Sound Mind Set

Today, we close out our week, focusing on hope.Romans15:13 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.Hope is something that often eludes us. Day-to-day, we can get so lost in the stress and anxiety of our culture that our sense of hope feels diminished. That’s why this passage cuts through. It starts by saying that we are sons and daughters of the ‘God of hope’. What is an area in your life right now that feels hopeless?It says we will be filled with hope, joy and peace as we trust in Him. Right now, can you reaffirm your trust in our God of hope?It also says the power of the Holy Spirit will cause us to overflow with hope.Can you invite the Holy Spirit to release the power of Hope in your life so that it ‘overflows to those around us?Pray with me: “God of hope, please fill me with joy and peace, and help me trust you in all areas of my life. I ask that your Holy Spirit would fill me with the hope that overflows into those around me. As above, so below. ”

Psalm 77:11-15I will remember the deeds of the Lord;    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.I will consider all your works    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”Your ways, God, are holy.    What god is as great as our God?You are the God who performs miracles;    you display your power among the peoples.With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.There is a Hebrew word that shows up often in the Bible; the word is  ZAKAR, meaning remember. Often when God had provided a way through or a victory, people who witnessed it would stop what they were doing, and build an altar to celebrate the faithfulness of God. Jesus, on his last night with his disciples before his crucifixion, told us all to do this very thing. To take the bread and the cup in remembrance of him. There’s more to this practice than just calling back to mind something that has happened. It is ruminating on the faithfulness of God that anchors us. Can you think of a situation where you didn’t see a way through, where you had come to the end of yourself, but God came through? Take a moment and put yourself back in that situation of desperation, feel the doubt, feel the fear, and now remember what it felt like when you realized things were going to be OK... when you saw God come through. Ruminate on what it felt like for God to deliver, and know that that same power is available to you right now, whatever you are facingLet’s pray together: “Father, help me to commit myself to the act of remembrance. To remember Your faithful power that I have seen at work in my life. Help me to hold on to that awareness when I come into situations where I don’t know what to do. As above, so below”

Psalm 107:1-9Oh, thank God—he’s so good!    His love never runs out. All of you set free by God, tell the world!    Tell how he freed you from oppression, Then rounded you up from all over the place,    from the four winds, from the seven seas.Some of you wandered for years in the desert,    looking but not finding a good place to live, Half-starved and parched with thirst,    staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion. Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.    He got you out in the nick of time; He put your feet on a wonderful road    that took you straight to a good place to live. So thank God for his marvelous love,    for his miracle mercy to the children he loves. He poured great drafts of water down parched throats;    the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.This is a beautiful Psalm about the goodness of God. So many times in life, we can feel knocked around by circumstances. Feeling overwhelmed by the demands, the responsibilities and the challenges that we all face, can sometimes take our focus off the goodness of God . This Psalm has 34 more verses just like the ones we’ve read. Over and over, describing God coming to our aid in difficult circumstances and challenges. The common thread of all these verses explains the only thing that we are responsible for is calling out to him… and he comes through. Take a moment to realize the goodness of God in your life is just a request away. Crying out to him doesn’t always result in us getting our way, but it does lead us to an abundant life, even amid the circumstances that we find ourselves in. That abundant life is God's goodness, and we can be expectant that he delivers His abundance, peace, and reassurance if we just cry out for him. Be aware that his goodness and presence are all around you regardless of your circumstance.PRAYFather thank you for your goodness which always comes through. Please help me to be patient. Help me to be aware and expectant that amid whatever challenge I find myself in, your abundance… your goodness is always available. As above, so below.

