Faithful Thoughts

There is much information available about how our thoughts can impact our lives and help us realize our goals and desires. Some people are very successful in doing so, while others say they try to use their thoughts for good things in life, but they still don't see the results. What's the missing ingredient?

In many cases, it is faith. I know because I have struggled in this area sometimes. My question then is, how does one develop their faith? After all, God Himself says He who lacks faith should not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7). I have found that prayer is one good way. God has responded when I have gone to Him admitting my lack of faith and asking for help in that area. Another way to increase faith is to focus on some of the inspirational verses in the Bible.

Another great technique I have seen recently is actually using our thoughts to develop our faith. Faith is described in the Bible as the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1). When we focus on a thought, we are actually creating a substance of something hoped for. And when we see something in our imagination, it can be considered as evidence of something unseen. Put this together, and you have faith!

How do we use this to empower our lives? First of all, I read more and more how our subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between a real or imagined experience. The more it sees something happening, even if it's just in the imagination, the more you believe it to be true. By doing this consistently, and remaining focused on those positive thoughts, you will eventually live accordingly, and eventually receive what you are seeking. When we do this consistently, we are not only thinking good, positive thoughts, but we are also adding that faith element to it. With this combination, only great things can happen.

Try spending some quiet time each day reflecting on the ideal life. However, you want your life to be, imagine the experience as it is already happening. Feel the feelings of joy as if you were actually receiving the money you need, the job you are seeking, the ideal relationship, or the perfect weight. It's all you have to do. Keep seeing it every day until it actually occurs. Create that substance of what you hope for, and the evidence of your realized desire. This, besides prayer and any necessary action is you playing your part. When you pray, you are asking God to do His part, which He will gladly do according to His will. Before long, your goals will be manifested. If it's not exactly as you imagined, or as fast as you would like that's ok. It usually means God has something better, or some things need to fall in place first. Either way, you can't lose.

This method has worked for me, especially lately. I recommend you try this formula and use it in your own life if you are not already. Then...enjoy the blessings : )

What Is There To be Happy About?

I am reading a great deal lately about the importance of gratitude. The information consistently says that, the more we are happy and thankful for what we already have, the happier we will feel. We are also more likely to continue to receive more of what makes us happy.

The question is..what do we have in our lives to be happy about? For some, answers come easily. This is not the case for others. I saw a book in the store today called "14,000 Things To Be Happy About". It talked about the big things, like family and friends. However, to get that many things to be happy about, you have to dig deep. They did, and mentioned things like cool breezes, supermarkets, bookstores, etc. It's a great idea, but there can't be 14,000 things to be happy about. Is it possible?

This is where I have to disagree with the author. There cannot be 14,000 ways. Instead, I believe...there must be more!! When I think about this further, the things that make me happy are (or should be) unlimited. The key to achieving this happiness is to find as many ways as possible to be happy, and finding as many things as possible to be thankful for. As this book showed, we can be thankful for the smallest of things. I find that, when I am thankful for even the smallest things, those little things that get under my skin, don't quite get to me. Those little pains in the neck aren't felt so much any more.

It is very true. The more gratitude we show, the happier we are. Let us focus on the things (big and small) we can be thankful for. As a result, we will see more of them in our lives. Enjoy the blessings : )

How To Bring Out the Best In Others

In every area of our lives, we want to see the best in the people around us. This is true in relationships with our spouse, kids, and parents. At our job with our boss, those that work for us, or our customers. Or anywhere else we deal with people.

How do we experience the best in others? I've made a list of some effective practices I've learned from my reading, and from my own experience. Notice how they are all actions that WE take:

Love and appreciate them.
Serve them.
Be YOUR best.
Listen to them.
Pray for them.

This is a short list, and you can add others to it. I have found that when I am getting the best out of myself, and I direct those positive energies to those around me, it brings out the best in them. Then we are all easier to live and work with : )

He's On Our Side

I find it interesting when old, obscure songs just pop into my head. This happened today. I was reminded of a spunky little rocker from the 80s named Fiona. I played her on my college radio station, and she received mild airplay on some other stations. I would put a sample here, except she is so obsure that I could not even find her on YouTube.

Anyway, she had a song called "He's On My Side". It may or may not have been intended as a Christian song. Regardless, I was reminded of it today by a Bible verse I read today in Psalms 84:11...the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does He withhold from he whose walk is upright. This verse tells me that He is on our side. It tells us that, as long we are walking with Him and being obedient (even doing our best to be obedient because none of us are completely obedient) we have His blessing.

