Sound Mind Set

Psalm 139:13-16 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. The psalmist David tells us how God planned each of us, mapped out our days, every moment with purpose. And then inside our mother’s womb, He formed exactly and accurately the person we would become who could accomplish His plan inside His community of creation. When you have those days where you think your life is random, or an accident, or you question your purpose, remember this truth about your life. Have you considered that no one else in history has ever had your fingerprints, as if God signed the masterpiece He created in you? Listen once again to key phrases this time from the Message Bible: You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. God does indeed have a plan for your life. He made you to fit into His creation and community. No one else can ever be who you are or do what He intends for you alone to accomplish. PRAYER: “Thank You, Father, for my life. Thank You for forming me, as well as Your plan for my days. Help me to trust You and walk with You in each moment You have mapped out for me. As above, so below.”

Psalm 139:7-12 NLT I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Today as we continue in Psalm 139, we are reminded once again that the Kingdom, the community of God is everlasting and ever-present. David’s poetic words paint a picture of a faithful Father always watching, always protecting, always lighting our path, when we find ourselves in dark places, even at times, by our own hand. Psalm 139:9-12 MESSAGE Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. On your best days, God is there. On your worst days, He is there. Even in the darkness, even when the light is hard for you to see, His hand is there to guide you. His strength is available to support you. He can overcome any darkness. All you have to do is just call on Him. There is no where you can go, no depth that you can sink to, no shame that keeps you from your Father’s presence, acceptance and protection. Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, thank You there is no darkness with You. You can shine Your light anywhere I am because of Your always-available presence. Today, I invite Your hand into my life. I receive Your light into my life. As above, so below. AMEN”

Psalm 139:1-5 NLT O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Living within the care and community of God means that He sees every aspect of who we are. What we do and what we don’t. What we say and what we won’t. From our hearts to our homes. From our ways to our work. No matter where we go, He is there. Aware. Available. Active. Can you sense God’s presence everywhere in your life? Listen to the shepherd, king, and psalmist David’s words again this time from the Message Bible: God, I’m an open book to you; even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.… I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too— your reassuring presence, coming and going. Take a moment to reflect on the last verse: “your reassuring presence, coming and going..” Invite … allow … accept … feel … the Lord’s presence on you right now—for no reason other than to bless you. Let’s pray together: “Thank You, Father, that You know me intimately. My heart. My words. My actions. Everything I do and everywhere I go, You watch over me. Thank You for your blessing today. May my life bless You. As above, so below.”

Genesis 1:26-27, 30-31 NLT Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. … And that is what happened. … Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! God said “let us”—us being the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—“in our image.” We were created by a Community, in community, for community. The Father made us, the Son saves us, the Spirit guides us. Right now, when God sees you, when He looks at who you are, He sees you as “very good.” Can you, will you accept today that God looks at you with eyes of love and goodness? Listen again to these key phrases, this time from the Message Bible: God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature. … God created human beings; he created them Reflecting God’s nature..… God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! (Genesis 1:26-27, 30-31 NLT) Right now, close your eyes and picture Your loving heavenly Father, Your Creator, looking at You, inviting You into His community, caring for You, and pleased with who He made you to be. Can you accept that He says this of you right now - God looked over everything he had made, He looks over you and says; it is so good, so very good! Pray with me: “Creator God, Father, thank You that you made me with purpose, for a purpose. You created me to live in community with You and for You. Help me to always remember that I am made in Your image. As above, so below.”

