A Helpful Way to Increase Your Faith

Ah, that dreaded F word. No, not that one. Another one. Many of us seem to struggle with this one. It’s the topic of faith. We know we’re supposed to have faith. We know that the more faith we have, the more likely we are to realize our goals and desires. Yet we still often times lack this important ingredient.

I read a BIble verse earlier that reminded me about a post I had written about two years ago based on a sermon by pastor Andy Stanley. The verse is from Romans 4:21. It is based on Abraham who, even though he and his wife who desired a child, yet he and his wife were far beyond the age of conceiving children. Regardless, Abraham still had faith. The verse says he was “fully convinced that God had the power to do what He had promised.”

One reason we sometimes lack faith is that we try to figure out how God is going to act on our behalf. We tend to over-complicate things and wonder too much if, when, and how he will act. This often trips us up and only delays the process. Here is the key I learned and shared in the previous post... don’t focus on whether or how God will answer your prayer. Instead, know that he can! Just have that faith. Be fully convinced that he can. I think we all know He can do anything, and can certainly manage the small details of our lives. The key is to lean on that understanding.

Know that God can do it. Focus on that, do what you believe you are being led to do, and let the remaining details take care of themselves. I’ve seen for myself how this automatically increases the level of faith. I believe you will experience the same. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Can We Be Individuals Together?

Last I checked, there were about 7 billion people on this earth. Many individuals, wouldn’t you say? So there you have it. I’ve answered the question of my title already, and it’s obviously a virtual impossibility that 7 billion individuals can all be together, right?

Before you accept the conclusion and stop reading, allow me to place some other thoughts in your mind. I was reading some interesting info the other day, and a very ironic thought was presented to me. When you look up the origin of the word individual, it actually means…. indivisible!! So what does this mean? I believe it actually means that the 7 billion individuals on this earth now are indivisible. We are all one energy, and one spirit. Don’t believe me? Let’s go to the ultimate resource in my opinion, the Bible. There are several verses about this, but one that stands out is I Corinthians 12:12-13, which says “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by^[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.” Another version says… Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink. The old labels we once used to identify ourselves—labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free—are no longer useful. Another verse that shares this is Ephesians 4:4, which says there is “one body and one spirit.”

I am learning more each day that all of the individuals on this planet are actually all one energy and spirit. We all live, move, and have our being in that spirit, the spirit of God. Imagine how much more wonderful this ride of life would be if we realized that. This is why it is so important to love others as ourselves. Because when you love others, in essence you are loving yourself too! When you give to others, the blessings multiply in your own life as well because you are blessing yourself, the same spirit that lives in all, when you give to another “individual”.

I challenge you today to know that you are part of the wonderful, peaceful, loving spirit of God. And so is everyone else. Instead of competing with other individuals, strengthen the bond that we all are instead. It will make a beautiful difference. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Throwing Back Negative Thoughts

Photo by Tim Gouw on Pexels.com

Those that know me well know that I love baseball. There are many interesting traditions in baseball, but one that has always entertained me is with fans of the Chicago Cubs. When a Cub hits a home run, the fan that catches the ball is able to keep it. However, whenever someone who is on the visiting team hits a home run, the fans actually throw the ball back onto the field. They are able to keep it if they want, but since it’s not a Cubs home run, they throw it back and don’t want to keep it. It is a fun tradition that other teams have now begun to follow.

I was recently reading an article about rejecting negative thoughts. It was interesting because the article did not say to avoid negative thoughts, or even resist them. Instead, it said to reject them. I looked into this further. What does it mean to reject something? The definition I found is to “throw back”. It’s very much like the baseball example. When a Cubs fan catches a home run, they have a choice. Do I keep the ball, or throw it back? In the positive situation of a Cub hitting the ball, they choose to keep it. In the negative situation of an opponent hitting the ball, they choose to reject the ball by throwing it back.

