, and selfishness.  Moreover, he will offer his fruit along with the excuse, “She offered me the fruit. I had no excuse. I had to eat it.”

I bless you to know that you DO NOT HAVE TO EAT THE FRUIT THE ENEMY OFFERS YOU, even when someone is hateful, manipulative, or condemning.

SUBMIT YOURSELVES, THEN, TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU
(James 4:7).

You have a choice: you can eat of the fruit the enemy offers you when someone says or does something selfish to you…or you can resist obedience to the father-of-lies, and submit your pain to God, instead.

Submit yourself, then, to God, and resist the father-of-lies…and he will leave you alone.

What do you do with the fruit the father-of-lies offers you, daily, moment-by-moment?

How might the teaching in this message lead you to deal differently with these temptations, from now on?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, remind me, daily, that I DO NOT HAVE TO EAT THE FRUIT THE ENEMY OFFERS ME, even when someone is hateful, manipulative, or condemning toward me. May I choose, moment-by-moment, to resist obedience to the father-of-lies and to submit my pain to You, instead. Then, the devil will flee form me, each time.

Maintain an Awareness

How often do we find ourselves doing “good deeds,” just to find out that our “good deeds” were not really good, but merely a reaction to the OLD MAN belief “You are bad”?

The Two Counsels

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Angry Bitter Fearful Jealous Sad

October 25

A Light Has Dawned

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THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU, AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON YOU, AND GIVE YOU PEACE
(Numbers 6:24-26).

Are you living in the land of the shadow of death?  Are you surrounded by the deepest gloom?  Are you walking in stark darkness?

Is your gloom caused by the belief that you have come to the end of your resources and that everything is in vain?  Is your darkness caused by the belief that it is too late to ask God for help? Are you living in the land of the shadow of death, because you feel your anger and bitterness have made your heart inaccessible to God’s healing?

INDEED, THE DARKNESS SHALL NOT HIDE FROM YOU, BUT THE NIGHT SHINES AS THE DAY; THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT ARE BOTH ALIKE TO YOU
(Psalm 139:12).

Precious Child, do not despair in your darkness. I, the Most High, can see deep inside your wounded heart. Nothing is hidden from Me, for darkness and light are both alike to Me. I am here to bless you and keep you, to shine My Face upon you and be gracious to you, to lift My Countenance upon you, and give you Peace.

HE BROUGHT THEM OUT OF DARKNESS AND THE DEEPEST GLOOM AND BROKE AWAY THEIR CHAINS
(Psalm 107:14).

Be encouraged, Child. I can see what you cannot see. I can recognize what you cannot recognize. I can understand what you cannot understand.  Darkness does not hide from Me.  Gloom does not intimidate Me.  The land of the shadow of death is not unfamiliar to Me.

Take heart! On you who are living in the land of the shadow of death a Light has dawned. I, the God of Light, stand ready to bring you out of your darkness and the deepest gloom and break away your chains. Only, invite Me into your land of the shadow of death.  I will do the rest.

THE PEOPLE WALKING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; ON THOSE LIVING IN THE LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH A LIGHT HAS DAWNED
(Isaiah 9:2).

If you want to come out of your land of the shadow of death, find the negative, destructive beliefs from the father-of-lies that are causing the doom, dread, and despair in your heart. Then, invite the God of Light into this place. Allow Him to shine His Face upon you and be gracious to you. He will break away your chains and bring you out of darkness.

PRAYER: Most High, how comforting to know that darkness and light are both alike to You. I invite You into my land of the shadow of death. Come and lift Your Countenance upon me and give me Peace. Break away my chains. Then, take my hand and lead me out of this gloom, so I may be set free from my beliefs of doom, dread, and despair.

Maintain an Awareness

Each time we hear from God, we are changed…or rather EXCHANGED, for the Words He speaks are Spirit and are Life.

The Two Counsels

Beliefs/Emotions associated with this blessing.
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Fearful Hopeless Sad

October 22

Lean on God with Your Entire Personality

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IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY NOT GROW DISINTERESTED AND BECOME [SPIRITUAL] SLUGGARDS, BUT IMITATORS, BEHAVING AS DO THOSE WHO THROUGH FAITH (BY THEIR LEANING OF THE ENTIRE PERSONALITY ON GOD IN CHRIST IN ABSOLUTE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN HIS POWER, WISDOM, AND GOODNESS) AND BY PRACTICE OF PATIENT ENDURANCE AND WAITING ARE [NOW] INHERITING THE PROMISES
(Hebrews 6:12 AMP).

I bless you to lean with your entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His POWER. Know that He is ABLE to do what He promised you He would do. He has the required Strength to perform the impossible, the Authority to move mountains, the Control to make everything work out for your good.

SO THAT YOUR FAITH MIGHT NOT REST ON MEN’S WISDOM, BUT ON GOD’S POWER
(1 Corinthians 2:5).

I bless you to lean with your entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His WISDOM, as you wait on His Answers. Know that He will give you Words of Wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict, not even the roaring lion…the father-of-lies…the evil one with his negative, destructive beliefs of abandonment, shame, condemnation, and rejection.

