Thank You!

For my past two posts, I have focused on one of my favorite Bible verses. It is I Thessalonians 5:16-18....Be joyful always, and pray continually. The final part of that verse says to "give thanks in all circumstances".

How easy is it to be thankful? If one developes a habitual attitude of gratitude, it can be a regular part of their life. When my attitude is right, I feel like, for the most part, I am good at expressing appreciation to God and those around me.

I believe the difficult part of the verse is the part that says "all circumstances". It is easy to be thankful when things are going our way. However, if you are like me, it is difficult to focus on the positives when things are going against us.

Due to the fact that it is difficult to remain thankful in all circumstances, I believe we actually have two things going for us. One is that God will help us. Since, according to the verse "this is His will for us", He is readily available to help us focus on the right things and have the right attitude as long as we ask. Second, if we are constantly thankful, even when things go against us, I believe we will be seriously blessed at the appropriate time. It is our nature to continue to give to those that appreciate what we do. I believe our God is the same, and He will continue to shower us with His favor if we are appreciative of what we have.

Like many of His challenges, this one is not easy. However, by following this command, our lives will be much more rewarding. I thank God for that.

Have an excellent day : )

How Often Should We Pray

Is there a certain amount of time that we need to pray? Can we pray too much or too little? I have heard some debate about this topic. One side says we should present our prayer once and let God take it from there. They say that if we keep praying about the same thing it shows a lack of faith. On the other side, some say we should pray constantly and continually for any need we have.

In my opinion, the best debate settler about topics like this is the Bible. In Thessalonians I 5:17, our question is answered in plain and simple fashion....pray without ceasing. That's the entire verse right there. Do we need any more of an explanation?

I believe this means more than just simply continuing to pray about things in our lives. To me, it is constant communication with God throughout the day. I'm sure He appreciates any prayer, but constant communication can only enhance our heavenly relationship to a high level, resulting in many blessings for us and those around us. The Life Application Bible describes praying without ceasing as "acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing His presence within us, and determining to obey Him fully". It adds that it is very effective to pray "frequent, spontaneous, short prayers" throughout each day. I find that my day goes so much better and I am much more effective when I can acknowledge this presence throughout the day.

Prayer is powerful and effective. When used continually, it can have unbelievable, powerful impacts on our lives. It is not meant to be done once and then forgotten. God does not need our prayers to act. However, He loves to hear from us, and will bless us for going to Him. As it says in the next verse, this is His will for us. Isn't that a great and assuring promise? Try it our for yourself. I believe you will quickly see the rewards. Please share when you do! I will discuss the last part of this simple, three part will of God in my next entry.

Have an excellent day : )

A Simple Definition of God's Will

Are you one who wants to know God's will for your life? Do you sometimes have difficulty wondering exactly what it is? If you are like me, you struggle with this question on a regular basis. If only there was a simple answer.

As I pondered this in my own devotional time I was lead to one of my favorite verses in the entire Bible. I was reminded that a simple example of God's will for us was right here in front of me. The verse is in I Thessalonians 5:16-18. Verse 18 specifically states, "this is God's will for your life".

Today I will touch on verse 16 which simply says...Be joyful always. It is a simple and direct command, though not always an easy one to follow. Part of God's will and desire for our lives is that we remain joyful. How easy or difficult is it to do this? I believe the answer is totally up to us. If I have my mind made up to be joyful I can accomplish it no questions asked, regardless of any negative situations that get in the way. If I am not joyful, it is because I am choosing not to be, regardless of all the good I have to be thankful for.

I am realizing more each day how the level of joy in my life is under my control. I also realize more and more how much I benefit from choosing to be joyful. Not only myself, but also those who have me as part of their world. When we are joyful, life seems so much more rewarding and worth living. It positively affects all areas: our confidence, spirituality, relationships, work, etc.

One may ask, what about those difficult times when people or circumstances seem to do everything possible to steal our joy? Unfortunately, times like that are inevitible, even for the most joyful of people. I believe, since God's word says joy is part of His will for us, that He will help us find the strength we need. We just need to ask. If we ask Him and keep our minds right, I believe it won't be long before the joy returns.

This blog is called Positive Power. One way to experience true positive power is to remain joyful. It is possible....if you want it to be. So keep smiling and enjoy the wonderful blessings you have received in your life. I strongly believe it will result in many more. It certainly has for me.

In my next post, I will touch on verse 17.

Have an excellent day : )

Say Yes

I had a chance to watch "The Yes Man" movie during the weekend. It was a very entertaining movie. Jim Carey stars as generally negative man afraid to try new things in life. He then attends a seminar where he pledges to say yes to everything in life. As a result, all aspects of his life change dramatically.

