Sound Mind Set

There are times in these reflections and topics that we address where the best words we can offer you are that of Scripture. Our words fade away, but God ‘s Word stands forever. Once His Word goes out, it always accomplishes what God desires for it to do.  David, before he was king and after, suffered at the hands of many. But the one constant we see in the life of David was no matter how far away he got, he would always return back to the truth he knew of God. No matter how prodigal David got, he always returned back to the Father’s arms.  Take in some of his words from Psalm 31.(Psalm 31:1-5, 6b-10, 14-15a, 16-17a, 19-21a, 22b-24 NLT)  O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. Save me, for you do what is right. Turn your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe. You are my rock and my fortress. For the honor of your name, lead me out of this danger. Pull me from the trap my enemies set for me, for I find protection in you alone. I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. … I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to my enemies but have set me in a safe place. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress. Tears blur my eyes. My body and soul are withering away. I am dying from grief; my years are shortened by sadness. Sin has drained my strength; I am wasting away from within. … But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, “You are my God!” My future is in your hands. … Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me. Don’t let me be disgraced, O Lord, for I call out to you for help. … How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues. Praise the Lord, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love. … But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help. Love the Lord, all you godly ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, … So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!  What phrase stood out to you? … There is a reason it did. God is speaking to you through His Word.  Often in the Psalms, David went from crying out for help to worship. This season, even through any moments of grief and pain, is there something that comes to mind about how God shows you He is with you?  Let’s pray together: “Heavenly Father, thank You that once we know Heaven is just a matter of time here on earth. That means I am here for a purpose for the time You allow me to accomplish Your will. Please use me, use my circumstances to touch others, to reach others, and glorify You as You are Immanuel, God with me.”

 Matthew 1:18-24 NLT  This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1:18-24 NLT)  When we hear this story around Christmas, all we tend to think about is the celebration of the birth of Christ. While true that this is a joyous occasion, that is actually a one-dimensional outlook. Here’s why: In the day that Joseph and Mary were planning their wedding, an engagement or betrothal was very different than today. Once betrothed, there was a legal agreement as if you were already married but not yet living together. For Mary to tell Joseph she was pregnant with him knowing they had not been together was the same as adultery.  The bottom line is that Mary was amazed at what God had told her and was doing in her life, yet fearful and heartbroken at the same time because she knew what this would mean for her relationship to Joseph. Once Mary told Joseph, he was then heartbroken because, imagine for a moment, your fiance telling you she is pregnant and the Father is God. … God? How many people would buy that? There was no joy in these moments of conflict … there was fear, pain, grief, sorrow, and pain. But here’s the game changer for Joseph and Mary, as well as for us today in our pain … God spoke and confirmed the truth, taking away the fear. Would all this have been hard to believe and explain to people? Absolutely. But Joseph being a man of faith, as Mary was a woman of faith, responded in obedience, which was the very reason God chose them. He could trust them both with His plan.  When we are in the midst of a heartbreak … sorrow … feelings of betrayal … pain … He is moving and active in our disappointment. We too must listen for the voice of God to speak. Hear His truth about our circumstances. Allow Him to take away our fear. He is as He promised … Immanuel—God with us. Today, wherever you may be in your circumstances, no matter how things may look today, God has a plan and a purpose even in pain.  Let’s pray: “Father, Mary and Joseph’s faith and belief in You is inspiring. Please help me to trust you with the same heart. Help me to see past my circumstances today and look toward what You will do as You are with me now and already in my future. Immanuel - God with us.” 

 As we go through this Christmas season, there are two categories of people and you fall into one.  Those who have been hurt and know grief and sorrow, and now have a compassion and empathy during the Holidays to see those who are hurting and offer help, to be able to speak hope when and where it is so desperately needed. …  Or those who are hurting right now. You look around and see the lights and decorations and none of it seems to matter, because the last thing you want to do is celebrate … anything.  I want you to know if that is you, I get it. I have felt that way. I know that horrible feeling. All those in the first group of survivors know that heartbreak all too well.  But there is Someone else who understands your pain. He is Immanuel, the Promised One who came and is with you now. Today, we read from Isaiah once again, in chapter 53, and again, the text prophesies about the life of Jesus. If you really listen to what these words say about Christ, you’ll see He knows pain and understands heartbreak. Close your eyes. Tune in. Listen with your heart.  (Isaiah 53NLT)  Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.  This is not a far off deity that can’t relate to our heartbreak. Listen to our Immanuel described in this passage - this time reading from the Message Bible.  He was looked down on and passed over,     a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.  One look at him and people turned away.     We looked down on him, thought he was scum.  But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—  our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.  This is describing a broken man. Someone that we would say - got the SERIOUS short end of the stick. Yet He chose that. Because He believed you were worth it.  That is the beauty of Immanuel - God with us.  Sorrow, pain, anguish, injustice, feeling despised, harsh treatment … all because of us, all for us, so God could be with us. Who better to invite into your hurt and your healing than Jesus? Can you imagine this God who loved you so immensely being crushed to make your whole? He is acquainted with grief and He is with you right now.  Let’s pray: “Lord, thank You that You came, that You suffered for us, that You endured all this when You didn’t have to do anything at all … but You did. I can be counted righteous today because of You. Thank you for being God with Us. Immanuel - God with us.” 