Today our scripture reading is from Colossians 3:15-17 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Having a spirit of gratitude is one of the most powerful tools that God has given us. The act of giving thanks, of feeling gratitude can actually change our brain chemistry. No matter what situation you find yourself in, there’s always something around you worth giving thanks for. It may be a small thing, it may be a significant thing. Every day we wake up with a choice. That choice is what we focus on. We can focus on a sense of lack, or what we’re missing, or we can choose to find and focus on those things we are grateful for. And allow the peace of Christ to rule our hearts. Can you think of one thing that you are grateful for ?Maybe its a person, something that has happened, or something that is a blessing - like health, or provision.Focus on that one thing and everything about that one thing that you are grateful for. Feel it in your body, feel the gratitude and worship Your father in the spirit of gratitude.Pray with me: “Father I have so much to be grateful for. Help me to work into the discipline of choosing to be grateful, of choosing to find things to give thanks for. Let your peace rule in my heart. As above So Below. ”

2 Corinthians 12:5-10….I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.When we look at our lives, they are full of victories and full of setbacks. In these verses, Paul clarifies the true source of strength. God's strength. He also speaks of ‘a thorn in the flesh’, placed there to keep him from being conceited. It’s interesting to reframe the challenges in our life, failures in our life, and seeing even those play a divine purpose in our lives. What area of your life feels weak right now? What is the difficulty in your life right now?"When I am weak, then I am strong."This message is countercultural to our society which preaches self-reliance. Can you admit your weakness to God right now?Ask for him to give you not only the strength to make it through but also the awareness that in your weakness, He is strong, Turning all things for your good and His gloryLet’s pray: “Holy Father, thank you for your power that shines in my weakness. I confess my failings, I confess my weakness, and I acknowledge those areas of struggle and hardship in the very areas where are you are shining brightest through me.”

Romans 12:17-21 NLTNever pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”  Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.There is some great relationship advice in this passage: Don’t pay back evil with evil. Live honorably. Never take revenge. Serving even your enemies in times of need proves character comes first. Good will always overcome evil—in His time, in the end.But one of the best pieces of counsel here is found in verse 18: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” God only expects us to do what we can. We are not responsible for anyone else’s actions. We do our part whether they do theirs or not. And who does this apply to? Everyone. Saints and sinners. The guilty and the innocent.In your life right now, is peace your agenda or is revenge on the table? Is it time to let God handle something for you so good can conquer evil?Listen to this priceless passage one more time but this time from The Message Bible:Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”  Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. (Romans 12:17-21 MSG)Pray with me:“Heavenly Father, teach me to live honorably. Show me how to live at peace with everyone. Help me to stay away from revenge and leave that with You. When I encounter evil or am tempted by evil, help me to choose Your way. May I learn how to surprise others with Your goodness. As above, so below.”

Matthew 5:21-25 MSG“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill. “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. “Or say you’re out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don’t lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him.Jesus was crystal clear that His followers must live by a higher standard … His standard. His teaching always pointed to the importance of the intent of our hearts. Anger, verbal insults, careless words, and grudges all come from a troubled heart. But the real point isn’t even about holding a standard, but rather what is right for us to live in peace and righteousness, the best thing for us and everyone in our circles.As you heard Jesus’s words, did anyone’s face pop into your mind? Did these verses trigger an instance in your memory?Listen again to some of the key phrases in this passage:“The simple moral fact is that words kill.” … “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. “Or say you’re out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don’t lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. (Matthew 5:21-25 MSG)When God brings someone to mind or a circumstance, remember His words: “Don’t lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right.”Let’s pray: “Father, thank You that You hold us to a standard, yet You have made provision by Your grace and mercy when we fail. Please forgive my words that have killed, do kill, and can kill. Teach me to make the first move to make things right. To let go and give both my hurts and my sin to You. As above, so below.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 NLTGet rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.The phrase, “get rid of,” means to leave no trace of what was once there. The idea here is to not just cut the weed off at the ground so it is no longer visible, but to pull it up by the roots as if it had never existed at all. Interesting that we often use the word “root” in connection to bitterness. But as the apostle Paul often did, he told us what to eliminate, but then next, he also told us what to do in its place. He offered us the qualities of God to replace those things that only harm us.Paul told us to get rid of anger and be compassionate. To get rid of rage and be kind. To get rid of bitterness and forgive. These opposite, contrasting qualities cannot co-exist. They can only be exchanged. Let go of the old and embrace the new.Think about these truth as you listen again to today’s passage:Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)Notice that the reaction to a feeling, like anger, is not a feeling. Paul is not asking us to feel differently - he is asking us to do something. In doing something, in extending grace, we are not condoning any offence, rather we are showing strength, the strength that only a God can supply.Is there any anger that you need to exchange with showing compassion? Any rage that you need to exchange with showing kindness? Any bitterness that you need to exchange with offering forgiveness?Let’s pray: “Father, guide me, lead me, help me to get rid of the things that hurt me and displease You. I want to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, to the depths that You have forgiven me. As above, so below.”