This comparison is the same with our thoughts. We can never stop negative thoughts from coming, and to resist them gives too much energy to the negative situation. The Bible says to take our thoughts captive. We should take time each day to monitor our thoughts. It is up to us to choose the thoughts we wish to accept, and those we wish to reject. When we receive a positive thought, we should keep it and cherish it. When we receive a negative thought, we simply need to reject it. Once again, do not fight the negative thoughts. Simply acknowledge it is there, and throw it back.

I have found that this is a much easier and much more effective way to deal with negative thoughts. Instead of resisting and giving them power, we throw them away, thus making room for more positive thoughts. This is important because our circumstances are determined by our thoughts. The more positive thoughts a person has, the more positive circumstances they will have. In essence, when you throw away the negative thoughts, you throw away most negative circumstances! And the great thing is that you have full control of your thoughts, which is very empowering. So throw away those thoughts you don’t want. Replace each negative thought with a positive one, and I believe you will experience many more positive situations in your life. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

You Are Extraordinary!

I’m going to keep things short and to the point in this article. A quote I had shared on my Facebook a few years ago came up on my memories today, and I was reminded of its powerful message. It is by hypnotist Joseph Clough who said, “don’t settle for ordinary when the substance of you is extraordinary.”

Yes indeed, the substance of you, me, and everyone on this planet is extraordinary. That’s because the very substance that is in us, and that is our essence is the spirit of God. This truth is revealed in the Bible in Luke 17:21. It says “the kingdom of heaven (or some translations say the kingdom of God) is within you. Other translations say the kingdom of God is in your midst. I’ve written about this before, (here’s a link if you’re interested), but the dictionary definition of midst is the middle or central part. Other synonyms include the core of or the focal point of something. When you look deeper into the meaning of core, it is defined as the central or most important part of something. The part of something that is central to its existence or character.

This reminds me again, and I share with you, that the central part of us, or the core of who we really are is the spirit of God Himself. The Bible also says that this spirit is one of power and love, not one of timidity and fear. Take a moment to think about this. The core and essence of who you are is the spirit of God.

Now you see why that spirit is with you all of the time, wherever you are. It is in you and everyone else. Since you have this all-powerful, all-knowing spirit as your core wherever you are, how can you settle for anything less than greatness? It’s a rhetorical question because, even though I am more aware of this powerful spirit within me each day, I still find it way too easy to get caught up in the negativity of the world and sell myself short. It happens to most of us. However, the more you realize and focus on the fact that God’s spirit is the core of who you really are, the more positive and powerful you feel. You were made for greatness. You were made for excellence. You were made for success. And you were made to make a positive difference in this world. The great thing is that, since God’s wonderful, awesome spirit is already within you, you already have and already are all of these things! It’s just a matter of focusing on this truth more than focusing on the negativity and fear. That’s how this excellence manifests in your life.

I remind you one more time that the substance and core of you is extraordinary. You already have and already are greatness. Now go out there and demonstrate that greatness with faith and confidence to add positivity and joy to your world, and be a shining light to those who God puts in your path. He is with you the whole time, and you can do all things in His strength. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Focus on This to Experience Heaven on Earth

I’ve been writing on this site for over 8 years now. It’s hard to believe, but I’ve written close to 400 articles. I don’t say this to brag or promote myself. Instead, I share this because it sometimes creates a humorous situation. When people ask me how I decide on what to write about, I provide the same simple answer…whatever is on my heart. Often times, whatever is on my heart is what I feel like God is prompting me to share, usually because I feel like He’s been speaking to me about it.

I’m surprised it didn’t start happening sooner, but during the past year, there were several times where I was given this great idea to write about it. I started writing, and what I was saying seemed awfully familiar. Not because I had read about it somewhere, but as I continued writing, I started to realize…I think I’ve written about this before. I then realized that was true. In fact, in some cases, I was using the exact same title I used for the previous article that was written years ago. I’ve even shared some of these recently.

