OUR ATTITUDES… CREATE OUR FUTURE

Do you have a glad heart? Or, do you consistently worry? Are your thoughts filled with negative anticipation and worthless fears of tomorrow? Or do you wake up each day with a grateful heart that you are still alive and enjoying the grace of God?

Do you realize you are creating your future by the very attitude you posses?

In Proverbs 15:15: it says it this way, "All the days of despondence and affliction are made evil by anxious thoughts but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast regardless of circumstances."

We have an "either - or" situation here. Have a glad heart and a continual feast, or have your days made evil by "negative thinking." It's all an attitude.

Your attitude is supported by your beliefs and your beliefs are vital to your success or failure in life.

Jesus said, "As you have believed, let it be done unto you" (Matthew 8:13).

Whatever emotion you experience at any given time is supported by a particular belief. If you are experiencing joy, there is an underlying belief that supports that emotion. If you are experiencing discouragement, there is an underlying belief supporting that too.

If you know God is taking care of you and watching out for your best interest, then relax. Have a glad heart and know He is in control, for the peace of God surpasses all understanding.

If, for some reason, you are experiencing some negative emotion, your believing in something that is causing it.

So, the next time you're exuding a poor demeanor; slumped shoulders, shallow breathing, a sagging facial expression, just stop and ask yourself, "What is the belief that is supporting this behavior?" Once you recognize it, you can change it. It's just a decision.

Notice the phrase, "despondence and affliction." The word "despondence" means losing hope. As long as God is alive, there is no reason to lose hope. "He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

This power that works in us is our faith. Jesus said, "According to your faith let it be done unto you" (Matthew 9:29). God gives us the “grace of abundance in anything”, but we were also given the freewill to believe or not to believe.

Remember, we create our future by the very attitudes we posses, so we need to remember this and always be careful to not worry and keep trusting in God.

A HEALING TOUCH

Touch is of utmost importance in the healing process. Whether you're down with the 'flu or lying sick in a hospital bed, the one thing you crave most is a gentle touch, a warm hug, a mother's kiss on the sore spot with the assurance that it is all better. Yet, you are so often caught up with mixed emotions, like "I have the flu; I better not hug anyone." Let me share a story of a woman who was actually banned from society and as she was considered "unclean" according to the health law and custom of her day.

This lady had a bleeding condition for years and, after spending all her money on doctors, there was no hope left. But... she had heard of Jesus and how "he healed all that were sick." She had only one thing on her mind. She knew that she knew that she knew she would get healed . If only she could somehow break through the throngs of people following Him and get close to Him, she was convinced that she would receive her healing. She knew that she could be stoned to death for approaching anyone in her present condition. In fact, she was required to wear special clothing that set her apart so that everyone would know she was unclean. Giving no thought to the fear that was in her mind, she had only one goal, and that was to get her healing. Crawling low through the crowd, she strained and reached with all the strength left in her, all the while saying to herself: "if I may but touch the hem of his garment, I shall be whole." Over and over she repeated those words out loud. They empowered her to greater and greater faith. She saw in her mind's eye, and heard, the desired end result constantly.

There! She did it! She just touched the hem of Jesus' garment and instantly the bleeding stopped. Then a voice boomed through the crowd: "who touched me?" Jesus now turned facing her; his disciples surprised that He should ask the question with hundreds of people all around. Realizing He knew that it was she who had touched Him, she faced Him and acknowledged out loud to everyone what she had done and that she was healed. Jesus assured her: "Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole. Go in peace" Although all sick people who had come to Him were healed, very few had the faith that she had, and Jesus knew this instantly. This woman received the healing she came for at the moment of her touch. Jesus, however, to reward her strong faith, went much further than healing her sickness. He declared that she was now also whole! That encompasses everything! Not only physical healing of one ailment, but also any other type of healing, like possibly her extreme fatigue due to the prolonged loss of blood, feelings of rejection, fear, and the depletion of all her finances. Every need she possibly had was met due to her faith!

Are you in need of a healing touch? Go ahead, speak out loud words of faith to yourself, like she did. Then, do not listen to the thoughts of doubt and fear and "can't do's."

Press in, reach out, and He will reward your faith!

LET SING TOGETHER FOR PEACE...

HEARTBEAT OF HOPE

The beating heart is a sign of life. Hope is what sustains that life. Yes, food, water, sunlight, these sustain life also but, it’s HOPE that really keeps you alive. Hope is what has brought you to today. Hope is what inspires us to move forward because we believe that tomorrow will truly be a better day. Tomorrow, will give you that new house that you have been saving for. Tomorrow, you will finally be able to spend time with your family – and, tomorrow is the day that you will receive your raise for a job well done. Hope is optimism. Hope is a belief that all your desires will be fulfilled and all your positive expectations will become realities.

Without Hope, our future darkens and the shadow of death is seen crouching at the door. Hope gives us the will to go. We hope in what is “to be”. We hope in what “can be”. Why hope for what is? Why hope for what you already have?

Indeed, why hope for the present. The present is littered with broken dreams, foolish ambitions and missed opportunities. But despite all these, Hope is the herald of a brand new day. Hope proclaims, “yes, we can”; “yes, it is possible”! Hope gives you the breath of life to live another day. This is the “heartbeat of hope”.

In truth, I should pause for a moment and tell you this: That although Hope is filled with endless possibilities and personal triumphs, all who are driven by the heartbeat of hope well know, that Hope can also carry with it defeat, disappointment and heartache. We have all “hoped” and have experienced the agony of heartbreak and the tears of tragedy.

The heartbeat of hope gives us life today through our Heavenly Father, GOD. Today is already here. Tomorrow, …… tomorrow will bring with it the answer to all of our prayers and the fulfillment of dreams. Tomorrow will indeed be a better day!