Romans 6:12-14 NLTDo not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.Granting forgiveness, experiencing total freedom, and letting go for good is a mental, emotional, and spiritual experience. And yes, it can even be physical. Holding onto bitterness affects our ability to smile, facial expressions, countenance, and body language.When our hearts are closed, we look closed off. Giving ourselves completely to God, as Paul tells us here, is as much as about what we let go of as what we take up. To block forgiveness from someone is to allow sin to be our master and keep us under the law, not under grace. And when we can’t give grace, we can’t embrace grace.If there is someone you struggle to let go of and forgive, think about how this makes you feel, even physically, how it affects your being in every manner? Refusing to let go creates more pain as we work harder to hold on.Listen once again to Paul’s commands:Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. (Romans 6:12-14 NLT)Forgiveness and letting go diminishes sin’s control, allowing us the freedom to give ourselves completely to God, to glorify Him, for Him to be our Master, not sin. To live under the freedom of God’s grace.Pray with me, using Paul’s words: “Dear Father, help me to not let sin control the way I live; to not give in to sinful desires, to not let any part of my body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Help me to give myself completely to You and experience new life, to use my whole body as an instrument to do what is right for Your glory. I do not want sin to be my master or live under the requirements of the law. Instead, let me live under the freedom of Your grace. As above, so below.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-7 MSGA right time for birth and another for death,A right time to plant and another to reap,A right time to destroy and another to construct,A right time to cry and another to laugh,A right time to lament and another to cheer,A right time to embrace and another to part,A right time to search and another to count your losses,A right time to hold on and another to let go,A right time to rip out and another to mend,A right time to shut up and another to speak up.The old saying goes: “Timing is everything.” That is especially true when we consider being obedient to God and His timing. Realizing and accepting when we should let go of holding onto something from our past can be so difficult for us on so many levels. But yet letting go is such a right and natural part of life. Navigating seasons in life, we cannot grab hold of the future until we let go of the past.We cannot die until we are born. We cannot harvest with planting. We cannot tear down that which we never built. We cannot turn away from something we never embraced.Sometimes letting go can make us feel less-than or create the false assumption that we are giving away a part of our heart we may never get back. But think of it this way: we cannot harvest, heal, mend, or dance while holding onto unhealthy things in our lives.Is God calling you to heal but you can’t because you’re still allowing bitterness to hurt your spirit? Is it time for you to experience a final letting go and forgive someone?Listen again to a personalized version of Ecclesiastes 3:1-7:A right time [for me] for birth and another for death,A right time [for me] to plant and another to reap,A right time [for me] to destroy and another to construct,A right time [for me] to cry and another to laugh,A right time [for me] to lament and another to cheer,A right time [for me] to embrace and another to part,A right time [for me] to search and another to count your losses,A right time [for me] to hold on and another to let go,A right time [for me] to rip out and another to mend,A right time [for me] to shut up and another to speak up,Let today be your day to let go, to forgive, to be born, harvest, heal, build up, laugh, dance, gather, embrace, mend, and speak new life.Let’s pray: “Father, thank You for Your timing. That You give us seasons of change. That You allow us to experience freedom from the past, hurts, and harm that we have done and experienced from others. Please grant me the freedom today to forgive and let go. As above, so below.”