Although parts of the movie are a bit exaggerated, and it is impossible to say yes to absolutely everything in life, I love the idea. What would happen in our own lives if we said yes a lot more than we do? I tried this experiment during the past couple of days. As much as I could, I said yes as much as possible, even in situations where I would have normally said no. I already saw a great difference in the several situations where I did this. It was nothing extaordinary, but eventually those smiles that were put on other people's faces as a result add up to extraordinary impacts. For me, that makes it worth it to continue this "experiment".

I challenge anyone else to do the same. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a main aim of the movie. It was just another Hollywood comedy, but the message is strong. By living a yes life, one can live an exciting, positive life filled with pleasant surprises. That would go beyond anything Hollywood could ever provide. Do you believe me? Please say....Yes!!

Have an excellent day : )

A Good Laugh

Isn't it funny (no pun intended) how a good laugh can change even the worst of moods? I find that, even after the most stressful days, if I see or hear something that makes me laugh it seems to lift the dark cloud. Laughter can even have medical benefits. It can either help heal the sick or depressed, or help others maintain an increase their well-being.

As I get older, I notice I don't do some things as much as I used to. Sad to say, laughing is one of them. I would consider myself to be a happy person. It's not that I don't want to laugh, I just don't do it as much as I should. And knowing how beneficial it is, I feel like I need to return it to my daily life.

An excellent suggestion was recently made to me. Find something to laugh at every day. There are many sources of comic material, mainly television, DVD, and of course the internet. Also, nothing is better than sharing a good laugh with a family member or friend. The key is to consciously make the effort to find something to laugh at. The benefits are great, and as we feel better it is naturally contagious to those around us.

Some days are more difficult than others. However, I don't think it is very difficult to find some "laugh time" to take away the edge. I believe it is well worth the invested time. No joke!

Have an excellent day

Write it Down

Are you looking for a quick way to accomplish your goals? If you are like most people, including myself, you want these goals accomplished yesterday.

I watched a video the other day where the speaker's main point was simple and powerful. Her name is Natalie Ledwell. She said that if you want to be successful in life, you need to know exactly what you want. This is nothing new for me as I have seen and read about this information in plenty of sources. It's common sense. If one doesn't have a direction to go, it will be very easy to get lost and not accomplish much of anything. The main advice I've heard consistently is....Write It Down!

At first I wondered if it really made a difference. I took the time to think about exactly what I wanted and thought that was enough. However, as things weren't happening as quickly as I wished, I decided to take this advice to heart. After only a few days, I will say it makes a huge difference. Seeing it in writing just seems to make it so much more real.

The information suggests to take the main areas of our lives, such as self, spirituality, health, finances, family, relationships, and career and take the following step:

1. Write down goals and intentions for each of these areas. I wrote three for each. For example...I intend to appreciate and encourage each of my family members every day; I intend to exercise at least 15 minutes a day; I intend to earn $x per month.

2. Review the list EVERY DAY. Talk about making it real. By doing this, the goals stay fresh, and are kept in the front of the mind, not pushed to the back.

3. See yourself succeeding. Picture yourself accomplishing the goals and living life as you want it. Have faith that the intentions will become reality. It's funny how success in the mind soon turns out to be success in the real world.

I must say that I feel a surge of confidence since following these steps. I am constantly aware of these goals, and find myself more confident in my ability to accomplish them. I feel like I am doing my part and allowing God to do His. Success can be the only answer for that formula.

I stongly recommend taking the time to write down your goals. Some just list ideas, some write them out in paragraph form. Either way, it is a powerful exercise that will move you towards the success you desire. As always, I would love to hear your success story.

Have an excellent day : )

Remaining Focused

My youngest daughter is in first grade. Earlier this school year we met with her teacher at open house night. The teacher had mainly good things to say. She said Gianna was very bright and was achieving at or even above grade level in certain areas. If there was one area of concern, it was that she sometimes lacked focus. She knew what had to be done, but sometimes focused her attention on other things, like socializing, that took her away from what she needed to be doing.

I reflected on this after the meeting. Lack of focus? My daughter? I completely believed what the teacher said. However, I was a bit surprised because I had never had issues with lack of focus. Or did I? As I thought about this more carefully I realized that, not only did I have issues with focus as a student, but I still do.

Our situations are a bit different. I am not a young student. However, I realize how much I have a tendency I have to lose focus, especially in the area of my personal goals. I know what I want and what I need to do. However, as my daughter sometimes does in school, I become distracted by other things and drift off task.

It has been 5 months since that meeting at school. The teacher says Gianna has significantly improved her focus. It seems she has realized what she needed to do and has done it. I can learn the same lesson, and have taken strides to do so. According to several of the books I have recently read, the best way to improve and maintain focus is to keep the goal firmly pressed in our minds. We need to see ourselves as the person we want to be. See ourselves accomplishing the goals we have. As we hold those thoughts in our head, we also need to take the necessary action. Even if we don't know exactly what action to take, I believe that it is when we have this focused mind set that divine guidance is most likely to arrive. When we are divinely guided, we are guaranteed to move in the right direction.