Remember this when you pray, and as you go about your day. I know that when I consciously focus on His presence, and know that I have His favor, I feel a strong confidence which affects my life in all areas. My relationships are better. I perform better at my job. I am at peace with myself. I feel stronger and healthier. The list can go on. The same is true for anyone else. Keep in mind today that God is on you side and wants to bless you today. Then live in that confidence and peace. Enjoy the blessings : )

Where's My Miracle?

I was reminded of this today, and wanted to share...just because your miracle hasn't arrived yet doesn't mean you won't receive it. Have patience and faith, and you will see your miracle somehow, some way : )

First-Class Treatment

What is it like to receive first-class treatment on a plane, in a restaurant or anywhere for that matter? My honest answer is...I don't know!!

I have never been lucky enough to sit in first-class during air travel. Nor have I received the VIP treatment at a restaurant, sporting event, or anywhere for that matter. It must be nice though. As far as I know, these people are treated like kings. They are catered to and given the best of everything. The people serving them are very positive and helpful to them, and they spend that time living in comfort and peace. Wouldn't that be great to enjoy that treatment on a regular basis?

I am here to tell you that you too can have that first-class treatment. You may ask, "from who?". The answer is...from you! That's right, you heard me (or should I say read me). It is up to us to treat ourselves like the first-class people we are. We cannot (and should not) rely on anyone else to do it. Sure, it's nice to receive a compliment and be treated well by others. We should cherish and appreciate that. However, we need to know that we are first-class creations of God. He makes no mistakes. Every one of His creations are beautiful. It is time that you saw yourself that way.

So go ahead. Give yourself the first-class treatment. Treat yourself like a king or queen. Cater to yourself and give yourself the best of everything. No, I'm not saying to disregard others or go out and buy things you can't afford. Sure, I believe you should treat yourself every once in a while. However, what I am mainly saying is to know that you are an awesome creation of God. Shower yourself with positive thoughts of confidence, love, success, and being the best person you can be. That will allow you to spend much time living in comfort and peace Here's another important fact. When we treat ourselves as first-class citizens, it quickly rubs off on those around us. It is much easier to treat others the same way. As a result, the positive impacts we are looking to make, come much easier.

To conclude, here's my Godly advice for the day...give yourself the first-class treatment. Your life will be first-class as a result. Enjoy the blessings : )

Is It Ok to Boast?

Is It Ok to Boast?

A Definition Of The Spirit of Power

I've often shared one of my favorite (as my regular readers can tell I have many favorites) Bible verses as 2 Timothy 1:7. It says...for God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.

One may ask..what does one mean by a spirit of power? I have always seen it as the power of God that dwells in and around us. However, I read an article recently that has helped me gain an additional understanding and application of this concept. I found this article by Diane Langberg in my Couples Devotional Bible. She refers to this "spirit" as "the dominant tendency of the mind". She then stresses that is an attitude built upon the assumption that I am a person created by God, a joint heir with Christ, and an important part of this Body. Finally, she says that it is only when we set our minds on exercising that spirit of power, love, and self-control that emotions (especially negative ones) will cease to be the ruling force in our lives.

I find this information very interesting. I've seen in my own life that when my own emotions are the ruling force in my life, I fall short of where I want to be. When I focus my mind on this awesome power that I have, then I excel, even when negative situations arise. It is then where my faith is strong, I am quick to act, and my life and the lives of those around me are positively impacted.

Let us follow the advice of "setting our minds on exercising that spirit of power, love, and self-control. How do we do it? Take time-outs through the day and reflect on God and His goodness. Thank Him for His awesome power that is part of every one of us. If possible, find a block of time each day to reflect on Him, read His word, and meditate on His greatness. I try to find 15-30 minutes. If that is not possible, even taking 5-10 can still make a difference on your frame of mind.

The best part is that God wants us to be vessels of His power to do good works and have positive impacts. He will make sure it happens as long as we act and we maintain a positive, faithful mind. Focus on this verse all day, and watch the great things happen. Please share when they do. Enjoy the blessings : )

Lessons From Papa

Today is the 17th anniversary of my grandfather's death. Obviously he's been on my mind a lot today. We got along great, and I still miss him very much. We had very similiar personalitles, from our sensitivity, love of people, and sense of humor that have some laughing, and others being driven up the wall.

As I reflect on the memories today, there are three main areas where I believe he has had a great influence on me:

1. Generosity - I think he focused less on himself than anyone else. He never had much money, but he would have given the world to those he loved if he could have. Still, he often practiced generosity almost every time I saw him, which was quite often. He was also a people pleaser, and was very sensitive to responding to the needs of others.