Today’s verse is a continuation from yesterday: (Philippians 4:8 NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, … Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. We all see and sense the growing negativity and pessimism in the world. Scripture has so many amazing challenges and charges to ground us and lead us toward thinking, acting, and speaking from the heart of God. Today’s verse provides us a list of positive and uplifting qualities to set our minds and thoughts toward. Listen to this beautiful inspiration once again from the Message Bible: Friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. On what or where have your thoughts been fixed lately? What is one area of focus that you can redirect your thinking towards today? What in your life right now is: True. Honorable. Right. Pure. Lovely. Admirable. the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Simply speaking those words to feel their strength helps ease our minds and exudes God’s strength and peace. Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, fix my thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. You are all of these in their purest form and You alone are worthy of my praise. As above, so below”

(Philippians 4:6-7 NLT) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Nothing invades and high-jacks our minds and threatens our mental health like worry. Today’s verse tells us God’s peace can act as a guard against worry and stress when we tell Him everything. We can hand over our stress as we get honest in our prayers. What worries today need to turn into prayers? Listen again to today’s passage from the Message Bible: Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Apostle Paul says: Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers. Then a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. Tell God what you need, thank Him for what He has done, and let Him bring sense of wholeness, of everything coming together for good. Pray with me: “Father, help me today to turn all my worries into prayers. I want to be honest with You. I want to thank You. I invite You to be the guard of my heart and mind. Protect me from my own anxious thoughts and grant me Your peace. As above, so below.”

(Proverbs 14:30 MSG) A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones. We all understand more than ever today how our thoughts can affect our over-all health—positively or negatively. Our minds drive our motives, attitudes, emotions, and ultimately our actions. The proper balance of our emotional expression is crucial to our daily peace in both mind and heart. Name the emotions that you feel have “runaway” in you lately. Consider for a moment why this may be happening. As the Lord of our lives, Christ can bring balance to every aspect of who we are and what we do. Daily surrender to Him, His will, and His ways which will bring much-needed stability and security to our lives. Let’s pray: “Heavenly Father, I ask for a sound mind and a peaceful heart. I ask for Your blessing and healing for my total health. Please help me to balance my emotions—to feel what I need to feel and reject those that will only hurt me. As above, so below."

(2 Corinthians 13:11 NIV) Brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. One of the most important aspects of personal peace and a clear mind is unity and harmony in our relationships. The Apostle Paul promised that when we do all we can to keep our connections to others clean and right, God’s love and peace will prevail in us and for us. Who do you need to restore, encourage or connect with today? What relationship do you need to give over to God’s peace? Listen once again for Message Bible: Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. A life surrendered to Christ is a life marked by restoration, unity, and harmony, producing peace of mind. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Which of these ares do you need to focus on this today? Pray with me:“God, today I want to choose to rejoice in You no matter what is going on around me. Lead me towards restoration with everyone in my life. Remind me to speak encouragement to others. Help me to choose peace in all things. I know You are with me always. As above, so below.”

(2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. While the world around us promotes fear and the power to control others, God provides faith, love, and the power of self-control. His Spirit offers us a kind heart and a sound mind ushering His peace to saturate our lives. Those qualities can then become blessings to those around us. What does God’s Spirit need to take over in you today to stop the noise of the world and bring you a sound mind and peaceful heart? Faith and fear cannot co-exist. One will overtake the other. Right now, hand God your fears, one by one, take a deep breath, and allow your faith in Him rise up. Please pray with me: “God of peace, I hand my fears over to You. Fill my heart and mind with Your faith, Your power, and Your love. Lead my mind to be sound, stable, and steady in You. As above, so below.”

Jesus’ words of promise in John 14:27-28: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again.” Jesus offers you a gift not of this world that can only be found in Him. His heavenly peace for your mind and heart can overcome any temporary trouble or fear. The Prince of Peace is with You now and is coming back for You one day to live in His kingdom. What trouble, what fear, are you experiencing today that needs to be exchanged right now for Christ’s gift? Jesus’ words of promise again from the Message Bible: I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught. “You’ve heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away, and I’m coming back.’ No matter what you may be walking through today, remember, for the Christ-follower, God’s gift of peace is available now and His best is always yet to come. Prayer- “Father, thank You for Your gift of peace of mind and heart. Help me not to look to the world, to not be troubled or afraid, but to look to You and look forward to Your return.” AS ABOVE, SO BELOW AMEN.