Coercion or Choice

It’s simple. You want something to be different. Yet nothing changes, no matter how much effort you put into it. Each day is more discouraging than the day before.

Whatever you think about (whether negative or positive) will be magnified, not only in your mind, but in your heart and your actions as well.

No one wants bad stuff to happen.

So why is it so hard to focus on the positive in yourself and in others?

  • Coercion is a passive process. You don’t have to do anything different. It’ll just happen automatically … because you allow it.
  • Choice is an active process. You must get involved, be proactive. Choice requires energy, learning, and a willingness to try something better.

You are caught in a battle between Two Kingdoms.

The ruler of one kingdom wants you to be like him. And he constantly works on your mind and your emotions. His intent is to kill, steal, and destroy. He uses coercion: the practice of persuading someone to do something by using force or threats. He wants you to become a slave to sin and is determined to get you to

  • default,
  • doubt,
  • derail.

The King of Kings created you to be like Him. And He offers gentle encouragement and Endless Love. His intent is to help you enjoy an abundant life in Him. He gives you the choice. To become a slave to righteousness. His deepest desire is to help you to …

  • reset,
  • refocus,
  • be restored.

Choose this day Whom you will serve. How?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Click here to learn more about how to get a Quicker Turnaround in your life.

Spiritual Junk Food

I grew up in Kansas. The Wheat State. So for the past 20 years or so I’ve been more than a little confused about all the info saying wheat is bad for you. How can that be?

After all didn’t Jesus call Himself “The Bread of Life?”

Then a friend of mine encouraged me to watch “What’s With Wheat?” That’s where I learned how much we’ve altered the grain that used to be so full of nutrients. The wheat of today is not all that it used to be. And that made me think of this:

Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Isaiah 55:22a

The “Standard American Diet” is often referred to as SAD.

How fitting. But the SADness doesn’t stop with how we are feeding our bodies.
We feed our minds, our emotions, our souls with Spiritual Junk Food.

  • We stuff ourselves with whatever the world spoons up for us,
    whether or not it aligns with Kingdom Principles.
  • Then believe the enemy’s lies about who we are created to be.
  • And forget that we are God’s image-bearers.

Is there any wonder our world is full of fear, hate, and sadness?

Life doesn’t have to be like this!

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Isaiah 55:22b

Then Jesus declared, “I am the Bread of Life.
Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry,
and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”
John 6:35

I think I know a little

Joseph had dreams of who God created him to be. And I think I know a little of how he felt being kept from its fulfillment for such a long time. He must have gotten his hopes up on more than one occasion. Only to be dashed to the ground again. Such as when Pharaoh‘s Chief Cupbearer forgot about him. (Genesis 40-41)

“When two full years had passed …”

Can you imagine the wait? Joseph surely must have felt discouraged a time or two. Yet despite his circumstances, he just couldn’t shake his faith in the Promise of God.

I know that feeling.

My circumstances are not at all what I expected they would be at this point in my life. In fact, they are quite the opposite of what The Lord has said He has planned for me.

[callout]Yet I believe His Word more than I believe what I see around me.
And my trust is fully in Who He is for me.[/callout]

In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but The Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9