With the countdown to Christmas and New Year’s begun, we set our sights on the true meaning of the season: Immanuel—God With Us.  Have you ever considered how a holy, righteous, omnipotent, omniscient God could have simply said to us, “You’re going to need to figure out a way to get to Me,” … or “You’ll need to meet all these strict requirements to reach me.” But the very fact that we can call Him “God With Us” is a miracle. He came to us, to seek and save that which was lost.  This Christmas, each time you hear the word Immanuel, think about what this actually means for you … God came after you… We don’t “find God,” He finds us.  We all have suffered great loss in life. Something at one point you could not imagine being broken was broken. We know what it means for our hearts to be broken and our lives to be wracked with grief, to live in a state of sorrow. For that very reason, the message, the reminder, that Immanuel—God with Us—has come for us is so important for us to focus on this season.  Right now, you may be in the very beginning stages of grief, of sorrow. You may be right in the middle heartache and pain is with you every day. Or you could be coming out of a storm and have begun your journey of healing. No matter where you are, today, right now, God is with you, whether you care right now or not, whether you feel Him or not, He is with You. I want to encourage you to never confuse God allowing something to happen as God not caring for you. He never promised to take us out of this broken and fallen world, but He did promise to be with us when life breaks us and things fall apart.  Listen to Isaiah’s prophecy given to him by God 700 hundred years before Christ was born.  (Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7 NLT)  Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever… there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. … For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!  We have the privilege of living on the other side of this prophecy. Listen to these ancient words and realize what has actually happened.  The Wonderful Counselor that Isaiah promised has come.  The Mighty God has made Himself known.  The Everlasting Father is present right now.  The Prince of Peace is ready to remove the chaos, heal the hurt, and replace your sorrow with joy.  What is most real about God to you right now?  Wonderful Counselor  Mighty God  Everlasting Father  Prince of Peace  He is Immanuel—God with … you.  Pray with me: “Immanuel, when I struggle in my hurt, when I doubt and question Your goodness, when I think no one cares, please allow me to feel Your presence in my soul, my heart, in the air I breathe, and the very life You give. Immanuel - God with us.” 

Today, as we close out this week, we will listen to a powerful and popular passage from the Apostle Paul.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT  When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.  What is you biggest dream in life right now?  What is the most outlandish thing you could wish for someone you love?  With that in mind, listen again to Paul’s closing blessing.  Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.  What if we make our daily prayer for ourselves and those we love be “Lord, accomplish infinitely more than can ask or think”.  This is not a genie in a bottle request. Not a guarantee that everything will go the way we want. It is a blessing that God will use all of everything in our lives to surprise us because of Him working all things together for good.  Let’s pray together: “Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Please give me the boldness and the wisdom ask You to do more than I could ask for or imagine through me, for your glory. As above, so below.”

Today we are going to spend all our time in gratefulness. I will mention some prompts and I want you to give your full focus to offering thanksgiving to Your Father for what He has given us.  We praise You for Your Holy presence - For Your power that proceeded our existence - Thank you  For Your sacrificial Son who paid the price for my sins - thank you  We thank you for your complete forgiveness  We thank you for your great love for us  We thank you for our family - parents, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters  We thank you for our friends who bring comfort and strength  We thank you for your provision. Food. Shelter. Safety.  We thank you for the struggles that we would rather avoid - thank you for using them for our good.  We thank you for being with us, close steady and trustworthy  We thank you for being faithful to us and our family  Let’s pray: “On this day, and every day, thank you for the many gifts that you give that sometimes go unnoticed. Thank you that you meet us in stillness and that through Jesus you have made it possible for us to know you intimately, personally and completely. Thank you that you call us your beloved, your children. Protect us, provide for us and bless us and our families. As above, so below.” 