2. Sense of humor - Although he took his life responsibilities seriously, he would do ANYTHING to make someone laugh. The funny thing is that he would be laughing right along with them. Even when life was tough, he never took things TOO seriously. At least I never saw it.

3. He fought for what he believed in - Whether it was fighting for his country (he fought in WWII), or defending his family, he never backed down from a challenge, especially if it regarded his faith, family, or friends.

I am very thankful for the memories of my papa, and especially for the valuable lessons he taught me. I hope I can carry out this excellent example in my own life. Thanks Papa : )

We Can Do It!

We Can Do It!

He's Already Working On It

I read an excellent article from Guideposts magazine today. It described a woman who was having severe financial difficulties. In fact, she could not even wash her kids' clothes because she ran out of laundry detergent, and had to wait several days before she would be able to buy more.

What did she do? The only thing she could think of was to pray. As she was praying, she heard a noise at the door. It startled her, so she went to check on it. It was just the mail carrier bringing the mail. Or was it? As she retrieved the mail, she saw that she had received, at random, a free sample of a new laundry detergent. It was just enough to do the laundry she had that day.

Even though she randomly received the free detergent, I will say with certainty that it was not a random act. The Bible verse the story provided was Isaiah 65:24. It says, Before they call, I will answer. While they are still speaking I will hear.

This detergent was on the way, well before this woman said this prayer. In fact, it arrived as she was praying. This tells me that God knows are desires before we even know them. He wants to answer our prayers, and is immediately at work in doing so. Let us take this confidence with us today. Whatever you are praying for today, know that God has it under control and is already at work in answering it. Enjoy the blessings!

How to Quench Spiritual Thirst

God helped me in a major way today. I was feeling down. I felt useless, faithless, and frustrated that some things in my life weren't going my way.

You may be saying..wait a minute, Joe. This is supposed to be a positive blog. What's with the negative feelings? To answer that, I will say that even the best of us optimists have days like this every once in a while. What did I do? I went to the only one that could help me in a situation like this...God Himself.

It's amazing how God works. Earlier in the day, during my devotion time, I read Isaiah 55:1. It says, Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost. While praying to God, I realized my problem. I have spent so much time figuring out how to accomplish things in my own power that I have not focused enough on God and His power. The reason that I was feeling as I was is because I was spiritually thirsty.

The greatness of God is shown in this verse. He says all we have to do in order to quench this spiritual thirst is come to Him. Acknowledge His love and power and just draw to it. And notice what He says about the cost of coming to Him at the end of the verse. There is none!

Are you experiencing a spiritual thirst? Are you feeling an incompleteness in your life? You can begin solving the problem by just going to Him. Let God handle your difficult situations. He is ready for you to ask for His help, and He provides for you freely and willingly.

My day was turned around instantly. As I focused on the power and love of God throughout the rest of my day, I felt a powerful peace around me and inside of me. I was spiritually full, and the light in me that had been dimmed was shining brightly once again.

It's a simple invitation to come to God and see what He can do for you. Will you take it? If you do, your thirst will be gone. Enjoy the blessings : )

What Do I Do?

What Do I Do?

Empty Me

There's a Contemporary Christian song from a couple of years ago by Chris Sligh. It is called, "Empty Me". It is an excellent reminder and prayer to empty ourselves of our ego, selfishness, and all we are that can get in the way of God's greatness. Instead, I pray that after being emptied of myself, I am filled with the awesomeness and love of God.

When we pray this prayer and live it out, great things happen in our lives. We bear more positive fruit, impact the lives of others, and glorify God. If you want to see some great blessings, stay out of God's way. Allow him to empty us of us, and fill us with Him. Your life will be filled with greatness as a result.

Three Ways to Get Answered Prayers

Wouldn't it be nice if we always received what we wanted in life? Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. However, there are things we can do to ensure that our prayers are answered (when it's in our best interest for God to do so).

John 15:7-8 says, If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. This is to my father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my desciples. Another great scripture verse is Matthew 21:22. It says, if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

Based on these verses, I see three main ways to receive what you are seeking in life:

1. Remain in Him. This means remaining in constant communication with God through prayer. It also means believing in Him and His promises, being as much like Jesus as we can, and acting obediently according to His word and what we are prompted to do. In short, when we pray, listen and watch for a response, and act accordingly, we are increasing the chances of our prayers being answered.

2. Read and know His word. This occurs from reading the Bible and living it out. When His words are in our mind and on our heart, we are more likely to act appropriately and understand what He is doing in our lives.

3, Have/demonstrate faith. It is simple. The more we believe and expect good things to happen in our lives, the more likely we are to see it happen.