You may think this is something that is easier said than done. Admittedly, it is not easy. However, I have found that the more we practice this, the easier it gets. The more focused we are on the goals (and the more we avoid focusing on what we don't want) the more we see the desired results in our lives.

I am thankful to my first grade daughter and her teacher for bringing this to my attention. It has been a big help to me lately, and now I hope it can do the same for you.

Have an excellent day : )

Say My Name

"Say My Name, Say My Name.... I found myself humming this Destinys Child tune today for some reason. It's a catchy one!

The song made me think about the power of a name. Are you looking for a way to positively impact the people you deal with? If so, it is necessary to understand the importance and power of using someone's name when talking to them. In the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People", Dale Carnegie states that, "a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language". He adds that one's name is wholly and completely owned by the person with whom we are dealing....and nobody else. The name sets the individual apart (p. 112-113).

How true is this? I think about when someone uses my name when talking to me. I feel more comfortable, more valued, and more part of the conversation. I feel like the person can relate to me. Businesses that deal with customers also understand the importance of using names. At one job I worked at, one of the criteria for each customer interaction was using their name a certain number of times during the call.

I have always struggled in this area because I have not been good at remembering names. As a result, I didn't use names when talking to people, even people I knew well. However, after reading this information, I realized that the reason I couldn't remember names well is because I wasn't trying hard enough. I wasn't making enough of an effort. In recent times I have made a better effort to remember names of people I meet, and use them throughout conversations with anyone I talk to, including those closest to me. In my observation it does have an impact. I have even seen people smile as I use their name in conversation. At my school, it is a great way to get and maintain my students' attention. If one is off task, sometimes just a gentle calling of their name brings them right back.

I will end with the reminder that people desire to be valued by their fellow human beings. One of the best ways to show value to them is to use their names regularly. Let them hear that sweet sound mentioned earlier. It has a much more powerful impact than you may realize. What can the results be? You name it!

Have an excellent day!

Joe

Prayer from the Heart

During this week I have been writing about different types of prayer. I believe each are great models for us to use, and each adds a special dimension to our prayer lives.

I will end this discussion with another aspect of prayer. That is, simply prayer from the depths of our heart. I have noticed that, when I pray my most heartfelt prayers, it is then where I receive God's most heartfelt answers. I really believe God appreciates when we pour ourselves out to Him in prayer. There are countless examples of this in the Bible, and each time we see a great response.

It is my experience that spending even just a few minutes a day praying one or more of the prayers I've shared this week, God's power will be experienced in our lives. I've seen it too many times in my own life to know it's not a fluke. It is my prayer that these messages have helped anyone reading these blogs. Please share any great stories you may have.

Have an excellent day : )

The Prayer of Nehemiah

How is your prayer life these days? I certainly hope some of the information presented here regarding different prayer types has added some insight to your prayer life. These methods of prayer I've discussed during the past few days have helped me a great deal.

Another prayer I've been intrigued by is the prayer of Nehemiah. It is found in Nehemiah 1: 5-11. Like the Lord's prayer it is an excellent model for prayer, and it has all elements I believe God would look for in a prayer from us:

1. Praise/Thanksgiving - Before anything is said or asked for, he is praising and thanking God simply for who he is.

2. Forgiveness - I believe God is much more likely to hear and answer our prayer if we are coming to Him with a humble heart, asking for forgiveness.

3. Specific request - Once his heart is right, it is then that Nehemiah presents his case before the Lord. He is also specific and detailed in his prayer.

4. Expect the answer and blessing - As the prayer ends it is apparent to me that Nehemiah expects success and blessing. It is inspiration for us to expect the same. It may not happen the way we might think, but it will.

Once again we have for us an excellent model of prayer. I feel best about my prayers when I know they contain all of these elements. I believe God does too.

If you were to continue reading this book of the Bible you will see that Nehemiah was indeed blessed. A major reason was that, after praying this prayer, he immediately took action. He set goals, organized plans, and worked hard with no excuses. That's a sure way to success, and a lesson I need to learn for sure.

Once again I appreciate anyone reading this. I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me. If so, I would love to know.

Have an excellent day : )

A Simple Prayer Formula With Positive Results

During the past couple of days I have shared some different types of prayers. Both I have discussed so far came directly from the Bible.

Today's prayer method comes from a different source. One of the most inspirational books I have read is "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale. It is an incredible book that teaches us what its title says. Unlike other books like it, this one is written from a Christian perspective. I recommend the book to anyone.