The same thing happened this morning. I had been prompted to talk about this heaven topic. I was going to use the title “Can We Experience Heaven on Earth?” That was until I realized, I used that exact same title for an article I wrote in November 2018! You can read that article by clicking on the title link above. In that article, I talked about the Bible verse that says that the kingdom of heaven is among us. Not only is it among us or in our midst, but it is a part of our very being. For today’s article I had a bit of a different take in mind. I watched a message from I preacher I enjoy watching named Martin Trench. It was an excellent message that provides a picture of heaven, and also discusses this concept of experiencing heaven on Earth. The best part for me was how he simplified the process of seeking the kingdom of heaven. He shares several attributes of heaven, the most significant being the constant presence of God. He says that the best part of heaven is that you are constantly in God’s presence, and you continually experience that presence there.

This was really an awakening for me. God’s presence is all over heaven. But it’s also all over everywhere and everything on this earth. I realized that, instead of trying to keep in mind this mysterious kingdom that I can never possibly understand during my time on earth, I only need to focus on the presence of God! That’s something I’ve done many times, and I certainly know the power and wonderful feeling it brings!

Here’s a Bible verse that we can tie this to. Matthew 6:33 says to “seek first the kingdom of God and all else will be added to you.” Using the idea above, let’s just change that a bit and say instead to “seek first the presence of God.” I am not trying to twist scripture verses around. I am just finding that these words are synonymous. Understanding God’s presence is much easier than understanding God’s kingdom. It is not difficult to find and experience God’s presence because it is omnipresent. Any time you want to find God’s presence, you will. The difficult part, at least for me, is having the discipline to focus my mind on God’s presence instead of the circumstances or past failures in my life.

What happens when you seek the presence of God? From my experience, I can share several things. First, it brings an incredible peace. Whatever chaos is going on around me all of a sudden seems very insignificant. Second, I feel amazing! This is because instead of thinking thoughts of failure, negativity, and fear, I start thinking thoughts of love, power, and gratitude. As we think these types of thoughts, our overall energy vibration raises to a much a higher level. This then brings positive situations into our lives that match the positive thoughts and feelings. In essence, we begin to live heaven on earth. Our relationships are strengthened. People want to be in our company. We are healthier. We enjoy life more, which also enhances our careers, financial situations, and whatever else we want to accomplish in life. These are the things that are added onto us when we seek first the kingdom and presence of God.

The answer is the same now as it was in 2018, and it’s the same as it will be in 2028, or even 3018. Yes! You can experience heaven on earth. It may not be as beautiful as it is when we leave our bodies behind at death, but you can certainly experience heaven on earth by remaining consistently in the presence of God, and seeking it wherever you go. You don’t have to wait until you die. You can start right now. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

How to Live Your Dream Life

What is your dream life? It’s a question I think we all have an answer to. Or at least we should. Many know what their ideal life would look like. However, they don’t like to think about it because they feel like it could never happen for them. After all, it’s not fun to think about something that’s never going to happen.

I was reminded of this dream life idea while reviewing “A Course in Miracles.” I’ve gone through this course more than once, and I often spend time reviewing parts of it again and again, just like do for many other great books I’ve read. This book is full of great, Biblical advice about living in love, forgiveness, and joy. The part I read is from the Workbook chapter 132, paragraph 5. It says… “There is no world apart from what you wish, and herein lies your ultimate release. Change but your mind on what you want to see, and all the world must change accordingly.” The paragraph later adds that “it (your world) changes as you change your mind.”

How powerful is that? Who’s mind do you have the most control over? There’s only one answer to this question, and hopefully, you already know it. It’s you. Your own mind is the only one you have control over. This is good news! What I get from this quote is that, as you control your mind, you control your world and the circumstances in it. Take control of your mind (the Bible says to take every thought captive). Be sure to think only the highest quality thoughts. That will result in the highest quality circumstances.