Why do these actions increase the chance of positive results? If you look at verse 8 from John 15 it talks about the Father's glory, that you would bear much fruit. When you abide in Him, know His word, and live in faith, it glorifies God. Don't you think God would be very willing to help you if He knows it would glorify Him? I would think so. The only time God would not honor a prayer is if it is something that would not glorify Him, or if it is not in His right timing.

This formula has worked very well for me, and I have seen its power in my own life. I strongly recommend you follow it. I am sure you will see the blessing in your life as well.

A Key to Getting Want You Want

Isn't it amazing how some people seem to get what they want, when they want? Unfortunately, the opposite is true for others.

So what's the magic formula? Is it faith? Luck? Being at the right place at the right time? I will say yes to all of those. However, I believe one word sums it up greater than all of the others. That word is....EXPECTATION. These people achieve these goals simply because they expect to.

I've seen in this in my own life. In general, when I expect to succeed at something, I usually do. When I go into something expecting to fail, I usually do. It's also amazing how, when we expect success, our faith grows, our luck increases, and we end up in the right place at the right time.

The bottom line...if you want success, learn to expect it. You can do this by envisioning the success in your mind. This helps because as your mind "sees" you succeeding you are more likely to believe success is possible. Then, as your level of expectation increases, so does your level of success.

It's a great way to live, isn't it? Raise your expectation level and let the victories begin. Enjoy!

Faith Tester

Test your faith today. Do something you know you could never do on your own, but could only accomplish with God's help. Enjoy the blessing!

A Sure Way To Reach Your Desires

God's promises are true, right? We can answer with a resounding yes!

If you are looking for those promises to come true in your life, I recommend you follow this 5 word formula: Delight yourself in the Lord.

It's as simple as that. Psalm 37:4 says..delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. According to the Life Application Bible, to delight in the Lord means to experience pleasure and joy in His presence. Simply said, the more we do this, the greater chance we have to reach our desires.

Knowing this, let us enjoy His presence as much as possible today. You will be extremely blessed.

Get Out Of the Way!

Who am I talking to? Mainly me, but anyone else who wants to listen. Just trying to help: )

I say this because I know God wants to do so much in my life. However, me and my ego constantly get in the way. We think we know more. We think our way is best. We think that just because we don't immediately see what we're looking for it's not there.

It's time for me to just move aside and let God do His thing. It's about making myself available, speaking and listening to Him, and doing what I am called to do.

God has so much good in store. Let us believe it, know it, and let it happen. Enjoy the blessings!

Great Plans of Prosperity Ahead

I was reminded of this wonderful verse in church today...for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11).

This is a promise from God, which means these words are completely true. Dwell on this message today, especially if you've been having your doubts lately. God wants us to have the best in our lives. We need to believe and accept that.

Many blessings to you!

Beautiful Blue Skies

You could not ask for a better day here in Buffalo NY today. Cloudless skies, limited humidity and 80 degrees. The perfect summer day!

I'm sure you can think of your perfect weather day too. Here's a suggestion if I may. The next time there are clouds or obstacles in your life, take a time out and picture your ideal day and basking in its glory. It will put a smile on your face and help the clouds clear away. It works well for me, which is why I wanted to share.

Have an excellent day!

Tell Yourself This...

I have unlimited power (it's God's spirit in you) and extreme confidence.

Repeat that to yourself often and dwell on it throughout the day. See how it affects your day. I think you will like the results :)

You're Right

As long as I'm in quote mode today, here's another one of my favorites...whether you think you can or you can't, you're right.

This quote from Henry Ford is so true. Our level of success directly correlates with our level of expectancy.

Want success? Keep your expectations high and you will experience it. I really think you can.

Is It Possible?

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible. Arthur C. Clarke

I found this excellent quote online. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What difference does it make what I think I can and cannot do? How 'bout going and going until I can't go anymore. Yet it doesn't stop there. When I've reached my limit, how 'bout letting God do the rest. With Him there is no such thing as limits.

If there is a goal in your life that you have been unable to reach, try living by this philosophy today. Don't stop until impossible turns to possible. Then enjoy the blessing : )

We're Not Shy of Power

Wouldn't be great if we were filled with the most awesome  power in the universe? Well, I have good news. We are!!

I was reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses this morning. 2 Timothy 1:7 says...God did not not give us a spirit of timidity (fear), but a spirit of power, love, and self-control.

What does this mean? To me, it first says that God gave us His spirit. If we believe, it IS within us and part of us. Second, it tells me that this spirit is powerful and loving. Wow!

It's great to know this. The challenge is to consciously live it and be it. Imagine the great people we can be, and impacts we can make if we live and act this knowledge out on a daily basis.

