Article from: The American Association of Christian Counselors

To renew your mind is to involve yourself in the process of allowing God to bring to the surface the lies you have mistakenly accepted and replace them with truth. -Charles Stanley

If your mind is filled with the Word of God, then it can’t be filled with impure thoughts. -David Jeremiah

Crazy thoughts… we all have them from time to time.

Consuming thoughts… those are the ones that won’t be denied.

Unrelenting thoughts… that won’t let you sleep.

Private thoughts… that stubbornly fuel emotions of lust, anger, fear, sorrow, and even hopelessness.

Infected thoughts… that are often destructive in relationships with those closest to us, even our relationship with God.

“Anxious thoughts (that) multiply within me…” (Psalm 94:19 NAS)

The scary part? When we start believing them. “For as a man thinks within himself, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7 NAS)

The antidote? “…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6 ESV)

However, we must not miss vs. 8 which begins with the word “Finally”— a word which could be translated “From this time forward”. “Finally, (from this time forward) brothers, (and sisters) whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (ESV)

That’s a bunch of “whatevers” to think about.

What you fill your mind with will largely determine what type of thoughts you have. What you put in — comes out…

And there is a challenge; the “evil one”, known as the “father of lies”, constantly and consistently bombards our minds. And his mind games become a battlefield.

Paul said we should take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”(2 Corinthians 10:5 NAS) Knowing it and doing it are two different things.

Speaking of war, when Paul delineates and lists the “full armor of God” used to“stand firm against the schemes of the devil” in Ephesians 6, he only records one offensive weapon — “And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (v. 17 NAS)

The spiritual weapon given to us by the Lord, to battle the formation of these debilitating and controlling thoughts, is God’s word.

Flip back a page to Ephesians 5. Paul says that Christ sanctifies and cleanses the body of Christ “by the washing of water by the word” (v. 26 ESV)

Our thought life can, and will be washed clean by soaking and meditating in His written word.

Spend time reading the Bible. Study it. Memorize it. Saturate your thoughts with it. Immerse your soul in it. Drink deeply of its truth. Let the word of God dwell in you richly.

As you do this, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, willguard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 ESV)

It will turn your thought life around.

2/7/13 Christian Inpirations/Thoughts of the Day:

COUNTING THE COST OF WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT IT TAKES TO LIVE FOR CHRIST:

• God greatly humbles the heart of those whom He will use greatly. If you want to be used greatly for God get ready to be humbled greatly! 
• God brings us to the end of ourselves and rids us of ourselves so that He can live in us. God wants His body to be whole, pure, and holy to glorify Him in us. In and of ourselves we are "useless." In the Bible Apostle Paul says apart from God we can do no good thing. So If you are being humbled by God this is "Good News" because God works on His own within the church first, and then to the world. Humility during brokenness or times of trials is a sign that God is working in your life and giving you a story to share with others. We can't share our story with others of how God is changing us and currently working in our lives if we have no story. 
• We must first open ourselves to His changing so that we can be in a position to share this with others and have an impact on others. This is the calling to every believer. Will we accept the call and submit to Him and what he is doing in our lives? I say yes because I want to know God more, I want the best of what God has for me, and I know that in and of myself apart from Christ I have nothing, I am nothing without Him. It is important to me that others hear the message of Christ and receive His love. I want others to experience this same love and what Christ has done for me; especially my family, husband, children-- I love experiencing Christ with them because we are all on the same page and His love brings us closer.... I count the cost because no amount of my own life, my own pride, doing things my way is anything compared to the Glorious riches I experience in Christ. 

• 
  

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.: John Gottman’s FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.: John Gottman’s FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE: John Gottman’s FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE: 1. Criticism: Attacking your partner’s personality or character, usually w...