FOR I WILL GIVE YOU WORDS AND WISDOM THAT NONE OF YOUR ADVERSARIES WILL BE ABLE TO RESIST OR CONTRADICT
(Luke 21:15).

I bless you to lean with your entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His GOODNESS, which He has stored up for those who revere Him—for those who acknowledge Him in all their ways. Know that God has not forgotten about you. He knows how you have been patiently enduring. The Lord is not slack concerning His Promises. After you have done what He has asked of you, He will give you what He has promised you.

HOW GREAT IS YOUR GOODNESS, WHICH YOU HAVE STORED UP FOR THOSE WHO FEAR YOU, WHICH YOU BESTOW IN THE SIGHT OF MEN ON THOSE WHO TAKE REFUGE IN YOU
(Psalm 31:19).

What has God promised you He would do? Has He fulfilled His Promises, yet? If not, do not become discouraged. Do not rest your faith on what people tell you, but lean with your entire personality on God’s Power, Wisdom, and Goodness. In time, with patient endurance, you will inherit all His Promises.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, work Your Faith in me, so I may be able to trust in Your Power, Wisdom, and Goodness with my entire personality, as I wait for Your Promises.

Maintain an Awareness

Know that you cannot be a friend of the Light and be a friend of darkness, at the same time. Darkness and Light do not mix. They are incompatible. You are either in the dark, or in the light.

The Two Counsels
October 21

The Valley of the Shadow of Death

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FOR THIS PEOPLE’S HEART HAS BECOME CALLOUSED; THEY HARDLY HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES. OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM
(Matthew 13:15).

I still remember when I went through the valley of the shadow of death.  I felt so alone.  I felt so unloved.  I felt so unlovable.  I did not know what to do with myself.  I did not even understand what was going on, only that there was something wrong with me…and that I desperately needed help.  I desperately needed a way out.

But then I heard it—my Everlasting Father’s Comfort through the Holy Spirit.  He asked me to listen with the ears of my heart.  When I had finally calmed down and was listening, He said, “My Child, you are not alone.  I am right here with you.  I am IN you. You can see Me. You can hear Me. You can understand Me.”

EVEN THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME
(Psalm 23:4).

Do not be discouraged when you are going through the valley of the shadow of death. Pause. Take a deep breath. God is close. He wants to meet you in your heart. Listen carefully with the ears of your heart and you will hear your Everlasting Father tell you that you are not alone…that He already knows what you need…that He has already planned a way to provide for you. Focus intently on your heart and perceive the Love God is holding out to you. Listen carefully with your spiritual ears and hear the Hope He is whispering to you. Allow your heart to know the perturbing perception that has unsettled you. Then, invite God’s Perspective to give you understanding.

BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD…I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH
(Psalm 46:10).

Are you going through the valley of the shadow of death, right now? What is it that you need to hear most from your Perfect Father? What is it that you need to see, at this point of your life? What does your heart desperately need to understand?

Become quiet. Train the ears of your heart to listen to what God wants to tell you. Train the eyes of your heart to see what God wants to show you. Train your heart to understand God’s Perspective.

PRAYER: Perfect Father, bring me to the place where I will become still and listen for You with the ears of my heart, so I may know that You are with me during this time of my life.

Maintain an Awareness

When you pray and lay your problem before God, give Him the freedom to answer you in any way He wants to, according to His great Mercy and Grace. Push your own preconceived answers aside. Then, HIS Answer will enter your mind and heart.

The Two Counsels

Beliefs/Emotions associated with this blessing.
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Abandoned Fearful Hopeless Sad

October 18

God’s Perspective

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THE WOMAN SAID TO THE SERPENT, ‘WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY, ‘YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE THAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE’

‘YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE,’ THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMAN
(Genesis 3:2-4).

Notice that there are two sources of counsel available to you: God’s Counsel and Satan’s counsel.

Listen to God’s Counsel:

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART
AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING;
IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM,
AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT.
DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES;
FEAR THE LORD AND SHUN EVIL
(Proverbs 3:5-7).

Notice that Satan’s counsel opposes God’s Counsel…resists God’s instruction…attacks God’s Word:

Do not trust God,
Instead, rely on your own perceptions,
Trust your own interpretations and believe everything you think.
Try and figure everything out for yourself,
for your mind is sufficient to supply all the explanations you need.
Have faith in your own common sense.
Then, everything will turn out OK.

THE MIND OF SINFUL MAN IS DEATH, BUT THE MIND CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE
(Romans 8:6).

Do you have Life and Peace? If not, whose counsel do you heed, daily? Who controls your mind, moment-by-moment?

Are you willing to follow a different Counsel? I challenge you to stop trying to figure things out for yourself. Instead, ask God for His Perspective…and see what happens.

PRAYER: Lord God, may I trust YOU with all my heart and refrain from being wise in my own eyes, but acknowledge Your Perspective in everything I do and think.

Maintain an Awareness

If you surrender your pain to the father-of-lies, he will coax you into sinful solutions of hiding, blaming, and running. He will take you down that broad road of destruction where he will kill you from the inside out.

The Two Counsels