So if you are looking for that special power, look no further. You have it. It is part of your being. Believe it and let it shine in your world. You will be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Have a wonderful day : )

Help Me With My Faith

I have been reading a lot (and writing a great deal about it in this blog as well) about the power of faith. The greater one's faith, the more likely they are to experience the life they desire.

The problem is that it is so often easier said than done. What about the times where, no matter how hard we try, we just have so much difficulty believing? I know I am supposed to have faith, but I just can't!

I'm sure everyone has been in this situation, and I found a couple of verses of assurance. The first is from Mark 9:24. In the previous verse, Jesus says everything is possible for him who believes. In this verse the person He said it to requests..please help me with my unbelief. This tells me that if we ask for Godly help in this area, we can receive it. Another verse is 2 Timothy 2:13. It says...if we are faithless, he will remain faithful. To me, this is saying that God expects that we will not always be faithful. Difficult situations arise, and it is easy to put our focus on the problem instead our Heavenly helper. This tells me that God is with us regardless. He will still be there in every situation, offering His help and guidance.

The challenge is to consciously take this with us throughout our day. Let us remember that He is with us, and that our faith grows the more we focus on God and His way. And when our faith grows, great things start to happen.

Have an excellent day : )

Trust Issues

I trust most people I come in contact with. That is mostly good, though it can go against me at times.

One question I ask, however, is why do I often have trouble believing the most trustworthy source in the entire universe? One who would never steer me in the wrong direction.

Do you also struggle to trust God sometimes? Or many times? You are not alone. When this happens I go to the same Bible verse almost every time. Proverbs 3:5 says...trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own undertanding. The Amplified version says..lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. Another translation says do not rely on your own intelligence.

Easier said than done? I can vouch for that. I have a decent amount of intelligence and I often rely on it. I see things as they are instead of how they can be. So how do we get aroud this? The next verse says...in all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. When we focus on God and His ability and power, it takes the focus off ourselves and our circumstances. God can do a lot more with them than we can.

Two things work best for me in doing this. One is to focus on times in my life where God has really come through, from the most basic situations to some of the most difficult. Two, is to focus on the faith verses and miracles in the Bible. If miracles happen for others, why not us? When I do these two things, it's amazing how much easier it is to trust in God. And it's amazing how positive and powerful my life becomes. The same will happen for you.

Have an excellent day!

In the Right Hands

Our present and future, that is. And it's God's hands I'm talking about.

I read an encouraging scripture verse today that really put me at ease. It's from Exodus 14:13 and says..do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.

Isn't it nice to know the Lord is on our side? Today, every day, and always. Yes, we need to move when he tells us. However, this is telling me that there are many times where we just need to stay still and let God do His thing. And if we let Him, He will do great things. We just need to believe it.

God wants to do great things in our lives. Let us stay out of the way and allow Him to do His great work. Then we can be thankful and enjoy the blessings, sharing them with as many people as we can.

Enjoy the day!

You Can Make a Difference

If you think you're too small to make a difference, then obviously you've never been in bed with a mosquito. Michelle Walke

I thought this quote was cute, but true. No one is too small to make a difference. Even the smallest bit of difference is better than none. Feel free to share this with anyone else you know.

It's Going to Happen...

...If you believe it.

What's going to happen? Whatever you are looking to see happen in your life. The Bible says all things are possible to those who have faith. It is up to us to believe for what we are seeking in our lives and do what is necessary for us to get there. The rest is up to God and His miracle working power.

At this point you may ask, "what if God says no to what I am asking? What if I am not supposed to have it? I have two positives to that. First, if the answer is no, God is protecting us from something. He would never allow us to have or experience something that would hurt us. Second, it means He has something even better in store for us. If God says no because there is something better, I'll take it!

I will share the advice I've read on many occasions. Determine exactly what you want. Fix it on your mind and stay focused on it. See the fulfilment of your desire. Stay focused and keep moving towards it until you receive it or something better. Sometimes it takes longer than other times. However, I have found that the more I stay focused and faithful, the shorter the time it takes to see the results I am seeking. The same will be true for you. Please share when your victories occur.

Have an excellent day : )

A Different Take on a Classic Verse

One of my favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:13. We commonly know it as..I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I believe that if we live on this verse alone, and focused on it every day, our lives would be more powerful. However, at times I haven't exactly been clear on the exact meaning. So I looked up some other translations and found some great info.

The Amplified Bible states it this way: I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me. A new English version says Christ gives me strength to face anything.

The challenge is to consciously meditate on those thoughts throughout the day. If you are looking for more power, positivity, and blessing in your life that's a great way to make it happen.

Enjoy God's wonderful power in your life today!