Speaking of the Bible, it is filled with verses that back this up. I’ve shared these often, but I don’t think we can be reminded too many times. Proverbs 23:7 says that as a man thinks, so is he. Proverbs 27:19 says that “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” The heart in this case is one’s most predominant thoughts and beliefs. The manifestation of our desires in life is quicker and more powerful and stronger our beliefs are. My favorite Bible verse in the entire book is Mark 11:24 which says “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” You believe you have received it by aligning your thoughts and feelings as they would be if you had your desire in the outer world.

These are just a few of many verses that show that what you experience in your outer world is a direct reflection of the life you are living in your inner world. Now I know some of you are thinking that we can’t accomplish things by thought alone. We have to take action and make things happen. That is true. We can’t just sit idle and wait for things to happen. We do have to act. However, as I’ve shared many times, you are more likely to take action when your thoughts are right, and you believe you can have what you desire. If your thoughts are good, noble, and praiseworthy as the Bible suggests, the action you take will be inspired and productive as well. That’s another reason your desires manifest much more quickly when your thoughts are right.

So you want changes in your world? Then remember that your world changes as your mind changes. See the positivity, greatness and victory that you desire in the outer life in your inner world (your mind) first. Then the inspiration and direction to act will come to you almost automatically. Eventually, what you see in your mind you will experience in your life. I have seen this in my own life so many times. I challenge you to do this, and it will work for you too. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

The Importance of the F Word

During the past few weeks, I continue to be shown the significance of the F word. It is very important that I place my attention on it and use it as much as possible. The reason is that…

OK, stop it! I am not talking about THAT F word. I know you were thinking it. Seriously, I try to avoid thinking about and using that other F word. I’m sorry, I should stop now before this blog post becomes cursed. Anyway, there is another word that I keep being reminded of. I’ve written about it, I’ve heard sermons preaching it, and it has been part of almost every reading material I’ve come across in the past few weeks (do you think God is trying to drive it into my head and asking me to share?).

That magical F word is focus. Focus on what? It’s come up several different ways. Mainly, the discussions have been about focusing on positive thoughts. Focusing on whatever is “true, noble, right, lovely and admirable” according to Philippians 4:8 in the Bible. Focusing on who God says I am, not the false thoughts that I have or others may have about me. Focusing on the good in everyone else. Focusing on the fact that God is constantly working for my good. Focusing on the fact that in God I have all things, and all things are possible.

That’s a small sample of where my focus and your focus should be. Another reminder with this and why it is so significant is that what we experience in life is a direct reflection of what we focus on. If we focus on those things I mentioned, we experience situations and circumstances that back them up! If we focus on what’s wrong or what’s missing, that is what we will continue to experience. It’s such a simple formula. Yet so many (and I certainly add myself so many times) try to do things the hard way by trying to change the circumstances instead of the mental focus, which is the root of the problem. I’ve said it many times, but this is so liberating to me because it gives me full control! No one in this universe except for me determines my thoughts. It’s all in my control. Only you control your thoughts. It’s simply a matter of controlling your thoughts (remaining focused on them) and then letting the circumstances play out accordingly. If you like the thoughts, you will like the circumstances!

So keep reminding yourself of that F word… FOCUS! Constantly check in with your thoughts, to make sure they are high quality, just as you want your exterior life to be. The more you do it, the easier it gets, and the more rewarding your life will be. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

 

Driving Home the Point That Thoughts Matter

This may be a different way to begin a post than I normally do, but I will admit that I am not the most patient driver. In fact, if I’m being honest, I will say that I am rather nasty. I have many pet peeves when I drive. I don’t drive very fast, but I get frustrated easily when people drive under the speed limit unnecessarily, or I get angry at those who don’t use their turn signals. Others annoy me because they are simply clueless on the roads.

