Whatcha Been Eating?

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Think about it, when is the last time you ate?

Not a day goes by we don’t take a moment to refuel our bodies by giving it the nutrients it needs in the form of food. Without the proper foods in our diets we become physically weak, our thinking becomes foggy, and our emotions get out of whack. Just as we become physically weak without our daily food we become spiritually weak when we do not feed on God’s Word.

Amidst all the expectations, demands, requests, thrown at us in life, it is so important to take some time to ground ourselves in God’s Word. In fact we in 2 Timothy 2:15 we are instructed to study. It says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” But there is one thing the Word of God does not do…It does not give us eternal life. Eternal life is found in Jesus and the Bible teaches us of Him; John 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” Therefore, we look to the Bible to learn more about Jesus and it is a source of strength, it provides clarity of mind, and helps with emotional balance.

A Source of Strength

I have always said “Knowledge is Power” and Proverbs 24:5 reinforces my belief “A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength”. God’s word gives us the instruction we need to prepare us for the challenges we will face on a daily basis. “O Lord be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” Isaiah 33:2. By reading and studying God’s Word we build the stores of knowledge we will need to draw from when we find our selves in the middle of a weak moment. Those times when we are tempted to compromise our beliefs and morals. The Lord gives us strength when we seek his face. “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. By seeking we will find.” 1 Corinthians 16:11 The power we receive by hiding God’s word in our heart gives us the strength to stand against the temptations we face daily. So…Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Psalms 105:4

For Clarity of Mind

Do you ever have those days when your mind is foggy or days you feel confused. What about those times your thoughts are not focused on God and we begin to believe what a godless world says we should believe. The Bible is very clear about what we should be focusing on in Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing, and perfect will. How will we know God’s voice, will, and His plan for our lives if we allow our minds to be filled with the junk the world offers…Think about it, TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, friends, family, co-workers all bombarding us with negativity but by focusing on God’s word we can renew or thinking and have the clarity of mind to have good judgement and make right choices.

Emotional Balance

There was a time in my life when all anyone had to do was say “Boo” and I was either angry, sad, happy, or hysterically crying…I remember thinking, “what is wrong with me”. Emotions are powerful. They are so powerful they can run or ruin our lives…But, what we need is to plant our feet firmly and take a stand to no longer be tossed about by the ebb and flow of our emotions. Now, I am not going to say this is easy but it is doable and I am living proof. Am I 100%? NO WAY…I am HUMAN!!! But what I do know is that by quoting God’s scripture over my life I am now led by God’s word and am not guided by my emotions. To accomplish this I began quoting this scripture over my life; You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3 Did that take care of it completely? NO…So, I realized I needed to deal with each emotion as it surfaced rather than make a blanket statement. I had to get rid of the emotion that was trying to control me at that moment. You ask how do I deal with the emotion? By combining science with spiritual this is what works for me…

With my eyes in a downward gaze with eyes open and fixed on a single object (natural gaze for negative emotions) I would recite the following script. Fill in the blank with the emotion you are experiencing at that moment whether it is anger, frustration, sadness, or loneliness; whatever the emotion. The last phrase of the script “with God’s unconditional love and acceptance” is said looking upward (natural gaze for spiritual).

“I forgive the ________ and I allow the ________ to forgive me. I forgive myself for any harm I have allowed the _________ to cause my body. I release the ________ and its frequency back to the pits of hell and replace the __________ with God’s unconditional love and acceptance.

What has just happened is…the emotion is neutralized, you forgive yourself, you release the emotion back to where it came from, and replace the negative with the positive because, “The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace” Romans 8:6. You have not only taken power over the emotion but you have also cleared your mind of any sinful negativity that might hinder the clarity of mind mentioned above, so now then I can now live by this verse;

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Feeding on God’s Word must become part of our daily routine otherwise, how can we possibly be at our Spiritual best? Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.