One chapter in this book is devoted to prayer. The heart of this chapter is a simple but effective 3 step prayer. Although it is not taken directly from the Bible, it is certainly based on several verses. The formula is this: Prayerize; Picturize; Actualize (p 45-46). I will explain:

1. Prayerize - This is prayer as it should be. That is, continuous communication with God about everything in our lives. For the things we desire, the struggles we need help with, blessings for ourselves, and others, etc. This is where we can also look to hear from God to determine if something we pray for is His will for us.

2. Picturize - This step goes beyond prayer. At this point we are to envision our prayer being answered. See ourselves living and experiencing the result of our answered prayer. This is where faith enters the equation. If you don't believe this, I recommend you read Mark 11:24......."I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours".

3. Actualize - As we have communicated with God, and have and idea that what we are asking for matches His will, we then picture the answered prayer. I believe the sooner we see our prayer being answered in our minds, the sooner we see the prayer answered. With each of us (ourselves and God) playing our part, our desire then actualizes into the lived out, answered prayer. Then we enjoy the benefits of that answered prayer.

Can it be this simple? Once again, I can only answer from my experience, and in my experience it has been highly effective. You can't argue with a scripture verse that says God will answer our prayers if we simply believe and see them as already answered. And if for some reason He says no, then we will experience something even better than what we asked for.

I recommend this type of praying to anyone. Used along with the Lord's prayer and any other ways we know how to pray, I believe it will immediately impact your life positively as it has mine. It has helped me very much which is why I feel the need to share it with many others. I hope you experience the same positives that I have.

As always I encourage you to share your thoughts and positive results. I thank you in advance for doing so. In the meantime, have an excellent day

The Prayer of Jabez

In my previous blog I touched on the positive power of prayer and the way our Lord taught us to pray. For today and the rest of the week I will discuss some other ways to put prayer power to use. These prayers do not substitute using the Lord's prayer, but they are excellent alternatives. Each of these methods have been very helpful in my life.

One of the best Christian books I have read is "The Prayer of Jabez" by Bruce Wilkinson. I highly recommend you check out this small but potentially life-changing book. It is based on the following prayer from I Chronicles 4:10. It has 4 main components. In the prayer, Jabez asks for:

1. Blessing - Contrary to what some may think, it is not wrong to ask God for abundant blessing. In fact, He is waiting for us to ask. You may have heard the verse, "you have not because you ask not". As long as we are asking according to God's will we can ask freely. It's amazing how the blessings soon arrive once you ask in this way.

2. Expand my territory - Want to see miracles? Ask God to expand your territory. This is basically asking for more opportunities to positively impact the world around you. Once again, it's amazing how things start happening by simply asking according to His will.

3. May your hand be upon me - When the blessings start coming and our territory begins to expand beyond our control things can actually get a bit scary. However, the book states that this is ok because we rely on God's power instead of our own. I don't know about you, but using my own power sets me up for failure. Relying on God's power sets me up to witness miracles.

4. Protect me from evil - Similar to the Lord's prayer, this one ends by asking for deliverance from the evil one. Satan does not want to see us blessed or impacting our world for God. He will do all he can to discourage us, which is why we need Heavenly protection.

My favorite part of this verse is the final part....And God granted his request. Simple as that. As the book shares, God will gladly answer a prayer like this. Not only answer it, but take it and run with it. The only times this prayer has not worked wonders for me is the times I neglect to use it. Once again, God is waiting for us to ask for blessing, more responsibility, and dependence on Him. If you have a sincere desire for positive power, this prayer is one way to see it and experience it. I say this from first-hand experience. I look forward to hearing how it works for you.

Have an excellent day : )

The Power of Prayer

The name of this blog is Positive Power. I was reflecting the other day about what to write about and provide examples of positive power. Then it hit me in the middle of this past Sunday's church service (that's when you know it's God talking). I was reminded of the ultimate positive power. One that I don't do half as much as I should. That is the power of prayer.

We had a guest speaker at church and he was actually quite interesting. However, I cannot remember much of what he said. I kept going back in my mind to this power. As I thought about what to write when I arrived home, I thought about some of the ways I've learned to pray. I will share some of those during the week.

For today, I will start with the most significant one. The Lord's prayer. I will take it from Matthew 6:

Our Father in heaven; hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us today our daily bread; Forgive us our debts as we also have forgotten our debtors; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

This prayer covers it all....worship, submission, petition, forgiveness, protection. It is how we are taught to pray. There is nothing more powerful than the power of prayer. If I am using this blog as an opportunity to discuss positive power for life I would be remiss if I didn't mention prayer power. It is powerful. It is peaceful. It has impacted my life in so many powerful ways that I feel the need to share.

Tomorrow I will discuss a four part prayer that does wonders for our own lives and for those around us. In the meantime, I would love to hear how prayer has positively impacted your life. I pray that you have an excellent day : )