Now, I am not painting a very positive picture of myself so I’m going to quit while I’m behind. It always surprises people when I share about how impatient and inconsiderate I am on the road. Most that know me well would tell you that I am one of the most mild-mannered, patient, kind, and sympathetic individuals on the planet. In fact, some even criticize how far I will go just to avoid a conflict. Perhaps it’s because I learned to drive while living on Long Island (one of the most difficult places to drive), but for whatever reason, driving is the only time I behave so poorly.

I share this with you because my negative driving habits came to light this past week. We added another (and last) daughter to our auto insurance policy. In order to keep costs down, we are offered discounts for enrolling in an online defensive driving course. I spent the day on the computer and actually enjoyed this excellent course. It was also a major wake-up call. I realized that my bad attitude and corresponding bad driving habits like illegal passes, balancing all kinds of foods with the steering wheel, and spending more time checking what’s on the radio than what’s in front of me were not only dangerous to me, but also to those around me. I realized I needed to change these negative habits. I decided that I was immediately going to become more courteous and more focused when I drove. In fact, I was going to take it a step further. Not only was I going to be courteous. I was going to be the most courteous driver on the road!

After being such a nasty driver for so long, and having enough experience to know how life works, I expected immediate tests to my patience. I was curious to see how long this new attitude would actually last. For the first few days, I held my end of the bargain (even though my end was the only end). However, as the days went on, there were no tests! No slow drivers or series of red lights to test my patience. Everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing. Traffic was flowing smoothly every time. Drivers were even being extra courteous to me!  Even the weather cooperated. On the first day after the test, it snowed for most of the day… except for the times I drove that day!

I’ve written countless articles on this site about how the circumstances in our lives reflect the quality of focus on our thoughts. If we focus on positive thoughts, we generally experience positive outcomes. Of course, the same correlation is true for negative thoughts. I’ve seen many examples of this in my life. However, this experience has been a very powerful reminder. I realized that, even though it was on a subconscious level, every time I got into the car, I expected negative situations, that I ultimately encountered. Now, as my focus and attitude changed, I stopped encountering these negative circumstances. Driving was actually a joy. And this change occurred instantly!

I share this reminder with you, my cherished reader. Be conscious of your thoughts. Continually watch what you focus your thoughts on. If the circumstances in a particular situation are not as you would like them to be, I challenge you to change your focus. Instead of thinking about what’s wrong or what you don’t have, focus instead on what is already right and good, or at least what could be positive about it. I find this very encouraging because this strategy puts us in full control. We may not be able to control some or all of the circumstances around us, but we can all control our thoughts and attitudes which have the ultimate effect on how the circumstances turn out. Your results may not be as immediate as they were in my situation, but in most cases changes occur very quickly.

Once again I remind you that you will experience in life whatever you focus your thoughts on. If you constantly see the negative in people and things, that’s what you will continue to experience. If you see the good in people in things, you will only experience more of it. In addition, as they did with my new driving attitude, the negative situations will eventually diminish if you keep focused on the positive. Not everything is always going to go our way, and I’m not saying you’re wrong if you’re not happy every minute of the day. However, I have learned from many experiences (and now this recent one) that good things happen when you look for them. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Does God Want You to Be Happy?

I was recently reading something that said it is God’s will that I experience happiness in my life. I took the time to reflect on that for a few minutes. I’ve been lucky that I’ve experienced mostly happiness over my lifetime, so this wasn’t too difficult to believe. However, one would think about this further and possibly question this statement. After all, there is so much unhappiness in this world. There is a global pandemic, crime and terror is on the increase, and generally, especially in the United States, people are more stressed and unhappy than ever before. So is this God’s way of showing who’s boss, and is this possibly His will instead of happiness?