John Gottman’s FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

John Gottman’s FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE:

1. Criticism:

Attacking your partner’s personality or character, usually with the intent of making

someone right and someone wrong:

Generalizations: “you always…” “you never…”“you’re the type of person who …” “why

are you so …”

2. Contempt:

Attacking your partner’s sense of self with the intention to insult or psychologically 

abuse him/her:

- Insults and name-calling: “B-, bastard, wimp, fat, stupid, ugly, slob, lazy…”

- Hostile humor, sarcasm or mockery

- Body language & tone of voice: sneering, rolling your eyes, curling your upper lip

3. Defensiveness:

Seeing self as the victim, warding off a perceived attack:

- Making excuses (e.g., external circumstances beyond your control forced you to act in

a certain way) “It’s not my fault…”, “I didn’t…”

- Cross-complaining: meeting your partner’s complaint, or criticism with a complaint of

your own, ignoring what your partner said

- Disagreeing and then cross-complaining “That’s not true, you’re the one who …” “I did

this because you did that…”

- Yes-butting: start off agreeing but end up disagreeing

- Repeating yourself without paying attention to what the other person is saying

- Whining “It’s not fair.”

4. Stonewalling:

Withdrawing from the relationship as a way to avoid conflict. Partners may think they 

are trying to be “neutral” but stonewalling conveys disapproval, icy distance, separation,

disconnection, and/or smugness:

- Stony silence

- Monosyllabic mutterings

- Changing the subject

- Removing yourself physically

- Silent TreatmentRemedies:

- Learn to make specific complaints & requests (when X happened, I felt Y, I want Z)

- Conscious communication: Speaking the unarguable truth & listening generously

- Validate your partner (let your partner know what makes sense to you about what they

are saying; let them know you understand what they are feeling, see through their eyes)

- Shift to appreciation (5 times as much positive feeling & interaction as negative)

- Claim responsibility: “What can I learn from this?” & “What can I do about it?”

- Re-write your inner script (replace thoughts of righteous indignation or innocent

victimization with thoughts of appreciation, responsibility that are soothing & validating)

- Practice getting undefended (allowing your partner’s utterances to be what they really

A Proper Healthy Self-Esteem

2/5/13 Coming soon.

It's Ok to Share our Weeknesses in order to encourage others How We have Overcome Through Christ!

Sometimes, and very unfortunately, human nature in man to want to see others fall in order to make themselves feel better. However, if we come from the perspective of measuring our standards to "ourselves only," and not others-- and who God made us having the mentality that all creation is lovely, beautiful, and wonderfully made as scripture tells us-- then we will increase in our self-esteem and be less likely to want to see others fall to make ourselves feel better. Remember: Love hopes, believes all things, and believes the best in others, even through their weaknesses. 

On the caution side of this if we share our weakness with someone leaning on them in (co-dependence to solve our every problem) we are not  displaying our godly faith and independence as we should be. They will not respect us later, which is our fault. We can ask others for prayer and support as long as we do so in a healthy manner. 

Lastly, the best time to tell "all" of our weaknesses is when God has overcome through us as a testimony to others of what God can do! (2 Corinthians 13) ---- Food For Thought----

Getting Ahead in Life by Listening to Your Spouse!

(I wrote this last year, but I Hope you like this blog and benefit from it in some way today as Husband and Wife Blogs are timeless):

Getting Ahead in Life by Listening to Your Spouse!

Wives could get far in life just by listening to a loving husband who knows you better than anyone and can see your situation through clear glasses. By listening to your husband you can avoid 40 years of wandering meaninglessness  in the desert and get to your destination in life much quicker by learning from him. They look at things from a logical point of view, rather than an emotional point of view. In the same way wives can add depth and wisdom to their husbands and help them look smarter in their lives and even get ahead on the job!
Lets look at the main reason why wives do not listen to their husbands. There are two main reasons: Men either go to the extreme of controlling their wives and using the "unhealthy submission" requirement card. Or they do not lead at all, and when they do if they do, having all the right words to say but they show no confidence behind their words and no authority. Wives do not respect a man who has no confidence behind their words. If you don't believe in your words how will she? She is looking for someone to look up to who will convince her.  How can someone else listen and believe you if you do not believe in or listen to yourself.

Here's two things that build up a man's confidence: Work and their Wives. (For men who have military jobs and do not get a lot of encouragement and affirmation at work read my confidence blog on how to obtain confidence even through having a controlling boss.) Wives play a big role in helping their husbands have confidence. Proverbs says a wise woman builds her house up, and a foolish woman insults and tears down her husband. There is a healthy balance of healthy submission in relationships as husbands and wives are one flesh and it is in both their best interest to build one another up.Whatever you invest into your spouse comes back to you as you are one flesh. Wives listen and submit to your husband for success and husbands love your wives like Christ loves the church for success-- you will always recieve much revenue for doing so! ----Food for thought---