Christian By Choice

Thanks ed. I will start tomorrow. I CAN do this. I CAN stick with it. I CAN change my way of thinking!!!!

Anybody else up for this??

I am doing this with you, Cinder as support and re-enforcement.

Day 1 is noted that we are to stop the I can't by saying I can or even thinking I can instead. What is so valuable in this is breaking a possible lifelong bondage to the negativity of putting ourself down, and in exalting the fact that we are new creatures in Christ. This is a great verse. I will not go out and try it literally, but it is the one I ficus on, besides the one Gregory Dickow gave us today.

2Sa 22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.

It is indeed, by our God "we CAN, we CAN, we CAN change our way of thinking!"

you know what ed? i once memorized the whole psalm 18, which has that same verse, psalm 18:29. i did it to overcome in a terrible temptation that i was putting myself in a position to fall - on purpose - to prove that i was done with it. and i overcame! through the power of the Holy Spirit, armed with that sword He gave us. Hallelujah!

i sent this thread to both my daughters and a couple of friends that struggle with negativity. i am hoping they participate too.

thanks again for doing this again. :o)

Yesterday i meditated on the verse for Day 1 (I can do all things through Jesus Christ who stregnthens me). the word that ended up really blessing me in the meditation was "through". i didn't get out my dictionary or bible helps, but i just thought about it all night and most of the day. what does through mean? i crawled 'through' the tunnel. the water ran 'through' the pipe. (hmm - contained in the middle of something, surrounded by something that is directing you as you progress) you must go 'through' the principle to do that. (with someone elses authority)

i pictured being surrounded by Jesus as i tried to 'do all things', surrounded by his presence, his power, his wisdom and granted his authority, his hall pass, endowed with is security code/membership card. WOW.

day 2 really hits me where i live. man oh man.

I am so glad you are doing this Cinder and it is totally awesome that you have invited others to join in. I see you are not skimming but applying. I thank God for you, truly I do.

Being surrounded by Jesus is exactly the image of through you were given by the Lord. Through, in this passage literally means in interpretation a fixed position in place, time or state and a relation of rest.

In other words, we can DO because He DOES.

I haven't looked over our lesson 2 for this day, but I will return later when I do.

Day 3 - Feeling overwhelmed? This will take forever...

How appropriate this is as i struggle to get my body clock re-set. I am tired. Sunday is coming, which is not a day of rest for me, but of constant activity and challange -

but i know i can handle it with eight hours of sleep or one hour, because i am yoked to Jesus. that's GOOD NEWS!

Day 2 was based on ridding ourselves of the I DON'T habit, when if we begin to count our blessings we see we DO.

I supported a college age missionary on a trip to a third world country. She came back devastated and she did go into therapy. As we begin to see what we do have compared to those that do not have, we see that we are indeed a blessed country and peoples.

Our standard of living is warped by keeping up with the Jones'. I have little, yet I live comfortably and I am content. That is a priceless gift.

I could argue, as I have heard some do, that we serve the King of kings. That we should be rich and pursue that as our rightful inheritance. I say my rightful inheritance is rich spiritual blessings. All I know is what Paul said and it would apply to physical and spiritual. 2Co 10:12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with certain of them that commend themselves: but they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

I needed a car once. I had no money. My nephew pulled into the driveway with a car he just bought for 10 dollars from a friend. He sold it to me instead of keeping it for himself. That car lasted me for over a year with no mechanical problems. I see that as well provided for. For with God, nothing is impossible!

Let me note, that this is a most difficult negativity to overcome. I recall, Cinder, you posted a lovely reply on a thread that said, I AM RICH! (in Christ) When we realize what true wealth is we all can reply as you did, I AM RICH!