Regardless of all the negativity we hear about, and some may experience, I strongly believe God wants us all to be happy. Here are some Bible quotes that back this up. Ecclestiastes 3:12-13 says, “so I concluded there is NLT. Psalm 35:27 says that the Lord delights and takes pleasure in the well-being, success, and prosperity of His servant.  Galatians 5:22-23 lists all of the fruits of the spirit. One of those is joy which is the root of happiness. Since God’s spirit lives in you, joy and happiness are an inherent part of your being! I don’t think God would include joy as one of those fruits if He didn’t want you to experience it.

I do understand that we all face situations and times in our lives that are not happy. However, God did say we would face trials. What some people miss when these occur is that God allows these trials to occur in order to help us grow. And I’ve learned that growth through these difficult and unhappy circumstances ultimately brings more happiness into my life!

To conclude, I will share what I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says to Rejoice always, pray continually, and be thankful in all circumstances, and that this is God’s will for you. When it says it’s God’s will that means it’s His intention. He created us with a happy, rewarding life in mind, even though He knew parts of this life would be difficult for us. The information I’m presenting here is a bit simplified. However, I believe some of you that read this may think that happiness is not what God intended for you in this life. I am hoping these verses prove that it is indeed His will that you ARE happy far more often than not. God is on your side, and your happiness brings Him happiness. And I can’t think of anything better than putting a smile on His face. Enjoy the blessings 🙂

Keep Your Vibration High by Taking Your Thoughts Captive

I’ve written often about the concept of vibration on this site. Basically, your vibration is the level of your emotional state. That makes a difference because your external circumstances reflect what your internal vibration is. When your vibration is high, with emotions like love, joy, gratitude, and peace, you experience joyful circumstances and are given more things to be thankful for. When your vibration is low, with emotions like doubt, fear, anger, etc., you are often faced with circumstances that bring about more of those negative emotions. I realize this truth more every day, as there are countless Bible verses to back this up, and I see it play out in my life experience.

It’s a simple formula. Instead of trying to control the circumstances in life (which is very difficult to do), we are solely responsible for controlling our inner state of being. I find this very comforting since I have full control of my inner state. I think you should find this very comforting too. The problem is that it is sometimes easier said than done. Many people have learned this same fact. Yet it is often difficult to control their emotions. As much as I’ve learned and shared about this regularly, I feel your pain and often have that same difficulty. Instead of trying to control my own state of being, I allow people or circumstances to dictate how I feel. It happens much less than it used to, but I am still learning in this area as well.

So how does one best control their emotional vibration and bring it to a level that will allow the manifestation of the ideal life? There are plenty of suggestions out there. One of the best I’ve been taught is from Esther Hicks. If you want to learn about the Law of Attraction and how to apply it, she would be one of my first recommendations. I have learned so much from her that has enhanced the quality of my life. She has a ton of videos on YouTube, as well as a couple of great books too. In one of those books, she shares the concept of the emotional guidance scale. At the top of the scale are the highest emotions, such as the ones I mentioned earlier. At the bottom of the scale are the lowest emotions, also mentioned above. She suggests using this scale as a guide. The recommendation is to have regular check-ins with yourself to see where you stand on the emotional scale. She then challenges you to deliberately think thoughts that bring you higher and higher on the scale until you are in the highest emotional state. One of the most important suggestions is to take things one step at a time, and not try to go from a lower emotional state immediately to the highest. That could be frustrating and end up defeating the whole process. For example, there are 22 emotions listed from lowest to highest. If I am at level 7 for example, which is contentment, instead of going directly to number 1, I should go to level 6 which is hopefulness, then to 5 which is optimism, and eventually work myself up to the highest emotions. Even if I am much lower on the scale, this is very helpful. For example, if I am feeling frustration/irritation which is level 10, it’s almost impossible to start feeling joy immediately. However, if I go up just one level, which is pessimism. Pessimism is still a negative emotion, but it’s better than being frustrated, so I am already feeling a little better than I was. Then I think thoughts that move me up to the next level which is boredom, and so on, until my emotional state has gone from bad to good, to awesome. Here is an excellent article I found that further explains and helps practice the process.