Explore the profound idea that death adds value to life, inspiring urgency that many overlook. Discover Linda Ellis's poignant insight about 'the dash' living between birth and death. The discussion emphasizes that a truly fulfilled life comes from the choices we make today. Through biblical wisdom, listeners are reminded of the power of love, commitment, and the importance of living purposefully. This episode invites reflection on how we can embrace each moment with intention and meaning.

The world tends to always take any milestone or accomplishment and respond with, “That’s great. So what’s next?” On and on through life, the question comes on constant repeat.  Today, let’s listen to a passage from King Solomon in his frustration with the “What’s next?”  “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. (Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 NLT)  Petty cynical, huh? Well, we all have days when we feel this same way. Solomon was simply voicing what we in the human race feel quite often.  Now, listen to him in chapter 3, verses 11-13:  Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.  We all feel the weight of what Solomon expressed in the first passage: meaningless feelings about our days. But God is the crucial element in life to bring value and purpose, even to the mundane and the seemingly meaningless.  What is one way you can recognize God’s gift in what often seems mundane in your life?  Life itself, even on the meaningless days, is indeed a gift from Him.  Let’s pray: “Father, help me look for beauty, value, purpose, eternity, and to look for Your work in my world and celebrate your gifts, especially the gift of life. As above, so below.” 

ISAIAH 32:15-20 NLT  Until at last the Spirit is poured out     on us from heaven.  Then the wilderness will become a fertile field,     and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.  Justice will rule in the wilderness     and righteousness in the fertile field.  And this righteousness will bring peace.     Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.  My people will live in safety, quietly at home.     They will be at rest.  Even if the forest should be destroyed     and the city torn down,  the Lord will greatly bless his people.     Wherever they plant seed, bountiful crops will spring up.     Their cattle and donkeys will graze freely.  Beautiful words of hope - These verses are in response to what the writer describes just before as -  For your land will be overgrown with thorns and briers.  Your joyful homes and happy towns will be gone.  Is there a place in your life where you feel like your land is over grown with thorns and briers. Your joyful homes and happy towns are gone.  ISAIAH 32:15-20  Until at last the Spirit is poured out     on us from heaven.  Then the wilderness will become a fertile field,     and the fertile field will yield bountiful crops.  Justice will rule in the wilderness     and righteousness in the fertile field.  And this righteousness will bring peace.     Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.  My people will live in safety, quietly at home.     They will be at rest.  Even if the forest should be destroyed     and the city torn down,  the Lord will greatly bless his people.     Wherever they plant seed, bountiful crops will spring up.     Their cattle and donkeys will graze freely.  Life brings us all ups and downs. When we are down, it can feel permanent.  Focus on these words from this passage -  And this righteousness will bring peace.     Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever.  This same verse from the Message says it this way  Right will build a home in the fertile field.  And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace  What would it mean for you today to live right? Is there one thing you can think of that you can just do the right thing?  Let’s pray together: “Father, thank you for this reminder that you rebuild all things. I pray for those areas of my life where it feels like my land is overgrown with thorns. Please bring your peace, healing and righteousness. Help me to day after day just do the right thing for your sake believing that you will make all things right. As above so below.”

For our final day this week, we’ll see how, surprisingly, Joseph’s life was brought full circle for a total and complete redemption. Why? Because he followed the purpose and plan of God. Genesis 42:1-3 NLT When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you standing around looking at one another? I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise, we’ll die.” So, Joseph’s ten older brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain. You know what’s coming, don’t you? Genesis 42: starting at verse 6 NLT Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them…. Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him. Finally, the moment came for the reveal. Genesis 45:4-8 NLT And he said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. … God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. So, it was God who sent me here, not you! What if we decided like Joseph to take every tragedy, every injustice, every wrong done to us, and trust God to show us the “why,” the greater purpose that could come from the “what?” We know the famous verse to end our story from Genesis 50:19 Don’t you see, you planned evil against me, but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people. Nothing about this story sounds pleasant or easy. But God provided favor all along the way, even in dark situations. Is there is a dark situation in your life right now - more than likely, you are not in prison for a false accession like Joseph, but even in that situation can you reflect on one way you can see God’s faithfulness to you, even in the short term as you wait for the long-term promise? Let’s pray together: “Heavenly Father, there are things in my life that I know you want to restore and redeem like Joseph’s. Help me to see my life through Your eyes, to hear Your truth, and to live my purpose just as You planned when You created me. As above, so below.”