This process has been very helpful to me. However, like I mentioned before, it is sometimes more easily said than done. Sometimes, especially if I am lower on the emotional scale, it takes a long time to start feeling the higher emotions. That sometimes leads me to give up and I end up further down the list again by getting frustrated. Recently, I found other information that I believe is even more helpful than what I mentioned above. Now I am not going to argue with what Esther Hicks says. She is extremely successful, as she has used the Law of Attraction to bring major blessing into her life, and into the lives of millions of others. Her suggestion is excellent, and I know from experience that it works. However, what I am about to share has worked even better for me, and it has taken away the sometimes long and frustrating process of gradually working my way up the emotional scale.

The only problem with what I am about to share is that I don’t remember where I found this excellent information. I do so much reading and research on this topic, that I sometimes don’t save my sources. I cannot properly cite where I found this wonderful information. I can simply tell you that I can’t take credit for creating this idea myself. However, I can also tell that you that it is incredibly powerful, and it has really helped me increase my emotional state, and its resulting manifestations. Here it is… instead of starting from the emotion you are currently feeling and working your way up to the highest emotions, consider this… those highest emotions of love, joy, peace, and gratitude are your natural state! I recently wrote an article about that topic that you can check out here. Remember that the spirit of God lives in you. And the fruits of the spirit are those emotions I just mentioned. Love, joy, and peace are what you naturally are! The only reason you are not feeling that way all the time is because you allow other emotions to block those out. Here’s an illustration. I live outside of Buffalo, New York. This city is known for its snow (over 90 inches or about 250cm per year). From November to April we almost never see the sun. However, it doesn’t mean the sun is not there. The sun is still shining. We just don’t see it because there are clouds, and snowflakes that get in the way and prevent us from experiencing the light. (just for the record… from June through October the sun shines regularly here, and the weather is more beautiful than in many other places).  It’s the same with our emotions. The light of God is always there, right with us. If you are not seeing it and feeling negative emotions, it isn’t because that light of love and joy has disappeared. It’s just that the negative clouds and darkness are blocking the light and the corresponding positive emotions.

2 Corinthians 10:5 says that we “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” That means we watch our thoughts to make sure they line up with the truth of what Jesus says. In fact, another version says that we take it a step further, and “We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One.” Here’s how I use this with what I was discussing earlier. I first reflect on who I am. I am a child of God, created in His image. I have all of His attributes. For that reason, I reflect on the fact that love, joy, peace, and gratitude (the highest emotional vibrations) are my natural state. In fact, I Thessalonians says they are God’s will for my life. In other words, God created me and you with the intention that we would live in love, joy, and peace, and have plenty of reasons to be thankful. When I get into this mode of thinking, I am starting off with a bright and clear sunny day. I am already feeling amazing! Now, I deliberately focus on my thoughts. If any clouds or raindrops come in, I cast them out. If they persist, I speak against them, reminding myself again that my natural state is love and joy.

I have found that this way of thinking and living is highly effective. As I start with my focus feeling and believing on the highest emotions, those positive manifestations begin to occur, and even begin to multiply! Then it gets even easier to stay in that high vibration. Instead of living in dark and cloudy Buffalo, I am living in bright and sunny Los Angeles! And even if there is some temporary smog that blocks the sun, if I continue to live in this state, it eventually burns off and becomes perfectly sunny and clear. I will say this though… the more you live in this higher vibration and continue to take your thoughts captive to maintain this high emotional level, the smog, clouds, and even storms tend to disappear. Even if they don’t completely go away (God says we will ultimately face trials in our lives) you can still deal with them on a much higher level and find positive solutions much quicker and easier.

Remember, you were created to live joyfully and lovingly. That is who you are. When you make the effort to control your thoughts and emotions to ensure you are thinking those kinds of thoughts, you will end up living those kinds of circumstances. The great thing about it is that it’s all in your control. So take that control and enjoy the blessings 🙂